Best car book in the history of EVAH

[Guest]

I bought a copy of this back in 1988. It's brill. I have lost my copy, but might splurge a 66 p on a replacement

 

The Virgin Car Book.

 

"In your ceaseless war with the automobile, its agents, minions, and familiars, this book is on your side."

 

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/9780863692598/Virgin-Book-Fordham-John-Hetherington-0863692591/plp

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I've never heard of the above book, and am going to assume it is inferior to the true greatest car book of all time, which is Classic + Sportscar's A-Z of cars 1945-1970 and also Cars of the 70's, both of which are essential for any semi-serious shiter.

[Richard]

I'm going to nominate this.

 

DSC_3890 by RichardB5, on Flickr

 

I invested a whole pound to replace my copy.

[Shep Shepherd]

I nominate the "AA Book Of The Car" by - surprisingly enough - the Automobile Association and "How To Keep You Car Alive" by Lindsay Porter. I learned a great deal from both books in my pre-driving days

 

Pawnote: Never heard of that Virgin book either, but it sounds like it's worth having a copy of

[RoadworkUK]

I'm going to nominate this.

 

Man and his car

 

I invested a whole pound to replace my copy.

 

'Tis indeed awesome, especially the Viva Estate and Lincoln Continental bank robbery scene.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

I always liked the depiction of the pikey-looking family driving away from the horrible remains of their roadside picnic - I actually knew a family like that when I was growing up

[Guest]

The Virgin book is funny, has cartoons, and is very informative for the average twerb such as me. When I bought it, I had just obtained a licence to terrorise the honest, simple folk of Britainland using fearful motorised contraptions. This was 1989, when a bloke in his twenties could pass his test in some one point nothing Nissan Shitbox and go straight out and buy an almost new BMW 325i and insure it for about a tenner. Oh, deary me. The book helped me buy my first classic (a 1970 Triumph Vitesse Mark II saloon with a dead person in the boot, for better handling), purchased from some bloke in a shed, and maintained by Stavros up Hackney Wick for threepenny bits; and saved me from getting totally fleeced by car dealers and mechanics in me early days. I still got fleeced, of course, but not as much as I might have been.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

Sounds like the sort of book that I'd enjoy. In any case, you can't really go wrong for 66p

[autofive]

I nominate:

 

Lost Causes Of Motoring By Lord Montagu Of Beaulieu (cassell books, 1960)

 

 

or his grandfather's earlier (1902) edition of Motors & Motoring (badminton library)

[Split_Pin]

I've never heard of the above book, and am going to assume it is inferior to the true greatest car book of all time, which is Classic + Sportscar's A-Z of cars 1945-1970 and also Cars of the 70's, both of which are essential for any semi-serious shiter.

 

+1 on the Cars of the 70's book, also the same for the 1980's version.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

Both books are must-haves for any car enthusiast

[Split_Pin]

The best car book of EVAH though is Andy Thompson's Soviet Cars.

 

It's epic in the true sense of the word and covers just about everything you'd ever want to know about Russian Cars of the Soviet Period.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

His book about the cars of Eastern Europe is of equal joy and the perfect companion to it

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

The aforementioned AA book of the car must be the undisputed titleholder, but I do love the illustrations from How To Be A Motorist and Stay Happy.

 

[messerschmitt owner]

Nick georgiano's encyclopaedia of the motorcar is brilliant t

[Micrashed]

[dollywobbler]

I've never heard of the above book, and am going to assume it is inferior to the true greatest car book of all time, which is Classic + Sportscar's A-Z of cars 1945-1970 and also Cars of the 70's, both of which are essential for any semi-serious shiter.

 

Agreed. I've owned the first one since I was about 12, which is why I can amaze females with my breadth of classic vehicle knowledge. Most of them didn't even know what Rodley was until they met me, and staggered away amazed and slightly horny. I think. I'm not very good at reading females.

[Tartan58]

AA book of the Car is indeed awesome, and has much to answer for in my love of cars after spending many hours reading my Dad's copy as a youngster (I have now inherited it!)

 

I'd also nominate a great little book I picked up last year in a 2nd hand book shop called "Hints and Tips for the Automobilist" published in 1912 or thereabouts. Aimed firmly at the gentleman who wants to maintain his own vehicle rather than have the chauffeur do everything. A thoroughly fantastic read covering everything from helpful tips like wearing a layer of newspaper beneath your clothes to keep you warm and dry and how to rebuild wooden spoked wheels to a full stripdown and rebuild of the engine and how to equip your carriage-house as an automobile workshop.

[flat4alfa]

As a result of this thread I have just bought

 

Lost Causes Of Motoring By Lord Montagu Of Beaulieu

Classic + Sportscar A-Z of cars 1945-1970

Classic + Sportscar Cars of the 70's

 

All-in for under a tenner.

 

The Wife is going to be ecstatic.

Repeated purchases of Observers's Book of Automobiles found about the place went down so well.

[Pete-M]

 

Serious nomination this, I was in junior school when I read it and I've been meaning to go to Le Mans ever since. I've not read it since, it may actually be crap, but I remember being engrossed in it and it making motor racing interesting.

[Pete-M]

 

Serious nomination this, I was in junior school when I read it and I've been meaning to go to Le Mans ever since. I've not read it since, it may actually be crap, but I remember being engrossed in it and it making motor racing interesting.

[chaseracer]

'Clear the Fast Lane' - Douglas Rutherford (1972): http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/dou ... t-lane.htm

 

 

Washed-up racing driver hired, by dodgy old mate on behalf of shadowy Middle Eastern operation, to transport a mysterious package across Europe from London to Thessalonika. ASAP, if not sooner. In a 7-litre AC 428.

 

Fast cars, dangerous roads, difficult border crossings, duplicitous secret agents, beautiful women. Anything else you need...?

[chaseracer]

'Clear the Fast Lane' - Douglas Rutherford (1972): http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/dou ... t-lane.htm

 

 

Washed-up racing driver hired, by dodgy old mate on behalf of shadowy Middle Eastern operation, to transport a mysterious package across Europe from London to Thessalonika. ASAP, if not sooner. In a 7-litre AC 428.

 

Fast cars, dangerous roads, difficult border crossings, duplicitous secret agents, beautiful women. Anything else you need...?

[Mr Lobster]

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Modern-Mot ... 0563369841 < If you are feeling particularly spendy.

[Mr Lobster]

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Modern-Mot ... 0563369841 < If you are feeling particularly spendy.

[oldford]

Not specifically on cars, but it gives an insight into the people who built them:

 

http://automobileandamericanlife.blogsp ... thead.html

[oldford]

Not specifically on cars, but it gives an insight into the people who built them:

 

http://automobileandamericanlife.blogsp ... thead.html

[chaseracer]

Not specifically on cars, but it gives an insight into the people who built them:

 

http://automobileandamericanlife.blogsp ... thead.html

Similarly... http://www.scribd.com/doc/80209414/A-Savage-Factory

[chaseracer]

Not specifically on cars, but it gives an insight into the people who built them:

 

http://automobileandamericanlife.blogsp ... thead.html

Similarly... http://www.scribd.com/doc/80209414/A-Savage-Factory