Wicked Garage Open House and RTB Collection, Greely, Ontario--July 15, 2018

An event we look forward to each year as the Open House at the Wicked Garage where interesting cars always turn up,  It was one of the first events we attended with our Corvette (in 2015) and although the dates change it is always worth the pleasant drive to Greely.  There were a lot fewer cars this year but it was compensation that a gentleman who had his own car collection around the corner put out the cars for us to look at there as well.

1976 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

1978 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 "Tweety"

1940 Chevrolet Master Deluxe Coupe

1991 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster, heavily modified

1954 Chevrolet Delivery Sedan

1987 Chevrolet C4 Corvette Roadster 

2017 Chevrolet Camaro RS 50th Anniversary Edition

Old Truck Paradise

1955 Ford Thunderbird

1968 Cadillac Calais Coupe

1966 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster Custom

2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

1965 Ford Mustang Coupe

Noticing a lot of activity around the corner from the Wicked Garage, I discovered a massive private collection, the RTB Collection, of American cars which the owner had taken out for display for us.  I know that there is an RTB auto body/restoration shop on Bank Street in Ottawa but am not certain of the connection.  Not only was the collection of pristine cars (plus some interesting projects) massive but every one of the roadworthy cars had personalized license plates.  These cost $310 each to acquire so multiplying this over the number of cars on display would have added considerably to the Ontario treasury!

1966 Chevrolet Nova SS

Mustangs to the left, Corvettes to the right

1966 Dodge Cornet

Left to right: 1977 and 1979 Chevrolet Corvette Coupes; 1995 Corvette Roadster; C5 Corvette Coupe

1965 Ford Mustang Fastback Coupes (two GTs on the left, white 2+2 on the right)

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (left); 1974 Trans Am 455 Super Duty

Of the more than 10,000 Firebirds built in 1974, fewer than 1,000 Trans Am versions featured the optional Super Duty LS1 engine.

In addition to the cars parked outside and the main garage building, there were several structures housing parts and project cars.

1959 Chevrolet El Camino

1959 marked the introduction of the El Camino, Chevrolet's response to Ford's Ranchero which debuted two years earlier.  More than 22,000 of the rather flamboyant El Camino were sold in its first year, but sales plunged in 1960 and the car was discontinued.  The El Camino was reintroduced in 1964, based on the Chevrolet Chevelle, and production in various styles continued until 1987.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe rear section

1963 Buick Riviera

Ford Econoline Van

I next walked into the main building/workshop where there were a lot of other great cars parked, including an impressive Corvette collection.

1969 Dodge Charger R/T

1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe drag car

There were a lot of cars and I did not even bother looking at the dozen pickup trucks as well.  Given the ease with which the cars can be identified by their license plates, I do not think I have ever seen one at other car events in the Ottawa area so it was nice to be able to look in on one person's Giant Man Cave.