Story by - Bill Fleming - Okanagan Chapter

The TUDHOPE McIntyre Car . . . 

This TUDHOPE pictured above is part of a permanent display in the Kelowna Museum. It is rumoured that this piece of Canadian History may be one of only three in existence.  The Lloyd-Jones Family donated it to the museum in 1954.  It originally came to the Okanagan brand new.  It was a conversation piece outside the Peachland Esso for a number of years.  Ernie Koch and members of the Okanagan Chapter of the Vintage Car Club of Canada restored it to its original condition in time for EXPO86.  Ernie drove it in the EXPO86 Parade! 

The Tudhope-McIntyre was the brainchild of William Tudhope. He was one of nine children. At the age of 23 he began his blacksmith and wheel-right shop. Soon it was to become the Tudhope Carriage Company Ltd. The plant was situated in Orilla, Ontario and began to turn out wagon and farm machinery. 

J.B McIntyre, an American cronie of William Tudhope, suggested that the company produce high wheelers, which were just coming into vogue. In 1908 McIntyre and Tudhope came to an agreement. The mechanical parts for their new car would come from the States while the fine carriage forms would be completed in the Orilla factory. 

The car was baptized the Tudhope-McIntyre, and by the fall of 1908 the company was in business. The car was a high wheeler, well built with a black body, red running gear and trim, and maroon leather upholstery. The cost was $550.00 for the basic model, which included a horn, three lamps and a steering wheel. The Tudhope-McIntyre can do 13 km (8 miles) per hour. It had an air-cooled,  horizontally apposed engine.  It was chain driven, possessing a planetary transmission with Chapman’s double ball bearing axels, which only need oil once per year. 

Tudhope sales began wonderfully. The car was reliable and easily started. All the leading grocers in Orilla bought one and the Tudhope-McIntyre was the first vehicle owned by the Bell Telephone Company. Although the Tudhope-McIntyre had a reputation for being well finished and reasonably priced, it never enjoyed the overall success of its American counterparts. 

The car did have its problems, one being condensation. The steering could be difficult because of the high wheels. However, it continued to flourish due to the popularity of the high wheelers. 

By 1909, the high wheelers began to fall from grace, and sales slowed on the Tudhope-McIntyre. In all 514 cars were produced with the dual name. It is ironic that on August 22, 1909 a flash fire destroyed the already failing Tudhope-McIntyre operation plant. The plant was rebuilt, however, and continued to be successful in producing farm machinery well into the century. 

Source:  a brochure created by the Okanagan Chapter of the VCCC 1986.