British Columbia pre-war cars that have survived

[PFindlay]

This idea came up on another thread so I thought I'd see where it goes.  The question:   Are there many B.C. cars from the prewar days that still exist?  I think there are a surprising number.

 

Please share pictures you have from either then or now.  If it's not your car then don't publish information about current owner or location (unless it's in a museum), but sharing the B.C. history of the car should be ok.  If in doubt, check with the owner.

Trucks and motorcycles are welcome also.   

[PFindlay]

I'll start with my 1927 Auburn. 

 

It was purchased in December of 1926 in Vancouver, apparently one of three Auburns sold there that year.  It was driven until 1933, when the owner could no longer afford new tires.  He put the car up on blocks in his garage in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood of the city and it stayed there until my dad bought it in 1961.  It's been one of the family cars ever since.

 

Interestingly, by serial number it is a 1927, but it is a model 6-66, identical to the 1926 cars.  The 6-66A model was introduced in early 1927.

 

[TerryB]

2 hours ago, PFindlay said:

This idea came up on another thread so I thought I'd see where it goes.  The question:   Are there many B.C. cars from the prewar days that still exist?  I think there are a surprising number.

 

Please share pictures you have from either then or now.  If it's not your car then don't publish information about current owner or location (unless it's in a museum), but sharing the B.C. history of the car should be ok.  If in doubt, check with the owner.

Trucks and motorcycles are welcome also.   

As a resident of south of the Canadian border and on the east coast of the US, I am curious to what is unique to BC cars and their history.  This is an honest, no fooling around or implying anything request.  My travels to Canada, and I enjoyed them immensely, were to the Atlantic side of Canada so I just thought what cars there were on the east coast would also be on the west coast.  I look forward to learning more about the BC side of the story.

[Guest]

PF, I have cruised the Shaugnessy neighborhood a few times during visits to the lower mainland. Very nice and interesting history. Tell me, is the paint scheme on the Auburn original to the car or a later addition?

Cheers, Greg

[PFindlay]

I'm not sure there is much different about the B.C. scene than anywhere else in North America but we'll see what shows up.  Here are a few things:

 

1. It's a rather wet climate (on the coast at least), so that could impact the survival rate.

 

2. We drove on the left side of the road until 1921 so that's a little different.  Had to keep the Pierce Arrow owners happy, you know.

 

3. Early Model T Fords sent to B.C. were right hand drive.  I'll let my brother say more on this.

 

4. We probably had more British vehicles than you'd find in the USA, but I don't think many are still around.    However, here's one that is ....

 

Art Cleme's 1903 Wolseley.    Art Clemes was a businessman in the small community of Spences Bridge, B.C.  He ran the General Store, hotel, and was postmaster.   Somehow, in 1901, he ended up at the Paris Exhibition and was struck by the Wolseley display.  So much so that he ordered one for himself in 1904.  It arrived in Vancouver via ship around Cape Horn and then would have travelled by rail to Spences Bridge.  It was the first gas powered car in the central part of British Columbia. 

 

The car stayed in the Clemes family for about 60 years and is currently on display at the Kamloops Museum.  Pictures below are in the early days, in 1936, and a recent picture.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by PFindlay (see edit history)

[PFindlay]

3 hours ago, GregLaR said:

PF, I have cruised the Shaugnessy neighborhood a few times during visits to the lower mainland. Very nice and interesting history. Tell me, is the paint scheme on the Auburn original to the car or a later addition?

Cheers, Greg

I was only 5 when dad bought the car, so my early memory is pretty foggy.  It was pretty faded, maybe brown?  My brother may know.  Dad painted it in 1962 and I have a feeling he spotted the colour scheme on a car he liked and went with that.  However, there was another one for sale a few years ago that was similar so it might be an authentic scheme.

[8E45E]

I'm quite certain this 1927 Studebaker was sold new in British Columbia, that was restored by Engel & Audrey Bouwmeester.

 

Craig

Edited April 4, 2021 by 8E45E
Added info. (see edit history)

[8E45E]

Not to change the subject, but the Reynolds Museum has a small write-up on what are now some CCCA certified cars sold new the next province over as part of their display.

 

Craig

[8E45E]

This 1935 Studebaker President was sold new in Victoria, BC. It is now in the Studebaker National Museum on display.

 

Craig

[KLF]

2 hours ago, PFindlay said:

I was only 5 when dad bought the car, so my early memory is pretty foggy.  It was pretty faded, maybe brown?  My brother may know.  Dad painted it in 1962 and I have a feeling he spotted the colour scheme on a car he liked and went with that.  However, there was another one for sale a few years ago that was similar so it might be an authentic scheme.

I'm the older brother who was there when Dad picked up the Auburn from the original owners. The colours on the car are as close as Dad could match to the original colours. The paint was very faded but he found a few places where the colour had survived.

Ken

[KLF]

My 1911 Model T was sold new in BC. It's a right hand drive car that Ford produced for BC and I believe, Nova Scotia. These were the only 2 Provinces that drove on the left side of the road. We did that here until the big change over in 1921.

The original picture is an 11 T that traveled to Manitoba in 1912. I would have to guess that it probably went by train and was used there for a time. The original owners grandson  gave me the pic. He said they were on an extended trip in Minnesota and Manitoba. I estimate there were about 200  1911 T's sold in BC that year. I wonder if...... No probably not!

Can't seem to get the one picture the right way up....technology.....

Ken

 

 

 

 

Ken

Edited September 6, 2020 by KLF
add more info (see edit history)

[Eldovert]

Here is a 1927 Cadillac (as found) that was sold from Begg Motor Company on View street in Victoria..ordered by the well known Dunsmuir family.

The car has been restored and remains in Victoria.

[PFindlay]

37 minutes ago, KLF said:

My 1911 Model T was sold new in BC. It's a right hand drive car that Ford produced for BC and I believe, Nova Scotia. These were the only 2 Provinces that drove on the left side of the road. We did that here until the big change over in 1921.

The original picture is an 11 T that traveled to Manitoba in 1912. I would have to guess that it probably went by train and was used there for a time. The original owners grandson  gave me the pic. He said they were on an extended trip in Minnesota and Manitoba. I estimate there were about 200  1911 T's sold in BC that year. I wonder if...... No probably not!

Can't seem to get the one picture the right way up....technology.....

Ken

 

How's this?

[keithb7]

Does my 1938 Plymouth qualify? 
 

I have dug back as far as I can I think. I spoke to the second owner personally who gave me the details. 
 

I have been informed that Begg Motor Co. was BC’s very first automobile dealer. There were 2 locations that I am aware of. 1 in Vancouver, the other in Victoria. 
 

In 1938 in Victoria BC, my Canadian built 1938 Plymouth was purchased brand new by the original owner. The original  Begg Motors badge is still mounted to the kick board down low under the dash.
 

A young man saw the car for sale in the early 60’s. The original owner had passed and his daughter was selling it. The car was still in the Victoria area. The young man purchased it and did some work to it over the decades that he owned it. It was to be stored for a while outside in the 70’s, so it got a quick splash ‘n dash paint job to help protect it.  The engine cracked its block. A low mile 1954 Dodge 226 ci engine was installed. 
 

Fast Forward to 2018. The second owner listed the car for sale. He’d owned it a very long time. Over 50 years. However, for health reasons he could no longer drive it. 
 

Owner #3 purchased the car. He did a little work to get it at least drivable again. I seem to
recall this was the fall of 2018. 

 

May of 2019 I saw the car listed  on Kijiji, an on-line classifieds site. The price was ok, but not as low as I’d have liked. I loved the lines of the car. It appeared original and complete.  I continued to check-in on the for sale ad almost daily. After 3 weeks I relented and called the seller to make an enquiry. He could tell I was a motivated old Mopar lover. He offered me a sell price  over the phone that  I could not turn away. 
 

On the May long weekend 2019 I headed from Kamloops to Victoria to view the ‘38 Plymouth. It ran, barely. It drove. Barely. It was rough and stunk of mold but I saw the beauty. It was living under a tarp all winter in a wet rainy BC climate. A deal was struck and I headed back home without the car. 
 

A week later I had a flat deck trailer rounded up. A good friend joined me. We headed off to Victoria, departing Kamloops at about 9AM on a Saturday. We picked up my new ‘38 and turned back home. The old car arrived at its new home in my driveway, at 4 am Sunday morning. 
 

10 months of work ensued. I put it back on the road, mechanically sound (mostly) in April 2020. It took me 4 months to put 1,000 miles on the odometer.  Today, I am touring the ‘38 farther and farther from home. Soon, in mid-Sept, I plan to drive it to the Vancouver area to visit family and friends. I’m expecting about a 400-500 mile round trip, including stops to visit people I’ve met on this forum. 
 

The old car has its scars. It’s not restored. Its a solid, reliable driver. Its safe as can be for 1938. It brings joy to a lot of people. I have a car that I think, is the only one of its kind, seen on the roads in these parts. I’ve not seen or heard of another. The people here in interior of BC smile, wave, laugh, whistle, clap, and more, when I drive by. The old car is alive and very well. Driven as my daily driver from April until October.
 

Here in Kamloops we have a dry, almost desert climate. The car is stored in my temperature controlled garage, year round. It will likely out-live anyone reading this post today.  
 

My hope is to someday drive the car, under its own power back to Victoria. A great tour that would be. I was reminded  that when I brought the car to Kamloops, it was likely the first time the car left Vancouver Island. Since it arrived there new.  Who knows? Its fun to think so though. 
 

I tracked down and called owner #2 a few months ago to tell him all about the car’s new life. He was happy. I told him about all the work I’d done. The new Coker bias tires I bought and installed. He told me he bought brand new Good-year tires for the car in about 1965. They were $10 each!  I smiled for I had checked the date codes on the old tires I removed from the car...1964 Good-years. 
 

Here are a few pics from this 2020 summer of cruising. 
 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[Buffalowed Bill]

11 hours ago, TerryB said:

As a resident of south of the Canadian border and on the east coast of the US, I am curious to what is unique to BC cars and their history.  This is an honest, no fooling around or implying anything request.  My travels to Canada, and I enjoyed them immensely, were to the Atlantic side of Canada so I just thought what cars there were on the east coast would also be on the west coast.  I look forward to learning more about the BC side of the story.

Terry,

 

You pose an interesting question. no disrespect intended, but it kind of highlights the disconnect I have seen between the rest of the country and the Pacific NW. Even many easterners who pride themselves on being savvy travelers, have little understanding of this part of the continent.

 

As an American who has known BC for over seventy years, maybe I can help. For a youngster growing up in the 50's, visiting BC and Alberta and Saskatchewan, for that matter, was really like visiting another country. There is too much to go into, but as far as cars go, it was a sea of little English cars. Cars that we seldom saw just a few miles south in Washington state. There were certainly American cars, but nothing like the mix south of the boarder. 

 

Today the differences the western provinces and the rest of the PNW have mostly disappeared. Socially, culturally and economically we are possibly more unified then we are with the rest of the US. The divide over the last several years, especially since the pandemic, has been really difficult for us on both sides of the boarder. 

 

As for pre-war cars, much of the difference is because of the type of car used, and the smaller driving population. It wasn't that cars weren't around in those early days, but there were just fewer of them. As the population increased the number and type of car both increased and changed. While regionally post-war cars have survived quite well, pre-war not as well. Native pre-twenties car like hen's teeth. 

 

 

Bill

 

 

[hidden_hunter]

I would assume tax would play a huge part on why you see a different fleet than the US, cars sourced from within the empire had considerably lower tax here (which I’m guessing was the same everywhere) -  making some brand that were prevalent in the US almost non existent here. 

[8E45E]

7 hours ago, keithb7 said:

10 months of work ensued. I put it back on the road, mechanically sound (mostly) in April 2020. It took me 4 months to put 1,000 miles on the odometer.  Today, I am touring the ‘38 farther and farther from home. Soon, in mid-Sept, I plan to drive it to the Vancouver area to visit family and friends. I’m expecting about a 400-500 mile round trip, including stops to visit people I’ve met on this forum. 

On the return trip, do you plan to cruise up the Coquihalla Highway?  The hillclimb at Box Canyon will be the ultimate test for it!!

 

Craig

[keithb7]

31 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

On the return trip, do you plan to cruise up the Coquihalla Highway?  The hillclimb at Box Canyon will be the ultimate test for it!!

 

Craig

Craig I’m confident I could pull that hill.  Likely in 3rd gear (1:1 ratio) 30-35 mph I estimate. That long hill is 8.5% grade. Speeds in the car are quite dependent on ambient air temp, amount fuel in the tank, and payload in the car.  I learned this from driving a steep hill home each time I take the car out. An 11% grade. A few twists and long enough to torture the old engine pretty hard. I may go down the Coq and back the canyon for a change of pace and scenery. We’ll see. 

Edited September 6, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[8E45E]

My main concern would be overheating, but Chryslers were never known for that, and the weather will be a bit cooler in September.  Should be a fun trip!

 

Craig

[Modeleh]

17 hours ago, TerryB said:

As a resident of south of the Canadian border and on the east coast of the US, I am curious to what is unique to BC cars and their history.  This is an honest, no fooling around or implying anything request.  My travels to Canada, and I enjoyed them immensely, were to the Atlantic side of Canada so I just thought what cars there were on the east coast would also be on the west coast.  I look forward to learning more about the BC side of the story.

Western Canada of course was originally under the British Empire the capital of B.C. was originally New Westminster then moved to Victoria, both of these very British sounding names, one can imagine how much influence Great Britain had on the early development. Many British settlers initially brought their customs and social status to the west, creating businesses that would import British goods to their towns and growing cities.  Hence the early adoption of right hand drive vehicles and many Agencies or dealerships of cars and products built in England.   

The city of Victoria is on an island and about as mild a Canadian climate as it gets, therefore the early cars didn’t have to travel long distances per say,  there was a certain amount of wealth so vehicles tended to be garaged properly, and being on an island a lot of old stuff that was once brought over has tended to remain here.  Victoria has always been known for the place to find low mileage old cars but by now I think most have come out of the woodwork.

There are many significant old cars and impressive collections on the island.  Gerry and Vern Wellburn did a great deal towards the preservation of countless local historical artifacts, vehicles and equipment which eventually became the Forest Discovery Centre in Duncan B.C., not including their car collection which is shared amongst many locals, some of which still get to see the light of day but sadly most do not.

[jeff_a]

On 9/5/2020 at 8:11 PM, 8E45E said:

Not to change the subject, but the Reynolds Museum has a small write-up on what are now some CCCA certified cars sold new the next province over as part of their display.

 

Craig

I've seen that museum placard several times when visiting the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, the legacy of Mr. Stan Reynolds: there's a '29 Duesie on the other side of it(you can see small parts of it in these 2 photos). I actually copied down the text of the 1911 Peerless entry into a notebook, and that led me to the 1912 Peerless 48-Six Limousine on exhibit at the museum in Saskatoon, an outstanding motorcar still with less than 100 miles on it.

Edited September 8, 2020 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[Eldovert]

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2015/05/15/back-in-the-original-family-a-1930-packard-with-royal-ties-visits-the-forest-grove-concours

Edited September 6, 2020 by Eldovert
add photo (see edit history)

[jeff_a]

Here's a '29 Peerless Model Six-61 Roadster that's been in B.C. for decades. Only two 6-61 Roadsters are known to still exist. The other one was shown at Hershey in 2012 and is yellow and black.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[Eldovert]

Begg Motor Company,Vancouver,1921

[TerryB]

All great information, thank you!  I’ve been watching a lot of Canada based travel on the local PBS stations.  One set of travel show is by rail and I’m always anxious to learn more.  Travel to Canada by motorcycle was on my wish list for my retirement, something I did in the 1980s which only gave me the desire to do more.  Unfortunately these plans got canceled by unforeseen events.  Thanks to TV and the internet I’m at least able to continue my exploration of your country.

 

I grew up in Pennsylvania in the coal mining areas.  It was a land of mixed wealth, the coal barons had money for nice cars and the workers just got by with meager wages.  My maternal grandparents never owned an automobile and my paternal grandparents didn’t have a car for most of their life.  My dad purchased what he could afford and they were the cars that were well used when he got them.  Rust from road salt was the enemy here, many cars were retired when they could no longer meet the state’s safety requirements.  I remember helping my dad keep his cars running and the tricks to stretching out their useable life with that great Marvel Mystery Oil that he fed them.  The stories of the people  who owned these old cars we enjoy today are as important as the cars themselves.   

[Joe in Canada]

I bought this 1912 that had been sitting for many years on Vancouver Island 2 years ago from the grandson of the original owner .

Here is a tip on a buying a car that has sat for a long time as this car had. When the car is put a way after been run with water and drained, over the years the engine will rot from the inside out. Had to put 4 new sleeves and replace much of the outside of the block water passages. When done the car will not have changed much in appearance but the new radiator and top. 

[Guest]

There must be many members here from B.C. who know Vern Bethel, former owner of False Creek Automotive? Super guy and extremely knowledgeable. I met him in the mid 80's and we've remained friends.

I know for a period he was the proud owner of the '39 Buick McLaughlin that (I believe) the Queen rode in for some function in Canada.

[PFindlay]

Thank you to all of you who have contributed so far.  it's great to see these B.C. cars that still exist, and to read some of their history.  I hope the list will continue to grow and become an on-going part of the legacy of "The Cars of British Columbia."

 

There are already some cars I wasn't aware of.  Hopefully more to come.

Edited September 6, 2020 by PFindlay (see edit history)

[8E45E]

This '42 Packard 180 was sold new in Vancouver to the president of B.C. Sugar Refining Co.  It is now in Alberta owned by a Packards International member.

 

Craig

[PFindlay]

This is one of my favourite pictures, because all three cars still exist and two are still driven.  The event is the 1949 Pacific National Exhibition parade on Georgia St. in downtown Vancouver.   In the background is the old Hotel Vancouver which was being demolished after the current Hotel Vancouver had opened.

 

The first car is a 1911 Stanley Model 62.  It was originally purchased by the city of Vancouver for use by city inspectors.  They quickly found out that the daily routines of steaming up and blowing off were not practical and the car was in private hands a year later.  The owner, Mr. Walker, was the steam engineer at the Todd Inlet powerplant, site of the Butchart Gardens today.  He drove it until the 1920s then sold it to a Mr. Glennie of Saanich.  He eventually sold it to "Smilin' Ben's Used Cars" on Vancouver Island and around 1948 it was acquired by Phil Foster.  (More Foster cars to come later.)  Vern Wellburn owned this car for many years and toured it extensively.  It sold after his death and is still toured locally.

 

The second car is a 1907 Cadillac Model K.  In 1908 it was registered to Dr. T. H. Wilson of Vancouver.  As well as practising medicine, Dr. Wilson was a developer and built the Patricia Hotel which still stands on Hastings St.   Around 1911 he sold the car to a resident of Murrayville (about 30 miles out of town) who presumably would have driven it home and later to a new home another 30 miles further out.  The car stayed on the family property until the 1940s when the son gathered up the pieces and restored it just in time for this parade.  He toured it regularly for many years.  It is currently owned by the 3 year old passenger barely visible in the picture and is used occasionally.

 

The third car is a 1905(?) Oldsmobile which belonged to sawmill owner and businessman John Hendry.  It was the 60th car registered in the province.  It ended up in a scrap yard but the dealer didn't scrap it so it sat there for many years and was brought out now and then such as in this picture.  Eventually it was sold and ended up in Washington State before being brought back to B.C. in the 1980s by the Provincial Transportation Museum.  When that museum closed it was transferred to the Museum of Vancouver, where it sits today.

 

Edited October 13, 2020 by PFindlay
additional Stanley info (see edit history)

[PFindlay]

6 hours ago, hidden_hunter said:

I would assume tax would play a huge part on why you see a different fleet than the US, cars sourced from within the empire had considerably lower tax here (which I’m guessing was the same everywhere) -  making some brand that were prevalent in the US almost non existent here. 

Yes, especially in the early days taxes and tariffs were very significant as governments of the day practiced various forms of protectionism.  (hmmm... some things haven't changed much.)  It's a big part of the reason the American companies set up Canadian factories.  The cars built in Canada could be sold in Canada with lower taxation and also exported around the British Commonwealth. 

 

The 1905 Oldsmobile I mentioned above was one of the first Oldsmobiles built in the St. Catherines factory, which later became the REO factory.

[PFindlay]

1 hour ago, GregLaR said:

There must be many members here from B.C. who know Vern Bethel, former owner of False Creek Automotive? Super guy and extremely knowledgeable. I met him in the mid 80's and we've remained friends.

I know for a period he was the proud owner of the '39 Buick McLaughlin that (I believe) the Queen rode in for some function in Canada.

Yes, this is a car with much B.C. history, although technically it's more of a cross-Canada car.  It was built in the east for the 1939 Royal tour and used, along with a second car, right across the country.  But it ended up here and has added to its B.C. history through numerous other appearances including to transport Prince Charles and Princess Diana for Expo 86 in Vancouver.

[8E45E]

23 minutes ago, PFindlay said:

Yes, especially in the early days taxes and tariffs were very significant as governments of the day practiced various forms of protectionism.  (hmmm... some things haven't changed much.)  It's a big part of the reason the American companies set up Canadian factories.  The cars built in Canada could be sold in Canada with lower taxation and also exported around the British Commonwealth. 

 

The 1905 Oldsmobile I mentioned above was one of the first Oldsmobiles built in the St. Catherines factory, which later became the REO factory.

This book is a good read:  https://boutique.ingeniumcanada.org/en/transformation-series/640-a-brief-history-of-the-canadian-automobile-industry-1900-1980.html

 

A lot of history on the early establishment of Branch Plants here in Canada.

 

Craig

[jeff_a]

This 1930 Peerless Standard Eight was on display in a Chrysler dealership a few years ago. It's been in the Vancouver area since 2006 and possibly much longer. Six years ago it was for sale in Quesnel, B.C. for $32,000 CDN. This model had a straight-eight Continental engine about the same size and output as the engine in Model A Duesenbergs.

   

Edited September 8, 2020 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[Buffalowed Bill]

Thought I would throw out a couple of of old names in hopes that some pictures will emerge.

Glen Gallagher-Late Pierce arrow collector, but I believe that his children retain most of his collection.

Earl Tucker-Also PA

Paul Bonin-Classic car collector, no longer with us, but a real NW institution.

[keithb7]

I’ll add another car I know of. 
Here locally in Kamloops. 
 

The Fuoco family have deep roots in Kamloops. In 1913 three Fuoco brothers arrived in Kamloops. Immigrants from Italy.  This 1928 Dodge Bros Standard Six was owned by one of the Fuoco family members.  They started up the “Modern Bakery” here. We suspect the car was possibly used for deliveries. There is a brass bell on the front that rings with the push of a button on the dash. 
 

By the year 2017 the Dodge was well under its way to returning to nature. Rotting away in an old Fuoco family member’s garage. There was nobody in the family capable nor particularly interested in fixing up the old Dodge. The family decided to donate it to the Vintage Car Club of Canada, Kamloops chapter. I happen to be a member. We organized several work bees and fixed up the car.  
 

Today we drive it in parades and take it to local shows.  I volunteer to drive it often.  It’s quite a fun car to drive. We like to get it out and let the Kamloops people see and touch a part of Kamloops’ automotive history. 

 

Made in Canada. 1928 Dodge Brother Standard Six. 
 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by keithb7 (see edit history)

[1912Staver]

3 hours ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

Thought I would throw out a couple of of old names in hopes that some pictures will emerge.

Glen Gallagher-Late Pierce arrow collector, but I believe that his children retain most of his collection.

Earl Tucker-Also PA

Paul Bonin-Classic car collector, no longer with us, but a real NW institution.

 

Earl is still active in the local old car hobby. I believe he is starting to downsize a bit these days.

He had a remarkable Crane - Simplex speedster. A personal favorite . Not a local car but in these parts for a reasonable number of years. Earl passed it on to another local enthusiast a few years ago, lucky guy !

 

Greg

Edited September 6, 2020 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[keithb7]

10 hours ago, PFindlay said:

It ended up here and has added to its B.C. history through numerous other appearances including to transport Prince Charles and Princess Diana for Expo 86 in Vancouver.

 

That is interesting to learn. I was 15 and I was present in 1986. Inside BC Place. I watched Prince Charles and Lady Diana parade around in that burgundy convertible.  

[KLF]

I have this Canadian 1934 Dodge DT rumble seat coupe. It's mainly an original car that was sold new at Begg Motors in Vancouver. The DT models were made in Canada for the Canadian market. They were built on the Plymouth PE chassis. I first saw this car at Maynard's auction in Vancouver around 1980. I wasn't bidding but I sure liked the car. It sold to a Ward Air stewardess who thought it was cute! I chased the car for 20 years until she finally got tired of it. It's now got 89M miles on it and is a great car to drive. I love the Dodge styling in 34. The coupes had a lower roof line than the sedans. Almost looks like it's been chopped a bit! The wire wheels, the second tailite, the second wiper, outside horns,  the chrome grill surround and the second sun visor were all options or possibly just came on the deluxe models. The pictures show the car when I had it on a movie set  being shot in Vancouver. The license plates are movie magic at work.

Ken

 

 

[PFindlay]

This 1913 Peerless 6-48 Torpedo was one of the Silver Brothers' cars which were retrieved from their dilapidated garage in 1965.  Their father William was a wealthy developer and politician in Burnaby, B.C.   He had a large property on Kingsway and his two sons, Will and Hugh, operated a garage nearby.  Willliam never drove but he loved luxury cars.  By 1936 the two sons were living in the home along with some of William's cars.  The cars remained there until 1965 when a snowstorm damaged the garage.  Members of the Vintage Car Club of Canada helped rescue them and by the early 70s both brothers had died and the cars were left to friends.  They are all still in B.C.

 

Here is a Vancouver Sun article by Alyn Edwards about the Silver Brothers:

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/vancouver-sun/20121005/282488590952153

 

Here is a digitized version of the 16mm film that was made in 1965:

 

 

Below are pictures of the home, along with one of the Wintons, which was not among the preserved cars, and the inside of the Silver Brothers' shop circa 1918.  (Pictures from the Burnaby Archives)  Also a recent picture of the Peerless.  

 

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by PFindlay (see edit history)