April 9: What is an RM?

What is an RM? Good question and rather a surprise the first time it came to my attention. I follow all the top concours and am always reading about the classics (cars that is), as well as all the new stuff. Years ago, I would go to the annual classic car auction in Toronto run by a little company called RM. I also frequently used to come across the name RM, when there a winning car at some famous concours such as Pebble Beach. For some reason it took me a while to put the two together.

Then out of the mist, like this 1935 Duesenberg SJ Town Car above, I found that the two RM's were actually one. That "one" was a small company out of Blenheim, Ontario (just west of London), who was amassing an amazing record of concours wins. Tucked away in this little hamlet were some of the best craftsmen in the world, rebuilding and restoring some of the best old cars ever built. Frequently, the top cars at Pebble Beach came out of the RM shops, like this 1931 Daimler Double Six 50........

......top cars which not only won their classes, but also win the prestigious grand prize. A very hard trophy to win. Some of the very best cars have lost out to an RM restoration.

Some other cars that have passed through RM's doors are........

1947 Talbot-Lago T26

1950 Lincoln coach built limo

But not just restricted to so called "production" cars, RM has tackled some very rare (one of one) cars for which parts had to be manufactured, as opposed to being sought out. Cars like these two concepts......

1954 GM Motorama Pontiac Bonneville

1960 Plymouth XNR

What a reputation! I mentioned that I used to go to RM's annual classic car auction in Toronto. Well, they out grew that and now hold auctions literally all over the world. And not just Barrett-Jackson clones. RM gets the very best cars, from the classics to the rarest exotics. When you see the listings for an RM auction in Europe, you know they will fulfill every car guy or girls wildest fantasies (car, that is).

All this from a "little" company near Chatham, Ontario. Something for us Ontarians and Canadians to be proud of   -  a real home grown success story. Check RM out for yourself at www.rmautorestoration.com. And don't drool over your keyboard.

Until next time........