I liked the graphic layout of the above ad, but noticed the Windsor location in the copy, did a quick search and found that Charles Speers made the first cross Canada trip in 1917 advertising Champion Spark plugs. He became manager of the Canadian Champion spark plug plant. The plant closed in 1992.
(text above) The first trip across Canada by motor car, crossing the Canadian Rockies was undertaken and accomplished by Charles A. Speers, left now manager of of the Champion Spark Plug Company of Canada and his companion Cal. A Evans pictured in May 25 1917. They left the Windsor office and reached Vancouver on October 15th where an official welcome was tendered by the Mayor and city council. (Photo taken at Vancouver BC. 1917)
This may have been Champion's first trip across Canada, but there was an earlier one. In 1912 Thomas Wilby and Jack Haney drove a 1912 REO from Halifax to Victoria (much further than Windsor to Vancouver). This trip is well-documented, as was the re-creation we did in our own 1912 REO back in 1997.
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