Full Circle: A Hands-On Affair with the First Ferrari 250 GTO

Full Circle: A Hands-On Affair with the First Ferrari 250 GTO

FULL CIRCLE: A Hands-on Affair with the First Ferrari 250 GTO may be the first car memoir – a car revered for its international racing performance and artistic mystique – the first Ferrari 250 GTO, born in Italy in 1962.

It is also the memoir of a man, himself unique – Larry Perkins, a rocket scientist /car racer /artist. His stories chronicle how The Car (a.k.a. “Sophia” named for the elegant Italian bombshell Sophia Loren) pops in and out of his life. These events, and the people associated with them, create a series of full circles in their shared journey.

Full Circle: the past becomes future becomes past, illuminating words to the famous song… “When Everything Old is New Again”.

While Larry was working on the Apollo program to land a man on the moon, and later the Viking Mars Lander program and other space missions, Sophia and Larry had an on-again off-again relationship – an “affair” so to speak – for over 50 years. They found each other in 1963 and formed a surprising dynamic of man-machine synergy. Life was fast and furious, fun and full of trophies. When it seemed destined to be over, Larry sold the Ferrari in 1966 for a mere $3600. The racing duo lost track but were re-united and then parted again. Finally … unbelievably … Sophia found Larry when they were both a little older. With the spark alive, their racing history was re-born in a most spectacular way. Each was transformed by the other.

The memoir starts with a man searching for the perfect race car and develops into a previously unrecorded history of s/n #3223 GT with racing tales. Larry and his wife, Petra, tell of an irresistible GTO attraction and adventures during the exciting era of ’60s sports car racing. (Petra first saw the Ferrari at a memorable race with a fiery crash at Sebring, Florida, when she was 15, but did not meet its driver for 15 more years.)

The authors show the exhilaration of key races and an anecdotal chronology of #3223 with photos, some never seen. They examine what a race driver is really like, the attributes of a highly competitive personality, and the unrelenting dedication to Winning. After all, it was not easy for a small privateer – someone who had started racing relatively late in life (with a consuming day job) – to compete with the likes of racing champions Phil Hill, Pedro Rodriquez, Mario Andretti, and Dan Gurney.

The book emphasizes the value of teamwork. “Doing the impossible” – in racing or rocketry – demands the best of humans working together to render perfect machines. This is an intimate account about the people who made The Car what it ultimately became.

How did this car acquire its timeless aura of mystique?

How cool is it to drive such a powerful and exquisite piece of machinery?

To what degree can a car be considered fine art?

What happened to Larry and why did it turn out to be so spectacular, almost eclipsing his early successes in racing the GTO? When and Where did all this happen?

And best of all, Who are the passionate people that made it happen?

Full Circle: A Hands-On Affair with the First Ferrari 250 GTO answers these questions and provides readers with a thrilling personal play-by-play of racing the very first Ferrari GTO for the very first time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maserati 450S: A Bazooka from Modena

Maserati 450S: A Bazooka from Modena

“When she didn’t break, she won”. The Maserati 450S, also called Tipo 54 in the factory codification, was the fastest and most powerful of the Maserati built to face the arch-rival Ferrari in the World Sports Car Championship of the 1957 season which constituted the apotheosis of the golden age of motor racing. Fitted with the powerful Maserati 4.5 Liter V8 engine and dressed in an elegant bodywork by Fantuzzi, it was the “lethal weapon” that was to allow Maserati to win the 1957 Sportscar World Championship.

Nicknamed “Bazooka”, the 450S became also the most tragic race car that Maserati ever build: it won in Sebring and Sweden, totally failed at the Mille Miglia, at the Nürburgring and in Le Mans culminating in a grotesque and disastrous race in Venezuela, leaving all laurels to Ferrari. Then it became obsolete in Europe due to a change of the FIA regulations for 1958.

Emigrated to the USA, the Maserati 450S started its other race career with owners such as Tony Parravano, Jim Kimberly, John Edgar, Temple Buell, Ebb Rose and Frank Harrison. The 450S then won many races in the USA at the hands of the best US drivers like Carroll Shelby, Jim Hall, Masten Gregory, Dan Gurney, Lloyd Ruby and Bill Krause, and so became a very important part of the US race history in the 1950s.

This book retraces the saga of the ten Maserati 450S “Bazookas” built and their eventful lives, chassis by chassis, illustrated with an exceptional iconography of period photos, most of which have never been published before.

  • The most powerful sports racing car of the 1950s
  • Includes the history of all 10 cars
  • It was the most tragic racing car from Maserati, representing the glory and the disaster of the World Championship.
  • Driven by greats such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Jean Behra, Carrol Shelby, Bill Krause, and Masten Gregory.
  • Over 200 period photographs, most of them never seen before
SS Jaguar 100: The Remarkable Story of 18008 (‘Old No. 8) (Exceptional Cars Series)

SS Jaguar 100: The Remarkable Story of 18008 (‘Old No. 8) (Exceptional Cars Series)

The open two-seater SS Jaguar 100 was introduced in 1935, the name derived from the car’s 100mph top speed, and was the first model to use the Jaguar moniker (previously the company founded by William Lyons and William Walmsley had produced motorcycle sidecar combinations under the Swallow Sidecars banner, and then cars using the ‘SS’ brand). The SS 100 was powered by a Harry Weslake-developed version of the six-cylinder engine produced by Standard Motor Company.

SS Jaguar 100 chassis No. 18008, carrying registration BWK 77, and now known as ‘Old No. 8’ in deference to its chassis number, is regarded as the first works Jaguar racing car, and initially came to fame in the 1936 Alpine Trial (not to be confused with the Alpine Rally), which was run in Switzerland over a distance of 1,455 miles. Tommy and Elsie Wisdom persuaded William Lyons to lend them the then-new BWK 77 for the event, and against initial expectations they won in the car.

Following the Alpine Trial victory Old No. 8 became the company’s development car, Tommy Wisdom continuing to drive in it in circuit-racing events, while Sammy Newsome took the wheel for hillclimbs.

As the car continued to be developed, it was lightened, and a new, more powerful 3.5-litre engine was fitted in place of the original 2.5-litre version, with the engine repositioned to improve weight distribution. In this form, in 1937 the car lapped the outer circuit at Brooklands at a speed of 118mph, winning with Wisdom at the wheel at an average speed of 112mph.

Post-war, the car continued to compete, now in private hands, and was regularly entered by various owners in races and sprints, with various further modifications carried out along the way . After passing through various owners, and spending time on display in a French motor museum, and then in the Moray Motor Musuem, in Scotland, the car was purchased by its present owner in 2020, and is still raced today.

‘Old No. 8’ is one of the most significant cars in the rich history of Jaguar, and its fascinating story is told in-depth in this book, including details of its early works competition career and a look at the anatomy of this unique and important SS 100. The engaging text is supported by a remarkable selection of archive period photographs, along with a gallery of specially commissioned studio photography documenting this ‘Exceptional Car’ as it is today.

San Francisco Scavenger

San Francisco Scavenger

San Francisco lures people in search of a wide variety of treasure: fame, wealth, property, inspiration, love, family, community, freedom, and a fresh start. With this book in your hands, you hold a treasure map to the history of the City by the Bay―from its earliest days to more modern times. Solve 360 rhyming clues that take you on a scavenger hunt through 19 different neighborhoods across the 49 square miles of San Francisco. Each riddle includes a photo to help you find museums, public artworks, historical sites, bars and restaurants, architectural highlights, and more. Whether you love the thrill of solving a puzzle, have a desire to learn a little history, feel the urge to get out and explore, or even rediscover a city you thought you knew, find the true spirit of San Francisco in the pages of this book. Author and travel journalist Jill K. Robinson left her heart in San Francisco in her earliest childhood years. She brings her years of research, love for the city, and countless hours of exploring to this epic scavenger quest. Come with an adventurous spirit, and whether you solve the clues alone or with family and friends, this creative excursion will help you unlock the secrets of San Francisco.

Jeep Owner’s Bible

Jeep Owner’s Bible

A Hands-On Guide to Getting the Most from Your Jeep

For Jeep fans, Jeep owners, and even those just contemplating the purchase of a Jeep, there is no substitute for this incredibly popular, versatile vehicle-over 3.5 million Jeeps have been sold since 1945. And for everything you need to get the most out of Jeep ownership, there is no substitute for “Jeep Owner’s Bible”(tm) by Moses Ludel, recognized as the most comprehensive, authoritative guide to the Jeep ever published. In the words of “Jeep Owner’s Bible”(tm) author Ludel, “For those who never intend to work on their Jeep themselves, the “Jeep Owner’s Bible”(tm) provides basic orientation, explains mechanical features of Jeep 4WD trucks, offers valuable troubleshooting tips and makes it easier to discuss repair or modification work with a professional mechanic. For the do-it-yourselfer, “Jeep Owner’s Bible”(tm) serves as a technical guide, model review, and data source….Equipped with this book and a genuine Jeep factory service manual for your model, you can

accomplish quality repairs or a complete mechanical restoration.” Now completely revised and updated since its original publication in 1992, in addition to all the invaluable content of the first edition, this informative volume includes:

Coverage of all Jeeps built since 1945, through 1999, including Grand Cherokee and Wrangler TJ and YJ models

Substantially more material on YJ Wrangler, XJ Cherokee, and ZJ Grand Cherokee

Introduction of the new 1999 WJ Grand Cherokee

Many new “state of the art” improvements, accessories, and aftermarket products, including factory and non-factory products available since 1992

Additional sources for parts to restore, upgrade, and modify Jeep vehicles

Audi R8: The Autobiography of R8-405 (Great Cars #15)

Audi R8: The Autobiography of R8-405 (Great Cars #15)

The Audi R8 was the first in a line of world-beating sports-prototype cars from the Ingolstadt marque which would dominate Le Mans, and would see Audi remain at the forefront of international sports-car racing for over 15 years.
If such an award could go to a machine, Audi ‘R8-405’ – the car featuring in this book – was surely the ‘Man of the Match’ for the 2000 Le Mans 24 Hours. In the end it would finish second, behind one of its team mates which had a far less-troubled run, but it was not for want of trying by Allan McNish, his co-drivers Stéphane Ortelli and Laurent Aïello and their mechanics.
The Audi R8s would go on to dominate endurance racing for a further five years. The cars had already shown what they were capable of by finishing first and second on their debut, in the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 2000.
At Le Mans, apart from a brief aberration when a Panoz led under a full course yellow, ‘R8-405’ led the race for six hours. Trouble then intervened, but the car’s drivers never gave up, McNish setting fastest lap of the race in the morning still chasing his team mates Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro in the eventual winning sister car. That car would soon be on its way to Audi’s museum, but ‘R8-405’ would race on in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), driven later that year by Biela and Pirro and winning at Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas.
By the end of the season, ‘405’ and the other 4-series 2000-season R8s would be rendered almost obsolete by Audi’s introduction of a direct-injection engine for its new 5-series R8. That did not stop ‘405’ from competing for a further year in the ALMS, albeit in private – Champion Racing – hands, with regular drivers including Andy Wallace and Johnny Herbert. Despite its tender years, it would later go on to qualify as an historic car, and a host of new opportunities opened up as it became one of the most raced of all the R8s.
In 2020 the car was acquired by enthusiast Martin Halusa with every intention of taking it back to Le Mans in the future for the biannual Classic races.
The enthralling story of ‘R8-405’ is told in fascinating detail in this book, supported by a stunning array of photographs showing the car in action in its two years of ‘period’ competition, together with a gallery of fine studio images showing this ‘Great Car’ as it is today.

Triumph Cars: 100 Years

Triumph Cars: 100 Years

Experience the entire history of Triumph sports cars in this comprehensive volume featuring stunning studio photography, rare archival images, and period advertising.

Triumph Cars chronicles the company and its remarkable vehicles, from the first 10/20 through a string of automobiles sought after by collectors, from the early Supers and Glorias through the entire TR and Spitfire ranges, and on to the legendary GT6 and the latter-day 1300, 1500, and Dolomite sedans—filled with images, history, and in-depth analyses of players, tech, and styling.

With roots extending to a London bicycle importer established in 1885, Triumph built its first car in 1923: the Triumph 10/20. By 1930, the Triumph Cycle Co. had become Triumph Motor Company and was on its way to establishing seven decades of automotive heritage.

Author Ross Alkureishi showcases how company visionaries developed the brand—and how the brand changed hands—in the trying economic times of the 1930s and during the war years. The Standard years beginning in 1944 are also examined, along with associations with Jaguar and the range of roadsters and saloons developed, arguably peaking with the introduction of the TR2 sports car in 1953.

Alkureishi proceeds through the stylish 1950s cars and on to the Leyland years beginning in 1960, and associated engine and styling developments. The story ends with the last Triumph model, the Acclaim introduced in 1981, and the marque’s subsequent mothballing. Along the way, Alkureishi also highlights Triumph motorsport exploits, particularly in the realm of rally cars.

From the 1923 steel-paneled 10/20 through a range of roadsters, saloons, and sports cars, Triumph Cars offers a definitive review of an iconic British marque. The book is illustrated with hundreds of historic, contemporary, and racing photographs, as well as detailed text. This is the one volume no sports car enthusiast can be without.

The Amazing Denzel

The Amazing Denzel

Wolfgang Denzel was an engineer and an Austrian industrialist. He was an inventor, innovator, and a business maverick. He was also a highly competitive sportsman winning numerous motorcycle events before and after WWII. In addition, Denzel was a winning Alpine sports car racer and yachtsman.

In 1948 Denzel began building sports cars in his workshop in Vienna. Denzel was absolutely fanatical about the construction of the car that bore his name. Quality, functionality, and beauty dominated every aspect of the build. The resulting sports car was therefore an intriguing automotive object. On the one hand the cars were beautifully proportioned, elegant little jewel boxes with handsomely trimmed interiors; on the other they were lightweight, nimble racing weapons which recorded more than 65 podium finishes at the most competitive European events of the 1940s and 50s.

One of the true milestones of the marque was Wolfgang Denzel’s victory at the rugged multi-stage 1949 Österreichische Alpenfahrt (Austrian Alpine Rally) which was the highlight of the Austrian racing season. This victory was especially significant as Denzel won the Alpine Cup while trouncing rival Porsche. By 1954 a Denzel was competing in North America at Sebring. Racing legend Dan Gurney later piloted a Denzel 1500 to an impressive class win at Pomona in January 1957, convincing North American spectators that these machines were not only Alpine rally winners but also serious road racing competitors.

Our aim with this work was to write the definitive English language treatise on the history of the Denzel sports car. A secondary goal was to clarify common misconceptions about these wonderful machines.

In this book we, as Denzel owners and enthusiasts, celebrate the superbly hand-crafted machines of Wolfgang Denzel. His cars were, and remain, truly special with the majority having been built with Denzel chassis, engines, and aluminum bodies. These automobiles are quite beautiful and are highly intriguing from an aesthetic, engineering, and historical standpoint.

DENZEL MOTORSPORTS HERITAGE

The Denzel sports car has a significant motorsports history in both Europe and the U.S.A. The Amazing Denzel Sports Car richly chronicles important moments in Denzel racing heritage as an entire volume is dedicated to Denzel sports cars in competition, with a huge number of professional period racing photographs.

CHARTS & DEEP DETAILS

Collectors and enthusiasts devour details. The Amazing Denzel Sports Car was developed with this in mind. Inside you’ll find original documents, technical drawings, charts, and so much more. All guaranteed to delight automotive enthusiasts upon discovery.

ONLY THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY

We believe the Denzel sports car is a work of art. It was, therefore, vital to the authors that The Amazing Denzel Sports Car be printed by a fine art print house. Inside, you’ll find over 400 photographs shot by some of the finest automotive photographers in the world.

2 Volumes in slipcase

Competition Car Aerodnamics

Competition Car Aerodnamics

The field of aerodynamics has had an increasingly significant effect on performance enhancement over the past 50 years. Competition Car Aerodynamics 3rd Edition continues the practical, hands-on approach of its popular predecessors to cover all aspects of motorsport aerodynamics, with more CFD and wind tunnel project material and case studies. Author Simon McBeath tackles aerodynamic theory in a comprehensive, yet comprehensible, way with his unprecedented access to state of the art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. McBeath also explores aerodynamics with the MIRA full-scale wind tunnel in the UK. Photographs, graphs, CFD-generated images, and wind tunnel data–much of which has appeared in the successful Aerobytes series in Racecar Engineering–are used to explain with unrivaled clarity how aerodynamic performance benefits are obtained in practice. With case studies from Formula 1, sports prototypes, Formula 3, GT and saloon cars, club single seaters, and karts, this book will appeal to anyone, whether a designer, competitor, student, or armchair enthusiast, wishing to gain an understanding of aerodynamics, and how it can benefit the performance of all types of competition cars.

How to Power Tune MGB 4-Cylinder Engines: New (SpeedPro Series)

How to Power Tune MGB 4-Cylinder Engines: New (SpeedPro Series)

How to get maximum performance from the MGB’s four-cylinder B-series engine for road or track.This book tells you all you could want to know, expert tips, and is packed with understandable and down-to-earth advice based on the author’s years of hands-on experience. ·Covers all MGB and MGB GT 4-cylinder engines (except 3-bearing crank engines) ·Explains the ‘first principles’ of engine power and tuning ·Handy ‘power recipes’ to help achieve the performance you want ·How to improve airflow, camshafts, carburation, ignition and exhaust ·Lubrication and cooling systems improvements ·Uprating suspension, wheels, tyres and steering for better handling ·How to set-up and tune on a rolling road ·Comprehensive appendix with formulae and tuning data ·Includes cam timing tables for Piper and Kent cams ·List of specialists and suppliers to help with your MGB tune. Written by an acknowledged expert, who runs a well-known tuning business in Derbyshire, England. Peter Burgess has been working with MGBs since 1978 and his engine building expertise has produced many MGB race wins. He is also the author of How To Build, Modify & Power Tune Cylinder Heads.

Porsche 356: 75th Anniversary

Porsche 356: 75th Anniversary

Porsche 356: 75th Anniversary relates the full story of Porsche’s original sports car from the first Gmund coupe to today’s beloved collector car.

Ferdinand Porsche was a brilliant engineer who, prior to World War II, had been involved in a variety of significant automotive engineering developments including the first hybrid drive  vehicles. From the early 1900s, Porsche was developing racing cars including the Mercedes SSK and the mighty Auto Union Grand Prix. During this period, Porsche also developed the groundbreaking Volkswagen, which would prove critical to his postwar, namesake automobile manufacturer.

The Typ 356 was developed by Ferdinand’s son “Ferry” Porsche and introduced in 1948. Though the rear-engine layout was based on the Volkswagen, most similarities ended there. The 356 had a unique chassis, higher performing engine, and a handsome wind-cheating body. Little known outside Germany initially, by the early 1950s the 356s were lauded for their excellent handling, build quality, and growing volume of competition successes.

Porsche’s 356 evolved over its 17-year life through four distinct series: pre-A, A, B, and C, with coupes, cabriolets, Speedsters, Hardtops, and Roadsters among the many body variations. Equipped with the “Carrera” 4-cam engine, the 356 was a force in sports car racing. Dedicated competition models were developed beginning in 1953, and the Rennsport Spyders dominated road racing, endurance, and hill climb events for over a decade.

The 356 story includes a cast of fascinating characters, from those engineers who designed the cars, to race drivers who built the “giant-killer” mystique, to owners like James Dean and Janis Joplin who fell in love with the little bathtub-shaped sports cars. From titled European gentlemen in the 1950s to movie stars like Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in the 1960s, the first Porsches attracted enthusiasts and racers alike. Today, the car has an even wider following among collectors including Porsche fans like Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno. “356 Fascination” continues with ongoing restoration efforts, vintage racing, and an “Outlaw” movement, all enhanced by large-scale events that celebrate the car’s history.

Porsche 356 75th Anniversary tells the in-depth story and is a must-have book for anyone that loves Porsche and sports car history.

Autocourse 2022-23: The World’s Leading Grand Prix Annual

Autocourse 2022-23: The World’s Leading Grand Prix Annual

72nd YEAR OF PUBLICATION

Another record-breaking 22 Grand Prix season saw Red Bull Racing and Ferrari go head-to-head with some spectacular races and epic drives from all four drivers, each one winning one or more races. Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton and new recruit George Russell struggled for most of the season with aero and relentless porpoising until mid-way through the season when their performances improved and some notable qualifying and race results appeared, but far too late to challenge for the top spot.

There were some flashes of brilliance from the midpack consisting of Alpine, McLaren, Alpha Tauri, and Alfa Romeo, but Aston Martin, Haas, and Williams continued their struggle for consistency.

Authors Tony Dodgins and Maurice Hamilton, combining 80 years of F1 expertise, examine each round in depth. Full race reports are backed by detailed results, including lap charts and tire strategies.

The nuances of F1’s designs and development are analyzed team by team by the much-respected Mark Hughes, enhanced by Adrian Dean’s handsome F1 car illustrations.

Motor racing’s other major categories are also fully covered: Toyota’s WEC and Le Mans sports car successes; the closely fought Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships, featuring emerging young talent from around all continents of the world; and the tightly fought Formula E series for electric powered single seaters.

AUTOCOURSE includes all the hectic action from the top Touring Car series – the World Touring Car Cup and the British Touring Car Championships as well as the DTM Series running GT cars from Audi, Mercedes, BMW and Ferrari.

From America, Gordon Kirby recounts a thrilling Indycar series, featuring a mix of youthful talent such as Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward, both of whom vying to overturn the established veterans who have dominated proceedings over the past decade. The ever-popular NASCAR stock car series ran from February to November with barely a weekend’s break, to feature more than forty races before the final championship play-off round at Phoenix, Arizona.

In a single essential volume, AUTOCOURSE provides the most comprehensive record of world motor sport, complete with full results not found anywhere in a single volume.

It is required reading for all motor sport fans worldwide.

Autocourse 2021-2022: The World’s Leading Grand Prix Annual

Autocourse 2021-2022: The World’s Leading Grand Prix Annual

71st YEAR – First published in 1951 – The longest running motor racing yearbook. Independent and authoritative editorial combined with the sport’s finest photography Despite the pandemic, AUTOCOURSE celebrated its 70th year of publication in 2020, a year turned on its head by Covid-19. Thanks to the FIA and racing’s management, F1 was rescued, with a compelling 17-race championship spanning Europe and the Middle East. For 2021 a record 22-race schedule was planned, and despite changes to venues, the F1 championship was very much up and running by March 2021. Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton – now the winningest driver in history – broke more records. The Briton smashed through the 100 pole-position barrier, and moved inexorably toward a century of Grand Prix wins in the face of a real championship challenge from Max Verstappen. Red Bull Racing and Honda seemed to have all but matched Mercedes to provide the fans with a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle, which would end up with some controversial collisions as the season reached boiling point. Authors Tony Dodgins and Maurice Hamilton, combining almost 80 years of F1 expertise, examine each round in depth. Full race reports are backed by detailed results, including lap charts and tyre strategies. The nuances of F1’s designs and development are analysed team by team by the much-respected Mark Hughes, enhanced by Adrian Dean’s handsome F1 car illustrations. Motor racing’s other major categories are also fully covered: Toyota’s WEC and Le Mans sports car successes; the closely-fought F2 and Formula 3 championships, featuring emerging young talent from around all continents the world; and Nick de Vries emerging victorious in the tight fought Formula E series for electric powered single seaters. AUTOCOURSE includes all the hectic action from the top Touring Car series – the World Touring Car Cup and the British Touring Car Championships as well as the reconfigured DTM Series now running GT cars from Audi, Mercedes, BMW and Ferrari. From America, Gordon Kirby recounts a thrilling Indycar series, featuring a mix of youthful talent such as Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward, both of who were vying to overturn the established veterans who have dominated proceedings over the past decade. In an emotional return, Helio Castroneves took record equalling fourth Indy 500 victory, whilst an appreciation is made to paid to the legendary three-time Indy 500 winner the late Bobby Unser. The ever-popular NASCAR stock car series ran from February to November with barely a weekend’s break, to feature more than forty races before the final championship play-off round at Phoenix, Arizona. In a single essential volume, AUTOCOURSE provides the most comprehensive record of world motor sport, complete with full results not found anywhere in a single volume. It is required reading for all motor sport fans worldwide

VW Classic Beetle – Maintenance and Upgrades Manual

VW Classic Beetle – Maintenance and Upgrades Manual

VW Classic Beetle is the latest in the Maintenance and Upgrades Manual series, which are based on real-life experience and written by expert authors. The original air-cooled VW Beetle is a hugely distinctive and popular classic car with over 21 million produced over a 65-year period. It is also an ideal starter classic for anyone looking to get their hands dirty. This new book includes an illustrated timeline to the various models produced and a useful buyers’ guide with a systematic approach. There is information on workshop tools and equipment and a service and maintenance schedule. How to maintain all aspects of the engine, transmission, brakes and bearings, suspension and electrics are covered. Information on modifications and upgrades for the engine, brakes and suspension including front beam, dropped spindles, spring plates, air ride, and wheels and tyres is included. Troubleshooting tips for when your car won’t start or won’t go into gear are given and, finally, tips on restoration of the paint and bodywork, or respray. There are useful chapters on fitting an ISOFIX base for a child safety seat, as well as fire suppression.

The Official Ford Mustang 5.0: Technical Reference & Performance Handbook, 1979-1993

The Official Ford Mustang 5.0: Technical Reference & Performance Handbook, 1979-1993

The Official Ford Mustang 5.0 Technical Reference & Performance Handbook View is the number-one data source for V-8 Mustang and Capri owners. It contains all the data you need to master a V-8 Mustang’s major mechanical workings. Most importantly, the Handbook provides you with the crucial keys to your car’s performance potential. And it features all the popular treatments and modifications that third-generation V-8 Mustang owners and tuners have found to be most effective.

Features

  • Complete door tag and VIN translations, plus V-8 engine, transmission and rear end codes.
  • A year-by-year (1979-93) review of what Ford built, with a breakdown of powertrain and driveline specs for V-8- Ford Mustang and Lincoln-Mercury Capri models. Restorers! Read this reference guide before you turn a wrench.
  • Critical specs and detailed data on all production 5.0-liter H.O. and GT-40 engine hardware including, blocks, cranks, pistons, rods, heads, cams, intake, ignition, exhaust and cooling systems, as well as all factory-fitted transmissions and rear ends, plus suggested upgrades.
  • Complete specifications on original equipment suspension, braking and steering systems, as well as popular improvement paths and equipment.
  • Comprehensive coverage of the limited-production 1993 Mustang Cobra and the already rare 1993 Cobra R-Model.
  • A complete review of Fox-body Mustang police cars, with detailed discussions of their Special Service systems and equipment.
  • Parts and systems replacement references include interchangability, conversions, and swaps. Hands-on tips and tricks reveal low-cost horsepower sources. Analysis of the most effective approaches to improving a 5-liter Mustangs output: supercharging, nitrous-oxide, turbocharging and increased displacement.
  • Owners of 5-liter 1994-95 V-8 Mustangs and 1996-and-later Explorers and Mountaineers will find applicable cross-over data in the coverage of Ford’s fuel-injected small block V-8.
Alvis Three Litre In Detail: TA21 to TF21 1950-67

Alvis Three Litre In Detail: TA21 to TF21 1950-67

From its launch in 1950 to its demise in 1967, the Alvis Three Litre enjoyed a deserved reputation for effortless performance, exceptional surefootedness and stability, a high degree of driver friendliness, and irreproachable quality of construction. It was considered a rather exclusive car, coming as it did from a maker whose products always had a certain individuality. In addition, there remained through successive models something reassuringly traditional about its styling in both saloon and drophead forms; while never outdated, it displayed a timeless, discreet dignity unmoved by the more frivolous vagaries of fashion. All the while, in the background but ready to serve when called upon, was the Alvis works, whose concern for its cars and their owners was exemplary.Throughout production, the Three Litre was based on the same chassis and was powered by the same engine. This was a handsome and efficient short-stroke six-cylinder, conceived in order to provide the driver with ample power over a very wide rev range. Starting with an output of 83bhp in the early TA21, this robust unit was progressively developed to supply 150bhp in its final TF21 form while retaining the turbine smoothness, reliability and lack of temperament that it had become celebrated for. It was perfectly matched to its chassis and running gear, and those who have driven a Three Litre at speed will find the dynamic qualities of the contemporary rivals from Bentley or Jaguar rather less likeable.This book opens with an exposition of the background that led to the companys introduction of the Three Litre in 1950. Then comes a detailed technical analysis of the TA21, covering all aspects of the chassis, running gear, engine and transmission. This sets the scene for the chapters which follow, on the short-lived TB21 sports tourer, the TC21 and the uprated TC21/100, the Graber-inspired TC108G, the outstandingly handsome TD21 Series I and II, the TE21 and the TF21.Each of these receives comprehensive treatment, including differences from previous models, production changes and full chassis number number listings, along with notes on famous owners and screen appearances. The author provides extensive information on the coachbuilders who supplied Three Litre bodies, including Mulliners, Tickford, Graber, Willowbrook and Park Ward, and there are chapters devoted to the Alvis-powered Healey G Series sports car, the aborted Issigonis-designed Alvis TA350, and the ownership and use of Alvis Three Litre models today.Five outstanding examples of the cars have been specially photographed for this book and are featured in some 70 colour shots. There are also more than 140 black-and-white illustrations drawn from archives as well as from Alvis sales and publicity material. Devoted exclusively to the Three Litre, this book offers an in-depth examination of these excellent cars to provide a store of information for the many owners who care passionately about them, and serve as a tribute to the men who made them.

Ghia: Masterpieces of Style

Ghia: Masterpieces of Style

This is the story of Ghia of Turin, a company active from the 1920s. The firm was responsible for some of the most important models in automotive history, frequently distinguished by daring and trend-setting styling. Tracing the history of Ghia brings to light models of particularly evocative appeal, such as the Fiat 508 Sport Spider (1934), various Alfa Romeo 6C 2500s and the 1900 SS Abarth (1954), not to mention a number of unusual Ferraris from the same decade. A decade that was of fundamental importance to Ghia that, one after the other, produced a series of opulent cars inspired by the styling canons in vogue in the United States in that period, but also styling exercises such as the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (1955). The Sixties were no less prolific, with further “classics” such as the Fiat 2300 S (1960), the De Tomaso Mangusta and Pantera (1966 and 1970) and the immortal Ghibli from 1966. As was the case for other Italian coachbuilders, there followed a period of crisis that saw the Ghia marque change hands on a number of occasions before being acquired by Ford.

The BMW Century, 2nd Edition

The BMW Century, 2nd Edition

Celebrate more than 100 years of Germany’s best two- and four-wheeled rides. This handsome volume is filled with images, history, and in-depth review of the incredible machines BMW has created year after year.

Established in 1916, BMW is one of the automotive and motorcycle industry’s oldest and most-respected manufacturers. Over the past 100-plus years, the company has passed through myriad incarnations. The BMW Century chronicles this remarkable transportation story through the cars and motorcycles manufactured, from the 1923 R32 motorcycle to today’s sleek electric, hybrid, and high-performance cars.

The BMW Century showcases how the company’s visionary team systematically rebuilt BMW in the post-World War II years into the spectacular success we know today—a company with sales in excess of two million cars annually, led by its top-selling 3-series.

BMW’s motorcycle division is no less legendary. It began with the 1923 avant-garde R32, which featured a 180-degree, horizontally opposed twin, the engine configuration that would become BMW’s hallmark. Over the decades, BMW used that configuration to power groundbreaking machines like the R90S, R100RS, and R80GS. Beginning in 1983, the company added add three- and four-cylinder machines to their offerings, culminating in today’s spectacular S1000RR sport bike.

From the pre-war motorcycles to the iconic R-series twins of the 1970s and ’80s to the mighty M-cars and superbikes of today, The BMW Century offers a full review of German engineering at its zenith. The book is illustrated generously with hundreds of historic, contemporary, and racing photographs—many sourced from BMW’s historic archives—and thorough text covering BMW’s full history.

This is the one volume no BMW aficionado will want to be without.

Raymond Henri Dietrich: Automotive Architect of the Classic Era & Beyond

Raymond Henri Dietrich: Automotive Architect of the Classic Era & Beyond

 

This biography of Raymond H. Dietrich, known as “the automotive architect of the classic era,” is not only an entertaining and well-researched societal history, telling the Dietrich story within the context of the times from the turn-of-the century through the eight decades of his life, it is also replete with over 350 photographs of art on wheels—the elegant Dietrich-designed classic cars of the 1920s and 1930s. Car collectors and restorers will find the “Cavalcade of Dietrich Designwork” chapter to be a treasure-trove of 78 archival-type automotive photographs tracing the development of Dietrich’s extraordinary talent and innovations. Historians and auto enthusiasts alike will appreciate how this handsomely illustrated book evokes a sense of time and place as the author skillfully transports the reader from one era to another in the life of a fascinating man who left such an impressive legacy of classic car design. This biography will interest both the general reader and the car collector. Pulitzer nominee and prize-winning author of six books and many articles and reviews, Necah Stewart Furman, Ph.D., was selected by the Dietrich family as his biographer. Granted numerous hours of taped interviews, she was also given access to Dietrich’s personal business and legal files, photographs, designs, and lithographs.

Well-known automotive author Richard Burns Carson employs his engaging literary style in writing the annotations for the photographs in the final chapter, while respected historian and coachwork specialist Walter E. Gosden lends his imprimatur with the Foreword.

  • Originally written by Pulitzer Prize nominee Necah Stewart Furman, Ph.D. and placed under copyright in 1961, this revised, comprehensive and entertaining biography of famous classic car designer Raymond H. Dietrich is an accurate record of his life and times based upon records and interviews unavailable to others.
  • Over 400 photographs and documents, many never previously published.
  • Traces the eight decades of the designer’s life and times revealing little known aspects of his career; his triumphs over tragedy.
  • Contains almost eighty archival photographs with annotations by automotive author, Richard Burns Carson.
  • Includes a “Back to the Future” section of beautifully restored Classics renovated by present-day owners with loving care and technical expertise, photographed by acclaimed photographer Hugues Vanhoolandt
  • Automotive historians, car collectors, and those simply looking for a good read will appreciate how this handsome biography of Raymond H. Dietrich evokes a sense of time and place, and also manages to correct published misinformation in the process

 

  • Hard cover with dust jacket

 

Apollo GT – the American Ferrari

Apollo GT – the American Ferrari

‘If a Buick Special ever got a fierce ambition to become a Ferrari – and tried hard enough – it would be likely to end up just about like this.”
Car and Driver magazine – September, 1963

Such prophetic words from Car and Driver magazine back in 1963 underscore the goal of three California twenty somethings who sought to build a world-class grand touring sports car. And, for a while, found themselves on equal ground with Europe’s best.

Their concept: A marriage of Italian style and the mechanical excellence of a premier American manufacturer – Buick – to create a true gran turismo sports car with head-turning looks, outstanding performance and comfort, and something that, up to then, was not common among European exotics: Reliability!
Their challenges were legion: A complex product combining hand-crafted bodies with mass-produced engines and transmissions on an assembly line spanning two continents and an ocean. A limited capability for product development and testing. And the need to create a marketing program to promote the car to an enthusiast public as well as develop a distribution channel to get the car into their hands. All this with limited operating capital.
The result? The Apollo was highly praised by both road testers and owners alike. “Workmanship is of the highest quality…comparable to cars costing twice that of the Apollo” crowed one magazine report. “…the Apollo handles as well or better than a 2+2 Ferrari, an Aston Martin DB4 or a Sting Ray Corvette,” exclaimed another. High praise indeed from the critical press!
And the owners? “I dearly love my Apollo!” enthused singer Pat Boone. And this from another owner: “It’s a wonderful work of art. You can see the quality. You can feel the excitement they felt when they were hammering it out, putting it together and driving it for the first time. It is a milestone, a one-of-a-kind car and no one can really compare anything to it. It stands on its own.”
This is the story of the Apollo GT. The American Ferrari.
Details: 8.5″ x 11″, 138 pages. 87 color and black & white photos and illustrations.