Company Profile
Timmis Motor Company Ltd. is a highly specialized, low-volume Canadian boutique automobile manufacturer renowned for handcrafting authentic, upgraded replicas of pre-war classic cars. Operating out of British Columbia, it holds the title of the only active automobile manufacturing company in Western Canada.
- Official Legal Name: Timmis Motor Company Ltd.
- Founded: 1968 (by Andrew J. Timmis)
- Global Headquarters: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Core Business: Handcrafted classic car manufacturing, historic vehicle restoration, and rare automotive import/export.
- Primary Target Market: Ultra-high-net-worth classic car collectors, automotive historical enthusiasts, and vintage lifestyle purveyors.
Development History
1. The Passion Project (1968)
The company was founded in
1968 by Canadian car enthusiast
Andrew J. Timmis in Victoria, BC. Driven by a profound love for the elegance of 1930s
Ford designs, Andrew established a tiny, specialized factory. Rather than hot-rodding or creating cheap kit cars, his goal was to build a mathematically precise, brand-new, street-legal version of the iconic
1934 Ford V-8 Roadster.
2. Global Recognition and Endorsements (1970s)
The build of the highly anticipated "Timmis Ford V8 Chassis No. 2" began in 1970. Upon its completion, the company gained global acclaim within elite industrial design circles. Legendary figures, including Bill Lear (the billionaire inventor of the Learjet), inspected the vehicle and gave it his formal engineering seal of approval.
3. A Legacy of "Labor of Love" (1980s–Present)
Over the decades, Timmis has chosen to remain deliberately microscopic in scale. The company has built only a few dozen vehicles, treating each car as a rolling sculpture rather than a mass-market commodity. Over 50 years later, the company continues to operate in Victoria, serving as a global authority on vehicle sourcing, bespoke restoration, and elite automotive curation.
Brand Characteristics & Signature Platform
The Flagship Masterpiece: The Timmis-Ford V8
The defining product of the company is the Timmis-Ford V8 Roadster. While it visually mirrors a 1934 Ford Deluxe Roadster down to the millimeter, its internal engineering is a clever blend of history and mechanical reliability:
- Genuine New-Old-Stock (NOS) Parts: Timmis tracks down unused, authentic 1934 Ford components (such as original metal frames, stamped serial numbers, grilles, instruments, and steering wheels) from forgotten warehouses all over the world.
- The "Flathead V8" Engine: The car features a highly refined version of the iconic 239 cubic-inch Ford Flathead V8 engine, custom-built at the Ford of Canada Engine Remanufacturing Plant. Upgraded with higher compression and a modern internal build, it produces 125 horsepower (compared to the 1934 original's 85 hp), blending vintage rumbling acoustics with reliable modern performance.
- Body Construction: The car seamlessly pairs a pristine, lightweight premium fiberglass main body structure with a traditional metal hood, ensuring a rust-free life cycle.
- Mechanical Upgrades: The outward appearance of the brakes, transmission, and differential completely mimic 1934 aesthetics, but house modern, reinforced internal mechanicals to ensure safety at highway speeds.
