Stroker McGurk Surf Rod Model Kit

Stroker McGurk Surf Rod Model Kit

Who says you can’t time travel?

Thanks to the fine folks at Round 2, the popular 1960’s-era Stroker McGurk “Surf Rod” plastic model kit has been reissued.

It’s a hilarious “action” kit featuring Stroker riding a surfboard powered by a big dragster motor! He’s holding the reigns with one hand and shifting into high gear with the other!

The kit is based on the Stroker McGurk cartoon “Hangin’ Eight” that appeared in 1964 in Hot Rod Magazine.

The kit features:

• First time available in more than 40 years!
• Molded in white
• Builds to over 8-inches tall
• Figure’s torso moves
• Surfboard over 12-inches long
• All-new decal artwork
• Fun reproduction comic strip added to instructions
• A Stroker McGurk sticker

 

The Fastest Woman on Wheels – The Life of  Paula Murphy

The Fastest Woman on Wheels – The Life of Paula Murphy

A fearless pioneer and a versatile and gifted driver, Paula Murphy was the first woman to pilot a jet car to a Bonneville Salt Flats speed record, the first woman to make laps at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the first woman to secure an NHRA Funny Car license. Throw in driving a Pontiac Sunbird literally around the world, nearly dying at the helm of a rocket car, and scoring closed-course speed records at NASCAR’s famed Talladega Superspeedway behind the wheel of cars driven by both Richard Petty and Fred Lorenzen, and you might be starting to scratch the surface of her incredible life.

Author Erik Arneson worked directly with Murphy and some of the biggest names in motor sports to dive deep into her story and relay to the world the impact this single mother from Ohio had on the world of racing. If you find the list of feats above impressive, add the Baja 1000, Mobil Economy Runs, Monaco, Union/Pure Oil Performance Trials, as well as high-speed stunts on horses, sailboats and a snowmobile and you’re starting to get close. Jump in—The Fastest Woman on Wheels is one hell of a ride.

The Official Barris Kustom Koloring Book!

The Official Barris Kustom Koloring Book!

Have fun koloring these famous Barris Kustoms with illustrations by some of the top artists in the industry!

A collection of 26 illustrations of select cars, the design styles range from lowbrow to semi-realistic. Each image reflects the Barris Kustoms style and honors what George, Sam and Barris Kustoms were all about.

Add your own paint job to these unique vehicles:

Kopper Kart – Sam’s Merc – Emperor – Ala Kart – Silver Sapphire – Golden Sahara – Vox Mobile – Moonscope – Turbo Sonic – XPAC 400 – Beverly Hillbillies – Drag-u-la – Munster Koach – The CAR – Elvira Macabre Mobile – Red Foxx Wrecker – ZZR – Calico Surfer – Surf Hearse – Ice Cream Truck – Mail Truck – Alvin’s Acorn – Hirohata Merc

George Barris is undisputably the “King of the Kustomizers,” the most phenomenal kustom car builder ever. Barris created some of the best known and iconic cars of the 20th century, inlcuding the original TV Batmobile, the Munsters Koach, Hirohata Merc, Ala Kart and countless other made-to-order vehicles for movies, TV, and for the private use of his celebrity clients.

Art by Vince Ray, Dennis McPhail, Jeff Allison, Johnny Ace, Mike Bell, Shawn Dickinson, and Stephen Sandoval!

Picturing Apollo 11: Rare Views and Undiscovered Moments

Picturing Apollo 11: Rare Views and Undiscovered Moments

Picturing Apollo 11 is an unprecedented photographic history of the space mission that defined an era. Through a wealth of unpublicized and recently discovered images, this book presents new and rarely-seen views of the people, places, and events involved in the pioneering first moon landing of July 20, 1969.

No other book has showcased as many never-before-seen photos connected with Apollo 11, or as many photos covering the activities from months before to years after the mission. Starting with the extensive preparations, these images show astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin training for the flight, as well as the stages of the massive Saturn V rocket arriving at the Kennedy Space Center for assembly. They capture the media frenzy over the unfolding story and the “moon fever” that gripped the nation.

Also featured here are shots of incredible moments from the mission. In these images, spectators flock to Cape Canaveral to watch the mighty Saturn V launch in a cloud of fire and thunder. Armstrong and Aldrin step out of the lunar module Eagle onto the surface of the moon. The command module Columbia splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, and the extraordinary voyage is celebrated around the world, and in the following decades.

Most of the photographs were selected from NASA archives and the collection of J. L. Pickering, which is the world’s largest private collection of U.S. human space flight images. The accompanying text by veteran space correspondent John Bisney details the scenes, revealing the astonishing scale and scope of activities that went into planning and executing the first moon landing. This book commemorates the historic mission and evokes the electric atmosphere of the time.
Foreword by Rick Armstrong

The Final Mission: Preserving NASA’s Apollo Sites

The Final Mission: Preserving NASA’s Apollo Sites

The world will always remember Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin for their first steps on the moon, yet few today hold in respect the sites that made these and other astronauts’ journeys possible. Across the American landscape and on the lunar surface, many facilities and landing sites linked to the Apollo program remain unprotected. Some have already crumbled to ruins–silent and abandoned. The Final Mission explores these key locations, reframes the footprints and items left on the moon as cultural resources, and calls for the urgent preservation of this space heritage.

Beginning with the initiation of the space race, the authors trace the history of research, training, and manufacturing centers that contributed to lunar exploration. From the early rocket test stands of Robert H. Goddard, to astronaut instruction at Meteor Crater, to human and primate experiments at Holloman Air Force Base, innumerable places proved critical to developing the equipment for exploring space, surviving the journey, and returning to Earth safely. Despite their significance to the history of human spaceflight, many landmarks face the threat of damage or destruction. Most alarming is that the rapid advancement of technology renders stations obsolete long before they are deemed worthy of preservation. Moreover, the lack of precedence for protecting off-planet artifacts poses a unique challenge for space archaeology. While NASA’s 2011 recommendations for spacefarers suggest avoiding close proximity to this cultural landscape, the authors advocate stronger routes of preservation and present models for safeguarding space history–both on Earth’s surface and beyond.

It Happened in Southern California

It Happened in Southern California

Stories of Events and People That Shaped Golden State History

Best known for its movie industry, surfing, and amusement parks, Southern California boasts an environment of glamour, both natural and man made. It Happened in Southern California tells the stories of intriguing people and events from the history of this region—from the first ships to arrive in San Diego in 1769 to the Watts Riots of 1965.

Follow a brave little band of multiracial settlers in 1781 up the California coast to a new frontier town today known as Los Angeles. Go back to the Chinatown war of 1871, which some say was sparked by love, but others knew for what it was: a battle over race and money. Learn about the “puppet show” in 1988, performed not for kindergartners but for a baby condor destined to fly wild and free over Southern California’s skies. It Happened in Southern California describes everything from the efforts of the first Spanish colonialists to the reintroduction of endangered condor.

The Immortal 2.9 Alfa Romeo –  Collectors Edition

The Immortal 2.9 Alfa Romeo – Collectors Edition

The Revised Edition of The Immortal 2.9 is finally here! A new edition of this classic motoring book has been anxiously awaited by automotive enthusiasts for many years. First published in 1986, the original edition became an instant classic and established Simon Moore as the world’s foremost authority on the history of Alfa Romeo’s famous pre-war eight-cylinder cars.

Only 2,500 copies of the first edition were printed and the book has not been available for twenty years. It became a true collectors’ item and copies have recently been trading for more than $1,000.

The Immortal 2.9 was hailed as a milestone of automotive literature because it broke new ground by relating the history of individual automobiles and their owners. The Society of Automotive Historians awarded the book its Nicholas-Joseph Cugnot Award as the best automotive book of 1986. The book frequently appears on commentators’ lists of the best automotive books ever published.

Simon’s research into the history of the 2.9 cars did not stop upon publication of the first edition. His detective work has continued unabated and the history of these fabled cars continues to unfold. Cars thought to have been lost forever have resurfaced; more of the cars were restored and reappeared in public; some of the historical assumptions in the first edition proved to be inaccurate or incomplete; gaps in the historical record of many cars were filled; and hundreds of “new” historic photos were found. Perhaps most important, the stature of the Alfa Romeo 8C2900 as an icon in the history of the automobile has continued to grow.

The Collectors Edition is signed and numbered and comes in a leather bound slipcase.

 

Standard Edition HERE

 

Powering the World’s Airliners: Engine Developments from the Propeller to the Jet Age

Powering the World’s Airliners: Engine Developments from the Propeller to the Jet Age

The first efforts of man to fly were limited by his ability to generate sufficient power to lift a heavier-than-air machine off the ground. Propulsion and thrust have therefore been the most fundamental elements in the development of aircraft engines.

From the simple propellers of the first airliners of the 1920s and 1930s, to the turboprops and turbojets of the modern era, the engines used in airliners have undergone dramatic development over a century of remarkable change. These advances are examined in detail by aeronautical engineer and author Reiner Decher, who provides a layman’s guide to the engines that have, and continue to, power the aircraft which carry millions of travelers across millions of miles each year.

Reiner Decher also looks at the development of aero engines during the Second World War and how that conflict drove innovation. He also explains the nature of wing design and how they provide lift and of the considerations of airflow over their surfaces, from the early days of the twentieth century to the present.

To enable an easy understanding of this intriguing subject, Powering the World’s Airliners is profusely illustrated, transporting readers back to the time of each major development and introducing them to the key individuals of the aero industry in each era.

After reading this comprehensive yet engaging story of the machines that power the aircraft in which we fly, no journey will ever seem quite the same again.

Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval Air Power to the Pacific

Sustaining the Carrier War: The Deployment of U.S. Naval Air Power to the Pacific

The ability of the United States Navy to fight and win a protracted war in the Pacific was not solely the result of technology, tactics, or leadership. Naval aviation maintenance played a major role in the U.S. victory over Japan in the second World War. The naval war against Japan did not achieve sustained success until enough aircraft technicians were available to support the high tempo of aviation operations that fast carrier task force doctrine demanded. When the United States realized war was imminent and ordered a drastic increase in the size of its aviation fleet, the Navy was forced to reconsider its earlier practices and develop new policies in maintenance, supply, and technical training. Not only did a shortage of technicians plague the Navy, but the scarcity of aviation supply and repair facilities in the Pacific soon caused panic in Washington. While the surface Navy’s modernization of at-sea replenishment was beneficial, it did not solve the problems of sustaining war-time aircraft readiness levels sufficient to a winning a naval air war. Fisher outlines the drastic institutional changes that accompanied an increase in aviation maintenance personnel from fewer than 10,000 to nearly 250,000 bluejackets, the complete restructuring of the naval aviation technical educational system, and the development of a highly skilled labor force. The first comprehensive study on the importance of aircraft maintenance and the aircraft technician in the age of the aircraft carrier, Sustaining the Carrier War, provides the missing link to our understanding of Great Power conflict at sea.

Automotive Detailing in Detail

Automotive Detailing in Detail

A Guide to Enhancing, Renovating and Maintaining your Vehicle’s Appearance

In the age of the internet and social media, a plethora of detailing knowledge is available online, yet it is strangely difficult to discover completely, or harness usefully. This book redresses the balance. Automotive Detailing in Detail takes the combined experience and expertise of three leading detailing commentators to provide a thorough and expansive overview of automotive detailing techniques. From the pre-wash, wash and preparation stages, through machine polishing to paint protection and maintenance, every detailing stage is covered: surface types, contaminants and products are analysed, before the actual processes are laid bare.

The Sea and Me

The Sea and Me

Born in 1926, an introduction to the Meyers family, and stories of Bruce’s young life and his fascination with the sea and boats follow him from an impish young surfer to joining the Merchant Marines and eventually the Navy, surviving a Kamikaze attack in World War II. After the Navy, not tired of the sea, it beckons to him once more reuniting with the Merchant Marines to see the world. Still fascinated by adventure and sailing, travel with him to the South Seas on a square-rigged schooner to build a trading post on a coral atoll. With sailing in his blood, he came home to building boats and creating some of the first tooling for building large fiberglass sailboats. Returning to Tahiti in a self-built 47ft catamaran continued to be his dream, where you will share his emotions at the results.

Out of This World: Historic Milestones in NASA’s Human Space Flight

Out of This World: Historic Milestones in NASA’s Human Space Flight

  • A stunning coffee table book of historically significant NASA photos
  • Amazing photographs complemented by quotes and stories from noted personalities at NASA
  • A chronological journey through NASA’s history, from Apollo to the James Webb Telescope
  • Awe-inspiring, inspirational and motivational, a perfect gift and a must for your library
  • Quotes from astronauts Commander James Lovell and John Glenn, as well as John F Kennedy, Ralph Waldo Emerson and many more

“The history of space exploration is best presented in this book of NASA photographs, whose images are universally inspirational.” – Commander James Lovell, Apollo 13

NASA has worked at the forefront of space exploration and research since 1958. Their devotion to furthering our understanding of what lies beyond our atmosphere has seen 12 humans walk on the surface of the moon, helped form the International Space Station, and placed numerous rovers on Mars. Voyager 1, launched by NASA on 5 September 1977, is the furthest manmade object from earth, having left our solar system entirely – and the agency’s plans for the future are equally inspiring.

This book celebrates NASA throughout the years, from its inception to its 60th anniversary in 2018, and beyond. A visual tour-de-force, the book collects high resolution NASA photos of historic significance; from rarely seen photos and the words of President John F. Kennedy commanding the space race, to the many triumphs and tragedies of the Apollo Missions, moon landings, the International Space Station, space shuttles, journeys to Mars and explorations of our galaxy’s outer reaches. These breathtaking images are complemented by heartfelt words of hopes and imagination for the future, encouraging readers to admire their world from a different perspective. NASA: the Greatest Milestones is a stunning 300 page book.

Fast, Faster, Fastest: The Bill Sadler Story

Fast, Faster, Fastest: The Bill Sadler Story

Pre-order now for early 2023 delivery

This biography of Bill Sadler tells the story of an innovator who set the racing world astir with race cars of his own invention. Progressing from a Hillman Minx convertible to one of the fastest race cars ever, to a Piranha ground attack aircraft, Bill Sadler has worked and raced throughout the US and in Area 51, a top-secret USAF facility in Nevada.

Sadler laid out the design of his first car in chalk on the floor of his shop in Hamilton, Ontario. He progressed to creating race cars, including the revolutionary Formula Libre, with its Chevrolet V-8 engine behind the driver and an open-wheeled set up, that appalled the owners of Listers, Scarabs and other racing specials. His fertile mind produced the Sadler Mark V, this time with major sponsorship from Comstock Engineering Inc.

After leaving racing in September 1961, Bill returned to school and graduated from MIT with a degree in Electronic Engineering. He worked in Area 51 on advanced secret projects and later built various prototype aircraft.

Bill returned to vintage racing in 2000 with his Sadler Mark III and later his own Sadler Formula Junior.

Written with the full cooperation of Bill Sadler before he passed away in early 2022, this book contains never-before-seen photographs and rarely heard stories from a man whose talent, like an iceberg, lay nine tenths below the surface.

NASA Moon Missions Operations Manual: 1969 – 1972 (Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17)

NASA Moon Missions Operations Manual: 1969 – 1972 (Apollo 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17)

Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing by Apollo 11.

The story of Apollo has been told many times, but most accounts stop at the first landing. This book picks up where others have left off, and describes the five post-Apollo 11 Moon landings, defined as technical developments built upon engineering excellence. It was only through the robust design adopted when aerospace contractors first designed and built the Apollo spacecraft and the Lunar Module that successive evolutions were possible, taking lunar-landing operations far beyond what had first been envisaged.

This book is not intended to tell the full story of each mission, but rather to describe the technical development of spacecraft and equipment necessary to grow the capability from a single EVA
(‘moonwalk’) of less than three hours, to advanced missions where astronauts spent three full working days exploring their landing sites. With the aid of a Lunar Roving Vehicle, they collected a wide
variety of rocks and soil and left a range of instruments at the surface powered by a thermonuclear generator. As interest grows in humans returning to the Moon, 50 years on from those pioneering days of lunar exploration, we look again at what was accomplished at the dawn of the Space Age, spurred on by a political goal and developed as a tool for science.

The story of the Apollo Moon missions is an expression of those achievements.

Squeezed Up –  Tales of Polynesian Pop and Kustom Kulture DVD/BluRay

Squeezed Up – Tales of Polynesian Pop and Kustom Kulture DVD/BluRay

Companion to Squeezed Up – The Book

80 Minutes full-feature film

Filmed by: Dirk “The Pixeleye” Behlau
Executive Producer: Stefan Immke, Co-Producer: Shane Bagnall
Director of Photography: Dirk Behlau
Narrated by: Jessica Behlau
Edited by: Dirk Behlau
Language: English
Soundmix by: Thomas Geiger
Starring: “The Wild Bunch“
Stefan Immke, Matze Heiden, Thorsten Liesenberg, Andy Schmidt & Shane Bagnall
also starring in no particular order:
Robert Williams, Brian Bent, Tiki Tony, Dave Warshaw, Bamboo Ben, Fip Buchanan, Jay Dean, Jason Lee, Bobby Green, Shige, Matt “Tikiman” Willis, Marie Devilreux, Wild Tiger Woman, Spike Marble, Joe Arreguin, Adrian Eustaquio, David Arnson, Crazy Al, Michael Grider, Billy Shire, Dottie Deville & many more
Music by The Insect Surfers, Jason Lee, Brian Bent & The Hula Girls

DVD and Blu-Ray – two discs with the same movie! Codefree

Squeezed Up the Book HERE

 

 

Squeezed Up –  Tales of Polynesian Pop and Kustom Kulture

Squeezed Up – Tales of Polynesian Pop and Kustom Kulture

Squeezed Up – The Book is the new XXL coffee table book by internationally acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Dirk Behlau.

Ten Days, Nineteen Cities, Twenty-Eight Locations, Two Hot Rods, Five Guys, and a Race. Squeezed Up is an unforgettable road trip across Southern California, combining Hot Rodding, Polynesian Pop, Tiki culture, Tattoos, and Kustom Kulture into a stunning and crazy master-piece. Experience every bump in the road with “The Wild Bunch,” as they journey to preserve the past, while meeting with painters, surfers, tattoo artists, bartenders, Tiki makers, Hot Rod builders, and more. Don’t take yourself too seriously, conserve history, preserve and don’t consume. Keep what makes you feel alive and live it. Come and join us on the road!

378 pages, full color Hardcover in a linen slipcase
Format: 297 x 270 mm

Includes 12 Tiki Cocktail Recipes

Companion DVD HERE

The Story of the VW Transporter Split-Screen Models, 1949-1967

The Story of the VW Transporter Split-Screen Models, 1949-1967

From a simple sketch of a box-shaped delivery vehicle to one of the most recognisable silhouettes in motoring, the first-generation VW Transporter formed the genesis of what was to become the best-selling van in history.

Unveiled in November 1949, the quirky VW Transporter would soon find demand for its services throughout the world, thanks to its cab-forward layout, ingenuity and adaptability. The initial Panel Van gave rise to a flexible Pick-up, revolutionary Kombi, adventurous camper and and an endless catalogue of inspired conversions and variations. There were ambulances, mobile shops, school buses, fire tenders, high-roofed vans, double-cab pick-ups, police vans, mobile milking machines, and so many more.

As Volkswagen survived Second World War turmoil and thrived under the firm focus of director general Heinz Nordhoff, this book charts the progress of the innovative Transporter as its initial weaknesses were improved and eventually perfected to exploit the Beetle-based rear-engined layout.

Much like the Beetle, the Transporter gained a cult following around the globe, with its attributes as a commercial vehicle equalled by its status as a hippie bus and stalwart of the surfing community. There was barely a nation on Earth where the Transporter hadn’t become engrained in its culture or everyday life.

VW replaced the German-built first Transporter with a second-generation machine in 1967, but manufacturing continued in Brazil until 1975 – where the rear-engined platform itself remained in production until 2013.

It’s no wonder, then, that the first-generation Transporter is so well-loved today, and why its incredible story can be told here in such beautifully-presented and expertly-researched detail. From the first drawings and prototypes of the late-1940s to the final split-screen Transporters of 1967 and South American derivatives of the 1970s, Volkswagen author Richard Copping guides us through an unmissable volume where each model, all variants and every option of the first-generation Transporter is lavishly accompanied by sumptuous period photography and stunning brochure illustrations.

Patina: How to Create & Preserve

Patina: How to Create & Preserve

Make your vehicle stand out from the crowd by creating or preserving its one-of-a-kind patina.

There was a time when a heavily weathered collector car or truck was considered a bit of an eyesore. In fact, if you brought one of these vehicles to a car show more than likely you would receive grief for showing a car with faded paint and surface rust. But not anymore. The era of patina on vehicles has been fully embraced, and rightfully so.

Author Kevin Tetz of Paintucation delivers the first book ever on the many variables involved with patina. With the step-by-step instruction, Kevin guides you through creating patina from existing paint, preserving *already there* patina, and painting patina (steel, plastic, glass). Each process is unique and requires its own set of skills, procedures, and tools. Currently, the genre is ripe with creation.

With tens of millions of potential projects to consider, finding the right car or truck to patina shouldn’t be a problem. And now you will have the perfect book to guide you through the patina process.

Building the B-17 Flying Fortress

Building the B-17 Flying Fortress

A Detailed Look at Manufacturing Boeing’s Legendary World War II Bomber in Original Photos

This new book reveals rare original photos and full manufacturing details of America’s greatest multi-engine combat aircraft flown in World War II. Contents cover building the Flying Fortress from wingtip to wingtip and from the bombardier’s Perspex nose to the tail-gunner’s twin-Browning cannons. Significant aspects of B-17 production include exterior views of each model variant from various angles, all crew stations in each B-17 type (including the entire flight deck), defensive gun turrets used in every B-17 model, fuselage interiors, exteriors, engines, nacelles, and even control surfaces. Factory-original color cutaway drawings as well as reproductions of original specifications sheets and other information-packed documents created by manufacturers during the 1940s are also included for the reader. As a research asset, the book’s appendices feature a detailed survey of every production block of the 12,731 B-17 bombers produced during the war in an unbelievable time span of only three-and-a-half year–an industrial phenomenon unlike any the world had ever seen.

What sets this book apart from all others in the crowded B-17 field is literally hundreds of factory-original close-up detailed photographs and illustrations accompanied by comprehensive high-resolution reproductions of original Boeing drawings, and all are explained in detailed yet easy to understand descriptive text. This book provides valuable data for the serious Boeing B-17 aficionado as well as a compelling story of America’s aircraft manufacturing prowess for the dedicated aviation enthusiast.