British Columbia Is Home to a Stunning Classic Car Collection

"Throughout North America, a host of museums have become dedicated temples to the art and engineering that makes a memorable car, including California's Petersen Automobile Museum, Florida's American Muscle Car Museum and Pennsylvania's Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. But in the Pacific Northwest, an under-the-radar car collection for the ages has slowly come together - and while it's not as well-known as some of the names mentioned above, it probably should be."

"Recently, Skye Ryan at Chek News reported on a couple based in Ladysmith, British Columbia whose automotive collection includes a car that competed in the 1908 Great Race - a competition in which drivers made their way from New York to Paris. Harry and Shirley Blackstaff have been collecting cars for the last 60 years. To be more specific, many of these cars were assembled as a result of finding parts that had been dismissed as scrap."

"As Old Cars Weekly reported at the time, the Blackstaffs' Zust was restored in time for the hundredth anniversary of the 1908 race. It, along with the other two cars that finished the race, have all stood the test of time and have been preserved until the present day. Questions remain about the future of the Blackstaffs' collection; as Chek News notes, the couple is looking into ways to turn their collection into a museum for future generations to appreciate."

A private car collection in Ladysmith, British Columbia, has been assembled over six decades by Harry and Shirley Blackstaff. The collection includes a Zust that competed in the 1908 New York-to-Paris Great Race and other historically significant vehicles. Many cars were reconstructed from parts rescued after being dismissed as scrap, demonstrating a salvage-driven restoration approach. The Zust was restored in time for the race's hundredth anniversary, and the preserved vehicles have endured to the present day. The couple is exploring options to transition the collection into a museum to ensure long-term public access and preservation.

Read at InsideHook