THIRD THURSDAY TALK: Building the Fossmobile
George Foote Foss (1876 - 1968) was a mechanic, blacksmith, bicycle repairman and inventor from Sherbrooke, Quebec. During the winter of 1896, he developed a four-horsepower single-cylinder gasoline powered automobile. In the spring of 1897, he completed his invention: the first successful gasoline-powered automobile to be built in Canada, which was later referred to as the “Fossmobile”.
Recently, the Foss family re-opened their archives to better document the story of their remarkable ancestor, and undertake the task of building a tribute to his original vehicle. Join George Foss’ grandson, Ron Foss, who will discuss bringing to life the Fossmobile story and his own creation of a tribute (as close as possible) of George Foss’ invention from surviving images and archival records.
This online talk will take place over Zoom and is part of the Canadian Automotive Museum's Third Thursday lecture series. These online talks are free and open to the public, but registration is required. The Canadian Automotive Museum is a registered Canadian charity and a suggested donation of $10 goes toward covering the cost of hosting these virtual events. Donors who make an annual contribution of over $25 will receive a charitable tax receipt.
About our Speaker
A native of Montreal, Ron joined the Royal Trust Company, where he held numerous executive positions. Ron retired with an interest in automobile restoration. He established Fossmobile Enterprises, to pay tribute to his grandfather’s invention; the Fossmobile. His mission, is to share his knowledge and its history, including the building of an exact replica with award winning authenticity. That replica was donated to the Canadian Automotive Museum in December 2022. He lives in Burlington, Ontario and has an International Masters in Practicing Management degree from McGill University.