COON RAPID SWAP MEET A SUCCESS

By Staff
Published on September 1, 1973
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Russell W. Carpenter
Courtesy of Russell W. Carpenter, Coon Rapids, Iowa 50058

Central States Gas & Steam Swap Meet, sponsored by Central
Hawkeye Gas Engine & Tractor Ass’n. Inc., was a success in
spite of an all day rain. There was plenty of room inside and could
of handled many more people. There were swappers from seven states
and all went home happy.

Jim Withers and pardner had a large load of rare engines. They
sold or traded all but one, that was a side shaft – which was for
show only.

Wally Nelson went home empty and called later saying it was the
best Swap Meet he has attended.

The boys from near Brookings, South Dakota brought a load and
swapped or sold them all.

I saw five side shafts that were sold or traded. Also Taylor
vacuum, Handy Andy, Olds and many others. It was a good place to
pick up drip oilers, magnetos and all kinds of parts.

The Flea Market was in a heated building and all did real well
there. There were Cast Iron Collectors with trading stock from
Kansas, Nebraska and Illinois.

Ed Langle of Templeton, Iowa and Jake Smouse of Coon Rapids had
real nice show displays. Ed had some rare engines and cast iron
displays. Jake had his Case steamer and thresher running, as well
as his new Smouse gas engine, that runs perfectly. It is about 6
inches long, 4 inches wide and 4 inches high.

Merlin Schrier and his father had so many engines they bought,
they had to leave several at my place and come back later for
them.

As Jim Withers of Osohas, Minnesota wrote since and said the
only losers were the fellows that didn’t come to the meet.
There are plans in the making to have it annually on a Saturday and
Sunday. The Fair Grounds is an ideal place to have it.

The day of finding engines or parts in someone’s grove is
about gone. The Swap Meets are a real place for you to meet your
friends and buy, sell or trade. This has been done with antique
autos for many years successfully.

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