The lobby of the Royal BC Museum is again acting as a garage for a piece of automotive memorabilia—this time the Esso 67-X, one of the rarest cars in Canada.
Fifty years ago, Esso, the oil and gas corporation, commissioned the creation of this futuristic car to celebrate Canada’s 1967 centennial.
This particular car is the only original licensed model to have survived and is now on display at the Royal BC Museum.
The Esso 67-X will be on display free to the public until Mar 12.
The public with a free viewing in its glass lobby from today until Sunday, March 12.
The 67-X was designed by George Barris, a California car customizer who created the first Batmobile.
Barris stretched an Oldsmobile Toronado with its massive 385 horsepower aluminium motor and used innovative concepts such as front-wheel drive, fibreglass panels and disc brakes.
Inside he added swivel seats, a writing table, a picnic cooler, two tape decks, two radios and children’s headphone jacks.
Only four of these cars were built as grand prizes for a contest designed to encourage families to explore Canada.
This may be the vehicle won in BC, although its history is unclear.
This 67-X is now owned by Royal BC Museum supporter Trevor Weflen and has loaned to Royal BC Museum for this temporary display.
This won’t be the only iconic Canadian motor vehicle to grace the glass lobby in 2017. From April 12 to October 1, as part of the feature exhibition Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada, the Royal BC Museum will display the original Ford E250 Econoline van that provided shelter for Terry Fox during his Marathon of Hope.
Photo courtesy of the Royal BC Museum
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The Esso 67-X, one of the rarest cars in Canada, modified by the designer of the original Batmobile. Featured in our lobby until Mar 12. pic.twitter.com/KbnqSFZUOz
— Royal BC Museum (@RoyalBCMuseum) February 14, 2017
