When Philip Kohler left his native South Australia in 1955, his sights were firmly set on the UK, yet his continued appetite for travel eventually led him to Northern Rhodesia – a move that would ultimately see him fulflil a deeply held desire to complete a solo crossing of the Sahara desert.
With only his thoughts and the mechanical outpourings of his Series II Land Rover for company, Kohler spent three years traversing his way across a remarkable continent that was in the midst of revolution and change – documenting his journey with his trusted Leica camera – before arriving back in London in the latter half of 1962.
The adventure provided not just new experiences, but also shaped the rest of his professional life – his photographic ability, as well as a chance encounter with John Wayne, resulting in a hugely successful career in the international film industry. Lavishly illustrated with the beautiful photographs that he took along the way, and written by award-winning author Martin Port, this new book from Porter Press International tells the story of Philip Kohler and his trans-African Land Rover.
In this highly readable and informative book, VW expert Richard Copping tells the inside story of one of the world’s most popular cars.Drawing on his unique experience as an author of many VW books, the author reveals the secrets of the VW Beetle’s success. Not only was the concept of a cheap but reliable mass produced car a sound one, but the fact that the car was subjected to continuous improvement rather than radical change meant that the Beetle soon became an icon.Richard Copping also analyses the successful marketing techniques that spread Beetle manufacture and popularity around the world, including countries as far afield as Brazil, South Africa and Australia. Under the leadership of the ingenious Heinz Nordhoff, Volkswagen also ensured that manufacture of the Beetle was fast, efficient and profitable.Particularly in the United States the Beetle was the beneficiary of highly successful advertising campaigns that sealed its reputation as a must have cult icon, alongside the popular VW Transporter.Accompanied by colour illustrations, this book is a fascinating journey through the development of an automotive phenomenon.
Three new sections make this issue a must-read edition. For American car enthusiasts it profiles a 1914 Regal, 1929 Roosevelt, an unrestored 1950 Ford Businesss Coupe, a 1949 Oldsmobile woody wagon, a 1960 Chrysler 300F under restoration, and a sensational 1962 Pontiac 421 Super Duty Catalina, plus a 1989 Lincoln. Foreign car buffs will want to read about the rarely seen 1934 BMW, a one-off 1936 A.C. Doctor’s Coupe, coachbuilt 1937 Delahayes, an all-original 1954 Daimler Conquest Roadster, an East German-built 1954 EMW, a very pretty 1962 Abarth, a 1964 Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite, a one-owner 1967 Volvo 122S from South Africa, and a 1969 VW Karmann-Ghia. Plus factory-customized 1955-’56 Chevrolet Nomads, 1932 Studebaker artwork , and a look at the beginning of Detroit’s streamlined era. All of this and more in this jam-packed issue that you won’t want to miss.
Journallist and broadcaster Andrew Marriott writes with a light and humorous touch about a multi-faceted career covering some six decades.
He reckons he was the youngest ever person to report a Formula 1 race for a national publication and now the oldest person to regularly report from the pit lanes of Le Mans, Daytona and Silverstone.
He has covered every aspect of car and bike racing from Formula 1 to NASCAR as well as World Championship motorcycle racing plus inshore and offshore powerboat racing. Along the way he has interviewed thousands of competitors and, indeed, show business personalities . He says that he has interviewed or worked with every Formula 1 World Champion bar Farina, Ascari and Hawthorn.
He has been driven across Buenos Aires by Fangio, starred in a hilarious TV blooper episode with Mario Andretti, judged competitions with James Hunt, provided a flat floor for Jody Scheckter to sleep on, played charades with Jochen Rindt, persuaded Denny Hulme to go truck racing, covered up for Alan Jones after an altercation with a van driver and door-stepped Alain Prost as he came out of a Monaco portaloo. Ayrton Senna secretly signed his Lotus contract in front of Andrew but subsequently stood him up when the Brazilian decided that taking a ride in F16 jet was a better option than a Marriott interview.
Add to that ghosting road tests and much more from motor cycle world champion Barry Sheene, working with George Harrison on a sponsorship deal and for 25 years interviewing the Le Mans 24 Hour winners at the end of the great race. He says he is not sure how many times he has covered the French classic but at least 50 and he has worked at over 130 different race tracks. He came up with the idea of a feature film about Steve McQueen which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and is currently working on a follow-up.
Add to this a career in sports management and sponsorship embracing such events as the Hong Kong-Beijing Rally, various major Truck Races and the Birmingham Superprix. He has launched racing cars everywhere from London’s Albert Hall to a former carpet warehouse in Didcot. Add to that a brief career as a rally co-driver which included winning internationals in South Africa and the UK and finishing up stuck in a mud hole in Paraguay.
So he has plenty to write about and he says he has enjoyed nearly all of it all but as the title suggests – Is There Much More of This?
As with the other recent books in this series, this Classic study of the Ju 52 offers the most definitive account published in recent years of this bulwark of the Luftwaffe, which first saw military service in the 1930s and was then engaged in operations in the Spanish Civil War through the end of World War II.
The all-metal, three engine Ju 52/3m enjoyed a solid reputation among its crews and the troops and paratroops who used it and depended on it. It is a machine synonymous with the images of the German attacks on Holland and France in 1940 and Crete in 1941 when hundred of “Tante Jus” were used to drop paratroopers to successfully capture key tactical and strategic areas.
The full history, however, goes back much further. Built as a passenger aircraft for Deutsche Lufthansa, the Ju 52 ranges as far as South Africa, Mozambique, India and Latin America, as well being operated by several other European countries such as Belgium, Equador, Peru and Uruguay. Britain operated several Ju 52s.
The aircraft was first blooded in the Spanish Civil War, where it was pressed into service as a crude, but effective, bomber with the Legion Condor. From then on the Luftwaffe deployed it on every battle front in the West, in the Mediterranean and in the East. An example also flew in Iraq. The Ju 52 served as a stalwart transport, often operating in the most hostile conditions, with ice or dust, lifting men, animals, food, supplies, ammunition, mail, and spare parts vital for German military operations, such as the North African supply routes at Demyansk, Stalingrad and also in the Ardennes in 1944. It was also converted into the ambulance and mine-hunting roles, and was adapted as a seaplane. After the war, the Ju 52 flew on as late as the 1980s, testimony to its strength and reliability.
The immediate post-war years (1945-1949) were very vital for sports car racing and the races for open-wheeled cars as we know them today, including of course Formula 1,which originated in that period. This book describes 340 races (Grand Prix, Formula 2, Free Formula) held on 180 different circuits in continental Europe, Great Britain, South America, Australia, South Africa together with the technical characteristics of the machines that took part in it and the evolution of sport in different countries. It contains biographical notes of 626 drivers along with a complete list of their race entries. An index includes all the cars that took part in the races covered. They are listed by marque and for the most part the serial numbers (chassis and / or engine or plate) are provided with the complete entry lists. The Results Tables include 244 events.
Special Edition: 30 signed and numbered copies leather bound in slipcase
1080 pages
1073 images
This is the story of Captain Marendaz, a pilot in the RFC in the Great War and his life as a manufacturer of cars in the 1920s and 1930s when he competed extensively at Brooklands and elsewhere, before moving on to designing and building aircraft. He was closely associated with Stirling Moss’s parents and Kaye Don, being involved in trialling and record-breaking with his own cars and the American Graham-Paige. His passage through life was not smooth, being frequently coloured by disputes, ending up with him being arrested under the notorious Category 18B regulations in 1940, causing him to move to South Africa after the war, where trouble followed him before his return to England in 1972. The book also contains a considerable number of first-hand accounts, by people who worked for Captain Marendaz, of life in a small car and aircraft factory before the war, giving a revealing insight into the social history of the period. His sports cars are attractive with good lines, a point brought out in the many illustrations taken in period and more recently of survivors. His correspondence with the author and others provides an insight into his controversial life.
The brave efforts of the pilots and crew of the RAF during the Second World War are well-known but there was another body of aviators that played a significant role in the conflict – the men and women of the civilian airlines.
The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was formed shortly after the outbreak of war in November 1939 by the amalgamation of Imperial Airways and British Airways. During the war BOAC operated as directed by the Secretary of State for Air, initially as the transport service for the RAF and with no requirement to act commercially. The inaugural BOAC had eighty-two aircraft, a large proportion of which were seaplanes and flying boats. With 54,000 miles of air routes over many parts of the world, ranging from the Arctic to South Africa, from the Atlantic coast of America to the eastern coast of India, the aircraft of the BOAC kept wartime Britain connected with its colonies and the free world, often under enemy fire. Over these routes, carrying mail, cargo and personnel, the men and machines of BOAC flew in the region of 19,000,000 miles a year.
There can rarely have been a moment, throughout the war, when aircraft of the British merchant air service were not flying somewhere along the routes, despite losses from enemy action. This book explores much of their war history between 1939 and 1944 (the year that marked the 25th anniversary of British commercial aviation), something of their lives and their achievements in linking up the battlefronts – at times cut off from any direct land or sea contacts with the Home Front – and in transporting supplies through the new, dangerous and often uncharted regions of the air. With the ‘Speedbird’ symbol or the Union Flag emblazoned on its aircraft the BOAC really did fly the flag for Britain throughout the wartime world.
Mini celebrates 60 amazing years of this iconic car, from its revolutionary introduction to the popularity of its new-generation models.
The first two-door Mini, introduced in 1959 and built until 2000, revolutionized automotive design with its innovative front-wheel-drive layout that made the car appear bigger on the inside than the outside. In 1999, the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T.
Designed for British Motor Corporation (BMC) by Sir Alec Issigonis and manufactured in England, Australia, Spain, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia, the Mini was as successful in competition as it was on the street, winning the Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 through 1967.
Originally built by BMC, the Mini’s later parent company, Rover, was acquired by BMW in 1994. In 2000, BMW sold most of the Rover Group but retained the Mini brand. The last and 5,387,862nd original Mini rolled off the production line in October, 2000. In July 2001, BMW launched production of the new-generation of Mini which was soon joined by Countryman, Clubman, convertible, Cooper Works, and numerous special editions. Nearly 20 years later, the new Minis remain as popular as the original from 1959.
All rear-wheel drive Escort variants from around the world, 1968-1980
Escorts Mk1 and Mk2 were built in huge numbers around the world, in Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. During the life of the models, no less than 130 different variants were produced, ranging from the 2-door base model saloon through four-doors, vans and estates, campers and plush Ghia models to the highly desirable sporting versions like the Twin-Cam and RS models. In addition there were special editions by companies such as Allard, Crayford, Broadspeed, Lawrencetune, Uren and Willment. For every variant, The Complete Catalogue of the Ford Escort Mk1 & Mk2 provides specifications and a description, and all of them are illustrated.
- Fascinating Land Rover love stories from around the globe
- Includes magnificent new photos
- Portraits of passionate owners – faithful Landy owners discuss their adventures
- Celebrates the many uses of the Land Rover, from a wine-growing estate in South Africa, to the urban jungle in Germany, as well as Land Rovers used by the emergency services, as mobile cafes, and as a means to cross the Alps
On 29th January 2016 the last Land Rover Defender left the factory halls in Solihull (UK) – a Defender 90 Soft Top with heritage outfit – and went directly to the Jaguar Land Rover Collection exhibition. With this, a great story of success ended: the most original of all Land Rover models had been in mass production for 68 years. In 1948 it was developed for agricultural use, but the robustness of the all-wheel drive vehicle got round quickly. The demand never decreased and there were always new versions and engines. Today, 75 percent of all ‘Landies’ ever built are still in use worldwide.
This declaration of love for the British classic presents portraits of all Land Rover generations and of their most passionate owners.
A fascinating history of European motorcycle racing, going back to a period far removed from the world of Moto GP today: a time when many young men from all walks of life decided to give up their livelihoods in favour of earning their living by racing motorcycles on the dangerous public road circuits of the European Continent. It was a nomadic existence that involved travelling from circuit to circuit, circus fashion, hence the title ‘Continental Circus.’ Motorcycle Racing with the Continental Circus 1920 to 1970 begins with the pre-war period, when many young British riders travelled to the Continent to take part in the Grand Prix races, held from around 1920 and across Europe. British riders such as Alec Bennett, Stanley Woods, Jimmy Guthrie and many more, gained notable success and established their reputations on the European circuits. Moving on to the post-war era, the book details the riders from around the world who joined the Circus – self-financed ‘privateers’ from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The 1950s and ’60s were the days of the true Continental Circus, when private riders earned their living riding all over the continent. The book also covers the development of the machines that became the essential tools of the private riders, and the eventual demise of the Continental Circus in the 1970s, due to new safety regulations and the escalating cost of racing. Chris Pereira’s historical account is sourced both from first-hand experience of racing, and from his own vast library of racing history records and photographs.
The story returns, with new chapters and prospects about to unfold. The agreement between Sauber and Alfa Romeo brings back to the World Championship stage a name that for so long was an integral part of Formula 1 series. Going back to the 1950 and 1951 seasons, the championship was bathed in the red of the Portello’s cars. Then came the eras of Chiti, Autodelta, the partnership with Brabham and then the Biscione marque’s return to F1 with the Alfa-Alfa. This book contains all this and much more, including the two seasons in the early Seventies with McLaren and March, the premature implosion of the agreement with Ligier, the sporadic appearances, especially of South African drivers, at the wheel of cars powered by an Alfa Romeo engine. The story is comprehensively illustrated with hundreds of colour and black and white images, many previously unpublished, and a list of all the results obtained by Alfa Romeo in Formula 1.
The BMC ADO 16 (Austin Drawing Office 16) Morris 1100 car was revealed to the international motoring press on 15th August 1962, a larger and worthy companion to the BMC Mini which had been launched in 1959 to worldwide acclaim. Both designs were the work of Alec Issigonis and featured transverse engines with the gearbox in the sump, driving the front wheels, groundbreaking technology at the time which has been universally adopted since, though not the gearbox in the sump. A further revolution was the suspension; the Mini had progressive springing by rubber cones, the work of rubber technician Dr. Alex Moulton which, together with rack-and-pinion steering, was responsible for the Mini’s incredible road-holding. The larger Morris/Austin 1100 series cars were fitted with a developed version named “Hydrolastic”. Suspension was still by Dr. Moulton’s rubber cones, but associated with a chamber filled with water and antifreeze and incorporating damper valves, which was connected to similar rear units via pipes and was a form of self-levelling. A unique solution to the problems associated with large differences between laden and unladen weights in small family cars.
Bernard Vermeylen’s fascinating book, with English and French text, studies the design, technologies and development of Issigonis’s and BMC’s hugely-successful ADO 16 design, which lasted for over 10 years and evolved from the Austin/Morris 1100 to the 1300 cars, which in turn were built in a bewildering variety of badge-engineered makes; Vanden Plas Princess, MG, Riley Kestrel and Wolseley, as well as being licence-built in Italy (Innocenti), Spain (Authi), Australia (Nomad), New Zealand and South Africa (Apache). BMC themselves produced GT versions, Traveller and Countryman estate cars and a variety of different spec. models for various markets.
Most of the illustrations in this book take the form of images from factory brochures and press photos, detailing the many changes BMC made to the ADO 16 in the decade it was in production. Specifications of different models, paint colours and sales prices are all listed in Bernard Vermeylen’s book, it is as comprehensive a survey as is possible and particularly interesting for the details published on the many export and licence-built variants of BMC’s 1100/1300 cars.
Many people remember Don Edmunds as the premier builder of open wheel race cars during the 1960s, 1970s, and into the early 1980s, but the Don Edmunds story isn’t just about iconic midgets and sprint cars. Don was a true innovator, whose cars combined art and performance and were always at the forefront of open cockpit safety and design, but few readers realize Don Edmunds touched so many parts of the racing world and beyond. Author, Paul Weisel, Jr., has partnered with Don to tell the Edmunds story in a new 182-page book, complete with more than 200 photos, titled, ‘The Saga of Rotten Red – The Don Edmunds Story’.
From his childhood in Anaheim, CA, his teenage years as a part of the southern California roadster scene, including appearances at El Mirage and Bonneville, his first oval track exposure racing jalopies with the California Jalopy Assn., to his graduation to the midgets of the United Racing Assn., the book chronicles Edmunds’ journey toward his greatest racing triumph, qualifying for the 1957 Indianapolis ‘500’ and subsequently being named ‘Rookie of the Year’ at Indy. Along the way Don learned the ropes from car owner, Doug Caruthers, paid attention to tips by drivers, Billy Cantrell, Edgar Elder, and others, worked with Eddie Kuzma, fabricating race cars for Indy and the championship trail, and had his moniker of ‘Red’ transformed forever to ‘Rotten Red’, a tag he has always embraced. Even today, Don signs all his e-mails with ‘RR’. Don types the letters with a grin and all his friends smile when they read to the end of the message.
After Indianapolis 1959 Don retired from driving championship cars and returned to Anaheim to enjoy married life and to pursue his plans to eventually open his own race car shop. Stints with Bill Devin, Bill Stroppe, and Bill Thomas culminated with Don’s design and fabrication of the prototype of the Cheetah sports car and gave Don the practical experience he needed to open Don Edmunds’ Autoresearch in 1964.
Three separate shots at Indianapolis as a car builder and literally hundreds of midgets, sprint cars, supermodifieds, and super vees later, Don Edmunds replaced Frank Kurtis as the country’s most prolific designer and builder of open wheel race cars. Don Edmunds was on the cutting edge of open wheel race car design and later enjoyed a superb career driving supermodifieds, including a junket to compete with cars of his own design in South Africa. In 1991, Don Edmunds was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and in 1994, the National Midget Hall of Fame, two awards he holds in the highest regard.
Away from the track Autoresearch designed and built Evel Knievel’s X-1 Skycycle, the prototype vehicle the stuntman would use to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho. Don also became involved in the restoration of several significant 1930-era race cars and used his ‘retirement’ to produce dozens of stunning scale model race cars. Author Paul Weisel takes the reader on all of Edmunds’ adventures and provides insight into the thought process of one of the true ‘dreamers of the day’.
