Brooks got things rolling in 1920 by establishing Banking Services Corp, in Toronto, a finance company dealing in second mortgages. He went on to establish Brooks Steam Motors Ltd., in 1923, and obtained a plant in an eager Stratford, Ontario on very favourable terms in which the town assumed a $50,000 mortgage on a $55,000 building. The plant was refitted for car production. Stratford was a wise choice. It was a major steam maintenance hub and Grand Trunk Railway happened to be laying off steam mechanics at that time, making skilled workers available. The Brooks car was strongly influenced by the Stanley steamer, although as noted, Stanley was in financial difficulty. The kerosene-fired vertical cylindrical wire-wound boiler was located under the hood that was fitted to make the Brooks resemble a gasoline car.