Ken McGee: The man to see
55-year automotive career yields remarkable collection
Ken McGee stands proudly with two of his beloved Cadillacs. A selection of Ken McGee's cherished automobilia and classic car collection will be up for auction at Miller & Miller on September 7, 2024.
For more than five decades, if you were in the market for a new car in the Goderich, Ontario area, Ken McGee was the man to see.
“I sold my first car at 12,” Ken recalls. “It was a beautiful Saturday morning in 1952 when a black '48 Chevy Coupe pulled up to the gas pumps.” The pumps stood outside his father Reg McGee’s dealership on Hamilton Street in Goderich, where Ken spent much of his youth. The car was driven by Wilfred Peachey, a First World War vet.
“I told him about a '52 Dodge Coupe with very low mileage that we had for sale,” adds Ken. Wilfred seemed interested, and after Ken’s older brother quickly evaluated Wilfred’s car, they shook on the deal. Little did young Ken know that this first sale would set the wheels in motion for a 55-year career at the family dealership—and that just 8 years later he would marry Wilfred’s granddaughter, Sylvia.
Ken’s father Reg founded McGee Motors in 1929. Originally a repair shop, Reg also sold Plymouth cars as a sub-dealer before Chrysler upgraded his franchise to a Dodge-DeSoto dealership in 1932.
A rendering of the original McGee garage on Hamilton Street in Goderich, featured in a 44-foot hand-painted mural commissioned by Ken from Bayfield artist Peter Payne.
“What a start they had,” Ken recalls. “The first new car fell right through the floor and into the basement!” Perhaps it was a sign of tough times to come, as the Great Depression arrived shortly after.
To sustain the business through those tough times, Ken’s father purchased Model T Fords for $25 each, while his mother, Della, spent long nights repairing them to resell at just $50. Although Ken was not yet born, his older siblings experienced the hardships first-hand. “They had diapers and underwear made from sugar sacks from Ed Sparr's grocery store next door,” Ken shares. “And we think we have it tough today!”
By the time Ken was born in 1940, business had picked up and plans for a larger garage were underway. Reg had been strategically acquiring nearby properties to make room for the new build, but the Second World War delayed construction until 1946. In July of 1947, the McGees finally opened their new Art Deco-styled garage. Ken recalls the grand opening: “The CKNX barn dance group performed on a flatbed truck parked under the canopy, and there I was leading the group with a baton. I was seven years old and remember it vividly.”
Pictured above is the Art Deco-style garage that the McGee family opened on Hamilton Street in Goderich in July 1947.
By age 17, Ken found himself managing the parts department. Reg had just fired the dealership’s drunken parts manager, leaving Ken to pick up the pieces. Despite the rocky start, Ken thrived, and his career quickly gained speed.
He was soon managing the towing calls too. He recalls, “We were doing enough towing business that I put a phone in my bedroom at 17 years of age to handle the night calls.” This led to a few rather memorable encounters, such as the time a young lady offered to “forgo the bill for a little fun” after a tow. Ken's response? “I had to smile, tell her I was deeply in love with a local miss and wanted my money, which I then got.” That local miss was Sylvia, of course.
Ken and Sylvia McGee pose with their prized ‘49 Buick Roadmaster, offered as lot 237 in the upcoming auction at Miller & Miller.
With nearly a century of family business history, Ken has no shortage of stories to tell. One notable tale is from 1940, shortly after Ken was born, when a fire broke out in the family’s apartment above the original garage. Ken, the last to be rescued, was wrapped in a blanket and carried to safety. Meanwhile, his nine-year-old brother Alvin, eager to see the fire trucks up close, ran into the path of one and broke his leg.
With a chuckle, Ken recalls a sale involving a bright red 1947 Dodge convertible, which was purchased by a local doctor named Norman Jackson. Proudly dressed in a new white suit, Dr. Jackson drove to a doctors’ convention in London. However, at a stop sign in Clinton he found himself next to a cattle truck, and a cow with a digestive issue splattered him and his new car. Upset, Dr. Jackson drove straight back to the garage and traded the convertible for an enclosed sedan.
The business faced its share of dramatic moments too. In the early '50s, Ken rushed from school after hearing about an explosion at the garage. Don Fritzley, a mechanic working in the pit, was draining gas when another mechanic lit a torch. “The explosion blew Don right out of the pit,” Ken recounts. “And, amazingly, without injury. It did, however, buckle the wall along the alleyway.”
Over the years, Ken worked in every department of the dealership, eventually becoming the dealer principal. His 55-year tenure at McGee Motors saw the business grow and evolve, culminating in the construction of a state-of-the-art facility on Suncoast Drive in 2004. Over time, the dealership continued to expand its line-up, growing into a Chevrolet-Buick-Cadillac-GMC dealership by 2009.
A few years into Ken's role as dealer principal, he was honoured to be elected by GM as an area representative, covering a region from Owen Sound to Listowel. He was responsible for holding meetings with dealers and voicing their concerns to the factory. After his term, Ken's peers selected him as one of only 12 dealers to represent all GM dealers in Canada, an appointment that was extended to two terms. “This provided me with an insight into this world-class, huge factory and all its holdings,” said Ken. “I was later proposed to sit as a Canadian representative at GM world headquarters in Detroit—which I respectfully declined. I felt privileged, but perhaps this was beyond my grade 11 education level.”
Ken retired from the dealership in 2011, passing the reins to his nephew, Martyn McGee, who assumed the role of dealer principal. Ken’s son, Darcy McGee, also continues the family legacy as a leader in both sales and leasing. As the dealership continues to grow, its core mission remains unchanged: delivering exceptional service and preserving a reputation built on honesty. Now in its 96th year, the dealership is proudly guided by the fourth generation of the McGee family.
McGee Motors on Suncoast Drive in Goderich, Ontario.
Ken’s passion for automobiles extended beyond selling cars. In 1976, he embarked on a side venture: collecting automotive literature and memorabilia. What started as a hobby soon blossomed into a thriving business for Ken and Sylvia. The collection grew to become the largest automotive bookstore in Canada and the third largest in North America.
“We have shipped literature to 39 countries around the globe,” Ken notes. The 10,000-square-foot building housed an impressive array of brochures, manuals, toys, signs, and classic cars.
Ken McGee poses in front of his automotive literature and memorabilia business.
Ken and Sylvia worked as a team to handle the expansive inventory. “Sylvia spent countless hours sorting and cataloguing the vast stocks of literature I purchased,” adds Ken.
Before making major purchases, sometimes involving transport trucks, Ken always sought Sylvia’s insight, appreciating her thoughtful advice and helpful opinions. Together, they had fun organizing the inventory, often involving their family members in the process, perhaps passing on their entrepreneurial spirit. Their daughter Kristin, along with her partner Richard, now runs Travulous, a company offering African Lion Safari tours with offices in Kigali, Rwanda, and Kampala, Uganda, where they now live.
After 47 years of running his literature shop, Ken recently made the difficult decision to sell his vast collection of manuals and brochures. “I did not want to have something happen and leave my wife and family with the literature problem,” he explains. The sale, which involved 42 pallet loads of literature weighing an average of 1300 lbs each, marked the end of an era for Ken.
A few of the 42 pallet loads of literature, with a portion of the 44-foot McGee history mural visible in the background.
But there’s still plenty to admire. A curated selection from Ken’s collection will be featured in the September 7th Petroliana & Advertising sale at Miller & Miller Auctions. The offering includes a remarkable selection of rare and significant automotive signs, toys and memorabilia. Headlining the sale are two of Ken’s ‘babies’: a 1948 Chrysler Town and Country ‘Woodie’ convertible, and his 1949 Buick Roadmaster Convertible.
In the years after the Second World War, many automakers struggled to innovate and largely relied on outdated pre-war designs. Chrysler, however, distinguished itself with its ‘woodies,’ introducing high-quality wood panelling on its existing designs. This car became the pinnacle of American luxury in 1948.
In the video above, Ken gives us a tour of the 1948 Chrysler Town & Country “Woodie” Convertible offered as lot 238 in the upcoming auction.
The ‘49 Buick Roadmaster stands out with its bold vertical grille and stylish fender, also marking a major post-war redesign. This convertible, finished in Sequoia Cream with a red leather interior, is one of only 8,800 made. This model is recognized from its appearance in the movie Rain Man. The buyer will also receive an authenticated copy of the movie poster, signed by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.
Watch the video above to join Ken for a ride in the stunning 1949 Buick Roadmaster offered as lot 237 in the upcoming sale.
Other sale highlights include a selection of scarce porcelain signs, including a rare Dodge-Desoto dealer sign and an Oldsmobile neon sign, both from the 1940s and in remarkable condition.
This Dodge DeSoto & Trucks 7ft Bullnose Dealer Sign is offered as lot 280.
This Oldsmobile GM Hydramatic Drive Neon Dealer Sign is offered as lot 183.
Also up for auction are unique treasures including a 1955 Chevrolet rear-end couch, a 1920s Buick dealership leaded glass window, and a vintage GMC Trucks neon dealer sign, each embodying the golden age of automotive history.
The 1955 Chevrolet Rear End Couch (lot 228), Buick Dealership Leaded Glass Window (lot 234), and GMC Trucks Neon Dealer Sign (lot 182) are all included in the September 7th auction.
When asked about his plans for the future, Ken responds with his trademark wit, “I’m only 84, so, I ‘dunno, I’ll sleep on it.”
Ken’s expertise, passion, and drive forged a remarkable career-turned-collection, rich with exceptional items and unforgettable stories. Now, as he begins to shift gears, it’s time for the next generation of collectors to hit the road and create their own adventures.
Story by Tess Malloy
Tess is a freelance writer and history enthusiast who enjoys unearthing interesting stories about remarkable people and objects. Tess has written for The Miller Times for six years.
More highlights from the Ken & Sylvia McGee Collection:
