Hollywood is a transitory place. Stars and studios rise and fall. Genres and careers wax and wane. Movies and movie moguls and movie makers and movie palaces are acclaimed and patronized and loved and beloved, and then forgotten. And yet…
And yet one place in Southern California, built in the 1920s by (allegedly murdered) producer Thomas Ince, acquired by Cecil B. DeMille, now occupied by Amazon.com, has been the home for hundreds of the most iconic and legendary films and television shows in the world for a remarkable and star-studded fifty years. This bizarre, magical place was the location for Tara in Gone with The Wind, the home of King Kong and Superman, of Tarzan and Batman, of the Green Hornet, of Elliot Ness, of Barney Fife, of Tarzan, of Rebecca, of Citizen Kane, of Hogan’s Heroes and Gomer Pyle, of Lassie, of A Star is Born and Star Trek, and at least twice, of Jesus Christ. For decades, every conceivable star in Hollywood, from Clark Gable to Warren Beatty, worked and loved and gave indelible performances on the site.
And yet, today, it is completely forgotten.
Pretty much anyone alive today, from college professors to longshoremen, have probably heard of Paramount and of MGM, of Warner Bros. and of Universal, and of Disney and Fox and Columbia, but the place where many of these studio’s beloved classics were minted is today as mysterious and unknowable as the sphinx.
Hollywood’s Lost Backlot: 40 Acres of Glamour and Mystery will, for the first time ever, unwind the colorful and convoluted threads that make for the tale of one of the most influential and photographed places in the world. A place which most have visited, at least on screen, and which has contributed significantly and unexpectedly to the world’s popular culture, and yet which few people today, paradoxically, have ever heard of.
- The ultimate insider’s guide to Los Angeles; features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides
- Part of the international 111 Places/Shops series with over 650 titles and 3.8 million copies in print worldwide
- Appeals to both the local market (nearly 10 million call Los Angeles home) and the tourist market (over 42 million people visit Los Angeles every year)
- Fully illustrated with 111 full-page color photographs
- A revised and updated edition
“In Los Angeles, everyone is a star.” – Denzel Washington
For more than a century, seekers of sun and celebrity from around the world have flocked to this sprawling metropolis on the Pacific, which Dorothy Parker once described as “72 suburbs in search of a city.” But beyond the red-carpet reputation and Tinseltown trappings is a west coast wonderland teeming with unexpected cultural experiences, iconic architecture, gorgeous open spaces, quirky museums, hidden vistas, unconventional art, and obscure stories about the starlets, moguls, personalities, and players who have made Los Angeles their playground. This unusual guidebook explores 111 of the city’s most interesting and unknown places and experiences: wander a serpentine path in a spiritual quest of your own making; channel your inner cowboy at a tried and true honky tonk bar; pay homage to the Dude at the bungalow where the big Lebowski lived; turn your car tires into musical instruments on the country’s only ‘musical’ road; sleep with the ghosts of Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin; view a constellation of stars more vivid than anything Hollywood has to offer. From the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, Angelenos and visitors will fall in love with the real Los Angeles. Adventures beckon. Surprises await. Just imagine how much more scintillating your dinner-party storytelling will be
AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 2024
• The successor to the bestselling Carchitecture (6,000 copies sold)
• America’s most iconic architecture meets dazzling supercars and classics
• Top-notch photography, sleekly designed
“Design writers Thijs Demeulemeester and Bert Voet’s book Carchitecture explores the historical parallels between trends in architectural styles and car design.” – Financial Times A book like a road trip along iconic American homes and the unique cars that perfectly match them. Carchitecture goes America. Through four chapters – Iconic Houses, Cars & Stars, Californication and American Cars – and five essays, the reader discovers the wonderful interplay of architecture and car design. Eye candy for architecture and car lovers alike.
Rare views of the beginnings of the historic space program, selected and presented by two leading space flight authorities
After the excitement of the first Moon landing, the U.S. space program took an ambitious new direction closer to home: NASA’s Space Shuttle program promised frequent access to Earth orbit for medical and scientific breakthroughs; deploying, repairing, and maintaining satellites; and assembling a space station. Picturing the Space Shuttle is the first photographic history of the program’s early years as the world’s first spaceplane debuted.
Showcasing over 450 unpublished and lesser-known images, this book traces the growth of the Space Shuttle from 1965 to 1982, from initial concept through its first four space flights. The photographs offer windows into designing the first reusable space vehicle as well as the construction and testing of the prototype shuttle Enterprise. They also show the factory assembly and delivery of the Space Shuttle Columbia, preparations at the major NASA field centers, and astronaut selection and training. Finally, the book devotes a chapter to each of the first four orbital missions, STS-1 through STS-4, providing an abundance of seldom-seen photos for each flight.
Mostly selected from J. L. Pickering’s personal archive, the world’s largest private collection of U.S. human space flight images, the high-quality photographs in this book are paired with veteran journalist John Bisney’s detailed descriptions and historical background information. The book also includes images of NASA and shuttle contractor booklets, manuals, access badges, and press kits, as well as a foreword by Robert Crippen, the pilot of the first Space Shuttle flight. Picturing the Space Shuttle re-creates the excitement of an era in which the possibilities of space exploration seemed limitless.
Few publications have gone into any great detail about the secretive collection of coachbuilt Rolls-Royce motorcars and Bentleys commissioned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his brother, Prince Jeffri, of Brunei. The Sultan, often described as the world’s richest man in the 1990s, has become a living legend for being the one person who has lived the dream that all car enthusiasts have; having the wherewithal to turn his dreams into reality, be it with cars, planes, or homes. More importantly, besides having the money to achieve his automotive dreams, he controlled all of the laws and vehicle regulations in his country. This meant that he didn’t have to comply with the pesky regulations and safety laws that effectively ended the coachbuilding business elsewhere in the world, even for the ultra-rich. This book delves into all of the information that is known about these spectacular motorcars.
Bunker Hill is the highest point of downtown Los Angeles, both literally and figuratively. Its circle of life has created a continuous saga of change, each chapter rich with captivating characters, structures, and culture. In Bunker Hill Los Angeles: Essence of Sunshine and Noir, historian Nathan Marsak tells the story of the Hill, from the district’s inception in the mid-19th century to its present day. Once home to wealthy Angelenos living in LA’s “first suburb,” then the epicenter of the city’s shifting demographics and the shadow and vice of an urban underbelly, Bunker Hill survived its attempted erasure and burgeoned as a hub of arts, politics, business, and tourism.
As compelling as the story of the destruction of Bunker Hill is―with all the good intentions and bad results endemic to city politics―it was its people who made the Hill at once desirable and undesirable. Marsak commemorates the poets and writers, artists and activists, little guys and big guys, and of course, the many architects who built and rebuilt the community on the Hill―time after historic time.
Any fan of American architecture will treasure Marsak’s analysis of buildings that have crowned the Hill: the exuberance of Victorian shingle and spindlework, from Mission to Modern, from Queen Anne to Frank Gehry, Bunker Hill has been home to it all, the ever-changing built environment.
With more than 250 photographs―many in color―as well as maps and vintage ephemera to tell his dramatic visual story, Marsak lures us into Bunker Hill Los Angeles and shares its lost world, then guides us to its new one.
Land Rover Series I Restoration Manual has been written with the home restorer in mind and with the aim of providing knowledge, confidence and the technical details required for a full restoration. The book follows a 1957 Series I 109in, but also discusses how the other Series I models differ. Each task is broken down into step-by-step instructions with accompanying photographs, from minor repair and maintenance procedures to a thorough inspection and refurbishment of the engine’s core components. There are additional tips on how to keep restoration costs under control and what it takes to make a concourse winner stand out from the pack. Superbly illustrated with over 830 colour photographs.
More and more people are hitting the road to the middle of nowhere. Along less-traveled paths they are heading up mountains and down dunes in converted mobile homes, campers, trucks, or vans. They are enjoying the drive and the view through mud-splattered windshields as much as the stops and evening campfires amid stunning terrain. Although many of us love living in cities, we have a growing longing to escape into nature. The outdoor scene is booming and many people are heading off to discover it with their own converted vehicles. This way, they can determine their own routes, itineraries, and pace, as well as how many challenges they’d like to meet along the way. After a day on the go, these multifunctional vehicles also serve as kitchens, campgrounds, and sleeping quarters that offer a great deal more improvised fun than a standard, perfectly equipped RV. Conventional luxuries are eschewed for the sake of greater freedom, tranquility, and adventure. Off the Road captures the special mood of such trips by solo travelers, couples, or families who are seeking an alternative to a more standard vacation or want to live their lives differently ―at least for a while. On the one hand, the book shows how familiar models, such as VW buses, Land Rovers, jeeps, and Toyotas are being rediscovered and repurposed for these exploits. On the other, it presents automotive dreams turned into customized, homey vehicles that offer tailgate breakfasts or roof beds to better admire the stars and that can, in an emergency, cross a river or drag a fallen tree from the road. Whether exploring the desert, showing children the world, or navigating polar landscapes, the journeys collected in Off the Road are as unique as the people who take them. From radical escapists to fans of nature looking for their next trip, the book celebrates the joy of being on the go on four wheels.
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.
Raoul ‘Sonny’ Balcaen grew up in Los Angeles at a time when it became the epicentre of American motor racing, nurturing a vast talent pool of people whose influence has echoed through to today.
As a teenager, he successfully competed with his home-built Top Fuel dragster during the formative years of the sport. With Lance Reventlow, he worked on the famous Scarab sports cars and was standing in the dyno room when the team’s all-American Formula 1 engine was fired up for the first time. A period as Jim Hall’s crew chief and a close association with Carroll Shelby added to the know-how that guided him towards becoming a successful entrepreneur and led to all that followed.
- Aged 17, Balcaen built his own Top Fuel drag racer, the ‘Bantamweight Bomb’, which he developed relentlessly and drove to many successes.
- His role in the fabulous Scarab sports cars — the landmark all-American racers — and insights into life with their creator, the incomparable Lance Reventlow.
- Working as crew chief to the brilliant Jim Hall, preparing and running his Lotus Eleven and Lister-Chevrolet long before the famous Chaparrals emerged.
- A second spell with Scarab, this time with the Formula 1 project — the first American Grand Prix car — plus a special job for Reventlow converting a Scarab sports racer into a street car.
- Onwards into setting up his own successful business, IECO (Induction Engineering Co), to create and sell high-grade performance and appearance accessories, with Chevrolets — especially Corvair and Vega — featuring strongly.
- His many-faceted dealings with Carroll Shelby, leading to consultancy and even assignments as occasional Shelby American company pilot.
- Along the way we meet many other big names of the era, including Chuck Daigh, Bruce Kessler, Warren Olson, Dick Troutman, Tom Barnes, Phil Remington, Ken Miles, Leo Goossen, Jim Travers, Frank Coon, Ed Donovan and Pete Brock.
This engaging memoir is the very personal history of a momentous time and place in which we meet a who’s who of West Coast road-racing heroes.
Whether you’re looking to save the planet or just a couple of bucks, this book is for you. Electric cars are here. Trouble is, it seems many of the choices are high-dollar EVs from luxury manufacturers. At first blush, it appears the average car buyer is not necessarily invited to the EV party. Rest assured, there are more affordable models from mainstream manufacturers out there. This book will help you find them.
But, deciding if you should replace your old gas burner with a shiny new electric one depends on your answers to these questions: How far do you commute? Does the place you park at home or at work have access to electricity? Will an electric car be your primary or secondary vehicle? What about tax incentives? Can you really afford one? What will it be like to own an EV? Here’s your roadmap to making an informed decision that’s right for you and your wallet.
When Ferrari of Los Gatos opened, few people could afford an expensive sports car. In 1976, the average annual income was $12,686, and a new home cost about $48,000. Motorists in California could only buy gas on odd or even-numbered days based on the last digit of their license plate, due to the global oil crisis. Times were tough, and people were hesitant to take chances, especially with a car that cost more than a house.
At the same time, Brian Burnett and his friend Richard Rivoir had the idea of starting a Ferrari dealership. The Dealer is the story of how one dealership, Ferrari of Los Gatos, fueled the rise of the iconic Italian sports car in the U.S. market on its way to becoming the number one Ferrari dealer in North America. Even Enzo Ferrari himself took notice, flying Brian and the other dealers to Italy to show his appreciation for their success. Customers included movie stars, sports celebrities, entertainers, and some with unusual sources of income and a strong desire for a low profile. Along the way, Burnett made friends, enemies, and millions of dollars, only to lose everything in the blink of an eye.
Author Jim Ciardella shows readers a part of Ferrari that no one has even seen, with behind-the-scenes stories as told to him by Richard Rivoir and Brian Burnett, their customers and employees, and other North American dealers who all rode high and eventually burned out on selling fast cars.
Seventeen-year-old Bud Crayne built the fastest cars in town and drove his high-octane machines on the ragged edge. His need for speed would prove dangerous to him and the people around him, including his wannabe starlet girlfriend, La Verne, and the kids in his small hometown of Avondale, all of whom were dragged down his path to high-horsepower hell.
Hot Rod captured the heart and soul of 1950s hot rod culture. The lean, mean story follows Crayne’s hard-driving path to rodding redemption, riffs on some meaningful messages, and unleashes a fast and furious read. Dig in and learn what millions of readers already know; the world’s most popular hot rod novel is a hopped-up high-horsepower thrill ride.
This title is part of the Retro Reads series.The collection reissues popular titles and introduces them to a new audience. Motorsports enthusiasts will delight in familiar classics and discover new, dynamic narratives about legendary drivers.
Gorgeously illustrated with NASA photography, the large-format (12 × 12 inches) NASA Missions to Mars examines everything from the first tentative steps toward the fourth planet to the 2021 landing of rover Perseverance and beyond.
Space exploration has always been about pushing boundaries, but perhaps the achievement which has most piqued a sense of possibility has been the exploration of Mars. Beginning with Soviet and American flybys in the early 1960s that were part and parcel of the Space Race, acclaimed space historian Piers Bizony continues through complete coverage of the Viking 1 and 2 missions of 1975–1976. Bizony also traces NASA’s acclaimed rover program, describing the development, technologies, mission histories, and achievements of the rovers Sojourner, Opportunity, Spirit, and Curiosity—all on the 25th anniversary of their first landing.
This awe-inspiring book features:
- An engaging and complete history of Mars exploration
- A treasure trove of imagery from the NASA archives, including photos and cartography beamed home, artworks and concept drawings created during development phases, as well as photography created to document testing phases
- A glimpse of future plans for Mars exploration and habitation
- Coverage of orbiters sent to the red planet by not only NASA but by space agencies from Russia, India, Japan, Europe, China, and the UAE
- A two-sided 24-inch gatefold
Humankind’s fascination with Mars can be traced back to prewar science fiction. While the billions of dollars and ingenious innovations have allowed us incredible views from more than 51 million miles away, no less incredible are the insights these missions, hardware, and scientists have provided into our universe—and our own planet. NASA Missions to Mars is your complete illustrated history of those efforts and a necessary volume for the bookshelf of any space enthusiast!
Rebuild your American Motors Corporation (AMC) V-8 engine with help and guidance from Don’s Auto Parts & Machine Shop located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the home of American Motors!
The AMC Gen II and Gen III V-8 family consists of 290-, 304-, 343-, 360-, 390-, and 401-ci engines. Manufactured in Kenosha, Wisconsin, these engines reside between the fenders of classic cars (such as the AMC Javelin, AMX, Gremlin, AMC Rebel Machine, Matador, and Rambler and SC/Rambler) as well as Jeep CJs and full-size Jeeps.
If this is your first time rebuilding an AMC engine, this book contains detailed photos and instructions starting with disassembling your engine and determining what machining will be needed. All of the fine details about boring and honing, crankshaft grinding, balancing, cylinder head rebuilding, engine assembly, oil modifications, and performance upgrades are detailed with photos. Many of the specialized machining steps that are needed for a performance build that your local machine shop might not know about are included in this book.
AMC V-8 Engines: Rebuild & Modify not only shows the steps of a rebuild in detail but it also helps you determine what kind of build is right for your project. It will assist you in making the correct decisions on compression ratio, camshaft selection and what performance parts are needed. Many engine replacement parts are getting hard to find, so this book reveals some of the aftermarket and restoration companies that specialize in remaking AMC engine parts. Items like camshafts, forged pistons, connecting rods, and cylinder head manufacturers are covered.
Get ready to rebuild your AMC V-8. We look forward to helping you along the way!
Roots and Wings explores the life and work of Peter Schreyer, one of the most influential car designers of our time. A Renaissance man with an eye for detail and foresight for innovation, he geared himself toward success. Responsible for the births of some of the 20th-century’s most iconic cars, his industry experience brought instant classics to the road. From humble beginnings in Germany’s divided south to his new base in Seoul, Schreyer embodies a conduit between the west and east―bridging his homeland’s history of automotive design with South Korea, a country that has experienced stratospheric growth on the world stage in just a few decades. Looking at the formative moments and pivotal artistic discoveries that shaped his creative mindset, Roots and Wings is the never-before-told story of how a man reimagined a car brand and left a mark on history in the process.
Filled with color photography, entertaining site descriptions and histories, and five unique infographic map illustrations, The Impossible Road Trip is your ultimate look back at America’s most famous—and quirkiest—roadside attractions, past and present.
The great American road trip is back. With its advantages for your health, budget, and the environment, now is the time to plan the road trip you have always dreamed of taking.
Following in the great tradition of the mid-century golden age of car travel, join the new wave of road warriors with a targeted itinerary chosen from the 150 roadside attractions explored in this colorful guide. From famous to quirky and covering all 50 states, author Eric Dregni gives you an unprecedented look at the breadth of roadside attractions in the US, illustrated in part by the photography of architectural critic and photographer John Margolies (1940–2016). Specially commissioned infographic map illustrations capture the spirit of mid-century automobile travel.
Each site depicted is accompanied by a lively and insightful history and color imagery. From autumnal New England to the gothic South, from the homey Midwest to the great expanses of the Desert Southwest, the dizzying heights of the Rocky Mountains, and the breathtaking Pacific Coast, The Impossible Road Trip encompasses it all:
- Neon-shrouded motels
- Mimetic architecture
- Tourist traps
- Roadside sculpture
- And much more
You’ll see sites both famous and esoteric, including the Cardiff Giant in Cooperstown, New York; the five-story Haines Shoe House in York, Pennsylvania; Solomon’s Castle in Florida; the world’s largest fish in Hayward, Wisconsin; one of several Paul Bunyan statues; Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, California; and so many more.
With The Impossible Road Trip in hand, set out to discover the nation’s oft-overlooked nooks and crannies.
Richly illustrated and entertainingly written, The Big Book of Tiny Cars presents lively profiles of the automotive world’s most famous—and infamous—microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to today.
From tiny homes to little lending libraries and even tiny food, people everywhere are resetting the premium they put on size. Fact is, the automotive industry has a “tiny” history going back to the car’s earliest days.
Beginning with the Curved Dash Oldsmobile and continuing through prewar classics such as the Austin Seven and Hanomag Kommissbrot, The Big Book of Tiny Cars is truly international in scope. Witness diminutive cars like the Bond Minicar and the BMWIsetta introduced to fuel-deprived postwar Europe, and continue through the classic 1950s microcars and ’70s subcompacts, right up to today’s tiny cars and electric vehicles (EVs) fromthe likes of Smart and Fiat.
In addition to iconic curiosities like the frog-like Goggomobil Dart, the futuristic Sebring Vanguard Citicar, and the three-wheeled Reliant Robin, you’ll read about more familiar classics like the VW Beetle, MiniCooper, and Crosley Super Sport. Other manufacturers represented include Honda, Datsun, Mitsubishi, Trabant, Heinkel, Renault, and Messerschmitt, to name a few.
- Each car is profiled with an entertaining and informative history and a fact box.
- Imagery includes archival photos, period ads, and modern photography.
- In all, more than 100 cars are included, from the weird to the sublime.
Gas, diesel, or electric…tiny cars have a rich and curious heritage reflective of motorists’ concerns for their pocketbook, the environment, or both. The Big Book of Tiny Cars is your ultimate collection of microcars, minicars, bubble cars, kei cars, subcompacts, and compacts that have been built, sold, and driven all over the globe for 120 years.
Walter: The Missing Link chronicles the life and times of a remarkable motorcycle affectionately known as Walter®
Walter is a feature-length narrative documentary featuring Walter, a 1913 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck, and his former caretaker Michael W. Schuster. This is truly an extraordinary barn-find story that tracks Walter’s service mission delivering on the streets of old Milwaukee, then through forty years of desolation while stored in a horse barn, and finally his rebirth many decades later through a meticulous restoration by Ally Schuster and his grandson Michael. Walter ultimately became an acknowledged motorcycle artifact recognized as the last-known Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck in existence. This remarkable motorcycle’s story and the related experiences of those touched by him have delighted enthusiasts and inspired us all to embrace our past and forge relationships for our future.
