The Canadian Automotive Museum is an automobile museum located in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada."Hidden in Plain Sight: Canadian Automotive Museum". By: Gary Grant March 4, 2019 The museum notably features many Canadian-made cars. The automobile industry, specifically the Canadian division of the General Motors, known as General Motors Canada, has been based in Oshawa since the early 20th century.

History The museum was founded in 1962 by a group of Oshawa businessmen through the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce. The venture was initiated mainly to preserve the automotive history of Canada and to present this history in an educational and entertaining manner. Canadian Automotive Museum, Inc. is a charitable corporation and has been in operation since 1963.

The museum is housed in a building in downtown Oshawa that was originally the location of Ontario Motor Sales, a local car dealership, in the 1920s. The building maintains its original period architecture right down to the original elevator used to move cars to the second floor.

Vehicles on display The museum has two floors: the ground floors features foreign cars, while the upstairs features a "Made in Canada" exhibit.

Decade Year Make and model Notes 1897 Fossmobile Replica of original.1898 Woods Electric The oldest surviving electric vehicle in Canada.1903 Orient Buckboard1903 Redpath Messenger1904 Ford Model C Replica1905 McLaughlin Carriage1908 Tudhope-McIntyre Model HH Phaeton1908 McLaughlin Model F1909 Kennedy1909 Model TCanadian-built 1910s1910 McKay Torpedo Coupe Features semi-historical modifications. 1910 Hupmobile Model 20 Runabout1911 De Dion-Bouton Roadster1911 International Harvester Auto Wagon1911 Cartercar Touring1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Originally owned by Lady Eaton1912 McLaughlin 5 Passenger Touring1913 Wolseley 16/20 Model C6 Touring1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost distinguished by its use by the Prince of Waleson his 1919 Royal Tour1914 McLaughlin Model 14 Truck1914 Galt Gas-Electric1914 Brockville-Atlas1916 Ford T Touring1917 Chevrolet 490 Touring1918 Chevrolet 490 Snowmobile1918 Packard Twin Six 3-25 Touring1919 Rauch & Lang Electric Brougham 1920s1922 Kissel Gold Bug 6-45 Speedster 1922 McLaughlin-Buick 22-49 Special1923 Gray-Dort 23B Special Touring1923 Vauxhall 30-98 Velox Not on display as of July, 2026. 1924 Chevrolet Superior Series F Touring Coupe. 1925 Brooks Steamer Model 2/3 Sedan1926 Ford TT Tanker Truck1926 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A S Sala Torpedo Phaeton Tourer1926 Willys Whippet Four Coupe1926 Bentley 3 Litre 4-Seater Speed Model1926 Chevrolet Superior Series V Sedan1927 Dodge Brothers Series 126 Sedan1928 Durant D-55 Special Sedan1928 Hispano Suiza H6B 4-Seater Touring1928 Hudson Sedan1928 Bugatti Type 371929 Ford Model A Convertible Cabriolet1929 Chevrolet Series AC International Roadster With wire wheels.1929 Oakland Olympic Six Not on display as of July, 2026. 1929 Henderson Streamline KJ1929 Sunbeam Model 9 1930s1930 Marquette 30-30 Two Door Sedan 1931 Ford Model A Deluxe Coupe1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Body coachbuilt by Zagato.1931 McLaughlin-Buick Model 671931 Francis-Barnett Black Hawk Model 171932 Frontenac 6-851933 Francis-Barnett Black Hawk1934 McLaughlin-Buick 66S Sport Coupe1934 Rolls Royce 20/25 Convertible Sedan1937 Buick Series 80C Roadmaster1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III 1937 REO Speed Delivery Pickup1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith 1940s1949 Meteor 1950s1950 Oldsmobile 76 1952 Vauxhall Wyvern Station Wagon Custom-built for Samuel McLaughlin.1952 Velocette 2 Cyl Water Cooled motorcycle 1955 Pontiac Laurentian1955 Buick Special1957 Dodge Regent 1960s1960 Frontenac 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine 1962 Lotus Formula Junior 1963 Buick Custom Limousine Originally owned by Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson1963 Phelon & Moore Panther with Garrard Sidecar Not on display as of July, 2026. 1965 Suzuki Sportsman 1966 Buick Special1966 Corvair1966 Honda 501966 Raleigh RM 9 Ultramatic1969 Daimler Limousine Originally used in royal visits to the Isle of Man. 1970s1971 Manic GT Not on display as of July, 2026. 1972 Buick Electra1972 Yamaha U7E1974 Rupp Dart Go-Kart “Herbie”1975 Bricklin SV-11975 Can-Am T’NT 1980s1981 Plymouth Reliant 1983 DMC DeLorean Canadian specification.1987 Magna Torrero Concept Car 1990s1999 Chevrolet Lumina Final Chevrolet Lumina produced at GM Oshawa factory. 2000s2001 1964 Renault Dauphine Electric Made by Feel Good Motors.2008 ZENN

Special events Every September, the museum participates in a classic car rally known as the "Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival". It is held at the Cobble Beach Golf Links course overlooking Georgian Bay in Kemble, Ontario. Kemble is located on the Bruce Peninsula in Grey County, north of Owen Sound.

Museum affiliations The museum collaborates regularly with the Oshawa Museum and the city's Parkwood Estate, the home of Samuel McLaughlin.

The CAM maintains ties with another Oshawa museum having a similar emphasis on vehicles, the tank museum of the Ontario Regiment of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC).

The museum is affiliated with the Canadian Museums Association (CMA), Digital Museums Canada, and the Virtual Museum of Canada.

See also Manitoba Antique Automobile Museum McLaughlin Carriage Company

References

External links