Dude Crafts is loaded with more than 50 slightly twisted, but somehow useful, projects that will keep crafty men out of trouble (or, sometimes, in it).
Whether making life easier with ingenious hacks or providing self-amusement, the 50 projects presented in Dude Crafts are sure to get any guy’s creative wheels turning. These DIY projects will get you on the path to developing your own creations, and impressing your friends.
You’ll learn how to:
- Craft an iPad cover from an old book
- Build a metal forge out of a busted microwave
- Cook a meal in the dishwasher
- Re-purpose an electric saw into a cocktail blender
- Fashion a Swiss army knife for your keys
- Outfit an unsuspecting co-worker’s office chair with an air horn
Each project is accompanied by a parts list and step-by-step photo instructions to get you building; often by hacking subpar stock goods or upcycling discarded objects into functional works of art and conversation pieces. No matter how off-kilter the project may appear on the surface, it’s sure to payoff as a useful tool, an art piece, the punch line to a practical joke or, best of all, a combination of all three.
Whatever the motive—to solve a problem, to play a joke, or for self-entertainment—Dude Crafts will get dudes off the sofa and into the workshop!
The Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild was a national auto design competition sponsored by the Fisher Body Division of General Motors. This competition was for teenagers to compete for college scholarships by designing and building scale model “dream” cars. Held from the 1930s through the 1960s, it helped identify and nurture a whole generation of designers and design executives.
Virgil M. Exner, Jr., Charles M. Jordan, Robert W. Henderson, Robert A. Cadaret, Richard Arbib, Elia ‘Russ’ Russinoff, Galen Wickersham, Ronald C. Hill, Edward F. Taylor, George R. Chartier, Charles W. Pelly, Gary Graham, Charles A. Gibilterra, E. Arthur Russell, William A. Moore, Terry R. Henline, Paul Tatseos, Allen T. Weideman, Kenneth J. Dowd, Stuart Shuster, John M. Mellberg, Harry E. Schoepf, and Ronald J. Will, are among those designers and design executives who participated in the Guild. The book also describes many aspects of the miniature model Napoleonic Coach and other scale model cars the students designed.
CLOSE & KINKADE
Italy is the homeland of “La Bella Macchina” and the cradle of automotive culture. This book celebrates the most iconic cars and visionary designers from the peninsula.
This stunningly illustrated book takes readers on a journey through the history of Italian automotive design, showcasing some of the most iconic and beloved models from the 1920s to the early 2000s.
Delving deep into the craftsmanship and artistry of vintage automobiles, this book explores how Italian car design has been at the center of technology, culture,and creativity—and how Italian designers like Pininfarina, Zagato, Bertone, Giugiaro, Gandini, and Ghia have influenced international car designs and brands.
With striking archival and contemporary images, The Italians – Beautiful Machines reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the most famous cars from Italy and what makes them so desirable. This book uses the lens of automotive design to chart the evolution of culture over the last 100 years. The Italians – Beautiful Machines is an impactful celebration of Italian car design and its lasting influence on design and culture.
A very rare, inexplicably forgotten car, which in these pages will be possible to rediscover through unpublished documents and images, the result of over forty years of research, so as to decipher the dreams, aspirations and ambitions of men involved.Designers and craftsmen at the forefront of the industry at the time, which with their extraordinary professionalism and creativity, gave birth to cars that contributed to the myth that is the Italian car in the world. Designed in Milan and built in Turin, LMX is an Italian granturismo, daughter of extraordinary characters, who gave birth to a car characterized by innovative technological solutions, incorporating new stylistic trends from America and Italy, giving the world lesson in balance and elegance. An entrepreneurial affair born close to 1968 with great ambitions and characterized by genius and courage but which, like other Italian car productions, was penalized by insufficient economic resources.
Text in Italian and English
• A yearbook with the best photos and reports from the online magazine Classic Driver
• Ideal gift for car lovers and collectors: perfectly staged vintage cars
• From Alfa to Zagato: classic automobiles of all brands
• Exclusive luxury cars: individual models, prototypes, small series, conversions
• A high-quality coffee-table book with brilliant photos and insider articles
• Best of: Breathtaking photos of vintage cars and fascinating background stories
Classic Driver is the online hub for lovers of classic cars and exclusive crafts: a marketplace for high-quality cars, motorbikes, boats and vintage collectibles. Besides special events and auctions for the finest classic cars, the platform offers an online magazine with informative articles worth reading from the world of luxury crafts. Now, the new yearbook compiles the greatest highlights: fascinating reports from insider circles and high-class photos of classic cars. This year sees the first Classic Driver annual: a book on classic cars for people with fuel in their veins, who appreciate historic cars just like the latest Gran Turismo. The high-quality coffee-table book is the perfect gift for dear friends and acquaintances or a jewel for your own shelf. Whether you wish to luxuriate in excellent photos of the most beautiful vintage cars worldwide or just learn something about car makers or the art of engineering – this book is the right thing for you!
Peter “Pete” Sukalac was a professional photographer who made a career of photographing machines: hot rods, custom cars, race cars, boats, go karts. He appreciated style and craftsmanship. His photos appeared in the pages and on the covers of the slick magazines of the day: Hot Rod Magazine, Rod & Custom, Boating, and Auto Mechanics. He eventually founded, financed and contributed to his own publication, Northwest Rods.
There was such an abundance of material during the 1950s and 1960s, and Pete sought out the best, the cream of the crop. In doing so, he put Northwest builders and machines on display, and they measured up to the best from California, the Mecca of hot rodding and racing.
“If Sukalac had not documented cars and people in the Northwest, it might seem as if nothing had happened in this area.”
The amazing and dramatic story of Bill Lester, one of the most well-known NASCAR drivers in history—and a pioneer whose determination and spirit has paved the way for a new generation of racers.
Winning in Reverse tells the story of Bill Lester whose love for racing eventually compelled him to quit his job as an engineer to pursue racing full time. Blessed with natural talent, Bill still had a trifecta of odds against him: he was black, he was middle aged, and he wasn’t a southerner.
Bill Lester rose above it all, as did his rankings, and he made history time and time again, becoming the first African American to race in NASCAR’s Busch Series, the first to participate in the Nextel Cup and the first to win a Pole Position start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Whether you are contemplating a career or lifestyle change, challenging social norms, or struggling against prejudice or bigotry, Winning in Reverse is a story for sports fans and readers everywhere about the power of perseverance in the face of adversity.
From sporting single-cylinder bikes of the 1950s to high-performance sportbikes of today, this updated edition of The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles showcases Ducati’s entire output.
Though legendary today, Ducati motorcycles began rather modestly, selling motorized bicycles to impoverished residents of post-World War II Italy. Today, Ducati is Europe’s premier manufacturer of high-performance street motorcycles whose recent sales have risen year after year. Its svelte, hyper-accelerating sportbikes are two-wheeled wonders fluent in the language of speed.
The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles, 2nd Edition details the Bologna-based company’s amazing chronology, from the 1950s to present day. Presented chronologically and in encyclopedic form with gorgeous photography and insights from Ducati expert Ian Falloon, the book offers motorcycle enthusiasts a close look at the craftsmanship, power, and beauty of these extraordinary motorcycles. The book features all of the motorcycles from Ducati’s storied history through 2022, including:
- Sporting singles of the 1950s and ’60s
- The groundbreaking Desmodromic 750 Super Sport
- The iconic Mike Hailwood Replica
- The stunning, Superbike-dominating 916
- Today’s hip Scrambler and epic Panigale superbike
This information-packed, lushly illustrated oversize volume is a must-have for all Ducatisti and a great gift for any motorcycle enthusiast.
In the last one hundred years, cars have shaped our lives. Other everyday cultural artifacts, such as watches, telephones, musical instruments, and televisions, have certainly had influence, but the car is by far the most significant. Now, change is coming for the car, as it is for so many other industrial artifacts. Once, cars were distinct machines. Now, they are evolving into multifunctional digital devices. New fuels, new modes of travel, and new technologies are disrupting the traditional role of the much-loved family car.
What is to become of this material legacy? Should we really let go of it? Without memory, personal and shared, we lose our way, our individuality, and our culture. This proposition is at the heart of The Archaeological Automobile.
Miles C. Collier’s landmark approach uses an “archaeological mindset” to interpret the automobile as a cultural artifact in six themes:
The Development of the Automobile describes how the car emerged from a pressing human need for mobility, tracing our relationship with horses, our invention of the bicycle, and how we turned our backs on both as daily transport for the allure of the car.
The Rise of the Collectible Automobile asks how and why ratty relics decaying in recycling yards can become valuable and treasured collectibles. It reveals the effect of cultural influences on our perception of cars and on the dynamics of the collector car market.
The Archaeological Mindset picks up a wrench, gets into the workshop, and tracks the restoration of a 1919 Ballot Indy car using hands-on experience and background research while deploying the “archaeological imagination.” The archaeological clues are in the detail.
Collecting and the Archaeological Automobile deals with the characteristics of collecting. Why do we accumulate “stuff”? Is it greed? Is it passion? Is it a desire for legacy? And what makes a “good” collection? Is it bling? Is it style? Is it material worth? The answer lies in connoisseurship.
Restoring the Archaeological Automobile debates the merits of diverse restoration strategies and the reasoning behind them, including the tricky question of how to repaint the tilt-front nose of a 1964 Alfa Romeo GTZ racing car and still preserve the evidence of forty years of accumulated sandblasting and chipping.
The Archaeological Automobile of the Future is a call to action. Cars as we know them are customarily trashed, government regulations encourage indifference, and the skills and knowledge associated with fixing them are slowly vanishing as we lose older generations of experienced craftsmen. How can we preserve humanity’s treasure trove of automotive knowledge for generations to come?
Filled with engaging stories and practical examples, this is a handbook of the most thoughtful practices, not just for automobile owners and the historical car industry, but for collectors, professionals, and users of all kinds of industrial era artifacts.
The Archaeological Automobile combines scholarship, pertinent anecdotes, style, and experience to provide a stimulating account of why we should all be archaeologists now.
- The most prestigious motor car in the world. The true definition of luxury
- A tour of the Rolls-Royce facility and a unique insight into the manufacturing process
- A stunning collection of cars from the earliest models to those of the modern day
- A compendium of historical Rolls-Royce pictures, many unseen
- A luxurious book, beautifully designed and impeccably produced to the highest standards
- The ultimate Rolls Royce volume
Step inside a world of engineering excellence with this collection, dedicated to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The authors were granted unique access by the Rolls-Royce company. Detailed descriptions of the manufacturing process are set against a backdrop of heritage and prestige, including an exclusive showcase of the company’s manufacturing facility and a splendid gallery of Rolls-Royce cars dating back to sketches of work from the 1930s. This collection includes numerous unseen photos of Sir Henry Royce driving early versions of his iconic cars.
A true behind-the-scenes experience, this book introduces the reader to the Rolls-Royce master craftsmen at work. High-quality images and detailed insights reveal the process by which each car is constructed, from the 2019 Ghost Zenith back in time to the 1904 Original. Rolls-Royce opens their archive to reveal a spectacular timeline of design, providing readers with an insight into the world of those who still uphold the words of Sir Henry Royce: “Strive for perfection in everything you do”.
The contents list guides the reader through the complete construction of a car: Design and Customization, Paint and Finish, Chassis Assembly, Woodwork, Leather, Testing, The Spirit of Ecstasy Hood Ornament, and more. With a glimpse at the Rolls- Royce Training Academy and a plethora of featured cars from last year to the start of the last century, this is the ultimate Rolls-Royce collectors’ volume. Featured cars include the new Ghost (2020), the Phantom Tranquility (2019), Phantom Aviator Coupe (2012), the Phantom II Continental (1934) the AX201 Silver Ghost (1907), and many more.
Simon Van Booy is a celebrated Anglo-American author, who has won the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. His essays have been published in The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and more.
Harvey Briggs is the Editor/Publisher of Rides & Drives, a website dedicated to motoring journeys across the world.
Rolls-Royces and Bentleys are among the most prestigious cars in the world and, as such, attract a highly discerning clientele. The Silver Shadow, along with its rarer sibling the Bentley T, were the first Rolls-Royce designed models to feature modern construction methods, albeit the cars were built to the highest of standards by craftsmen in accordance with the firms’ long standing traditions. It is no wonder these cars are revered internationally by marque enthusiasts for their initial build quality, comfort and effortless performance.
The Essential Buyer’s Guide to the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow & Bentley T Series is, in effect, having expert advice pocket size! Intended for marque owners and novice enthusiasts alike, Malcolm Bobbitt’s practical and easy to follow book will allow the potential purchaser of one of these prestige cars to confidently and quickly assess a vehicle as to its true condition. The guide equips the buyer to take a professional approach when viewing a car, and to decide within fifteen minutes whether it is worth taking a longer and more detailed examination. This guide provides all the information and advice necessary to embark upon an hour-long appraisal of the car, and to judge whether it is the right vehicle at the right price. Featured in this guide are specially selected illustrations to help properly evaluate a potential purchase. Information on the Rolls-Royce and Bentley community, such as marque specialists and clubs, is given, along with all the cars’ vital statistics. This book covers all models in the Silver Shadow and Bentley T range to include the highly sought after coachbuilt types. Not only will it guide buyers in making the right choice of car, the information imparted will ensure enjoyable motoring and satisfying Rolls-Royce and Bentley ownership. The book identifies all the common problem areas with 100 clear colour photographs and jargon free text.
Exceptional Italian Coupés of the Sixties
Following his portraits of the coupés of the 1950s published in 2017, Xavier de Nombel turns his cameras to the ‘Sixties to bring us the most beautiful Berlinettas produced during that decade, which he has tracked down all over the world. From the fiery little Osca to the revolutionary Carabo, employing stunning photography, he presents his personal vision of a period in which styling gave way to design.
Around his personal favourites, Christian Descombes relates the upheavals which Italian coachbuilding went
through as it evolved from craftsmanship to industrial production, leaving behind its clientele of well-off enthusiasts to offer its expertise to the major international car makers. Giorgetto Giugiaro, undoubtedly one of the leading players in this period, shares a remarkable account from inside, bringing to light the expressions of Italian automotive design since the post-war years.
hardcover in a slipcase
Photos: 442 in colour
Pages: 320
Language: English
This beautifully illustrated book captures the history, the legends and the unique style of the most famous train on earth: The Orient Express
• With never-before-seen archival material
• With a preface by Sir Kenneth Branagh
“The Orient Express, in the collective imagination, embodies the golden age of travel. The fabrics, the silverware, the woodwork; their evocative fragrance… all contribute to this particular atmosphere, created by the best craftsmen of the time. The experience on board is absolutely unique…” – Sir Kenneth Branagh, from the foreword
The first train to connect Paris to Constantinople – the gateway to the Orient and epitome of all its associated desires and fantasies – the Orient Express was an immediate success. Quickly nicknamed ‘the king of trains, the train of kings’, it had already become a legend in its own time. This unique train and its celebrated passengers (both real and fictional) have become one of the great cultural icons of our times and have helped to create a limitless source of stories and fantasies to feed our imaginations. It’s a story told here through fabulous new photographs of the restoration workshops where the historic train carriages are being brought back to life, through archive photos of famous and exotic destinations, and portraits of the most famous passengers who were lucky enough to climb aboard.
Origins and History of the Shelby – De Tomaso P70 Can-Am Sports Racer
In this book I cover my years at Shelby American with a focus on the time I spent in Modena, Italy designing the Shelby – De Tomaso P70 for Carroll Shelby, a car planned for the emerging Can-Am series.
Working in Modena was one of the best experiences of my life. I started to write the history and creation of the P70, and the stunning body construction techniques I learned from the Italian artisans, when I realized I had to put the car in context of this incredible time period and also describe what was happening with Carroll’s numerous projects, racing and the other cars I was designing.
I share the transition from the Cobra’s first appearance in ‘62 to its championship in ’63, through to the King Cobra USRRC race period to the transition to Can-Am. Shelby’s every move was well thought out and intentional, all with the ultimate goal of getting Ford’s lucrative GT40 program but having contingency plans in case it didn’t happen. Shelby’s venture with Alejandro de Tomaso on the P70 was one of those contingencies.
Looking back, these few short years turned out to be some of the most interesting and innovative in sports racer history. The quest to understand and harness air flow and ground effects led to amazing creativity. The Can-Am race series showcased it to the world.
My designs during this period at Shelby’s included the FIA World GT Champion Daytona Cobra Coupe, the Shelby GT350 Mustang, the Lang Cooper, the Nethercutt Mirage, Shelby’s Can-Am spec racer as well as the Shelby – De Tomaso P70. I give the inside story of each and the pivotal role talented driver Dave MacDonald played in Shelby’s plans.
I trust you will also enjoy the details and photos I share of how the P70 body was built with the unique techniques of the talented craftsmen of Modena and how, even though Shelby cancelled the project near its end, the P70 launched de Tomaso into the spotlight. — Peter Brock
304 Pages of beautifully photographed, modified DeTomaso Panteras. Over 600 color photographs. Foreword written by Tom Tjaarda revealing his personal thoughts about modified Panteras along with his final interview with the authors. Book size: 11 X 8.5 inches. Landscape-style. Weight: 3.5 pounds. Hard-bound. The authors: David and Linda Adler have owned and driven all types and forms of DeTomaso Automobiles. Modified and Extreme Panteras have always been especially interesting for them. This is their third book about the DeTomaso marque. This photo archive captures a broad selection of Panteras reflecting very minor changes to completely over-the-top modifications. Presenting Panteras from 1972 to the present, the reader can view the craftsmanship as well as the unique artistry of modifications that Pantera owners have made to their cars. Panteras shown: Push-button, Pre-L, L, GTS, GT5, GT5-S, Group 3, Group 4, Group 5, Si, Group C and other unique examples and prototypes. This book has minimal amounts of text and is meant to be a photo archive. Large color photos were given priority over text. Many Pantera club member’s cars are shown along with national and international based Panteras. Photographs taken are by some of the world’s top automotive photographers. Recommended for all DeTomaso owners and enthusiasts who can appreciate Panteras that have been modified. Original cars are not shown in this title.
