Automobiles Books

I have been slowly reading and researching the automobiles this book mentions for the past month. The book is filled with references to never before publicized engine programs.

For example, did you know that Ford made a V12 out of their now legendary 4.6L V8? The car is used in an Austin Martin, Ford is the parent company.
Little details like this will keep popping up as you read this book. You'll never believe which V6 Ford engine was used to make the other V12 detailed in this book.

The book was printed on high quality paper, giving the images of these rare engines an almost artistic quality on the pages inside. The photo of a BMW V12 engine pulling on a dyno with it's turbos giving off a red glow is spectacular!

Ludvigen's book on the V-12 is a well researched but compulsively readable account of the extraordinary and powerful engines with the lavish specification of having twelve cylinders. While giving details of design and development, the author also evokes the mixture of power, refinement and mechanical sophistication offered by these exotic engines from Ferrari, Aston-Martin, Mercedes and BMW while not neglecting the glorious history of the American Packard and Cadillac applications of of the V 12. It is like reading a book describing food where every bite is of gourmet quality, a city where all the streets are clean and beautiful or a dinner where all the guests are witty and candlelight glows off the bare shoulders of lovely, sophisticated women.

A truly excellent work for those enchanted by the fine detail of technology. A myriad of fine drawings and half tones backed up by colour plates of the V12's birth and development through the century. Karl's fluid and emminently readable style maintains interest with pithy anecdotes like Henry Ford's reason for sticking with 4 cylinders rather than 6: "A car should have no more cylinders than a cow has teats". From 1.5 litres to 27 litres the V12 story is always absorbing.

Finally, a book that lives up to it's advertising. Every page is interesting in this voluminous 600 page masterwork. No long boring company histories and endless pictures of people here. Ludvigsen stays on subject with clear modern pictures and expert analysis from makers and users of such engines. There is not one weak point in the whole thing, I feel I got much more than I paid for with this great book.

The author is British plain and simple, and it show with whimsical sayings like 'monkey motion' and the like. Outstanding historical documentation, but the author overwhelms with minutiae like bore and stroke for every engine, and which cylinder bank is staggered forward.
Also the author completely disregards the 180 degree V-12s (not boxing, boxing has 180 Vee angle with a 180 degree split crank journal) and spends too much time on VV12s (three banks of four cylinders).
There are some errors in the coverage of modern engines, notably VW VR6 and W12 information. and the author fails to explain the inherrent balance of an inline six, and how any vee angle V12 is balanced, but not necessarily even firing.
A good value, and the color photos are icing on the cake.

I read the book since I had interest in a sports car. As soon as I put it down, I had the Viper Fever. I bought one the next day. Great book with some good background and pictures.

it's dang good the venom gos 0-60 in 2.4 sec and 0-100 in 5.5sec and 0-100-0 in 9.4 sec that is bad i think how about you.

This Viper book is so beautiful, and great i get to read it again. cool..

I read this book in one evening and then read it again with my kids. Great reference and historical details. If you do not own the car it makes you want to go and get one.

I bought this book in the summer of 1998, I then took it home, and read it myself. I liked how it explained the creation of the Viper. It even introduced various Prototypes, and concepts that Chrysler has made. I especially liked the section about the VIPER television series. This was a great book about the greatest car in the universe, the Dodge Viper!

"On June 9, 1909, Alice Ramsey drove out of New York City and into a grand adventure. Alice Ramsey wanted to be the first woman to drive across America. Alice's friend, Hermine, and her sisters-in-law, Nettie and Margaret, traveled with her..." So begins Don Brown's marvelous story of a little known young woman and her dream. Mr Brown's engaging and informative text, told in an easy to read conversational style, is filled with enlightening details about how the trip progressed over its 59 day period. Pigs clogged the road in Illinois, and railroad tracks slowed them down in Chicago and "...the car bounced over mile after mile of rail until the women were dizzy." Dirt roads became muddy and impassable when it rained, and as they traveled further west, there were no roads at all. "Alice followed telephone lines, hoping the wires would lead her to the next town. It wasn't always successful-sometimes it left them even more lost." And there were many mishaps and breakdowns along the way. But as she crested the Sierra Mountains, Alice knew she was now in California and close to her goal. "Alice guided the Maxwell onto a ferry that carried them to San Fransisco. When she rolled off the ferry behind the wheel of her Maxwell, Alice Ramsey became the first woman to have driven across America! It was August 7, 1909, Fifty-nine days had passed since Alice left New York City." Charming watercolor illustrations add just the right touch, and highlight the important events of the story. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure is an inspiring tale, told by a gifted storyteller, that is sure to whet the appetite of adventurous readers and send them out looking for more.

A wonderful introduction to the conditions of the roads for the early travelers by car in America. Because of their determination, our roads were improved and the automobile industry flurished. A great way to make children and adults aware of the history of the early automobiles and how people like Alice Ramsey believed in them. The geography lessons lend themselves to great mapping activities.

Alice Ramsey of Hackensack, New Jersey was twenty-two years old in June of Nineteen Nine, when she started out on her trip driving trip across America with her two sisters-in-law and her friend Hermine as passengers. Narrow roads, dirt roads and roads that were barely there at all challenged them, as did mud, rivers and mountains. And when the car broke Alice was the one who had to get it working again. One has to remember that though this trip was a bit less than a century ago, this was an amazing feet. Women didn't have the vote, were considered much to gentle for such a task and many didn't think Alice would come through, but come through she did, making the trip in fifty-nine days.

This is a super book with out of sight illustrations by Mr. Brown. My young son loves the pictures and when he's old enough to really understand the story, he's going to love Alice Ramsey as we read along about her grand adventure. Three thumbs up at my house. One from young Devon, One from Mommy Sara and one from me.

Jack Priest, Dad in Training

Luminous watercolors and a straightforward writing style serve to enchant the reader without over-romanticizing a true story. I look forward to more by this author.

No doubt young readers will be struck by the idea that on June 9, 1909 a twenty-two-year-old woman named Alice Ramsey made a name for herself by becoming the first woman to drive across America in an automobile. After all, the thought that this achievement would be a big deal should strike this as being somewhat odd. But one of the things that "Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure" does is remind its readers what life was like at the turn of the last century, especially if you happened to be a woman (after all, women could not yet vote in the United States).

Told and illustrated with watercolor paintings by Don Brown, "Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure" makes it clear why this fifty-nine day trip, which began on June 9, 1909, was something akin to something done by pioneers the century before. After all, Alice did this trip traveling with her friend and her sisters-in-law, and the only one who knew anything about automobiles was Alice. The car was a Maxwell touring car, which had a top speed of 42 miles per hour and where you had to light the headlamps with a match. To make things even more interesting there were no road signs, many roads were for horses rather than automobiles, and the only guidebook that existed for motorists only covered the eastern part of the country.

What is fascinating here are the details, the problems both big and small, that Alice Ramsey faced while driving across the country in her Maxwell. After all, this trip took place less than a century ago, which makes "Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure" a great example of those tales about the Olden Days when you can really tell how different things were way back then. If young readers were to think about what they could do today that would be in the same spirit, if not the same scale, as what Alice Ramsey did, it would be interesting to see what they might come up with to rival this road trip.

Here is the situation, you want to do some exploring and follow a certain dirt track and need to know the condition of it, length, and what you can expect for scenery, also, can your pick-up right from the factory handle the trail?

You swing into the "Poison Raven" shop and ask the senior manager, you have socks older than this kid but it's this or nothing, and you ask for info; Is the scenery worth it? " Yaahh, its awesome back there, Rad."
IS the trail passable , are there washes with mud or water in them, can a stock short bed make the trail, is there alot of scramble, boulder moving, or is it a trail an 'old man' of 40 can handle in an Escalade?

The answers are " Yaahh, its Rad. most is lame, but some is gnarly, no prob in your hummer dude, rock on and git er dun"

When you leave the manager turns to an employee and says, " Oh, Wait, was that old dude talking about the Yellow Cat or Hell's Backbone?...oh, dude, I screwed that up big time..." and they laugh and you end up screwed...big time..

Instead of that scenario buy this book and stop only for gas, water and a shovel, and "git er dun" on your own.

Even if you only have a stock SUV you will love this book, it will open up more areas to you than you will believe, even in places you think you already know.

Having explored canyon country in Utah for many years we bought this book and then went out and followed every track we always had wondered about.

It is not perfect in every way, but it gives you a great idea of what to expect, take the time to read the entire route description and then go out and follow one and see how things line up.This will also get you in line with how the authors are thinking and writing, understanding that things here change day by day, and year to year, but a trail that is a Difficulty 2 or 3 won't become a 6 and a scenery rating of a 10 doesn't become a 4 either.
Keep in mind this guide can not tell you it rained like hell yesterday and the washes are a foot of mud, or that there is bad trail damage from the ijits that went through ahead of you and tore hell outta the crossings and kept on going.
But , that said, it will tell you how long you will be in a wash, how many washes there are to cross, how many rivers or creeks, and gives a rough idea of the scenery you can expect and most importantly to us, the difficulty of the trail.

At 4 times the going price I'd still buy these gudies, they are a fantastic shortcut to exploring, and also takes the worry out of wondering where a track ends up, and if it does connect to another track how bad is that one?

Bottom line also-- this is NOT the beaches on D-Day----you don't HAVE to keep going, we can go back and call it a day.

Many of the trails that we decided from their rating were too much for our truck or suv we planned on hiking on foot, or mtn bike, without the guide we probably wouldn't have ever turned off onto these trails to begin with. Worth every penny and then some.

If you like to travel the back roads this is the book for you. It has excellent information, along with maps, GPS and history. Well worth the money.

I've got a lot of Utah guides but this one is the best by far. Very good maps at different scales. Trail diagrams with loads of point of interest. Detailed trail logs with turn by turn directions, scenic ratings, difficulty ratings. A great historical section about the people and places of Utah. This one has it all. We leave in one week!!

I have found this title to be very interesting, and very informative at the same time. It provides a great deal of background information and historical facts for each of the trails it details. The book also provides some historical and other information on the state of Utah, including info on the types of wildlife and plantlife that can be found in the different climate of Utah.

It includes many trails, all over the state. As the title suggests, mosts of the trails are ones that give you an alternate route, or backcountry route, to or through a city/town. The only reason that I didn't give it five stars is that I would like to see some more maps of the smaller, shorter off road trails in Utah.

Overall, this is an excellent resource to have, and I have found it very enjoyable. There are great trails and wonderful details in the book. I would say it is worth the buy.

Backcountry Adventures are the best guides of their kind out there. Odometer references, descriptive text, and (especially) GPS coordinates make these easy and foolproof to use. The map and index for the respective areas, Southeast, Central, etc., make planning your route easy as the different routes are color coded with their page numbers referenced. Good sampling of human interest content also, giving some history, flora and fauna, and geology information.

My only criticism is that these guides should be spiral bound, and pages removable. This would allow the book to lie flat and pages and/or sections could be removed to make it more concise for use on a motorcycle or bicycle. These guides are the size of a mid sized phone book and are too big and heavy for anything but automotive use.

Could have used a more photo reference, a more detailed breakdown of each year and model pictorially. However, there are a lot of photos. I have become used to the DK method of presenting information. This book could have benefitted from more design and organization. The text does a good job of conveying this info, and it certainly does seem to be the most in-depth of books on Camaros.

This is a Great Book!! My husband is a Muscle Car Man and one of his Favorites is the Camaro. Got this as a gift for my Hubby and what an addition to his Muscle Car books and magazines... like a ride down memory lane when Muscle Cars ruled the roads... great Articles and Photos!!

If You liked the Muscle Car Years, and have a soft spot for the Camaro this is the Book for You... Looks GREAT on the coffee table!!

It's very beautiful. It was a gift for my brother and he said it was the best Camero book he's ever gotten. Thanks

Excellent book with a vast plethora of knowledge discussing the birth and life of the Camaro as well as General Motors' plans for the future Camaro. A must have for any Camaro fan!!!

This is a Christmas book for my son and I am very impressed with the contents. The pictures pop off the page and the data about each car is right on. I know he'll love it.

Good "Flashy" Nice Leatherbound book with a Actual if not replica I assume Corvette C-6 Emblem that you can feel. Very Elegant first of its kind that I have seen done for Corvette. Nice pictures. Some already seen Before. Others I have not. Example Astro Corvette/Concepts, Etc. Huge book. weighs, couple Big Two Page Spreads. Book Retails for $ 75. I was lucky enough to get this baby for $12 +s/h shipped through a seller here, Despite it taking 3 weeks.
Thank God It came in Great Condition I struck it out!. Book has tons of pages, only other that I know has a couple more as of now is The Complete Corvette Every Model Since 1953 by Mike Mueller. This book Is done by Jerry Burton, America's Sports Car, Yesterday, Today,Tomorrow. BY HLLA and mbi. Get it.
Its worth it.

My husband read this book cover to cover. Contains many nice photos and is one of the most complete books out there.

This book is a great book for anyone that is a car lover or corvette lover. I bought this book for my boyfriend who owns a corvette and he absoulty loves the book. It is well done and well put together. The cover is neat with the corvette emblem on it and the leather is nice also. Defintly another book I will buy in the future for anyone of my friends.

Just seeing the cover is...ahem...enough to get your engine running!! We bought this book for my brother for his 50th birthday. He taught his kids the Corvette Pledge of Allegiance when they were little, so you have some idea of how much he loves them. He said this book is really cool--and has a LOT of very good photography. A fitting tribute to a devotee!

In Corvette: America's Sports Car-Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, Jerry Burton shares the comprehensive story of Chevrolet's longest running model and one of America's all time favorite sports cars. First produced in 1953, this car - as Burton so aptly describes - became a pop culture symbol for freedom, excitement and fun.

I applaud the detailed information listed in the book, especially the interviews with the original Corvette designers who fought hard to produce this car. For the "vette-heads," there is plenty of technical information about the nuts and bolts of the Corvette. For other readers, Burton tells the compelling story of the Corvette as a powerful vehicle with a history woven into that of our country.

I also appreciated the chance to see such a wide variety of quality Chevrolet Corvette photos, most in full color.

Finally, I enjoyed the creative ways in which Burton labeled the eras of the Chevrolet Corvette: the curvaceous years; the sting ray years; the shark era; the triumph of technology; the bold new architecture; and supercar status.

Most people see Ed as an icon, which he was/is, few knew the man. I was very fortunate to have met him when in HS, and almost 40 yrs later 800mi away in another state. He was a talented man, a gifted artist, a somewhat insecure businesman, but a man with a soul. Find what you want to find, Ed Roth was a complex individual; should be more of them.

Bought this as a gift and he loved it. A great collection of info and photos on the one and only Big Daddy. Great shots of him througout his life and career, up and down, (my favorite shot was of him sleeping on the side of the road beside his car on his way to a show). Lots of photos of his wild cars. Great book for all his fans.

This is a great book, a must have for Big Daddy fans and hot rodders alike. A great compainion to "Rat Fink: The Art of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. I love the hard cover because I hope to have this book to show my kids someday. Ed Roth lives forever through his fans.

For me, a guy, who lived and breathed the hot rod, surf and music scene of the 60's, this book brings back a necessary component of the time. Relive and remember the essence of the time through Ed Roth who's artwork and cars seemed to be on the tip of everyone's tongue. We all knew the "Rat Fink" and we all knew "Big Daddy". Now he lives forever in this definitive work.

This book is a great collection with everything that you want to see and know about the "Big Daddy".
I bought one for a friend and I'll buy for me too.

Being a woman, I realize that I'm already at a disadvantage when it comes to buying a car. Not that I'm a woman, but that the approach car dealers use towards women and their attitudes towards women are so uncalled for, so disrespectful and so not acceptable. They assume just because I'm a woman that I don't know what I'm doing or that I need the help of a man to buy a car.

Well, thanks to Pique Lyle and her most incredible and informative book, I learned so much about every aspect of buying, leasing, and financing a car. I was able to walk into the dealership showroom and buy my new car with all the dignity and confidense in the world, and tons of amunition to negotiate the best deal ever. Her book was also extremely funny and so easily read and understood... I would recommend this book to everyone who's in the market for a new automobile, male or female.

Thanks again Pique for the best book I've ever bought. I literally saved thousands, thanks to you...

I loved this book! I was very concerned about buying a car. Now I am well informed and prepared to stand my ground. Many of the key points have been mentioned by other auto experts. I do not feel so vulnerable now when I walk into the showroom. This book is must for anyone thinking about a car purchase. I am so glad it has become part of my auto purchasing research library. I now see all the things I did incorrectly last summer when I first glaced at some models. I also laugh about the crap that the saleperson said to me and the stupid questions he asked. I won't be visiting that dealership again. I'll drive by in my pre-owned Grand Am (baby #2 :)) and wave and I will laugh and thank Pique again.

When someone reccomended the book to me , I thought it would probably not be of any help considering I've purchsed several cars and thought I pretty much thought I had the idea of the whole thing....But Pique's book opens new ideas that I had never even thought of as being a rip off ...the book is definitley worth buying , considering you will learn soo many new things in a clear , light hearted manner ! A car buyer must!

This is one of the most useful "How To" books I've read. As a Certified Financial Planner I am called upon by clients all the time for advice on buying or leasing vehicles. I now either recommend PKs book or loan them my copy. For those of you who are frightened of doing the math that buying a car requires, don't be. PK walks you through clear, easy to follow examples of how to figure out what to offer and how to go about it. And, this is a just plain fun book to read.

I was in the market for a new vehicle, and even being a guy, I was not 100% sure of what I was going up against with the car dealers. Ms. Lyle's book is informative, entertaining and a MUST read for anyone who is considering buying or leasing a vehicle. I purchased the book, read it completely a few times, and went to the dealership and saved almost $3000! Buy this book!

This book is a great read. Full of suspense and action. A great way to put the kids to bed at night - read a chapter just before bed (just like the author did with his children). Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I was so engrossed and captivated I had to read it in one sitting. It was exciting and fun, without ever becoming dark. I can't wait for the sequal.

I read this book one chapter at a time over successive nights to my four boys, and they loved it! From John's amazing gadget-equipped race car to the cast of villains and aliens, the author's wonderful imagination was evident. Since each chapter ended with a cliff hanger, my boys could barely wait for the next night's installment. They sat enthralled at each reading. Overall it was an exciting, imaginative and engaging story that seemed tailor made for young boys. Well done!

A very well thought out, exciting, adventurous story that is fun to read to young children. You get to make a lot of car noises too!!!

I bought this book for my nephew, who is 8 yrs old, and I believe that kids of all ages will want to find out more about John Fastramp and the Dakota 3000 Challenge. I don't think that the book will stay on the shelves once kids found out how good it is!

For all Formula 1 fans out there! This book is a must read for those who admire the Formula 1 and the brilliant genius of Colin Chapman. Great pictures and a brief explanation of the history of each car.

Thats a marvelous book from William Taylor. No, it's not a book, it's the Encyclopaedia Britannica about Lotus cars an their creator Colin Chapman. Unfortunately, the publishing house has spared the slipcase in which the early editions came.

Rolf Homann

The definitive book about the Lotus sport car maker through all its production. Beautiful photos and exhaustive text.

As a Lotus employee during their glory years, 1960-1965, I enjoyed seeing the cars displayed in the book as I saw them produced and watched their successes.
The way the book was compiled and presented would be a must own for any enthusiast of the Lotus Marque. The photographs are excellent, as well as the text, which starts from the very beginning of Lotus history to the present day.
I am more then satisfied with this representation of Lotus Cars
contribution to the automotive world.

Derek Powell

If you either own a Lotus or are contemplating purchasing a Lotus of any age, this is an outstanding book to purchase. It will help you understand the evolution of the marque and your particular automobile. I've read it twice from cover to cover and learned something new each time. A great complement to other model specific series (Elan, Elise, Elite, Europa). It is worth every penny of the price.