Archive for Items Categorized 'Automobiles', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.

Abarth: Racing Cars – Collection 1949–1974

by Franz Steinbacher

This is a look at a highly curated Swiss collection of mostly racing Abarths, and in telling their story the book also gives a good idea of what made the cars and the company so special.

The Ford Dealership, Volumes I, II, and III

by Henry L. Dominguez

Three volumes strong—and with two more planned—this is surely the most voluminous coverage of the subject. Ford did not only invent standardized mass production but also the system of franchised dealers. The Blue Oval’s lasting success rests on both of these.

Sunbeam Aero Engines

by Alec Brew

Within the arc from tinplate working to land speed record cars fall many interim steps, and this small book gives a thorough account of how Sunbeam got into the aero engine business and how that spilled over into record cars.

Porsche Special Editions

by Matt Stone

The subtitle covers all the bases: “Includes 930 Turbo Flachbau, GT1, RUF, Singer Vehicle Design, IROC RSR, Club and Anniversary Specials, and More.” The factory alone has brought out over two dozen 911-based Specials and several more are in the works right now—and a book may well be the only place you’ll see one.

Porsche 75th Anniversary: Expect the Unexpected

by Randy B. Leffingwell

The title says it all: Porsche has achieved a significant anniversary. A perfect reason to write a retrospective and conclude it with a little educated future predicting.

ROFGO Collection

by Doug Nye

That 917 on the cover hints at treasures. ROFGO was voted 2019 Heritage Collection of the Year, and this book showcases just some of the important Gulf Oil-sponsored race cars it contains.

Fin Tales: Saving Cadillac, America’s Luxury Icon

by John F. Smith

Cadillac, used to being the name in American luxury cars, once dropped back far enough to resort to inflating year-end sales reports to edge out Lincoln for the top spot, requiring an official apology from the top brass. The author was there for the soul searching and the corrective action.

Auto America, Car Culture 1950s–1970s

by Linda, Greg and Darryl Zimmerman

Despite the “car culture” part of the title, this book casts a wider net. You’ll probably be surprised by how many of the images you recognize from period magazines and advertising without knowing anything about the photographer’s whole, wide-ranging body of work.

Triumph TR2, TR3, TR3A & TR3B (1953–62)

by Paul Hogan

This book is small enough to fit into the glovebox for a reason: you’ll want it handy when you break down, which you will, because the only thing sturdy in a Triumph is its chassis.

From Bond to Bentley and Back, Rambles Through a Motoring Life

by Roger Bateman

Bateman has been up close and personal with many, many more cars than the 28 he owned, for instance as a manager of The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu and at Fiennes Restoration. Has he got stories? You bet.

Mercedes-Benz C111: Fackelträger, Traumsportwagen und Rekordjäger

by Kalbhenn, Heidbrink, Hack

Those gullwing doors are about all the C111 had in common with the famous SL300 whose impact M-B was so eager to replicate. Only a few were built, mainly serving as test beds, and the successor C112 was scrapped altogether but this is a big and interesting story.

The Automotive Gray Market, An Inside History

by John B. Hege

While grey imports are a worldwide phenomenon, this book looks at conditions in the US where regulatory efforts dropped the number to hundreds per year instead of tens of thousands in the 1980s.