April 12th saw the latest edition of the Great British Swap Meet in Lake Forest. The event, originally started by the Classic Jaguar Association about a dozen years ago, is going as strong as ever. A full parking lot of vendors, some arriving before dawn, were set up and ready when the starting bell rang at 7am. A steady stream of buyers (and tire kickers) visited for the next three hours.
After years of cross promotion (this is an all-British event), the Healey, Triumph and MG crowd are Finally getting the message and turning up to both sell and buy. Terry Cowan (The Toy Shoppe, San Diego) brought a truckload of vintage Triumph and Healey parts and did a big business. Jeff Boysen also drove-in from San Marcos in SD County with a pickup load of parts. Peter Roses and Hema Ratnayake made the trek from North LA County while Steve Gerow drove up from San Diego.
In the “stranger things have happened” category, I managed to sell several old steering wheels, and a vintage English picnic set that had been languishing unsold for years. The wheels went to a guy who is going to use them to decorate his garage, and the picnic set went to a fellow whose wife collects vintage China! I guess it pays to be patient.
Club members attending were Peter Roses, Steve Gerow, Phil Caliva, Dick Ames, Chuck Lakowski, Bob Bolling, George McHarris, Hema Ratnayake, Terry Cowan, Jeff Boysen, John Hummer and Alice Johnson, and Joe Cristerna.