1912 S.G.V. History

2006: The S.G.V. Runs Again ...

Over fifty years have passed since the S.G.V. was rescued from the auto wrecker's yard on Lake Cowichan. Presumably, it has been over eighty years since the car last ran. But now, in 2006, the car has been fired up once more.

Remarkably little work has been done to the car. It still remains very much as it was in the shed through the thirties and forties. Unfortunately, the rotten top and bows are no longer with the car and, mysteriously, the magneto vanished somewhere along the way. According to an aquaintance of the auto wrecker, the magneto was removed (without permission) before the car arrived at the yard. It was supposedly used on a logging donkey engine for some time.

Last winter, with the help of Paul Bolam, a Bosch magneto was fitted and gears were cut to drive the mag. With some further tweaking and persuasion, Paul and Cliff were able to hear the S.G.V. run briefly in February.

Through the years the S.G.V. has had a good dry home and it is still a good solid car. There will come a day when we see it out on tour, another piece of British Columbia's transportation history preserved due to the persistance and patience of a few of fellow collectors.

The S.G.V.'s original radiator is in excellent condition. The name badge
reads SGV across the middle and ACME Motor Car Co in the blue.

The dash view is very plain - the centre guage is an oil pressure guage. Note the finned flywheel (there is no engine fan) and the hand throttle control knob located at the edge of one of the steering wheel arms.

The original pinstriping is still visible on the green body.

1912 was the first year for front doors on the S.G.V. Although they have been removed here, they are still with the car.

The S.G.V. engine has a very clean cast-in-one design.