Chilton Auto Body - San Francisco

The Canadian Automotive Museum

From a 1903 Redpath Messenger to a futuristic 1983 DeLorean, the Canadian Automotive Museum features a wide range of vehicles representative of Canada’s automotive history. Each has a unique story to tell.

At Chilton Auto Body - San Francisco, if we ever get a chance to travel from San Francisco, CA to Canada, we'd love to visit the Canadian Automotive Museum.

Located in Oshawa, Ontario, about a 40-minute drive from downtown Toronto, the museum includes about 90 vehicles. The majority are on display and the remainder are stored on or off site.

The museum was first initiated in 1962 when the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce set out to promote tourism in the area as well as showcase the history of the automotive industry in Canada. The result was the Canadian Automotive Museum, which opened the following year in what was once a Chevrolet-Oakland car dealership. Inside, the two-story building was filled with antique cars and artifacts. The museum was incorporated in 1964 as a not-for-profit charity.

Since then, visitors from around the world have come to see the specialized exhibits and vehicles. The museum is commemorating Canada’s 150^th anniversary this year by undergoing improvements throughout the facility.

Open year-round, the museum caters to all ages. Kids have the opportunity to take part in activities and workshops available throughout the galleries. They can also have a picture taken in a 1920s automobile or mini McLaughlin Buick.

Special guided tours are available where visitors can hear about criminals, high-speed races and other Canadian stories.

The museum also houses the Canadian Automotive Research Library, which is currently under reorganization and scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018. It includes an extensive collection of automotive-related materials.

The museum’s eclectic collection includes:

Canadian Vehicles (1900-1945)

A 1908 Tudhope-McIntyre, a 1927 Dodge Brothers and a 1929 Chevrolet are some of the vehicles part of this collection that showcases popular American vehicles that were manufactured by Canadian factories prior to World War I.

Canadian Vehicles (1946-Present)

Museum visitors will have the opportunity to see a 1949 Mercury Meteor, a 1971 Manic GT and a 1981 Plymouth K Car. These vehicles are representative of those manufactured in Canada after World War II.

American Vehicles

A small collection of American vehicles with Canadian relevance, such as a 1902 Orient Buckboard and a 1926 Ahrens-Fox Pumper Firetruck, are on display.

British Vehicles

Luxury cars featured, such as the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost – Named "Ladybird" by Lady Eaton – and a 1926 Bentley 3L Speed Model, were imported from Great Britain.

European Vehicles

A 1928 Bugatti Type-37, a 1931 Alfa Romeo and a 1965 Amphicar are European vehicles imported to Canada and on display at the museum.

Sources: Canadian Automotive Museum web site, AOL and Google