MTFCA Forum

All,
The Bay Area Horseless Carriage Club is stepping in to take over the “Bakersfield” swap meet. The event will be the same location and date, Price per space will be 65 dollars. More information will be forthcoming soon.

This is just a quick announcement moments after the vote to let everyone know Bakersfield Lives again.

More to Follow

THIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS!

THIS IS REALLY THE PREMIER PRE-WAR CAR EVENT IN THE WEST. COUNT ME IN

THIS YEAR WILL FEATURE EVENTS FROM THE RAGTIME RACERS - https://www.ragtimeracers.com/

SEE YOU THERE

Great news, copy of flyer

Very good news I'll be there .thanks to all helping with this.

Great news! Thanks all for getting things worked out. We all appreciate the effort.

All,

Due to time constraints the dates and location and setup for 2026 will remain the same.

Gerald Robinson is our man on point, and he is in the process of obtaining the contact information for those who previously registered with Steven Chase’s team. Though Steven’s team is mailing back the early registration checks (since a new team is taking over), we hope to offer those already registered the same spaces they previously requested, if they desire.

There are a lot of gears in motion, some stuck things getting oiled up, and a few cotter pins getting replaced, but there is a new team of many hands dedicated to keeping this meet going. Rest assure with a bit of mighty cranking & a dollop of Marvel Mystery Oil we’ll have the old gal back on the road again.

How can you help?
Spread the word that
Bakersfield is GO to everyone in the hobby.
Let the vendors know you hope to see them there.
Then come and enjoy with your friends in hobby

Questions are best sent to our Man on Point, Gerald Robinson (contact info on flyer posted by Kim above)

Jim

All,

The new Bakersfield swap meet organizing committee met Sunday Evening (1/25/26), and things are moving along well.

The committee will honor space requests from hose who previously registered for spaces,
You will be contacted in the next few days to work out the details.

Everyone who did not previously register can register as the flyer above indicates.

There’s a few details being worked, as one can imagine. We appreciate your patience as we work through them.
In turn we will keep everyone posted.

If you have questions, or wish to help the all-volunteer team make this happen, please reach out to Gerald Robinson.
His phone number is on the flyer, and he can be reached on this forum by a personal message to gtttrobinson.

Many thanks,

Jim

Hi all,

Been working on registrations. Looks like it will be a good year!

Here is the link to the posting on the HCCA.org website.

https://hcca.org/event/2026-bakersfield ... swap-meet/

Registrations are coming in!

This will be a good year!

Yah!!

What is the turnoff road to the swap meet in Shafter from 99?

Original Smith wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 28, 2026 1:35 pm

What is the turnoff road to the swap meet in Shafter from 99?

E Lerdo Hwy to Vultree St.

Got my spots reserved.
Gerald Robinson was very accommodating.
Gonna be a great meet. I am told they have a long term commitment to this site.

Hello all,

The organizing committee has made some minor changes to the layout of the meet.
This was done so that people would not have the generator noise and smoke of the food trucks smack dab
In the middle of the spaces. Also we are posting a map of all the spaces sold thus far to make it easier
People to decide where they want to be. The map and registration form can be found at

https://californiarendezvous.com/

The first half of the page is the tour information/registration, the second half the swap meet information/ registration a map that is kept updated on a regular basis so you can see what spaces are open.

As you can see many vendors have already signed up, and we are thankful the hobby is stepping up to keeping the Bakersfield meet an active part of our future. There are still spaces open, but when they are sold, they are sold. ( As an active airfield, The site has limited space for our swap meet.)

See you in Bakersfield!

Jim

As many of you know, registration for the 2026 Bakersfield Brass Era and Pre-War Swap Meet is now open. With registration underway and the word getting out, we are continuing to make improvements to enhance the overall event. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we fine-tune the details.

The most up-to-date information is now available at www.bakersfieldswapmeet.org The previous site locations are also all active.

Vendor spaces are filling quickly, so we encourage you to submit your registration as soon as possible.

Both the Bay Area Horseless Carriage Club and the Ragtime Racers are looking forward to a strong turnout at Minter Airfield on May 1–2.

As a side note, we highly recommend visiting the Minter Airfield Museum if you have the opportunity. It’s a fantastic museum, and the depth of history at Minter Field is truly remarkable.

Thank you to everyone!

Rob Caldeira
President, Bay Area Horseless Carriage Club of America

Things are coming together nicely on planning for the meet.

Team made a slight layout change to place the Ragtime Racers exhibition track off to the side.
The old layout had the track between the swap spaces and the gate, which I think we all can agree was not the safest arrangement. So while the racers will park among the spaces, there’s a nice wide path over to the demonstration track. (Volunteers will clear the path for the cars in motion)

The other interesting swap meet update for the group is that the spaces are selling quickly, with over 90 spaces sold. And the sellers are coming from all over, with spaces ordered by friends from faraway Ohio, Massachusetts, and even Rhode Island! This gives western and midwestern attendees a chance to see and buy things from the eastern states! All are welcome, it is turning into a very good year to find those hard to find parts, see old friends, make new friends, and share the company of those who share our hobby.

Check out the minor layout adjustments, spaces sold, the host hotel, and all the other information at our “wall of truth” at http://www.bakersfieldswapmeet.org/. It’s the best way to stay up to date.

Jim

So here is a crazy thought i had this weekend,
what can the team do to make the 2026 Bakersfield meet better?

Traditionally we argue after an event, and say/post things like “why didn't They…. (Have more entry lanes in the morning?, use a different oil in the swap meet?. Use a different water/antifreeze ratio in the swap meet radiator?, have more tacos in the taco truck?, etc.)

So why not jot down any ways you can think of to make this a better event beforehand, and I’ll happily pass it along to the folks who decide such things. After all, the meet is for benefit of the people in the hobby - why not make it better if we can? Now is the time to fix it if we can, so let us know your thoughts

Cant promise your suggestions will happen, but can promise to pass them along. Fair enough?

Jim

Most swap meets don’t have enough garbage cans.



Andy

Good point, Andy.

Nothing like a little “Trash talk” to get things started - ha ha ha!

I’ll pass that one along. It’s especially important because the field is an active airport, and we are along the taxiway.
We want to be good tenants, and not have our trash blowing into the airport operations.

Any more good ideas for how to make things better?

Jim
PS That Red Mercury-bodied speedster of yours is perfect, and won the SCVMTFC Endurance run last year. Runs as good as it looks!

Hi All,

The planning process for Bakersfield is moving head with vendor/swapper spaces filling fast!

The premier pre-war antique auto, truck, engine swap meet (Sponsored by The Bay Area Horseless Carriage Club) is taking place May 1st and 2nd 2026. This is the Westcoast’s longstanding event to find the items you need to complete your project! We invite you to the 2026 Bakersfield Swap Meet at Minter Airfield in Shafter, CA. Save the date! May 1st and 2nd, 2026. Please see the flyer for details! https://bakersfieldswapmeet.org/

Gerald

Do we still have to vacate the swap area to stay over night?

Unfortunately, yes. There is no overnight camping in the spaces. That is a rule of the airfield. It was discussed with them and is a non-negotiable thing for them.

I will poke the people who control the website to post the available camping options.

Jim

Since Minter Field is a live airfield, there is no overnight camping allowed where the spaces are setup which is along the runways and tarmac area. Small planes use this airfield 24 hours a day.

Overnight camping is allowed in a large designated parking area just outside of the front gate. This will be allowed Thursday and Friday night.

Thanks,
Rob

-
Just like last year, the swap meet organizers have arranged for free camping just steps away from the main gate. And, this year I hear they are providing a porta potty outside the main gate too. Thumbs up!
-

Is there going to be a Thursday afternoon setup?

The gate opens at 06:00am on Friday for the sellers. Seller setup occurs first thing Friday morning as the buyers are allowed to enter at 08:00am Friday and 07:00am on Saturday. There will not be a Thursday afternoon seller setup. We will close the site gate by 5:00pm on Friday and reopen at 06:00am Saturday.

I hope this helps answer the setup question...

Rob

As a reminder, we keep the swap meet site reasonably up to date at https://bakersfieldswapmeet.org/

But if you have questions, as here on the forum and we will get you answers, plus post them on the web site for others to see

Jim

Howdy all,

I got a private message from a very nice person concerned about their reservation for the swap meet. I thought I’d reply here in case others are having similar thoughts.

Rest assured we are processing things as quickly as an all-volunteer team that has no idea they were going to have this task on January 1 can process. Like the late - great Bill Bennett did before us and Steven Chase after Bill, we are stepping in at the last moment to keep this swap meet alive. We feel it’s a vital part of the hobby, but we are learning on the job and started that job later than we’d like. (I’m only one cog in the team, we are dividing and conquering)

So we beg a small amount of patience while we sort the old gal out, tighten the bands, change the oil , lube the chassis points, and otherwise get things moving smoothly with a dollop of marvel mystery oil.

If anyone absolutely needs an answer on registration or any issue right away, you can contact our main man on point Gerald Robinson directly and get it. His contact information is on the flyers and at the swap meet site. But be nice to him, we told him it was a cushy job when the rest of us took three steps backwards when we asked for a leader to volunteer!

Jim

Someone asked me to repost the daily schedule and lodging information here, even tbough the latest and greatest information is on the web site http://www.bakersfieldswapmeet.org/

MINTER AIRFIELD
201 Aviation Street – Shafter, CA – (A few miles North of Bakersfield on Hwy 99)

Swapper set-up; Friday morning
Swap Meet; Friday & Saturday
Swapper Space (20′ x 40′) $65 / Buyers $10
REGISTRATION FORM is found at

http://www.bakersfieldswapmeet.org/

For more information, call Gerald Robinson: (510) 332-9588

Where to Stay?
Holiday Inn Express – 19480 Quinn Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308
SWAP MEET Special! $103/night Thursday, Friday & Saturday or any variation.
(661) 387-1678 ext. 0 – Group Code: HCCSC

The web site also has our latest map of spaces sold.

I’m a former Orange County/LA person now up in the San Francisco Bay Area, as my handle indicates. I’m part northern and part Southern Californian. While recently visiting friends in the southland, I heard a few complain that the new location for this meet is somehow “too far” now.

So I decided to take a look at the map and see if they were right.

Turns out the new location is about 15 miles further to the north.
At 60 mph on the 99, that’s only about 15 minutes!
In the LA basin, 15 minutes is a trip to the hardware store!

The Bay Area club actually considered the idea of moving the meet, but decided to keep the Bakersfield swap meet in the Bakersfield area on purpose.
First of all, it’s accessible to LA and San Diego , as well as Northern California and beyond. Secondly we did not want to encroach on the areas served by other fine swap meets in Auburn, Long Beach, Orange County, etc.. We are not in competition, we are all serving the hobby. ( I actually hope to go to each of those meets, they all have different people, vendors, flavors, and treasures that are unique). The Bay Area club decided the right thing to do was keep things as close to the way they were as was possible.

But do us a favor, if you or someone you know is thinking “I’m not going to Bakersfield because it’s too far now”, well take a look at a map and ask yourself if it’s worth 15 minutes of your time.

More importantly, take the time to support as many of the swap meets that we have left in the hobby that you possibly can. I doubt any of us in the hobby want them to go the way of the dinosaur or the dodo bird.

Jim

Although 15 minutes further, it is well worth it. Personally, I like the new location. Usually, dad and I go to buy and socialize. This year we will be bringing a truck and trailer load of parts. Thank you all for keeping this meet alive!