Automotive Books

This is one of two books that I owe about Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (the other book is "Confessions of a Rat Fink"). If you love hot rods and "Rat Fink" cartoons, both of these books should be in your collection. If there was a "Hot Rodder Hall of Fame", Big Daddy deserves to be in it. I grew up loving cars and I have several old comic books with cartoons drawn by Big Daddy. In this book, Big Daddy tells some of his secrets about the hot rods he built. Good pictures too.

this book is the bible of custom car fans and wanna be big daddys alik

This man is a cultural icon for the period, and this book allows him to tell his story, with counterpoint from other participants. The photos of the cars are great. This is not an unbiased history, but gives a flavor of the real character of this character. Highly entertaining read for the car nut.

It is the best book for mofifiand the small block and get the most power you can. I am really happy with it.

goes into detail about everything you will need to know to build a big-inch smallblock. Priceless tables and parts selection comparisons down to the actual part number are included. The big-inch theory is well explained. The book is also well written and fun to read. A great book

Part of this book's title, "big-inch, small-block", reminds me of oxymorons like "jumbo shrimp", "pretty ugly", "mandatory option", or "open secret". That put a little smile on my face before I even opened the cover.

Besides his presumed appreciation of the oxymoronic comedian, George Carlin, author, Graham Hansen has been a hard-core Chevy fan all his life and has been building high-performance Chevy engines for more than 25 years. From this book, you'd think his knowledge of Chevy engines is nearly encyclopedic.

How to Build Big-Inch Chevy Small Blocks is just an outstanding book, right there with of some of the best of the automotive, how-to/technical genre. The only thing wrong with it is, in fact, the title. Oh yeah, it covers large displacement Small-Block V8s and does that well, but the book really is a comprehensive discussion of putting together any high-end, street or racing Chevy "SBV8," not just engines 377 cubic inches or larger. The most popular big-inch Small-Block has to be the 383 and that combination is addressed in detail. The author spends time on 406es and the really-big, Small-Block, a 454-cuin. monster which makes over 600-hp.

One of the most powerful parts of How to Build Big-Inch Chevy Small Blocks is at the end. The final chapter, called "Power Packages", is a database of seven different, big-inch SBV8s. Each engine is listed by major parts, engine dyno data (both graphic and numerical) and a brief description of each engine.

Other sections which are worthwhile for anyone building a high-performance Small-Block are Chapters two (on the theory of stroker motors), seven (camshafts) and nine (cylinder heads).

No doubt, Hansen's How to Build Big-Inch Chevy Small Blocks is a top-notch information source and a great read, even for those looking for general performance engine information rather than big-inch SBV8 specifics. It's taken a prominent spot on the book shelf in my shop.

This book was written and drawn by some of the original artists of Ed Roth's studio. It doesn't get any closer than this, great book!

My kids just loved this book. They are both aspiring artists and have done some great work since Christmas!

I bought this book for my husband, after several refferals from other hot rod friends. This book is better than described.

This book makes it easy even if you have no clue about any beetle. Just follow Johns advice and do as he says exactly the way he says it.

I have an older edition of this book; it's easy to read, well illustrated, sometimes amusing and fairly complete. I can't understand why the publisher hasn't kept it in print, they have a new edition of their book for air cooled VW's but most VW's for the past 20 years have been water cooled. I just hope they're working on a new edition.

The beauty of this book is that it includes the amateur auto repairer in the picture. Using this book and with a minimum of assistance from fellow VW enthusiasts I have rebuilt VW engines three times, coming from a background of zero experience. The approach relates very strongly to that of R.M.Pirsig's "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance". Do not be afraid! You too can fix your VW.

I had never rebuilt any engine before tackling my 1954 Ford NAA. This book was invaluable in stepping me through every system - what was important and what was not so critical. Not only does it go through every engine components in detail, it covers the auxilary systems as well such as the fuel and cooling systems. It does more than tell you the "what", it also tells you the "why" as well and is filled with sidebar tips and tricks on how to do it right the first time. Since that engine, I have now rebuilt two Ford 8N engines and am currently working on a 1939 9N - I still pull this book out constantly.

I don't write reviews often - this book is worth getting the word out on. You simply will not be dissapointed acquiring this book for your referernce and will get much more than your monies worth.

Mr. Yost has done a very good job of covering very diverse subject matter. Engine designs are so different in the details that most engine books cover just one model or manufacturer. I found all of the information in the book very interesting and will use most of it between the John Deere I just completed and the Ford I need to do soon.

Between this book and your model-specific service manual, even an inexperienced mechanic should be able to complete a tractor engine.

This book is the essential companion to your tractor manual for rebuilding your tractor engine. Great descriptions, good photos, all the tips and tricks you need to rebuild your engine start to finish. Helpful ideas about when to send parts out for machining or refurbishing. I couldn't have done my engine without this. Highly recommended, best money you will spend.

Very Well Written. Images are very helpful. Step by step rebuild with pictures and every single piece showing what you need to do with what's also of the most importance to seals and etc. I would highly recommend this book to any LT1 or LT4 enthusiast rebuilding a motor.

A good how on the LT1 and LT4 motors. There are a few differences then the standard SBC. plenty of images of the whole rebuild process. Would been better if they were in color.

Not just another small-block chevy rebuild book - Mavrigian really shows the differences of the gen II chevy small block. Good pictures and lots of specifics. Buy it before rebuilding your LT-1 in your 92+ vette, 93+ F-body or B- body.

This is a great book! It even has a section on hood replacement! Great photographs! Wish I had it when I started my rebuild. Combined with the Haynes book, they cover everything you want to know.

If this book had a complete wiring diagram, it would be perfect!

jct

What a great book, it has everything that my husband needs to know to restore his Triumph Tr7

The "wedge" has always been the ugly stepchild of the British Sportcar family -- hence the few available books. Williams' book takes the point of view of restoring and keeping these cars on the road. It's not for the owner seeking concours information but the average owner will find all the right sections on uprating brakes, suspension, engine rebuilds, body shell repair and tuning. Particularly welcome are the chapters on Fuel Injection and the famous popup headlights -- common problem areas with heretofore few repair guides.

Every TR7/8 owner should have this book alongside the standard manuals. Resources recommended by Williams tend to be British and so North American owners will have to rely on the web to find suppliers.

Overall first class and highly recommended.

This book is great. If you have a H3 and love it, you need to read this book.

You will learn things about your H3 that make you just sit in it and go....OOOHHH yea there that is...

It opens a whole new view on how a new auto is made.....

You won't be sorry....

If you own an H3, or are interested in the development of hard-core offroad vehicles, you will like this book. If you don't, then I would pass on this title.

A very well done book. From the concept through assembly at the factory, a very interesting book for those interested in the H3.
Excellent pictures throughout.

Yes a must have book if you follow the Iso Rivolta automobiles. Loads of real info in the years of production of the Iso cars. Covers all models built from the "egg" car to the one off Varedo, and gives a peek at what the Rivolta group is doing with boats,city cars, and the Grifo 90. Just buy it to look at the picutes its full of full color prints and text to make it a can't put down book.

Winston Goodfellow provides a tantilizing, well written story of of a family's quest to build beautiful, fast yet reliable automobiles. More than a dry history of an obscure Italian car manufacturer, this book highlights the great GT cars of the late 1950s and 1960s, in addition to giving a cultural snapshot of Italian design heritage.

This could be one of the best automotive books ever written. Mr. Goodfellow does more than just detail the history of the Iso car company, he tells the stories behind all of the personalities that helped build these amazing machines. This book gives the reader a detailed behind the scenes look at the Italian car industry during some of the most interesting years. Lots of technical information too! Can't wait for his next book on Giotto Bizzarrini.

Mike Clarke

This book is very thorough in detailing the all too short history of the De Soto brand. The text very concisely chronicles the origins and the reason for the ultimate demise of this forgotten marque.
The De Soto proves that sometimes the marketplace is not ready for a product that is 10 to 20 years ahead of it's time; case in point, the Airflow.
The De Soto also proves that sometimes "badge engineering" can diminish a cars identity; witness the fact the the finned De Sotos of the late 1950s looked almost the same as it's corporate cousins Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth, resulting in the marque becoming redundant.
Still, what if Chrysler hadn't discontinued the brand? Imagine De Soto K-cars in the 1980s !! Or a De Soto version of the Plymouth Volare in the 1970s !! That said, maybe it is a good thing the De Soto was euthanized in 1961 !!

NB On a side note, page 117 makes reference to the 1959 Cella 1, a proposed 3/8th scale mock up of a car that would have used fuel cell technology. All the press today about fuel cells being radical new technology are misleading; the concept and technology is decades old.

This is an excellent book. Well worth the money. Fantastic pics, well presented, good quality all around, nice print, well bound....a terrific publication!

Its about time! Finally a comprehensive book on Desoto,Just Desoto.

This is a beautiful book on the history of Desoto even from where the name Desoto came from.Page after page of beautiful photographs through and detailed text make this book one of a kind.If you love Desoto this is the book you have been waiting for.This is THE must have book on Desoto.