SWAPPING PARTS AT CALL OF THE WEST
The thrill of digging through boxes adds to allure of annual High River event
Repairing and restoring old vehicles without spare parts is a difficult task. But the crew at the Call of the West Museum at the High River Fairgrounds is making the old-car hobby run more smoothly. On Sept. 22, the group hosts its second annual fall vintage vehicle parts and collectibles swap meet.
“Grassroots events like this one are fun,” Mel Babitzke says on behalf of the Call of the West group. “They help to keep the hobby going as parts change hands.”
Indeed, a vendor might just have the missing piece to crown a long-underway restoration of a Model T or a 1956 Chevrolet. You just never know what’s going to turn up on a seller’s table — or under it — and it’s the thrill of digging through boxes that can excite a gearhead.
As an avid collector of oil and gas memorabilia and one who restores cars and trucks, Babitzke has spent his fair share of time at automotive swap meets. Over the years, he’s found parts to help keep vehicles such as his 1929 Essex and 1948 Fargo truck on the road. He fondly recalls what he refers to as ‘oldfashioned’ events where vendors simply met in a field or a parking lot, selling bits and pieces out of the back of a pickup truck or utility trailer.
At the Call of the West event, the group recreates some of that early swap meet-style with “pullthrough” outdoor vendor spaces.
“We want to grow this event, and we’re attempting to become southern Alberta’s largest outdoor swap meet,” Babitzke explains. “We’ve got a lot of space here, and it’s easy for someone with a loaded truck or trailer to pull in, and they don’t have to unload to set up.”
But there is also plenty of space for public and vendors alike to buy and sell inside the 56 X 140foot clear span metal building that houses the Call of the West Museum.
The museum houses an expansive collection of vintage Ford tractors owned by Al Millard, who has one of the largest collections in Western Canada. Some of his Ford Model Ts also reside in the collection.
Up front, Babitzke has spent a lifetime gathering gas pumps, signs, oil cans and globes, and his expansive collection is also contained in the building. There are other transportation-related collections found in the museum as well.
“I would guess we had about 50 vendors here last year,” Babitzke says, “and probably 500 or 600 folks through the doors.
“If we need more indoor space, we’ve got the use of the nearby Eamon’s garage, which is very nearly finished being restored.”
The 1,500-square-foot Super Service station, originally a part of the Eamon’s Bungalow Camp on the old Highway 1 West, is now the clubhouse of High River’s River City Classics Car Club. It features two mechanic’s bays, and when it was first constructed there was a room with a large Texaco star painted on the floor.
Eamon’s Super Service sat in its original location until 2012, when it was moved by the city to make way for the Tuscany LRT park-and-ride lot. Stored until early 2016, the building was purchased by the River City Classics Car Club and, after a permanent foundation was poured, it was moved onto the High River Fairgrounds just west of the Call of the West museum.
“We’re loosely affiliated with the car club, but the swap meet is an event to help support the Call of the West Museum specifically,” Babitzke notes. “We’ve spent time this year to improve the grounds around the area, including putting down recycled pavement and new gravel in the parking area.”
Admission to the swap meet on Saturday, Sept. 22 is $3. The doors are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is free parking, and “dry” camping is available for $20 per day. More swap meet information can be found at hragmuseum.com/events-calendar.php. Follow the link to the 2nd Annual Outdoor Swap Meet.
After the swap meet on Saturday, car culture continues in downtown High River from 6 to 8 p.m. with the River City Classics burnout night. On Centre Street South, vehicle owners rev up engines and spin tires in a display of power, smoke and noise.
And on Sunday the River City Classics September Show & Shine is open, and free to spectators, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vehicle registration starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 10 a.m. and is $15. For more information regarding the show, visit rivercityclassics.ca.