Automotive Books

As the owner of an antique customized 1940 Studebaker, I wanted to get fresh ideas for a paint finish. I saw this book offered for a ridiculous low price and didn't expect much. However, everyone who comes over by passes all my design books and picks up Roadside America! Even my daughters spent an hour looking at the nostalgia. If you like American cars and American highways, you'll love the color pictures. I'm buying another copy to cut up and use for framed art in one of our design offices.

Joy!
Jeanette Fisher
Flip That House with FAUX: How to Have Fun Fixing and Flipping Houses and Make More Money

When it comes to the love of automobiles, my hub is somewhat of a road warrior. So, when he purchased this book, I must admit I feigned polite interest. After thumbing through pages of classy, glossy dream vehicles--- I was hooked. This was no ordinary book on cars. This was eye candy with all pedals to the metal.

Photographer Lewis relates that ad agencies would urge her to shoot cars in studio setups. But she always preferred to go on location to wait until the dawn sky "radiated a glow that rolls like warm caramel across a car's sheet metal."

That glow rolls through the pages of this sumptuous photographic history of the American motor car. The book starts with the Model T (costing $850 in 1908) and Henry Ford's vow to "build a car for the great multitude." It picks up speed in the '20s with the birth of the U.S. highway and cruises to our current national love affair with SUVs, "two-ton behemoths that swill fuel like hogs at the trough."

The automobiles themselves will be treat enough for car nuts. For the rest of us there is Lewis's affection for Americana. She shoots a '35 Ford pickup, black with red-rimmed wheels, against the bleakness of Two Guns, Ariz.; a ruby red '59 Cadillac Eldorado convertible in the glitter gulch of Fremont Street in Vegas; and a muscle-car legend, the '64 Pontiac GTO, beneath a towering doughnut sign in L.A.

A great gift for car loving guys & gals on Valentine's Day or any day. Warning: The rumble of the road will be calling you!

Lewis captures the epic wonder, strange beauty, and raucous vitality of the American road. Her eye is attracted to the things we often notice, but seldom observe. The text is excellent, offering actual experiences of those who journeyed along these fabled highways in the past. The color photography is mouth-watering and extremely vivid (the neon practically jumps from the page), but the black and white photos are especially haunting. They explore some of the same terrain immortalized by photographers such as Robert Frank and Dorothea Lange. All in all, a splendid book.

...Arranged in chronological order, the seven chapters take us from 1895 through 1999. The pictorial focus is on American iron, largely from the '50s and '60s. Lewis' narration accompanies in a casual tone with dry humor and interesting historical anecdotes, allowing the reader to mentally complete the cross-country journey with ease. I found myself reliving the multiple coast to coast excursions I took in the 1970s and felt the seeds of yet another trip being planted.

...Roadside America is a long-term book. Lucinda Lewis has lovingly recorded historic cars in historic settings with such visual detail that it is impossible to take them all in at one viewing. You will come back time and again. This book evokes all the romance and sense of adventure that early automotive culture has come to mean. Whether you are a fan of beautiful old cars, traveling Americana, automotive culture, or dramatic professional photography of all of the above, Roadside America, The Automobile and the American Dream is for you.

this may be one of my favorite automobile/landscape books of all time. its just beautiful. the pictures of vintage cars and famous vintage sites is worth any price. dont think about it, buy it while you still can.

Fantastic book! Egan is one of my favorites and this book doesn't disappoint.

I cannot review this item. The incorrect item was ordered and returned to
seller. The return went very smoothly with no snags or complications at all.

I was well pleased with the way transaction was handled, although, I thought
the freight charges were rather high on an item that weighed as little as
this one.

R.Brown

Somehow, Egan talks about things I have also done or thought about, and uses just the right words to describe them...Amazing. Like the others in the series, these are repeats from Road and Track. Even though I have read most of them before, that does not diminish the joy I feel in reading them again (and again!).

This is one cool book by a very witty writer who digs mostly vintage English cars. If you're in to British cars, or any cars for that matter, you should read it. Peter Egan is wonderful.

Another splendid offering from Sir Peter Egan. Once again Egan has delivered a compilation of our favorite columns - this time from Road & Track magazine. Egan has the uncanny knack of capturing the essence of the open road and transforming it into the written word. The book is full of his tales and ancedotes of driving, restoration and racing. A brilliant book and a must for any automotive enthusiast.

My nieghbor races a stock car and Smokey is his idol. If you want to learn so hot rod tricks from an icon get this book.

I bought this book for a friend on mine for christmas this past year. He absolutely loved it. It'a imformative and actually keeps you interested which is a change from most how to books.

Smokey Yunick was a legend in the USA and this book shows why.For those interested in modifications to any engine this book will please most people.There's a lot of information in this book and its good value too.Definitely a must have book.

Smokey Yunick's Power Secrets was a very informative read about a true legend of the United States. It has helped me to modify smaller applications due to my low funds. I have built the best that I can with the money that I have, and I feel proud to carry down the legacy. I learned alot about my passion in this book and I liked it alot.

Luke Lundy, 9A, 4th period

This is a MUST book for anyone wanting to persue a career in high performance engine design or building. I have used this book for reference for over 15 years.

As long as you aren't trying to buy an obscure make or model car, this will be a very helpful tool in picking out your new (to you) car. It was very helpful for me in deciding to shop for Honda Accords.

As a spoiler, I will go ahead and tell you the gist of the reviews - something we all already knew - your best bet is to buy a Honda or a Toyota (or any of its variants). Happy hunting!

Once again they created and easy to use book. I've consulted this book since 1973 when ever I was about to buy a new or used car.

This guide tells you everything you need to know about the used/pre-owned buying process, though you might be surprised at the results of many popular cars. It has a side by side comparison of the certified-pre-owned programs, warning signs when looking at a car, etc.

Overall an excellent guide for purchasing used cars. My only complaint are the hard-to-visually-scan graphics they use for rating reliability history and crash test results. A reference should be easier to scan without having to constantly refer back to a legend that is buried somewhere in the front of the book.

Consumer Reports provides a vital function in today's uber-materialist culture. They report objectively about the many products we purchase. In so doing they cut through all of the hype, distortion, and outright lies of the marketers, ad-men, and other assorted hucksters who bombard us constantly.

This guide is a powerful tool for helping both the new and experienced car buyer with the difficult task of sorting out the lemons from the cream puffs. It provides detailed information on each car and then summarizes the best used car buys and the worst used car buys -- for those with limited attention spans like me.

I could not recommend this guide more highly. It is an essential part of the decision making process of used car buyers.

This book had lots of helpful hints although some people definitely have much too much time on their hands to think this stuff up.

An awesome book Tells you all you need to know about quick repairs YOU can do. This book will save you thousands of dollars over the "long haul" ( pun intended) Tells ya' how to keep that RV running.

I'm new to the RV world and searched out any and all books and web sites pertaining to the RV Life. This particular book is the culmination of thousands of readers submissions for making your RV experience that much more comfortable. 10-Minute Tech has a way of dealing with technical topics most simply and effectively. This book is a must have for any RV library. It will pay itself back many fold by revealing 600 practical, money saving and very well thought out solutions to everyday problems RV'ers face. I just can't seem to put this book down, I'm always learning something new!

This book from the editors of "Trailer Life" magazine collects more than 600 practical ideas contributed by TL readers. The tips are well written and are enhanced by by Bill Tipton's excellent illustrations, which clarify anything the words don't get across.

The book is divided into major sections on Livability, Safety, Appliances, Maintenance, Automotive, In Camp, Systems, Storage, Towing, Accessories, Sanitation, Doors/Hatches/Handles, Cleaning/Protecting, and Tools. each section contains dozens of practlcal, do-able suggestions.

As I read through it the first time, I found ideas on almost every page that made me want to jump up and apply them to my own motorhome, or call a friend and pass on a tip. I've never seen so much good stuff--ingenious, clever, simple, money-saving ideas--packed into one book. Highly recommended for any RVer! By the way, you can get this for $16.99 from Camping World.

To rephrase Ratty's famous comment to Mole in "The Wind in the Willows": There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in an RV.

By even the most charitable of definitions, I am not what anyone would call "handy" when it comes to fixing things about our sticks-and-bricks house. I am not good at it and I hate taking the time for even the most basic of repairs.

Having said that, I also note that I love puttering around our 5th wheel and could happily spend hours at a time on RV related projects! I guess that's why I think the 10 Minute Tech books are so terrific. More than 600 practical and money-saving ideas in each of the three volumes . . . clever, practical solutions to both everyday challenges and to obscure situations the average RVer will never come across. Each idea presents a practical, real-life solution. Each has been developed by an RVer. The projects are presented in language which is brief, understandable and to the point . . . and the illustrations do a great job of clearing up any questions left unanswered by the text.

The books are conveniently divided into sections on Livability, Safety, Appliances, Maintenance, Automotive, In Camp, Systems, Storage, Towing, Accessories, Sanitation, Doors-Hatches-Handles, Cleaning-Protecting, and Tools. Only a brief perusal is needed to start the creative juices flowing - to send the reader, tool box in hand, off on another project. A fun read when you are nowhere near an RV. An indispensable reference when you are on the road.

A lot of good information. Used many of the ideas in our 38' five wheel.

This is an excellant source reference book to aid in solving problems that plague many RV'ers in camp or on the road.

To rephrase Ratty's famous comment to Mole in "The Wind in the Willows": There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in an RV.

By even the most charitable of definitions, I am not what anyone would call "handy" when it comes to fixing things about our sticks-and-bricks house. I am not good at it and I hate taking the time for even the most basic of repairs.

Having said that, I also note that I love puttering around our 5th wheel and could happily spend hours at a time on RV related projects! I guess that's why I think the 10 Minute Tech books are so terrific. More than 600 practical and money-saving ideas in each of the three volumes . . . clever, practical solutions to both everyday challenges and to obscure situations the average RVer will never come across. Each idea presents a practical, real-life solution. Each has been developed by an RVer. The projects are presented in language which is brief, understandable and to the point . . . and the illustrations do a great job of clearing up any questions left unanswered by the text.

The books are conveniently divided into sections on Livability, Safety, Appliances, Maintenance, Automotive, In Camp, Systems, Storage, Towing, Accessories, Sanitation, Doors-Hatches-Handles, Cleaning-Protecting, and Tools. Only a brief perusal is needed to start the creative juices flowing - to send the reader, tool box in hand, off on another project. A fun read when you are nowhere near an RV. An indispensable reference when you are on the road.

Loved it! Totally recommended. And when you are done, DO go an buy the previous two volumes! They are still very useful even with the changes in RV technologies. If only three of the 600 presented ideas come in handy, the price of the book is a bargain. I bought mine here, read it, and returned it to this site, and it sold in two days. It's an easy read, great pictures, easy concepts, wonderful. eMail me if you know of a similar source of clever/useful ideas for RV owners or Full-Timers.

This book is great fun and very useful...short, clearly written solutions to everything in your Motorhome from funny smells, drawers that won't stay shut, Microwave turntables that move,noisesetc. The solutions are easy, cheap and really show some very resourceful thinking!

Facing the unthinkable--the sudden death of a child--this thought lurks uncomfortably in the corners of my and every parent's mind. What is the big picture of life and death, destiny, the love and role of parent and child, family, and the friendship of others? Alison's Gift is the story of the sudden death of a child of a mother that could easily be in my own circle of friends. Beth Sanders, with the support of her friends and family, follows her own intuition about how to handle the physical, emotional, and spiritual details of the crossing of her child from this life into the next. I found myself fasciinated, touched, and, yet, strengthened by the telling of this story by author, Pat Hogan. The results were a sense of inner calm and that "unthinkable" feeling subsiding. This book has that ability to show the reader how to tread down a path that we all are unsure of. It is a book to read and pass around.

Alison was a delightful and loving little girl who lost her life all too soon. Fortunately, Alison's mission, her song of peace, her vision of helping other people realize their potentials was her legacy. Although we paid the highest price with the loss of this wonderful, gifted, loving child, we did inherit her legacy. We love Alison.

This story is the tragic account of the completely unneccessary death of a young child because of an airbag. I often found myself crying as the author spelled out some of the details of the ordeal that he and his family lived through as a result of that car accident. I found myself crying both for them and for me (because I, too, have suffered loss because of an airbag). I think that this book was probably a tremendous avenue for the author to deal with his grief, and I applaud his courage for doing so. At times, I found myself to be disturbed by the descriptions of some of the things that the family chose to do related to final arrangements for their daughter. Everyone, however, deals with grief and loss in his/her own way...and has the right to do so. Once again, courageous, but disturbing. Overall, a pretty well-written story - almost more of a journal,really. I found myself wanting more to be said about the dangers of airbags than was said. I realize, however, that the author's focus was honoring the loss of a child in his life....not "righting the wrongs" of the automotive industry. And in that, he did a good job.

i think mr. hogan has done a wonderful job in spinning alison's tale. a very good read!

Alison's Gift - The Song of a Thousand Hearts Opening - reads like a symphony, as the notes and chords tug at our heart-strings throughout the book, and as each "instrument" in the orchestra builds momentum adding layers of emotions and textures to an urgency . . . the urgency to unfold the true story of a child's life and death, and spiritual "resurrection". Alison's mother, Beth, embodies both the lioness mother protecting and fighting for her wounded young, and Mother Mary in Michelangelo's Pieta, as she courageously surrenders her broken heart to the acceptance of unnegotiable Death. Alison's father, Rob, suffers the tragedy by descending into a state of Inferno, where he heroically fights monsters with his aching soul and comes out with a gift of his own.

Pat Hogan, as the narrator in this captivating book, leads the reader into a labyrinth of an unfathomable tragedy - a minor car accident, the explosive opening of an airbag, and the resulting loss of an innocent child. The miracle that rose from the tragedy is the transcendence over despair by a community of family, Christian Community priest, and school (teachers, parents and students alike), who together wove the golden thread that offered healing and redemption to the thousand hearts shattered. Bold, direct, and yet vulnerable, Hogan's writing trembles like earthquakes, stirring the reader's so-called calm, normal existence into inquiries beyond.

The people writing the articles are what make this a wonderful chapter from a time lost. A time when any teenager could build a Hot Rod from old car parts for next to nothing. I was there and it was great!

This is one of the best books written about Hot Rods, it is throughly well written. It has everything you ever what to know about the Hot Rod. It has beautiful detailed illustrations and also the best pictures of the Hot Rod's. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in everything you would want to know about the American Hot Rod.

Having been a Hot Rod fanatic for over 40 years I have collected my fair share of books and every thing else on Hot Rods and this is by far the best compalation of the history of "REAL" Hot Rods.

I've seen and bought a lot of books on traditional retro rods, rat rods etc., but this is BY FAR the best I've ever seen. The text is excellent. It's by a number of authors who were there and know what they are talking about. And the illustrations - wow! The book is bulging with hot rod photos, vintage speed equiptment ads, old decals, hot rod paperback and comic art; everything that is mondo cool. Buy this book!

of all the hot rod books I own, I'd have to rate this as number one or two. There's some other great ones, but I'm a big fan of the style of this book- lots of color, lots of flash, great layout. The best part, though, has to be the gads of rare photos, hot rod movie posters, drawings, comic books, club plaques, etc. Tons and tons and tons of great photos made me buy another one just to cut up and hang out in the shop. The text of the book is a compilation of writings by various characters in the hot rod field, very entertaining. Truly one of my favorites with a permanent spot on the coffee table!

This is an excellent book for anyone with even a passing interest in the history of Allis-Chalmers and the establishment of the early American farm machinery industry. Easy to read and very informative. Loaded with facts, figures, and pictures; this book should be required reading for anyone who loves farm machinery of any brand.

I love Allis Chalmers and this is a great book. Norm Swinford always writes a great book.

For the person interested in Allis-Chalmers farm equipment this is the book to get. Written by a man who spent his career at Allis-Chalmers. A complete and thorough history of the AC farm machinery line along with many photos, most in color. A must have.

Excellent coverage of AC tractors and equipment----very informative with years of production and serial numbers.

I found this book to be very helpful and entertaining. I farm and have used Allis Chalmers equipment since I was a kid. The author of this book is extremely knowledgeable about this subject and puts this book together in a very practicle way. It starts as a historical account of the growing corporation, how it then diversified, and what made A-C a leader in the design and practicality for agricultural machinery for many years. There are many tables filled with data such as serial numbers or quanities of specific models of tractors produced in a given year. Also a very well illustrated book with many color photos. This is one of the best books that I own on such subject matter. It is sad to realize that a company the size of Allis Chalmers and one that had such deep and thick roots in our once ag-based society, fell to economic nightmare of the 1980's farm crisis.

His love of the AMC AMX really shows in this well written book. I've been in the hobby for years and I learned new things about the design process the car went thru to become reality. This is a wonderful documentary of this unique car. An excellent book. His companion Javelin book is also a must have for any AMX/Javelin fan.

Having been in the AMX hobby for over 20 years, I was amazed at the amount of never before seen pictures in this book. Mr. Zinn certainly did his homework and should be commended for his dedication to AMC's finest creation. A must for all American Motors collectors.

His love of the AMC AMX really shows in this well written book. I've been in the hobby for years and I learned new things about the design process the car went thru to become reality. This is a wonderful documentary of this unique car. An excellent book. His companion Javelin book is also a must have for any AMX/Javelin fan.

I bought both C. Zinn's books "Javelin Photo Archive..." and "AMX Photo Archive...", as well as Patrick Fosters's "AMC Performance Cars..Photo Archive". Although it's good to see more books on AMC cars, I was dissapointed, and not expecting these books to all be in Black & White only. Not a trace of color! Although I do feal that the two books by C. Zinn, have more of a purpose in the "concept to Reality" theme, rather than just being picture books. Given the price of these paperback books, and because it was not obvious from the Amazon description, I thought it was a good idea to at least let others know of this fact. If you like color, this book is not gong to have any. Try Larry Mitchell's "AMC Muscle Cars", or, "AMX &Javelin Gold Portfolio".
Bottom line: Appreciate the effort put in the concept to reality theme, but a little disappointing for me. It would have been a great book if it was in color for a little more money.

For the first time in AMC history, Chris Zinn has brought to print a pictorial history of the development of the AMX. These rare photographs and comments accompanying them present the reader with a unique insider view of what actually happened at AMC. Chris Zinn has spent years collecting both the pictures and the oral history of the process from the individuals who made it all happen. This publication is a must for the AMX enthusiast, as well as for any person with a casual interest in this unique car. Through the pictures and comments, Chris Zinn shares information which has not been brought to the attention of the hobbyist or the public before. I take great pride in recommending this special publication to all who are interested in what happened at American Motors Corporation to bring the AMX to fruition.