Of all the major Mopar-specific cars shows, the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals is the undisputed granddaddy when it comes to the sheer size and volume of its swap meet. Nothing else even comes close. Held at the substantial Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in the middle of July each year (this year's event was July 14 - 16, 2017), the Chrysler Nationals draws vendors and buyers from all over the world. Rows and aisles are laid out over a city-like grid, covering a massive 82 acres of prime Pennsylvania countryside. Many returning vendors will choose the same spot year after year, making it a little easier for show-goers to hit their favorite sellers, but trust us, you will not need to hit the treadmill or the exercise bike the week you attend the Chrysler Nationals—you'll get more than enough exercise if you only see half of what's there.

For their part, the folks at Carlisle Events make it really easy to do business; there are ATMs, a notary public, insurance underwriters, and even companies offering loan services for those with good credit ratings. Heck, you can even get a good deal and a free t-shirt on your favorite Mopar magazine. (Hint, hint!) Everything you need is under one roof, so to speak.

Among the coolest things we spotted was a freshly restored 1971 Hemi 'Cuda that was being offered for nearly a half million dollars. The Tor Red billboard automatic car had plenty of documentation, including a build sheet and provenance, making it an investment grade machine. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we found a thoroughly thrashed and trashed 1970 Plymouth Superbird—a real V-code four-speed wing car. The only problem? It was missing practically everything, including its wing and nose. It had been wadded up pretty good, then left in a field to rust, but at least it had its VIN tag on the cowl, and the all-important rear windshield plug. We could see a really intrepid builder cutting out the junk pieces and building a new 'bird around what's left.

And there were more neat odds and ends. A couple of vendors had found stashes of original Goodyear Polyglas GT tires, which are the holy grail for a museum-grade Mopar restoration. We also found a complete Challenger shaker hood setup for $6,000. Boy, those things are getting crazy expensive these days! There was even a guy with a customized golf cart that looked like a 1965 Dodge Coronet R/T. This thing turned more heads than even the Hemi 'Cuda, but alas, it was not for sale! My personal favorite was a 440-powered 1968 Chrysler New Yorker. C-Bodies are still remarkably cheap, and if you pine for the old days of leisurely puttering around town with your grandpa in the shotgun seat, one of these might be for you. The one we saw had a super clean white gut with no tears, and an old but nicely maintained Military Blue repaint. With an asking price of just $3,750, you couldn't go wrong.

Of course, if it was only about car parts, that would be cool enough, but it's also about the cool people. You never know who you'll meet at the Chrysler Nats swap meet and vendor midway. We could've jawboned all day with the guys we met. (Check out our Facebook Live feed for some spirited conversations with Bill Reilly of Reilly Motorsports, Mike Mancini of American Muscle Car Restoration, and Tony D'Agostino of Tony's Parts. It was worth making the trip just for the hang time.) There were many guys we met with cool info on cars and parts, some of them with some great stories to tell!

These are but a few of the cool things we saw at Carlisle. We made sure to shoot as many items as we could with a sale sign, price, and contact info, so if you see something you like, download the photo and zoom in for the kill!