Sherk’s Third Book Another Classic

by C. Scott Holland

One of Leamington’s most prolific authors, Bill Sherk, a.k.a. the Old Car Detective, has penned his third book detailing the history of old automobiles and their owners.

Dundurn Press which published the book and his two previous ones, “I’ll Never Forget My First Car” (Dundurn Press 2005) and “60 Years Behind The Wheel: The Cars We Drove In Canada” (Dundurn Press 2003), approached Sherk in the summer of 2010 about writing a third book of car stories. For the last 20 years Sherk has written a column for Old Autos and has done a weekly syndicated column which marks its fifth anniversary this year.

Sherk’s  collection of hundreds of stories about various makes and models of cars from over the last 100 years was drawn upon once again to form the basis for this volume – “Old Car Dectective:  Favourite Stories 1925 – 1965”. Spanning the era 1925 to 1965 (excluding 1943-45 when new cars were not manufactured because of WW II) and containing over 80 individual stories about the adventures of each owner and his or her own classic automobile.

Sherk presents many of his own favorite tales about car models from that 40-year block of time. 

As the author said, “The challenge (of this writing this book) was to include at least one story from every Canadian province.”

Even if you aren’t familiar with old cars, or are a seasoned car buff, this book is masterly crafted. The stories are short, full of humor and yet detail each car’s history – from its manufacturer to each model’s own unique, individual owner(s).

Whether young or old, car savvy or casual admirer, Sherk’s stories, especially many in the first part of the book, will bring a smile to the reader’s face or even a good chuckle when imagining some of the events that took place revolving around the owners and their cars.

From Model Ts to Studebakers to Hudsons to Mustangs, Sherk’s collection covers a wide gamut of cars and trucks owned and driven by Canadians everywhere.

After reading the book, one realizes that Canadians of all ages have had a passion for convertibles . About three-quarters of Sherk’s fascinating collection concerns various convertible models, as well as first cars owned by many people, but nonetheless there are plenty of stories about hardtops, too.

Technical aspects are lovingly given regarding the various autos and in many places a synopsis of a company’s history.

Sherk’s book is big on rare cars and he demonstrates in several stories why he is Canada’s leading “old car detective”. Among the many stories one will encounter are:  a 1927 Pontiac Sedan with a back seat urinal, a disastrous date with a 1936 Chevrolet, a dad caught drag racing his son’s 1953 Monarch in Detroit and Sherk’s own 1940 McLaughlin-Buick (the Sherkmobile).

Local readers may recognize some of the owners, but for everybody that reads this book, the pictures will elicit personal memories and dreams of cars both past and present.

Sherk, himself, summed it up best by saying, “Behind every old car there is a story waiting to be told.” 

This illustrated book is definitely a goldmine and on a scale of empty to full, Sherk’s ‘favorites’ gets a full tank rating! The book was released on Apr. 4 and is available locally at the Leamington Post or from the author Bill Sherk , P.O. Box 255, 25 John St., Leamington, Ont. N8H 3W2.