Archive for Author 'Sabu Advani', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.

The Allure of the Automobile: Driving in Style, 1930–1965

by K Gross & R T Labaco

In 2010 the High Museum of Art in Atlanta staged a three-month exhibit of 18 cars it felt best illustrated the theme of “driving in style.” To call this book a “catalog” of the exhibit seems inadequate: it is a proper stand-alone book, with a topic and a purpose entirely independent of the show.

Lost Hot Rods: Remarkable Stories of How They Were Found

by Pat Ganahl

Every time a hot rod got sold the new owner would personalize the vehicle and no one back then ever thought rods would become collectable or “important.” You see the predicament “hot rod archeologists” like Ganahl face when looking for “historic” or “original” rods.

The Art of Bugatti: Mullin Automotive Museum

by Adatto, Kruta, Japp; photos by Furman

The book title notwithstanding, this museum is not just about Bugattis or, for that matter, cars. They do feature prominently but the purpose of the museum is an overall celebration of Art Deco in its totality, from artwork to furniture and cars to lighting—all exemplified by the extended Bugatti clan.

Ferrari 250 GTO: The Definitive History of a Legend

by Anthony Pritchard

Now, the quintessential iconic Ferrari 250 GTO is surely one of those cars that needs no introduction but if all you know is that it fetches record prices you may be curious about the story behind the car—and wince at the fact that there really was a time when you (almost) couldn’t give them away!

Ferrari Legends: Classics of Style and Design

by M Zumbrunn & R Heseltine

Forty “milestone” Ferraris are culled from the rich palette of road, racing, and prototype cars for your consideration. Obviously there are other important Ferraris but the tug of war over what to include/exclude is always present in compilation books such as this.

Russian Motor Vehicles: The Czarist Period 1784 to 1917

by Maurice A Kelly

If the books in your bookcase are organized, say, by topic or by country, this book will live a lonely life—in Siberia you might say. The literature on Russian vehicles is exceedingly thin, and even if there were more, this book would stand out.

Northeast American Sports Car Races

by Terry O’Neil

This book documents the progression from amateur to professional sports car racing in North America over the course of a decade and the emergence of purpose-built racetracks that began to replace road circuits.

As Old as the Industry: Riley, 1898–1969

by David G Styles

When it first came out in 1982, this book was received with much acclaim and the prognostication—not just by the Riley world—that it couldn’t be improved upon. This despite the author’s insistence that it can neither be “complete” nor “100% accurate” given the source material it is able to draw on.

The Allison Engine Catalog 1915–2007

by John Leonard

As the title suggests, Allison products are arranged chronologically in catalog style, with each product occupying one page. For readers who enjoy engineering excellence, this book is a must.

Alvis: The Story of the Red Triangle

by Kenneth Day

At different times, Alvis has been different things to different people. Cars, of course, since 1920, but also aero engines and armored vehicles. These three main activities mostly ran sequentially rather than concurrently, which conveniently lends this book thematic structure.

Formula 5000 Motor Racing: Back Then . . . And Back Now

by Derek Lawson

Inspired by the success of the Can-Am series with its unlimited formula and powerful V8 engines this initially low-cost racing series for cars with a maximum engine capacity of 5L attracted many of the names we would recognize from the “big leagues.”

The Spitfire Story

by Alfred Price

Old or new, military or civilian, no matter your interests in aviation you know of the Spitfire and the singular place it occupies in aviation history. Its famous Rolls-Royce engines, its famous Schneider Trophy connection, its famous Battle of Britain role.