which book is best book??

[Marm Toastsmith]

This looks ideal: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Worst-Cars-Ever-Sold/dp/0750947144

[Alusilber]

I bought Alusilber Jr Richard Hammond's "Car Science" a while back. It's copiously illustrated and actually quite good at explaining various aspects of vehicle design and dynamics etc. in a digestible way. Not a lot about old chod in it though.

 

 

Obligatory Amazon link

[Alusilber]

Also, I don't know how much old editions of the Daily Express Guide to World Cars go for nowadays, but I used to love them back in the 1980s. Covered a good selection of models available worldwide; each one got one photo, a couple of paragraphs and its vital statistics, plus some feature articles.

[RoadworkUK]

The problem with this topic is that there are just _so many_. I've got loads and loads of books whose contents overlap somewhat, including many of those already mentioned. I've read them all so many times as to be pretty much verbatim on them, I could probably get rid of them all.

 

But there's no way in hell that I will.

 

Anyway, much as I love Observers Books, the Robson books and so many more, below is the single volume I've found the most joy in over the years.

 

 

 

It's a weighty tome, packed with great photos and written with the spirit of an enthusiast rather than a pedant or a scholar. It is balanced rather in favour of classics, but there are some offbeat inclusions like Ro80 etc, and the third section (my favourite) deals with concept cars. I got it when I was about 12 and still wander through it occasionally 25 years later.

 

It's been issued in a number of formats, but the version in the photo above, in big hardback form, is by far the best.

 

Amazon link here

[JeeExEll]

Maybe more for yourself, or as a reference book but can I suggest Hilliers fundamentals of motor vehicle technology? It's heavy on the wording but starts simple with clear language and progresses in detail in each section.

As the book continues it moves to various parts of a car, brakes (drum, disc), fueling (injection and carb), suspension (leaf and spring) etc. Commence many photos!

DSC_0066.JPG DSC_0067.JPG DSC_0068.JPG DSC_0069.JPG DSC_0070.JPG DSC_0071.JPG DSC_0072.JPG DSC_0073.JPG DSC_0074.JPG

Reminds me of The Readers Digest 'AA Book Of The Road, 1966 Edn", which I was given by an uncle around 1978. It was mainly a map-book which he had bought new but it had a section with loads of interesting car tech stuff which made sense to me as a 10 year old.

All so very outdated now, from a much simpler time, but I still have it.