The independent automakers who had survived the depression of the 1930s had flexibility and enough capital from the war to be the first to launch all-new models for a car-starved nation. So lucrative was the American post-war car market that new automobile companies were also formed to cash in on the pent-up demand for new cars. This is their story told through text and the use of contemporary brochures, period literature, factory photos, road test info, and over 90 new, previously unpublished colour photos of restored examples to relate the importance of these historic vehicles.

Canadian Norm Mort has had a lifelong interest in historic vehicles, and by the age of 10 was photographing old vehicles parked by the side of the road; by the age of 12 he was the youngest member on the executive of the Antique and Classic Car Club of Canada.
After graduating from the University of Toronto, Norm became a teacher and librarian in the public school system. However, it was not long before his love of old cars and trucks led him to become a freelance automotive writer for magazines and newspapers in the field of transport, which he has now done for over 30 years. Norm has written over a dozen books about historic vehicles, and has become Canada's most prolific writer on old cars and trucks. Norm is also an animal lover, and has written books about travelling with pets (combining both of his passions) and about living with a pet menagerie. Norm lives in Canada with Scottish wife, Sandy, and a variety of pets. Their son Andrew has been the photographer for all of Norm's books.