A Sneak Preview of the Exhibit on Canadian Cars at the Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa

In Quebec, classic car buffs don’t have it easy. Aside from private initiatives, there are no museums dedicated to this niche in La Belle Province. One of the nicest museums ever created, the Pohénégamook in the Bas-St-Laurent region, closed its doors last year. To my knowledge, the only one we’ve got left is the Musée de l’Auto Ancienne de Richmond, in Estrie. Here’s to hoping that the Demers brothers’ initiative to open a public museum in Thetford Mines sees the light someday.

In the meantime, the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa is putting on an exhibit that should quench your thirst for classic cars.  On June 24, 2010 the museum will be showcasing Canadian cars from over the years. At the exhibit, visitors will be invited to reflect on Canadian cars by answering the question, "What criteria indicate that a car is Canadian?"

• A) When the design is Canadian (Manic GT, Henry Seth Taylor, for example)
• B) When the car is manufactured in Canada (Bricklin, Ford, Volvo, GM, etc.)
• C) When the vehicle is made for the Canadian market (Meteor, Acadian, Acura CSX, etc.)
• D) When the vehicle is a favourite in Canada (Ford T, Volkswagen Beetle, Honda Civic, etc.)

But what we’ll get to see at the exhibit will be just the tip of the iceberg. Recently, Suzanne Beauvais, interim curator of the Transportation section of the museum let us have a sneak preview. And classic car lovers will be amazed at what they have in store! In addition, if you like old motorcycles or bicycles, expect to get an even greater bang for your buck, as the museum has one of the largest collections of these in the world. 

While many of the vehicles no longer work (or at least they didn’t when we stopped in last May), each has an incredible story to tell. Here are some photos of just a few of them.

1947 Studebaker Starlite: Studebaker, from South Bend, Indiana, has a long history in Canada, where many of their vehicles were manufactured for years. 

Le Roy, circa 1903: Thirty-two of these were made by the Good brothers of Berlin, Ontario (now Kitchener). When this photo was taken, this pretty little vehicle was being examined for preservation.

Baker Electric, circa 1910: This American vehicle will probably not be part of the 2010 exhibit. Baker was based in Cleveland, Ohio (1899-1916).

Bricklin SV-1: Malcolm Bricklin, the American businessman who started up Subaru of America, also created his own car. Between 1974 and 1976, some 2906 of these gorgeous cars were made at a plant in Saint John, New Brunswick. The SV-1 portion of the vehicle’s name comes from the term “Safety Vehicle.” The government of that province invested considerable sums in the project before the company went bankrupt. Still today, Malcolm Bricklin works importing Chinese cars to North America.

Hubley 1937: One of the gems of this collection! This Hubley was built by Reginald Hubley from Halifax in 1937 using different parts. For example, the chassis comes from the Ford Model T, while the engine and wheels come from Chevrolet.  In 1938, this car won several races on dirt roads.

Bickle, an Ontario-based company, specialized early on in making fire trucks. Bickle started up its operations in 1906 in Woodstock, Ontario, and built vehicles under the Seagrave and Ahrens-Fox names. In 1956 , the company went bankrupt, but several months later it made a comeback as King-Seagrave. This new company survived until 1985. This photo is of a 1931 Bickle, which served for a long time in Montreal West.

Locomobile is one of the best-known American manufacturers among fans of very old cars. Locomobile started up in 1899 and closed its doors in 1929. We took a picture of this car at the museum and, according to my research, this Steam Runabout model dates from approximately 1901.

Henry Seth Taylor: This car created by Henry Seth Taylor steals the show everywhere it goes! It did back then and it still does now! Considered the first Canadian car, it was launched at a show in Stanstead, Quebec, in 1867. The only original parts left are the chassis, the mechanical elements and the steering. Obviously, this steam-powered vehicle is priceless.

1961 Meteor Montcalm: Some brands only exist thanks to marketing, and the Meteor is one of them! In fact, these vehicles are just Ford cars under a different name – an arrangement that allowed Canadian Lincoln-Mercury dealerships to sell cars at lower prices. Meteors were around from 1949 to 1976, with a hiatus in 1962 and 1963. Over these years, Ford often referred to Meteor as Mercury-Meteor. These cars were never distributed in the United States.

1923 Standard: At the turn of the 20th century in the United States, there were some 50 companies using the Standard name, and one of the biggest among them was the Standard Steel Car Co. This company was one of the first to use a V8 engine in an automobile. 

1984 GMC: This vehicle had the great honour of transporting Pope John-Paul II during his visit to Canada in 1984. This GMC repeated this service in1998, when the Pope visited Cuba.

1928 McLaughlin-Buick Royale: A Buick, yes. But not just any Buick! This 1928 McLaughlin-Buick Royale carried the Prince of Wales during his 1927 visit. Six other passengers could fit inside, as well as the driver! In the early 1900s, Robert McLaughlin owned the largest hippomobile manufacturing plant in the country. His son Samuel then signed a contract with William Durant, who in 1908 created General Motors. In Canada, McLaughlin built vehicles that were typically based on a Buick chassis (hence the name McLaughlin-Buick). In 1918, this company became… General Motors of Canada!

Manic GT: A lovely little car from Quebec that sadly was not continued. The Manic, which was created by Jacques About, was first assembled in Terrebonne and later in Granby. Its chassis and mechanical organs come from the Renault 8. In total, some 160 Manic GTs were assembled in 1971.

1908 Comet: Now, here’s a unique vehicle! The Comet was established in Montreal around 1907 or 1908. At the time, this Touring transported the Prince of Wales from Quebec City to St-Georges-de-Beauce, where its owner, Mr. Gonthier, lived.  The engine is from France (a four-cylinder Clément-Bayard) but it no longer runs. Between 50 and 200 Comets were built.

1998 Toyota Prius: So, what’s the ultra-modern Toyota Prius doing in this story? Well, this is one of the very first Priuses to have rolled into Canada for testing. And the driver’s side is on the right. 

Serge Ouellette, a preservation technician, and Suzanne Beauvais, interim curator of the Transportation section of the Canadian Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa. You’d be amazed at how much these two know about cars!

Starting in June 2010, the Canada Science and Technology Museum will be home to an exhibit on Canadian cars. Carguideweb.com and the Car Guide team will definitely be there. Expect to hear more from us about it!