Autoshite book club

[brammy777]

A couple of recent additions:

 

 

 

 

 

Got that today too, such a good book! I also have some early 1990s i spy books, my favorite was the trucks one, i still have it, even though its mostly filled in now.

I used to think you had to spot the number it said, e.g. if it said i spy for 25, i thought you had to spy 25 of them, it never occurred to me thats how many points it was worth.i was only 6

[mattblack]

Our local Co-Op has a charity book shelf, I've had a few good finds...

 

 

Got this the other day, cover is a bit tatty and it has a loose page, so I'll probably put it on the 'bay as OMG-PATINA-RATLOOK-VW...ect, ect

 

I've also had a couple of old manuals and the Haynes Drive it!/Ride it! books on rallying and speedway, which I ebayed. There was also a book 'Emergency' IIRC, which went with a Channel 4 series. It had a very interesting bit about a guy with a garage near a notorious accident black spot in the 50's. He was usualy first on the scene of an accident, and developed a lot of the rescue techniques later used by the fire service.

[pogweasel]

Bad news, "teh DubbarZ" generally shun 411/412's, wouldn't expect it to make much coin.

[r.welfare]

I've just purchased this:

 

 

A sizeable read by the inventor of the Cannonball Run himself, despite being written in 1983 a lot of the commentary is especially pertinent today with the collapse of GM and Chrysler.

 

A lot of focus is placed upon the introduction of the GM J-Car - what we know as the Mk2 Cavalier - and how despite it's "world car" connotations, the US versions differed significantly from the European, Australian and Japanese versions due to the Septics deciding, as early as 1976 (!) that the Family 2 engine could be improved upon by using a cut-down OHV lump based on 1950's principles. Their version also took significant levels of suspension and steering hardware from the GM X-car, a shitebox in itself, rather than the Opel Kadett D, something I never knew.

 

Interestingly the book concludes with a list of what ol' Brock considers to be the Top and Bottom 10 saloons on the US market in '83: his favourites being the Mercedes W123 300D Turbo, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord (which gets huge praise throughout the book, mainly as the car the J-car should have been), Audi 100, Honda Civic, Saab 900 Turbo, Ford Escort (yes really - he considers the Mk3 Scrote to be the best-conceived US car of the time), Mazda 626, Jaguar XJ6 (with specific praise for the John Egan-led quality improvements on the S3) and GM G-body (Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac Grand Prix).

 

The duffers comprise the Mk1 Renault 5 (mainly for it's unsuitability for the US market), BMW E21 320i (overpriced and lacking quality), the GM J-Car, Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit ("an example of what modern techonology and a spare-no-expense philosophy can do for a 1939 Packard!"), Renault 18, Chrysler Imperial, Cadillac Seville (the bustleback turd), Nissan Sunny, Peugeot 505 and Lincoln Town Car.

 

ATTENTION HURST! Several times throughout this tome Yates makes reference to the "outstanding Datsun Stanza". Interesting, no?

[Guest]

I've just purchased this:

 

 

A sizeable read by the inventor of the Cannonball Run himself, despite being written in 1983 a lot of the commentary is especially pertinent today with the collapse of GM and Chrysler.

 

A lot of focus is placed upon the introduction of the GM J-Car - what we know as the Mk2 Cavalier - and how despite it's "world car" connotations, the US versions differed significantly from the European, Australian and Japanese versions due to the Septics deciding, as early as 1976 (!) that the Family 2 engine could be improved upon by using a cut-down OHV lump based on 1950's principles. Their version also took significant levels of suspension and steering hardware from the GM X-car, a shitebox in itself, rather than the Opel Kadett D, something I never knew.

 

Interestingly the book concludes with a list of what ol' Brock considers to be the Top and Bottom 10 saloons on the US market in '83: his favourites being the Mercedes W123 300D Turbo, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord (which gets huge praise throughout the book, mainly as the car the J-car should have been), Audi 100, Honda Civic, Saab 900 Turbo, Ford Escort (yes really - he considers the Mk3 Scrote to be the best-conceived US car of the time), Mazda 626, Jaguar XJ6 (with specific praise for the John Egan-led quality improvements on the S3) and GM G-body (Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac Grand Prix).

 

The duffers comprise the Mk1 Renault 5 (mainly for it's unsuitability for the US market), BMW E21 320i (overpriced and lacking quality), the GM J-Car, Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit ("an example of what modern techonology and a spare-no-expense philosophy can do for a 1939 Packard!"), Renault 18, Chrysler Imperial, Cadillac Seville (the bustleback turd), Nissan Sunny, Peugeot 505 and Lincoln Town Car.

 

ATTENTION HURST! Several times throughout this tome Yates makes reference to the "outstanding Datsun Stanza". Interesting, no?

Where can one purchase this tome Mr. Welfare?

[IanF]

I've just purchased this:

 

 

A sizeable read by the inventor of the Cannonball Run himself, despite being written in 1983 a lot of the commentary is especially pertinent today with the collapse of GM and Chrysler.

 

A lot of focus is placed upon the introduction of the GM J-Car - what we know as the Mk2 Cavalier - and how despite it's "world car" connotations, the US versions differed significantly from the European, Australian and Japanese versions due to the Septics deciding, as early as 1976 (!) that the Family 2 engine could be improved upon by using a cut-down OHV lump based on 1950's principles. Their version also took significant levels of suspension and steering hardware from the GM X-car, a shitebox in itself, rather than the Opel Kadett D, something I never knew.

 

Interestingly the book concludes with a list of what ol' Brock considers to be the Top and Bottom 10 saloons on the US market in '83: his favourites being the Mercedes W123 300D Turbo, Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord (which gets huge praise throughout the book, mainly as the car the J-car should have been), Audi 100, Honda Civic, Saab 900 Turbo, Ford Escort (yes really - he considers the Mk3 Scrote to be the best-conceived US car of the time), Mazda 626, Jaguar XJ6 (with specific praise for the John Egan-led quality improvements on the S3) and GM G-body (Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac Grand Prix).

 

The duffers comprise the Mk1 Renault 5 (mainly for it's unsuitability for the US market), BMW E21 320i (overpriced and lacking quality), the GM J-Car, Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit ("an example of what modern techonology and a spare-no-expense philosophy can do for a 1939 Packard!"), Renault 18, Chrysler Imperial, Cadillac Seville (the bustleback turd), Nissan Sunny, Peugeot 505 and Lincoln Town Car.

 

ATTENTION HURST! Several times throughout this tome Yates makes reference to the "outstanding Datsun Stanza". Interesting, no?

Follow it up with this

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Comeback-Rise-A ... ef=ed_oe_p

 

Completed in 1994 as GM was just on the way to bouncing back after the absolutely dire Smith and Stempel years, the launch of the Chrysler Neon (innovative in its time) and Ford were starting to make money again. Chronicles a lot of the failure (Pontiac Fiero, GM's computer controlled manufacturing plants, Iacocca's ego) and successes (Chrysler K-Car, Ford Taurus, NUMMI) in depth and with some brilliant anecdotes (Bob Lutz's 150 mph trips to work in a Countach after Chrysler bought Lamborghini springs to mind).

 

It also mentions a certain Rabid Rick Wagoner as a shining star in a new gneration of management brought through at the time...

 

A brilliant piece of work.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

some great reading matter here, nice work.

[IanF]

Does anyone have any recommendations for books on Austin/Morris/BL/BMC and Rootes Group? I've read 'Wheel of Misfortune' a few years back and 'Back from the Brink' by Michael Edwardes, but is there anything else in depth out there that I can read that isn't on the internet?

[r.welfare]

Where can one purchase this tome Mr. Welfare?

Amazon, secondhand, through one of their affiliated sellers. Came direct from the US, took a couple of weeks.I've got "Comeback", IanF, as well as "The Reckoning" by David Halberstam. Not sure what else to recommend on BL and Rootes as I don't have anything on these two.

[Guest]

Where can one purchase this tome Mr. Welfare?

Amazon, secondhand, through one of their affiliated sellers. Came direct from the US, took a couple of weeks.I've got "Comeback", IanF, as well as "The Reckoning" by David Halberstam. Not sure what else to recommend on BL and Rootes as I don't have anything on these two.

There was that 'Wheels Of Misfortune' about BL but I can't for the life of me remember who the author was. Supposed to be a very good read.

[Guest]

 

Jonathan wood.

[Simon M]

Does anyone have any recommendations for books on Austin/Morris/BL/BMC and Rootes Group? I've read 'Wheel of Misfortune' a few years back and 'Back from the Brink' by Michael Edwardes, but is there anything else in depth out there that I can read that isn't on the internet?

'The Leyland Papers' by Graham Turner is pretty good - it's got a whole chapter on the development of the (then new) Morris Marina, which is great.I found the Michael Edwardes book had too much boardroom shenanigans and not enough anecdotes about shite in it, though perhaps I need to give it another go.

[hammy]

We should pool our resources and buy the rights to the Little Red Metro series then write some contemporary versions (as suggested earlier in the thread)

 

Little Red Metro Gets Twocked

 

Little Red Metro Fries Its Clutch on the A1(M)

 

Little Red Metro Sells For £87.01 on Ebay

 

Little Red Metro Gets Scrappaged For a Picanto

Surely it would be:

 

Little Red Metro runs out of supercover

 

Little Red Metro develops uneven hydragas issues

 

Little Red Metro develops howling transmission whine

[pogweasel]

Little Red Metro gets smashed to a pulp by Pog with a sledge hammer

[seth]

Got this the other day, cover is a bit tatty and it has a loose page, so I'll probably put it on the 'bay as OMG-PATINA-RATLOOK-VW...ect, ect

Keefy over on R-R has a 411. Don't know if he has a handbook though.

[IanF]

Does anyone have any recommendations for books on Austin/Morris/BL/BMC and Rootes Group? I've read 'Wheel of Misfortune' a few years back and 'Back from the Brink' by Michael Edwardes, but is there anything else in depth out there that I can read that isn't on the internet?

'The Leyland Papers' by Graham Turner is pretty good - it's got a whole chapter on the development of the (then new) Morris Marina, which is great.I found the Michael Edwardes book had too much boardroom shenanigans and not enough anecdotes about shite in it, though perhaps I need to give it another go.

Cheers - I've got it on my Amazon wishlist now but £30 is a bit steep for now (I prefer my books at shite prices).

[IanF]

Couple of ebay purchases for the evening

 

 

£20 all in (not seen a copy for less than £30 recently )

 

 

£12 all in.

 

Widens the library nicely

[Ratdat]

I've got that second book... it's excellent

[ashmicro]

More charidee shop goodness - £2 the pair.

 

I give you "Servicing your Car", (1978)

 

 

Renner 30 shite!

 

 

Firing orders

 

 

I fecking hate points!

 

 

A big sucker this next one - wouldn't fit in my scanner - the AA Book of the Car (1976)

 

 

Sidevalve FTW!!

 

 

The magnificent SU and the hateful Stromberg

 

 

There might be some info in these books that some of you chaps may find useful - if you think there might be, give me a shout.

[Guest]

[shite_meister]

This is def going to the next book I will buy:

 

[tatmeister]

'Cars of the Soviet Union' - bought it, and read it on hols in June.It's a bit wordy, but the photos make up for that. The guy has obviously done his research, and I found it more interesting as it got to the 70's, 80's and 90's because it had cars I know of. It was a bit steep at £21 at Amazon. See if you can persuade your local library to order a copy

[Minimad5]

Afew of my Books

 

Did have more of the "Car Care" books that im sure i lent out

Will have to chase them up

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Gompo]

Here's my collection, possibly one or two missing. Some were lost in a fire we had 18 months ago:

 

 

 

[r.welfare]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread, as I am awaiting delivery of a 1989 book called "Car Wars" by John Butman, which documents how the Mk3 Cavalier came to life. A fiver including postage via Amazon's affiliated sellers. Will be an interesting read after "The decline and fall of the American car industry" by Brock Yates which explains what went wrong with the US end of the J-Car (Mk2 Cav) project.Anybody else had any good reads recently?

[Minimad5]

Anybody else had any good reads recently?

Not really "good reads" but i got afew autobooks:Peugeot 204 (95-76)Escort Mk2 (75-80)Fiesta Mk1 (76-82)1100, 1300 Owners Workshop Manual (Does all sorts)Pretty much read them all cover to cover and started reading a 25p purchase (non car / shite related) about Mountaincraft and Leadership Good to see this thread hasn't been forgotten

[Mr Lobster]

Anybody else had any good reads recently?

I'm currently part way through 'Drive - A Social History of the Motorcar' by LJK Setwright following a recomendation on here. Excellent book it is too. Highly recomended if you haven't read it already.

[seth]

I'm currently part way through 'Drive - A Social History of the Motorcar' by LJK Setwright following a recomendation on here. Excellent book it is too. Highly recomended if you haven't read it already.

Indeed. Probably about time I read it again.

 

Anybody else had any good reads recently?

I picked up a book for £2 at an autojumble back at new years. Not really shite related as such but an autobiography written in the early '60s by Paul Frere about his racing career through the '50s. He was actually a motoring journo by profession but was obviously a pretty damn good driver as he had works drives for Jaguar and Ferrari at Le Mans (winning it in 1960) and also did the Mille Miglia and other road races.

 

The fact that it was all written down so soon after the events means that every race report is so descriptive of the atmosphere and happenings. Quite saddening at how the death of fellow drivers was such a regular occurrence. He was also in the pits waiting for his turn to drive at Le Mans in '55 when the big accident happened right opposite him.

 

Typical small paperback with a couple of small sections of photos but it took me a about 3 weeks of bed time reading to get through. He died only a couple of years ago as the result of complications arising from an accident he had while test driving a car. He was 91!