Oshawa Proud (Pre-1948)

Oshawa’s identity has been tied to the automobile industry since the early 1900s, when the McLaughlin Motor Car Company started making vehicles locally under Buick license. In 1918, General Motors Canada was formed and Oshawa became its headquarters and primary manufacturing hub. As production expanded through the 1920s and 1930s, specialized trades, suppliers, and mechanical expertise spread throughout the community.

During the Second World War, Oshawa’s plants expanded again to support Allied production, manufacturing military trucks and vehicle components at a massive scale. Assembly lines adapted for CMP (Canadian Military Pattern) trucks, armored vehicles, and aircraft components. This helped grow a workforce that surged to 20,000+.

By the end of the war, thousands of Oshawans here understood vehicles not just as drivers, but as builders and maintainers. The building The Partsman operates out of now traces back to 1948, when Sargent’s Garage opened to serve that growing community of workers and their families.

Canada’s Automotive Capital (1948–1965)

For decades, Sargent’s Garage supported Oshawa motorists through changing vehicles, technologies, and driving habits. Entering the post-war car boom, in a city built around automotive production; independent garages became an essential neighbourhood service. Customers relied on mechanical skill, accurate parts sourcing, and trusted service to keep their vehicles running.

Sargent’s was an integral part of Oshawa’s expanding automotive ecosystem. As vehicles and manufacturing technology advanced, the business evolved alongside them. In 1965, Sargent’s Garage added a Texaco gas station, and became a full-service automotive stop. In an era before big-box retailers and chain service centres, local stations were neighbourhood anchors. Customers filled up, checked their oil, chatted about new models rolling off the line, and booked repairs all in one visit.

Urban Growth (1965–1990)

The 1970s oil crises reshaped consumer behaviour almost overnight. Rising fuel prices shifted demand toward smaller, more efficient vehicles, forcing manufacturers to rethink design priorities. Emissions standards tightened, engineering became more complex; and as vehicles incorporated new systems and technologies, the expertise required to maintain them expanded.

In the 80’s, the Texaco/Sargent’s renovated the building into a more modern service facility. The updated design featured a bright glass-fronted lobby and three full-service repair bays with large windows and glazed doors. By 1990, Oshawa’s automotive landscape looked more advanced and more globally connected than it had in 1965.

The Partsman (1990–Present)

As large-scale vehicle assembly in Oshawa declined in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the city’s automotive culture shifted from manufacturing toward service, maintenance, and restoration. Sargent’s Garage turned into many small businesses throughout the years before eventually transitioning into a dedicated automotive parts supplier... The Partsman!

The Partsman supplies parts for modern and legacy vehicles while maintaining strong expertise in those older systems that many drivers and enthusiasts still maintain themselves. Their focus has always been the same: friendly and knowledgeable service, reliable sourcing, and practical support you can trust. In a community shaped by more than a century of automotive history, The Partsman stands alongside the hands that build, repair, and restore.