Automotive Books

My husband loves this book. He requested it for Christmas after seeing it at our brother-in-laws house.

An excellent, informative book. Beautiful colored pictures, well reearched. A must for 32 Ford owners.

A must to own if you have any interest in 1932 fords. Very well researched and written.

This book is both well written and researched. I can recomend it to anyone, both the restorer and the hot rodder.

The 1932 Ford Deuce was a landmark achievement for Ford, featuring an eight-cylinder flathead engine over the usual V-8 designs. While many books focus on this groundbreaking model, few take the time to place it in perspective: for that you need Deuce: 75 Years of the '32 Ford. Chapters offer up a complete history of the car's design, changes, influences, and racers. Vintage factory photos and details about each model provide a wide-ranging survey of the changes incorporated into the Deuce over the decades.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I've been fascinated by Edsels since childhood, and while I've never been able to own one, I've collected lots of literature about the most famous flop in automotive history. Although there was familiar material in Mr. Bonsall's work, (the arrival of a new full-sized car just as the first import craze was beginning was the product of a decade-long lead time to launch the new make), there was also much I've never seen in print anywhere before--such as Robert McNamara's statement that the decision to discontinue the Edsel had been made even before its formal introduction! From the company's internal politics, to the design process, to the challenges of setting up the dealer network, no aspect of the Edsel's history is omitted. This profousely illustrated work is an absolute must for Edsel lovers, and should be worthwhile to anyone interested in the Ford Motor Company or automotive history in general.--William C. Hall

Unlike many current automotive books with some nice photos and tired, re-released copy, this one is fresh and fascinating. The photos are good but few, the story is the key and it is a great work. If you are like me and are interested in fresh, serious coverage by experienced automotive authors then this will not disappoint. Five stars from a tough critic.

The 1958 Edsel has received a lot of lampooning from the time it was introduced because of its front design ("a fish sucking a lemon") and this has generally been attributed as the reason it was regarded as a flop. Certainly Ford lost $100 million on it at the time (and its advertising agency and most of the dealers also took baths) but here it is revealed that in reality the car achieved the market penetration in relative terms that was expected of it. The reason for the losses were due to organisational mistakes and the fact that people like Robert McNamara (the archetypal bean counter) pulled the plug on it prematurely. The author also demonstrates that the production capacity created for the Edsel was actually utilised to the full in the 1960s with the Falcon and the Mustang.
This book is a great read, and the illustrations include many interesting design proposals. I would have given the book 5 stars if the illustrations had been printed on coated paper and included at least a few in color.

Disaster in Dearborn: The Story of the Edsel by Thomas Bonsall is easily the best piece of automobile journalism I have ever read. If you are interested in the Edsel, or just cars of this era in general, Bonsall will simply have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Not only will you come away with a thorough understanding of the Edsel itself, the author artfully puts the whole Edsel saga into context with what was happening with the rest of the American auto industry during time before, during, and after the Edsel's brief lifespan. I honestly could not put this book down once I started it as Bonsall truly lets you feel the anticipation and excitement surrounding Edsel's conception, design, and launch. Quite simply everything about the Edsel and the people who created it is covered in this book. In closing Bonsall impartially takes you through all the theories on why the Edsel failed and brings the book to a very satisfying and thoughtful conclusion. And although primarily not a picture book, you'll find gathered here a small but exciting group of Edsel prototype photos and sketches I have never seen in print anywhere else before. A terrific book for anyone interested in auto history in general and an absolute must for anyone fascinated with the Edsel.

Bonsall's treatment of the Edsel story is unique in that he first sets the historical stage and market conditions under which the Edsel program was conceived and executed. He does an excellent job of describing the reasons Ford needed the Edsel program, and why the program missed its mark. As Bonsall methodically moves the Edsel story forward, the reader is filled with a sense of impending doom, much like reading about the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Bonsall does an excellent job of drawing together the many disparate influences and elements that together charted the fateful course of the Edsel.

This is a wonderful addition to any home library for anyone interested in the religion of Antiquity and Italian folklore. All of Charles Leland's writings are wonderful, but this book in particular is of great merit. Leland travled the Italian country-side and recorded many of the tales from rural folks, some of which still practice the "old religion" both overtly and covertly within the Roman Catholic structure. It is through his recording of these stories that we can see the evolution and continued existence of the Gods of the Ancients. This is a must read for any serious mythographer, folklorist or modern day observer of the Old Ways.

Another fine example of the work of Leland, and an excellent source document for those who seek pre-Neo Wiccan non-fluffiness. Craft with real teeth for the serious only.

This book is a classic text on the "Old Religion." The author Charles Leland was a folklorist performing field studies into Italian Witchcraft during the 1800s. He describes witches as worshippers of the goddess Diana, and refers to a specific group as the "good witches" of Benevento. Leland points out that "bad witches" also exist and he includes several spells to illustrate this.

Etruscan Roman Remains carries a feel of antiquity as Leland introduces ancient lore and its revelance to the witches of Old Italy. This book was the first of its kind to present material drawn directly from people claiming to be witches during the 19th century. Along with Leland's Aradia; Gospel of the Witches, this book presents the foundation of many concepts now found in modern Wicca, including a full moon sabbat, the worship of a god & goddess by witches, ritual use of cakes and wine, and witches as healers and magic users. After reading Leland's accounts, there can be little doubt that Gardnerian Wicca was founded, at least in part, upon the writings of Leland on Italian witchcraft.

In addition, Etruscan Roman Remains contains a great deal of information on old superstitions, folk spirits, and folk magic. This book is an important addition to any library on Witchcraft.

This book is really interesting in the fact that had not Leland gathered all this information it would most likely be lost to us today. I would not however recommend it as a BOS to follow ,mainly because we do not know the real context of these spells. Even though Leland has written them down they are from another time and one we are no longer a part of. This is just my opinion and I recommend if you do use a spell from this book you should know why you are using a certain herb, object etc. and WHO you are calling on!Just a precaution I would take. Ciao!

Leland provides great insight into suppressed information related to the old Etruscan Paganism of the Early Roman Empire and Italy. The first part of the book contains descriptive insight into over 60 Gods and Goblins of the old religion, whereas, most other texts only contain up to 25 and often confuse the details. A greater number of suppressed names and deities are discussed in detail in this work, then in any other text I have researched in relation to this old way of life. The second part offers various Incantations, Divinations, Medicines, and Amulet Creation. The book is heavily illustrated which is another thing that is uncommon in books on this subject. This book is highly recommended for anyone studying the occult, and makes for a great desk reference for followup research.

this the 1st time me using this site so i don't have much to say, but i like what i need.i think its nice book for who just start how to work in shop or people who like to work with truck

i am asking about this book..when will you have a new book on this name calld heavy duty truck systems and can i get it... chris j coombes

We used this book in our diesel technician class. The book gives you an excellent introduction to every aspect of a heavy-duty truck. I usually shy away from books written by more than one author because of lack of continuity or overcoverage in certain areas. In the case of this book, the authors have done a fantasic job of explaining the topics without any assumptions. The book does a good job in covering cluthes, standard transmission, torque converters, drive shafts, axles, and automatic transmissions. On the subject of brakes, I recommend Delmar's "Today's Technician: Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Brakes." If your thinking of buying a book on this subject matter, you can't go wrong with this selection. Be aware that a third edition has been released.

i am asking about this book..when will you have a new book on this name calld heavy duty truck systems and can i get it... chris j coombes

I am an ASE CERTIFIED TRUCK TECHNICIAN AND FOUND THIS TITLE TO BE REALLY HELPFUL IN MY REVIEWS FOR THE TES

Being employed in the car industry, finding a book like this is particularly useful as I can relate to a lot of what HF has written. What's really surprising is, he writes of things which are rational and based on common sense, but many don't seem to speak about or even practice in their daily work! Much of what is today attributed to Toyota was common practice at Ford factories in the 1920s! Ford was a world leader and pioneer in the field of mass producing automobiles, and companies like Volkswagen even used American mass production machinery. People who have been reading Kaizen, JIT, the Toyota Way, etc. should buy this book and study history. Henry Ford, American Military Training-Within-Industry and W.E. Deming's influence and contribution to the rise of post-war Japan cannot be denied. One of HF's many enlightening observations: Big business is not money power, it is service power!

If you would like to know who really started the Lean Journey look no further than Henry Ford

This is the book that made me appreciate Mr Ford's accomplishments and how he changed the world of business, particularly manufacturing. He was a leader and true visionary in many aspects of business, which are chronicled herein, and many of the roots of Lean are documented in this text. Aside from kanban and `jelly beans', he didn't miss much of the fundamentals of what we see as Lean.

The impacts of Ford's principles on business, the economy, social ramifications, and more are profound. The ideas, thought processes, and applications are expressed well and we can learn from these today. Too bad much of the rest of American business lost sight of Ford's techniques as they became enamored with scientific formulae like EOQ (economic order quantities) without questioning the assumptions.

There are different "uses" for this book - some I'd recommend, and others not.
I WOULD NOT recommend this book for it's insights on -
Economics: Ford explains a classic industrial notion that a company paying employees more will increase its sales because employees will buy more company product. Not only is this a false assumption of employee behavior, it also only approaches plausibility for very large consumer product companies.
Finance: Ford describes how financial instruments are short-term narcotics and long-term ills. His opinion seems to ignore the buffering benefits of finance, as well as the gains created for society by letting financial tools open possibilities.

HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE -

It is current: Ford describes a organizational skill poorly understood and mostly ignored: coordination. In the book, many processes are described that Ford says are all well known to other companies, but how the Ford Corporation made the processes interact was their power. Today's out-sourcing is more palatable knowing this skill.
It is insightful: An excellent alternative to the "profit-motive" of companies is presented: service-motive. Not because profits are bad does Ford present the service-motive, but because profits are give unreliable feedback. Ford sees the maintenance of service to the public as a more durable goal.
It is historical: Not only does it provide the roots to Taiichi Ohno's - Toyota's - operations strategy, but it also gives clues to why Ford lost dominance. The Toyota roots pop up in Ford's writing on waste, on cleanliness (5s), on continuous flow, and on timing. The clues pop up with his ignorance of customer desires vs. needs, his overconfidence in managing highly diverse businesses, and his inattention to downstream processes.

If you know the limitations of Today and Tomorrow, you then can reap great benefits by reading it as if it was written last week. Many of its ideas have yet to fully play out in the world of industry.

This is an outstanding book for those folks in manufacturing who are starting out on their "Lean" journey. The book teaches the uninitiated an original thinker's way of recognizing "waste" in manufacturing, and often, how to deal with that waste. Taiichi Ohno took a "shipload" of this book with him to Japan in the '50s and made sure that every Toyota engineer read the book. The rest is history as to how Toyota packaged this information for the rest of the world, including the United States, in its now famous "7 wastes of manufacturing." You will enjoy the book and learn what an outstanding visionary Henry Ford really was.

This book is, plain and simple, the best book on what drag racing is all about. The history and facts are first rate. I learned more about the sport from this one book than all others I have read combined. This would be a fantastic documentary for TV.

as a lover of drag racing and a drag racer myself,i have to say this is THE MOST COMPLETE BOOK on the subject of drag racing i have ever read.it covers all aspects of the sport from the beginning to 1990 and in every detail.if you are a lover of the sport,a drag racer or even if you know nothing about the sport this book will give you new insight,new feelings and you WILL learn a new appreciation of the sport..

Robert Post has given us an invaluable book. This is a strong claim, for Post's book is a narrative history of drag racing. And, while it is a very well done history, how can it possibly be "invaluable" when its subject matter is essentially useless? Now there's a strong claim. Let me hasten to establish my appreciation for what drag racers do. At the end of the 1997 racing season, the very best racers were getting to the end of their quarter mile race track -- from a standing start -- in less than a blink over 4.5 seconds. Perhaps even more astounding, the very fastest were going more than 320 miles an hour -- once more, from a standing start -- when they got there. This is truly amazing, but I am regularly struck dumb when asked a very simple question -- what's the point? Name almost any other major form of auto sport and I'll give you an answer. In NASCAR it's obvious. Even though those aren't at all stock cars anymore, a lot can still be learned by running flat out for 500 miles on production-based components, and that can be used to improve even the family car. Furthermore, that kind of abuse is perfect for testing tire technology. Even failing this, there's the old fallback, "win on Sunday, sell on Monday". But what do we learn from -- or sell from -- the top-notch dragsters? These are all completely purpose built vehicles, using all custom designed parts, performing a completely atypical activity and resembling nothing that is at all available on the showroom floor. In short, drag racing is the mountain climbing of motorsports. There is no point to it except to do it, and once you've decided to do it, you might as well do it as well as the technology -- and your money -- will allow. Recognizing the uselessness of the activity, however, is not to denigrate this very fine book. Anyone with an interest in the evolution of technology, automotive history, or motorsports will be fascinated, as should just about anyone who grew up during the time Post covers. Post writes that the first officially organized drag race happened on the streets in Goleta -- near Santa Barbara, California -- in 1949, although he recognizes that that same strip of road had been used for "unofficial" races for years before that. He uses that race as his starting point, and, in a clear, engaging writing style, supported my quite pertinent quotes from racers and many, many wonderful pictures, tells the story of the next 40 plus years in the development of this pursuit. Post is not a rah-rah boy, at least not for modern drag racing. This book is clearly a labor of love, but of love for a bygone era. While he appreciates and applauds the remarkable performance gains since the beginning -- those early cars took nearly 11 seconds to cover the quarter mile, hitting about 150 miles an hour -- he believes that the technical strides that account for those gains have changed the sport forever. It simply costs too much to go this fast. Further, going this fast fosters too much me-tooism. There is usually only one sure way to build a car to go this fast, so everybody essentially builds the same car. For these reasons, Post sees both the little guy, shade-tree mechanic and the spirit of innovation frozen out of bigtime drag racing. And since these are the backbone of what we think of as the hot-rod, drag racing culture, this is apprehensible. Post, then, seems to yearn for a time of more innocence. A time, say, 25 or 30 years ago. It is this that makes this book so invaluable. It will be invaluable to anyone who -- like me -- grew up not only during the time Post relishes, but also at the places, and cheering for, sometimes, if you were lucky, helping the people that he writes about. I started going to the drags before I had either a car or the money to get into the track. I must of been about twelve when I first rode my bike up the long hill to the Pomona fairgrounds and clung to the fence along the road, peering through the holes at what was going on. I was in love. My folks didn't have a lot of money, but I was lucky. My birthday almost perfectly coincided with Winternationals weekend! I had a standing request for a birthday present, and my parents never failed me. I always had my Winternationals ticket. Then I got a car, and enough money to hit all the local strips. Fontana. Lions. Irwindale. Orange County. Man-o-man. I took tons of pictures, but through the carelessness of youth and the normal attrition of many moves, all have been lost. Post's many pictures at least partially makes up for that. More important than the pictures, however, are the memories. The many intervening years have taken quite a toll on mine, at least. Post tells his story so clearly, and with such detail, that it can cause the fog to lift. You will be reading about a match race with Stone, Woods and Cook against Big John Mazmanian and suddenly remember that you were at that race, and remember it as if it had been run last weekend. Unfortunately, Post pulls no punches, and you will also remember that you were there when Lefty Mudersbach died, after his parachute failed. This is a very good book, but I have one minor quibble. Post keeps his focus firmly on the top rank of racers. This is understandable, since what he wants to teach us is what it took to get from going 150 mph in 11 seconds to going over 300 mph in far less than 5 seconds. But if he would let his gaze drift down a level or two, he may find that the little guy is still there and still innovating. Most often, this happens outside the formal, second-tier, "sportsman", categories of the larger sanctioning bodies, where costs are still quite prohibitive. But at places like the increasingly popular muscle car or nostalgia meets, a racer with tools and time can still run a unique and competitive car for a few thousand dollars and a lot of work. He'll only be going about 150 mph in about 11 seconds. He'll be, in other words, just about where we were in the beginning. Perhaps if Post would give us a history of this static drag racing he wouldn't yearn for the old days, for in many ways the old days of drag racing are still here.

This is by far the best book on drag racing I have ever come across. My first season was 1961 at the track of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and to varying degrees I have followed the sport ever since.

This book has an incredible amount of detail on who did what, and includes many important historical events, and other oddities that have happened in the forty years covered. He even includes one of the weirdest accidents I ever saw, which was the time Paula Murphy's rocket car had a stuck throttle, and sent her off the end of the track at Sears Point Raceway, and literally over the rolling hills of Sonoma County at well over 200 mph, like a real-life Whiley Cayote.

But even more to his credit the author attempts to get at the heart of drag racing, what drives the participants. And he writes with a fine balance of scholarly objectivity and insider's appreciation. A very nice piece of work and a "must-read" for anyone seriously interested in how drag racing got to be what it is today.

Richard Fay

The book HIGH PERFORMANCE allowed us a view into the formative and early years of our sport, complete with the games, politics and personality clashes that were in existence. There were a lot of politics by the sanctioning groups who have come and gone over the years(UDRA,AHRA,PRO), as well as those who continue with us (NHRA, IHRA). The fuel ban years are covered, the promoters clashes with the sanctioning groups were covered, and the evolution of the sport is pretty well documented with accuracy. Several people I have spoken to who were running in these early days have confirmed a lot of this books content. This book removes the lustre from the logo of the sanctioning bodies, instead exposing ulterior motives within their organization for all to see.

I think the book is incredibly accurate and deserves high marks for bringing the facts out, in a non-judgemental way, for the fans to absorb.

Author David Vizard is known for other Chev engine building books and this one is just as good.

This book caters for the chevy cylinder heads but the tips and techniques can be used on cylinder heads not just Chev.This book has a lot to offer any engine builder.It does get a bit too technical but most people will understand it.

Highly recommended.

The book is very well written and understandable. The illustrations and photographs are top notch. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking knowledge about cylinder heads and the modification there of. Many of the techniques illustrated in this book can be applied to other types of cylinder heads with favorable results. I would like to see an update to this book that would include porting information on some of the many new cylinder heads and manufacturers that have hit the market since this book was published.

As with many of David Vizards books this one exceeded my expectations. It opened new avenues of thought regarding head modifications and then proceeded to explore those avenues thoroughly. Mr. Vizard is one of the few that shares his knowledge in a manner that very few do. To many "experts" under estimate our ability to learn and understand, or else they don't want to go through the bother. Mr. Vizard does so in a very convincing manner. Thanks for all the horsepower, torque, and reliability, David. This book covered porting, hardware, modification in your own shop, and can be utilized to any level you wish. I keep returning to it to advance in my own practice.

This is THE BEST book on cylinder head porting for street and stripe use. David Vizard clearly explains the reasoning behind his recommendations, and has flowbench and dyno data to back it up. The information in this book can be applied to ANY cylinder head, whether looking for that last bit of performance from aftermarket heads or improving OEM cylinder heads.

I have been searching for a book like this for years! It contains everything you need to know to be able to successfully port your own cyclinder heads. David Vizard has done an excellent job of explaining, in a language that most people should be able to understand, the principles of cyclinder head design and how they function. I HIGHLY recommend this book, and all other books David has written (I own all of his books, and not one has disappointed me).

Ernst denBroeder

This book was excellent. I saved several thousand dollars on my purchase of a new car, and had much insight and saved money when I purchased a used car. The Dealer used all of the tactics he mentioned, and instead of dreading going to the dealership, I felt empowered and confident.

This book was excellent. It was very easy to read in a short amount of time. I was able to save over $2000 on the price of the car I purchased, and have saved thousands for friends who bought cars after me. There are many books that have good information about auto sales tactics... but this book is the best... and all for only $4.79! Buy the book... save some money, it's that easy.

I keep this book as a reference in my personal library. The invoice formulas are very helpful.
I walked into the Mercedes-Benz dealership knowing the maximum amount I was going to spend for a C230 Kompressor in July 2000, that's empowerment.
I want to sell this car and get a 2003, E320 or E500. I checked the Kelly's Blue Book and my car's valuation is $1800 higher (before taxes) than what I paid for it 2 years ago! I expect to just about break even when I sell my current car in August.
A negative note: The author is very repetative and (in every chapter) he constantly reminds you that all car salesmen are the lowest form of theives. I can put up with that, though, because the book worked for me. It's better than walking into a showroom naïve and unprepared.

The advice given in this book helped me save thousands on my new car purchase. Dr. Sachs gives readers the inside information to sucessfully navigate the dangerous and stressfull world of car buying. For the first time, I don't feel like I was ripped off by a dealer. Don't buy a car without reading this book.

I purchased a car where the saleman made $4 on the car. I used this same strategy to purchase a used car. About a month after I brought the car, it was totaled. I received about $300 more from the insurance company than I paid for the car! This book is excellent. This is probably the 5th or 6th time I've purchased this book. Everytime I hear someone is buying a car, I have to lend it to them (although I'm obviously not good at following up to get my book back). However, I don't regret one dime I've spent on this book. I'm about to buy it again because I'm getting ready to purchase another car and want to refresh! Take my advice -- DON'T BUY A CAR WITHOUT THIS BOOK.

This is one of the single best repair books ever written. I am a rotten mechanic. This gave me enough confidacne to do some work. Plus, the idiot part gave me a lot of knoweldge that has transfered to differing situations. I read the first edition more than 10 years ago and this is still my favorite. Now I just need one to cover my 83 mustang.

Being a previous VW Bug owner and having gotten the original "VW Idiot's Guide" all greasy and dirty, I love this book. (It was fascinating to learn that Fuji (Subaru) built their motor based on the original Porsche/VW design but added water cooling!).It puts you in touch with your car...gives you confidence that you can become a hobbiest/mechanic... and you can easily figure out what maintenance you can do at home with minimum tools and which maintenance you should let some real mechanic take on. Best of all: Save money! Do maintence yourself! Spot problems before they amount to big money! As they say in the original VW book: "Know your ass....(donkey)" and it will treat you well!

I never really knew a thing about cars, and received this as a gift 8 years ago. Motivated by limited cash and that nagging sense of being taken advantage of at car repair places, I started making my own repairs and doing my own maintenance. My 84 GL is, now, in way better shape than my dogeared, oil-stained copy of this book, and I feel much more in control
Owens rules--the book is exhaustive and methodical and, at the same time, entertaining. The advice is wise (like that of a cool older brother, in one reviewer's words), the directions precise, the illustrations great (especially the one with the dogbone, the pie, and the toilet).
Thanks, Larry & Joe.

I got my Subaru GL used about 3 years ago. It needed a bit of work. After the dealer persuaded my to let him replace all of the gaskets in the engine, I didn't have much money left for any other maintenance. Thankfully, I found How to Keep Your Subaru Alive. Using this great resource as a guide, I've done all kinds of repair and maintenance on my car. Now if only the publisher would update it so I can work on my Dad's '93 Legacy... Oh, well.

Walks you thru repairs every step of the way. The author is very thorough. This book has saved me a lot in repair bills for the 3 Subaru's I've owned. It's common for a dealer to charge $1300 to change the timing belts, I did the job on my car and the belts totaled less than $30.

just got my wife a used air brush. she thinks this book will help her get started on several projects she has planned. she is used to oil painting, and says this looks like fun.
thanks!

I'll start off by saying I keep picking up this book over and over. The Troubleshooting chapter is so detailed. It covers nearly every problem I have ever had with an airbrush. I have other airbrush books and none of them have this much "fix it" info. That one chapter has saved me so much time and stress.
The rest of the book is great also. One of the learning chapters has a really fun exercise that was so easy but gave me really cool results.
The book is very easy to follow and the examples in the book can be applied to almost any airbrush project. She uses a common sense approach that takes away the complications that come up when I'm trying to learn a new technique.
And unlike my other airbrush books, it has lots of photos. The example chapters have many photos that cover each little step.
It also tells how to get great ideas to airbrush.
And I really appricated the way she also tells how to deal with how to not get discouraged when things go wrong. How to deal with the stress that comes from trying to be be artistic.
I have another of JoAnn's books and while I enjoyed that one, I like this one better.
It is also a large book with nearly 200 pages. I feel this book was a great buy.

I've been looking for an informative,complete and properly illustrated book that doesn't make the attempt to go over the heads of any novice, like me, and yet, covers all the neat little tricks that a good teacher of any skill and art combined, can put into a comprehensive book. I never lost interest at all. My attention span is a good way of telling me when a book that I'm reading is worth it's mud at all! I like this author,Ms. JoAnn Bortles puts it all out there in a way that makes it easy to apply to my own techniques as I go through each lesson. I like this book. I think it's the Bomb!! And I would recommend it as a fine gift for a friend or a personal purchase any time.

This would have to be the best book I've read about custom painting and airbrushing on cars/bikes. The book is great for the beginner (like me) who wants to know about airbrushes, suitable paints, and the techniques to start creating a custom paint job.

Very comprehensive. I felt the author was having a personal casual discussion with me about what I wanted to learn instead of just documenting technical information and techniques. Teaching painting techniques in writing must be a tough task, but I think the author did a good job.