As a young man, George Montgomery lived for cars. He came of age in the classic era of the hot rod and fully immersed himself in the car culture. George Took car building seriously and went on to become one of the pioneers of the sport of drag racing. From a little shop in a suburb of Dayton, Ohio, he built and raced cars that led the world in innovation and craftsmanship. George was a leading participant in the famous “Gasser Wars” match races of the 1960’s where he earned the moniker “Ohio George,” while driving his iconic 1933 Willys to victory after victory. The era of the Gasser Wars was one of the most colorful chapters in racing history and George was one of the most successful racers of the time. Always in innovator, Montgomery built the groundbreaking Malco Gasser Mustang in 1967 and followed it with the revolutionary Mr Gasket turbocharged Mustang a few years later. After retiring from racing in 1985, George became one of the most successful engine builders in the country. He is the recipient of the National Hot Rod Association’s most prestigious awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and is listed as one of drag racing’s top 50 all time drivers.
F1 Mavericks is the story of the grandest, most influential, and most fondly remembered era in Formula 1 racing as seen through the lens of master motorsports photographer, Pete Biro.
The period from 1960 to 1982 saw the greatest technological changes in the history of Formula 1 racing: the transition from front engines to rear engines, narrow, treaded tires to massive racing slicks, zero downforce to neck-wrenching ground effects–and, of course, a staggering increase in performance and reduction in lap times. In short, the Maverick Era saw the creation of the modern Formula 1 car.
This is also the time when legendary names who defined F1 were out in full force: Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, Dan Gurney, Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Niki Lauda, James Hunt, Bruce McLaren, Jody Scheckter. We’ll see and meet all of them. But F1 Mavericks also focuses on the maverick designers and engineers behind the cars–men like Colin Chapman, Mauro Forghieri, Sir Patrick Head, Maurice Philippe, Gordon Murray, Robin Herd and many others. We’ll hear directly from many of them, including a foreword from 1978 F1 World Champion, Mario Andretti and afterword from the late three-time champion Niki Lauda.
Every chapter is a photographic account of important races throughout the period, supplemented with sidebars featuring key designers and technologies, like wings, ground effect, slick tires, turbochargers, and the Brabham “fan” suction car. F1 Mavericks is an international story, and includes designs from Japan (Honda), Britain (McLaren, Tyrrell, Cooper, BRM) Italy (Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo), France (Matra, Ligier, Renault), Germany (Porsche, BMW) and the United States (Eagle, Shadow, Penske, Parnelli).
Strap yourself in for the story of the greatest era in Formula 1 racing–it’s all here in F1 Mavericks.
GEORGE BARRIS, “King of the Kustomizers” teamed up with the Hollywood film industry in the 50’s and changed automotive history forever!
Also included are interviews with Adam West and Butch Patrick as they explain how they worked with George and the Famous cars he created. From the Barris vault you will see never seen before film footage and many pictures taken by George himself… Plus bonus Features!
Running Time: 60 minutes
Includes never seen before footage from the Barris vault, plus rare pictures from George’s private collection.
In American Motors Corporation: The Rise and Fall of America’s Last Independent Automaker, author Patrick Foster provides the ultimate inside look into an American corporation that rose from the death throes of a once-thriving independent auto industry, putting up a valiant fight for nearly half a century before succumbing to the inexorable will of the corporate machine. Born from the ashes of Hudson and Nash, AMC represented a last, desperate attempt at survival for an independent automobile company. Thanks to the steady, capable leadership of George Romney, the company not only survived, but thrived, riding on the success of the firm’s small, economical cars like the Rambler. When competition arose from Ford, Plymouth, and Chevrolet and the market began to shift toward performance and luxury cars, AMC found itself poorly prepared to compete with its bigger rivals. With the fuel crisis of the 1970s, the small cars from AMC once again refilled corporate coffers, and the firm’s purchase of the Jeep brand also generated profits–but ultimately, it was too little, too late. Even a partnership with French automaker Renault and the introduction of all-wheel-drive cars couldn’t save AMC. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation purchased AMC and the story of the last independent automaker came to an end. This engaging book, from one of America’s best-known automotive writers, tells the entire AMC story from its inception to its ultimate demise.
