Automobile Quarterly, Volume 11, Number 1

Automobile Quarterly Volume 11, Number 1 edited by Don Vorderman
published 1973 by Automobile Quarterly
112 pages, hardcover

Library of Congress number: 62-4005

Acquired in a lot of 20 issues of AQ.

When I acquired the lot of Automobile Quarterly issues, I decided I’d read them chronologically. As long-time readers know, I got my first issue of AQ a number of years ago, and I have a few special issues and books published by AQ, but it was only recently that I added more regular issues, some which were consecutive. I wanted to see if, like standard magazines, there were any columns or articles that appeared regularly. For example, in AQ VII:I, there was a motorsport review, while in AQ X:IV, there was a notes and corrections page. In Automobile Quarterly, Volume 11, Number 1, it seems there’s no trace of anything like this.

I’ve written that I really have enjoyed everything I’ve read from AQ. It was a high quality publication, with good photography and well-written, well-researched articles. Books such as Buick: A Complete History are very thorough. But with AQ XI:I, I find maybe not every issue hits me the same way. That’s not to say AQ XI:I wasn’t of the same quality as other editions, but I wasn’t as taken with this issue.

First off, as may be guessed by my lapse between posts, I’ve simply not had time to read and blog. But, I found I wasn’t thrilled with the content, which made it difficult to push through this edition. Now those points say more about me than the book, but it’s fair to say this edition wasn’t really compelling me to make time to read, either.

The first article focused on the 1972 BMW Turbo concept, a gull-wing mid-engine design by Paul Bracq. This short article was a good start. It did interest me, as I immediately recognized the concept as the design inspiration for the 1978 BMW M1 sports car as well as the BMW 8-series coupes of the 1990s. The M1 was actually refined by Giugiaro, and was one of the early supercars I became familiar with as a kid. I always found these to be interesting, distinct from the typical BMW styling and very in keeping with the wave of 1970s ‘wedge’ sports cars. Only 2 of the Turbo concepts were made, conceived initially as a safety car. Very interesting to see the Turbo and realize it’s role in BMW development.

Next up were 4 closely-related articles that explored the Frazer Nash. Not to be confused with either of American carmakers Kaiser-Frazer or Nash, Brit Archibald Frazer-Nash had been manufacturing Godfrey-Nash cycle cars with partner HR Godfrey before going it alone in 1924. The Frazer Nash cars produced pre-World War II were chain-driven sports cars, produced in small numbers, approximately 350 between 1924 and 1939. A change in company ownership and a partnership with BMW eventually produced another 80 or so cars that were based closely on the BMW 328. The company eventually merged into Bristol Aeroplane Company.

Now, as I’ve experienced, some AQ articles are difficult reads when one is unfamiliar with the subject. To me, there’s just so much information, much of it quite detailed and sort of assumes the reader is acquainted with the subject. I this case there was just a lot of tech info, racing results and corporate notes it’s a lot to process. The 2 ‘driving impressions’ articles, one for a chain driven car and one for a later BMW-based LeMans Replica were great.

An article on Mazda’s refinement of the Wankel rotary engine and what Mazda was importing to North America was a little dry. Written in the early 1970s, there are a couple of attempts to emphasize the ‘oriental’ angle, which would likely have been seen as humour but today are pretty clunky and dated. It was an informative article that gave a good history of Mazda and the Wankel engine. Of course, as this was 1973, it’s an early history.

I enjoyed the profile on racing legend Tazio Nuvolari. As with the story I’d read on Rudi Caracciola, I found myself drawn to this early racing star. Weirdly, though I don’t know much about early racing, I find the stories of these drivers compelling. So many fantastic drivers have passed through history, I mean we talk about Verstappen, Hamilton, Senna, Earnhardt, Fittipaldi, Andretti, Foyt, Fangio, Hill, that the pioneers like Nuvolari are almost never mentioned. It’s wonderful to read his story.

Finally, I got a look at the Peerless story. I’d already learned a great deal on Packard and Pierce-Arrow, so it was great to finally educate myself on the third of ‘the Three Ps’ of American luxury autos. I found it a much easier story to follow that the Frazer Nash article, perhaps because it focused less on racing and more on vehicle development and company history. The reproduced vintage ads for Peerless are really great. There’s a short overview of the 1931 Peerless V16 prototype, which looks like a stunning automobile, and a short article does touch in Peerless’ racing history.

There is a 2 page advertisement for AQ’s books, which as it turns out, I own 2 of the 6 featured, and finally a notes page that really just contains photo credits and thanks.

All in all, this particular issue of AQ didn’t grab hold of my interest as others have, although it had to compete with numerous distractions. I do give credit to this issue for covering what I’d consider less mainstream subjects. In the 2020s, I really don’t see many references to Frazer Nash, and Peerless cars are quite rare. Mazda only recently announced they’d produce rotary engines again after a 10-year hiatus in their passenger cars. For that, I maintain AQ serves well as a great resource that does well to illuminate parts of automotive history that may be in danger of fading from view.

Pros: the usual high quality AQ production, great period photos

Cons: can be difficult to push through articles one is unfamiliar with due to the intense detail level

Where to find it: used bookstores, private collections

Billy, Alfred, and General Motors: the story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in American history

Billy, Alfred, and General Motors: the story of two unique men, a legendary company, and a remarkable time in American history by William Pelfrey
Published 2006 by AMACOM
315pp., softcover

ISBN: 0-8144-3387-1

Purchased new from Amazon.

If you are familiar with the history of General Motors, or some of the books I’ve reviewed here, you’ll already know who Billy and Alfred are and what they meant to GM. William Crapo Durant and Alfred P. Sloan Jr. represent the first 50 or so years of leadership at what became an American manufacturing behemoth and worldwide leader in automobile production.

Now, from my perspective, I was a little disappointed in this book. That’s because I’ve read a few books that told Billy Durant’s story in detail, as well as the origins General Motors. They also detailed the circumstances of Billy’s ouster not once but twice from his position atop GM’s management. What I had hoped for was more information on Alfred Sloan, who oversaw GM’s ascension to become not only the most powerful auto company but one of the most powerful companies in the world, period.

To cut to the chase, my feeling is that author William Pelfrey covers a lot of ground up to 1920, when Billy Durant leaves GM for the final time, but then sort of zips on through the next 30+ years, which are when Sloan controlled GM. It’s not that anything is incorrect, or even that it’s weighted any sort of way, but frankly, the title led me to think there might be more balance.

It’s a well-written book. The history is very interesting. Maybe the author felt he needed to tell Billy’s story, as Billy never finished his memoir, while Sloan actually published his story in Adventures of a White Collar Man, and his book My Years with General Motors outlines his management philosophies (I’ve not read either book yet).

Like other recent books reviewed, this covers quite a lot of biographical information in addition to the corporate history. Again, much of it follows Billy Durant. Obviously, Alfred Sloan’s biography is also included. The details of their business lives leading up to 1920 is covered: Durant’s carriage business, his acquisition of Buick, his vision to create General Motors; and Sloan’s great success at Hyatt Roller Bearings which became a major supplier to GM and Ford in the early days of automobiles.

Additionally, a number of contemporaries are included: Ransom Olds, Henry Leland, Charles Nash, Henry Ford. The stories of these men and their contributions to the ascension of the automobile provide context to the industry’s early days. Certainly, Olds (founder of Olds Motor Works) and Leland (who transformed Cadillac) are very important figures, as Durant would acquire and integrate their companies into GM. And Ford of course developed the Model T which hit the market the same year GM was formed.

It all makes for good reading, and Pelfrey actually writes in such a way that it’s quite easy to make sense of so many things happening. Pelfrey also does a nice job contrasting the management styles of the main characters. Or rather, the contrast of Billy the frenetic wizard of acquisitions to Alfred, the measured man who developed a management system countless subsequent businesses have emulated. While the point is well-made, here’s the thing… the author wraps Durant’s exit from GM in 1920 on page 236. The period from 1921 to 1956 (Sloan’s retirement from GM) is given all of 43 pages. Consider that Sloan effectively reorganized the whole corporation, was able to get Chevrolet to surpass Ford in sales, essentially created the concepts of automotive styling departments and planned obsolescence, and presided over one of the world’s largest entities for over 35 years, it should merit more than 40-odd pages. It’s disappointing, as GM really became ‘GM’ in that era under Sloan, yet it’s almost a footnote compared to what’s written about the Durant years.

The bottom line is that this was a good little refresher for me, reacquainting myself with Durant and his creation of GM. I did learn something more about Sloan, who I really hadn’t read as much about. I will be on the lookout for more about him and how he transformed business. Given the title, I hope for a better balance, but that’s on me having an expectation. Bottom line, it’s a good read for those interested in knowing the origins of GM.

Pros: another good history on the origins of GM and Billy Durant
Cons: I felt it was weighted too much to Durant and not enough to Sloan
Where to get it: Amazon

You might also enjoy…
Ford: The Men and the Machine
Driving Force: The McLaughlin Family and the Age of the Car
The Buick: A Complete History

The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953

The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953 by Mike Mueller
Published 2011 by Motorbooks
368pp., flexibound

ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-2673-2
ISBN-10: 0-7603-2673-8

Purchased new from a major book retailer store liquidation.

The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953 is one of those books that, well, in most ways I’ve covered already. I am not sure ‘The Complete Book of…’ is an official series, but I reviewed The Complete Book of Classic Dodge and Plymouth Muscle: Every Model from 1960 to 1974 some time ago. That was a flexibound book and laid out similarly to this one. It was also written by Mike Mueller. Futher, Mueller’s photography appeared in another book I reviewed, Chevy Classics 1955 1956 1957. I’ve also reviewed a couple of books about the Corvette. So, these previous books all cover the subject matter, format and author. But is there anything to be gained with this book?

I’ll start by saying I’m a fan of these ‘Complete Book of’ editions. I find the layout to be very appealing, easy to follow, and there’s a lot of great information. It’s not hardcore, in-depth and technical, but it isn’t superficial either.

The book opens with acknowledgements and a short introduction. The rest is sectioned by Corvette generation – known nowadays by their designations: C1 (1953-62), C2 (1963-67), C3 (1968-82), C4 (1984-96), C5 (1997-2004) and C6 (in this case, 2005-11, though that generation continued until the 2013 model year). An exception is a specific section dedicated to the 1990-95 ZR-1 model. Other special cars, such as purpose-built racers and prototypes are included in its generation.

Each section gets an overview of about 4 pages, and then each model year is described with anywhere from 2-6 pages. Those descriptions detail many year-to-year changes – or not, in the case of some years when very little changed. For example, the C2 section contains a photo for each year of the gas cap, which I didn’t realize differs for each model year. The years in the C3 section describe how popular options were continuously added to the base package, which explains how the cost of a Corvette exploded in the late 1970s (from $6000 in 1974 to over $10k by 1979). The years detailing C6 actually note that the car carried over for the most part, with ‘new features’ sometimes limited just to new paint colours or special editions. Each model year gets an info capsule containing technical specs – body style availability, dimensions and weights, suspension type, base and optional engines and transmissions.

Now the truth is this is not a text-heavy book. There are many excellent photographs. There are a large number of official General Motors images, including many of the aforementioned prototypes and race cars. But author Mueller is an accomplished photographer himself, and his photos help illustrate points in the text (such as those 1-year-only gas caps from 1963-67). The number and quality of the photos, along with decent captions, makes it really easy to see how the models differed year over year.

This book does a very credible job touching on many facets of Corvette history. Aside from the specifics for each model year, Mueller does give background on some stories that will be familiar to Corvette lovers: Zora Duntov’s push to explore mid-engine layouts; Bill Mitchell’s influence over styling; the repeated delays in introductions of ‘all-new’ generations, and so on. Again, most of the book focuses on displaying the cars, but there are some very good passages about new, innovative systems that appeared as options, or say how important it was for Corvette engineers to maintain the 5.7l/350 cubic inch dimension in developing the second generation Chevy small-block.

As always, books such as this become obsolete as soon as the newest model is introduced. My ‘revised & updated’ version concludes with the 2011 model, part of the C6 generation. Amazon currently carries a more up-to-date edition published in 2020, as the C8 mid-engine car was introduced. At only 320 pages, that edition would seem to have lost some content through editing.

This is the fourth Corvette-specific book I’ve reviewed. Certainly, there’s redundancy across the 4 books, but truthfully, I think each presents the history of America’s sports car in a different way. The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953 isn’t the detailed narrative Corvette 60th Anniversary is. It does not go nearly as far in-depth into the engineering and technical information found there. And, it’s not a detailed compilation of each esoteric option and production number like The Genuine Corvette Black Book 1953-1996. That said, there is a list of options and suggested pricing found at the end of this book, and it is borrowed straight out of The Corvette Black Book. Finally, it’s an overview of all Corvettes, not specific notable cars such as Legendary Corvettes: ‘Vettes Made Famous on Track and Screen was. The value of The Complete Book of Corvette: Every Model Since 1953 is that it presents a very readable and visually accessible history of America’s sportscar that will appeal to the auto enthusiast.

Pros: great photography; good balance presenting the various aspects of Corvette development, technical info and styling
Cons: this particular version is quite dated, considering it does not cover the latest 2 Corvette generations
Where to find it: a more updated version is available in all the usual outlets, new books stores, Amazon, etc.

You might also enjoy…
Corvette 60th Anniversary
The Genuine Corvette Black Book 1953-1996
Legendary Corvettes: ‘Vettes Made Famous on Track and Screen

Automobile Quarterly, Volume 10, Number 4

Automobile Quarterly Volume 10, Number 4 edited by Don Vorderman
published 1972 by Automobile Quarterly
112 pages, hardcover

Library of Congress number: 62-4005

Acquired in a lot of 20 issues of AQ.

I was really taken with Automobile Quarterly Volume 7, Number 1 (VII:I), as I have been with all the AQ publications I’ve read. I have been on the lookout for other editions of the main series, and this past summer a friend managed to procure 20 assorted issues for the grand sum of $50. The oldest among these is Automobile Quarterly Volume 10 Number 4 (X:IV) which did not disappoint.

Generally speaking, AQ X:IV is similar to AQ VII:I. There are a small number of long form articles, some related to each other, and really no advertising to speak of. This seems to be AQ’s typical layout for each issue. It’s a main factor in why I enjoy this magazine. You got fully 100+ pages of content, many full page and full spread photos, and the article lengths allowed for fairly in-depth writing.

This issue’s cover story was described as “a new kind of article… to tell you what we believe you really want to know about domestic cars… whether the cars are good or not… ninety of them… while they’re still new.” AQ offered up capsule reviews of the new-for-1973s, and overall, the news wasn’t great. Major complaints centred on poor handling, inadequate braking, wheezy base engines, and in some cases, there was a question as to why the model even existed. Cars making the cut as recommended: AMC’s Hornet hatchbacks and Sportabout, AMX and Matador; Plymouth’s Road Runner and Cricket wagon; Dodge’s Charger; Chrysler’s Newport; Ford’s Gran Torino Sport, Maverick (with Luxury Decor) and Pinto (with 2000cc engine and handling package); Mercury’s Cougar XR7 and Capri 2600; Chevy’s Impala, Nova SS hatch, Camaro LT and Blazer; Olds’ 98 Regency; Buick Electra 225 Limited, Riviera, Century Luxus sedan and wagon; Opel Manta; Pontiac’s Bonneville, Grand Am, Ventura hatch and Firebird Formula 400; and Cadillac’s Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham. Least expensive car listed? Plymouth Cricket Tiger at $2017. Most expensive? DeTomaso Pantera at $9995. Frankly, I’m not sure either the Pantera or the Cricket would be among the first ‘American’ cars one would think of.

Next was a somewhat sentimental feature on the Model T Ford, and frankly a fairly soft and nostalgic treatment of Henry Ford himself. Of course, I recently reviewed a lengthy volume on Ford and the Ford family, so this was familiar territory. This article did contain more information about the Model T itself, and attempted to relate why the T was such a beloved car. Included are over 20 wonderful photos of Ts up to 1926. Perhaps the article was not as focused on the car as I’d have liked.However, as I know someone who owns a T, I am always interested to read anything I can about them.

Next up, a very good article detailing the Knight sleeve-valve engine design. Designed by Charles Yale Knight, it used sleeves inside the cylinders to regulate intake and exhaust. Knight’s design incorporated a double sleeve in the cylinder (others used single sleeves) and had the advantage of quiet operation over early poppet valved engines. Interestingly, as the article states, most sleeve-valved engines were produced in the US, but they were most commercially successful in the UK, and ultimately their development most advanced by French manufacturers. Daimler, Minerva and Willys were among a number of manufacturers who employed the Knight-type design. These engines faded by 1940, in part because the design added significant weight over poppet valves, and as side and overhead valves were refined for noise reduction. These kinds of articles interest me in that they provide insights into automotive technologies that have faded and are not easily found any longer.

Finally there is a very nostalgic look back at the Irish Tourist Trophy races which emerged in 1928. Familiar to me were names such as Caracciola and Nuvolari, but this article covered a number of what were extremely popular events in Ireland. The period photos are great and the writing conveyed a sense of the excitement and danger connected to road racing during that period. Apparently, the TT races were quite enjoyed by the people of Ireland, even as many of them had never even been in an automobile themselves. This article was followed by a number of sketches from John Hanna depicting a variety of TT winning race cars, and next a driving impression of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Mercedes SS from the 1930 Tourist Trophy race.

The issue wraps with a single advertisement for posters and a calendar available to subscribers, followed by a notes and photo credits page, which actually also contains a number of corrections to previous articles.

So again, I express my admiration for AQ. True, the Ford Model T article was redundant to my recent reading. And, yes, by coincidence both issues I’ve reviewed containing driving impressions of 1920s/30s Mercedes SS cars. But the breadth of the subjects covered, the ability to use 10 or more pages on those subjects, and the support of many great photos and diagrams make these magazines a joy to read.

Pros: presents a wide variety of subjects, some which are not to be found in most current magazines.

Cons: some subjects may have too much a sentimental slant to them

Where to find it: in this case, the 20 AQ issues were found in a thrift store

You might also enjoy…
The Buick: A Complete History
1973 Cuda
Oldsmobile: The First Seventy-Five Years

Speed: Stories of Survival from Behind the Wheel

Speed: Stories of Survival from Behind the Wheel edited by Nate Hardcastle
Published 2002 by Thunder’s Mouth Press
336pp., trade paperback

ISBN: 1-56025-391-6

Acquired from a private seller.

Speed: Stories of Survival from Behind the Wheel is a recent acquisition (along with Start Your Engines: Famous Firsts in the History of NASCAR) that I found in a small lot of sports books. Speed is part of what’s called the Adrenaline Books series. These books bill themselves as containing the best of adventure writing, so I hoped it would present the exciting, thrilling and dangerous side of driving.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t really ‘wowed’. It’s not that the stories weren’t well-written or were uninteresting. I just never really felt much excitement or a sense of thrills or danger in this anthology containing 15 excerpts from a variety of authors. That said, the excerpts themselves include both fiction and non-fiction, touching on racing and ‘road stories’. Cars and driving are absolutely the central theme to the excerpts, I just didn’t really get much excitement from the pages.

There’s some big league racing here. Scott Huler’s A Little Bit Sideways exposes life in the NASCAR pits, as Huler works as a member of Kenny Wallace’s pit crew during a race at Martinsville, Virginia. Dan Gerber’s Indy – The World’s Fastest Carnival Ride provides an interesting perspective from a former race driver as he covers the 1975 Indy 500. Tom Wolfe’s 1964 Esquire article profiles The Last American Hero, Junior Johnson, while William Neely’s 1974 Playboy article features AJ – as in Foyt.

Now, you might wonder “in all that, you couldn’t find thrills and excitement?” Let me use Gerber’s Indy story as an example. Yes, Tom Sneva was in a spectacular wreck in the 1975 Indy, the wreckage coming quite close to the suites where Gerber was actually photographing the race. Gerber does describe the event, the scene in the suite as people scrambled to avoid danger. But frankly, that’s only a few pages of Gerber’s 42-page excerpt. The bulk of the story is about how Gerber developed his love for racing, some career highlights, and quite a lot of what Indianapolis is like leading up to the big weekend. Again, it’s interesting stuff, some of it humorous, but it never really conveyed a steady sense of exhilaration.

Similarly, Huler describes the NASCAR pit action and race happenings, but the story is much more filled with race strategy, down time in the pits waiting, and the post-race scenes around the track. The profiles of Junior Johnson and AJ Foyt are really just that… more about their careers and celebrity than describing high tension racing. Good stories, interesting, but not really fast-paced action.

A number of the features are interesting stories of long drives that do not go smoothly. There’s a bush taxi ride through Nigeria, which unfortunately seemed to somewhat gloss over the tension of riding in a van that’s missing a door. There’s a trek across North Africa to meet a plane, but setbacks keep forcing the trekkers backwards. There’s a rally team that endures breakdowns and illness en route, and another duo attempting to complete traversing the Americas from south to north in record time. Other stories revolve around two young boys befriending a young man who they watched speed by in his hot rod day after day, a schoolbus driver and her daily routine, and a man who decides he needs a low-rider Lincoln.

There are two excerpts I’d describe as from quite well-known sources: Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities. Admittedly, I found Wolfe’s writing more exciting, especially as the main catalystic event of his novel unfolds. But overall neither excerpt could be seen as page after page of non-stop action.

For me, Speed: Stories of Survival from Behind the Wheel does not live up to the hype. There’s really not a sense of ‘surviving’, there’s little in the way of peril. The excerpts are interesting. They’re entertaining. But thrilling? Exciting? Worthy of the title ‘Adrenaline’? No, not as far as I found.

Pros: Some interesting and entertaining excerpts from a number of authors, some very well-known.

Cons: Doesn’t live up to its billing for adventure, thrills, survival stories.

Where to find it: used bookstores, internet

You might also enjoy…
The Old Car Nut Book
Wide Open: Days and Nights on the NASCAR Tour
Motoring: The Golden Years: A Pictorial Anthology

Ford: The Men and the Machine

Ford: The Men and the Machine by Robert Lacey
Published 1986 by Little, Brown and Company
778pp., hardcover

ISBN: 0-316-51166-8

Acquired from a bookstore liquidation.

I must admit, Ford: The Men and the Machine took a long time for me to get through. That’s not because it’s a particularly difficult read, but more the sheer number of pages and the various time sucks I experienced since I started with page one.

I think the book’s title led me to believe the ‘machine’ part would include a good amount of information about some of Ford’s most famous autos. That proved not to be the case. Rather, I think it’s fair to say Robert Lacey set out to write about the machine known as Ford Motor Company (FoMoCo), and about the main personalities involved in FoMoCo’s history.

It should seem obvious, therefore, that the book is dominated by the stories of Henry Ford (HF) and his grandson, Henry Ford II (HFII). After all, HF founded FoMoCo in 1903 and was company head through the first 40+ years, while HFII ran things until 1980. It’s interesting to think that, while today most people would have trouble knowing who was CEO of any Big Three automaker, in their time both HF and HFII were household names in America. People were genuinely interested in the life and ideas of these men – HF for his folksy, common-man beliefs, HFII more for his high society, jet-setting exploits.

Integrated into the biographies of the 2 men are the lives of a number of other important people: Edsel Ford, HF’s son and HFII’s father; Harry Bennett, HF’s closest aide and enforcer; Lee Iacocca, the car guy who rose to within inches of taking over Ford; and a number of others from family members to executives get at least some attention.

Lacey’s book covers a lot, from the Ford family’s arrival in Michigan in the early 1830s through the mid 1980s. Subjects include HF’s early life, his creation of the Quadricycle and 999 cars, and the founding of what is now FoMoCo. Lacey describes how HF eventually forced his various investors and partners (such as the Dodge brothers) out of the company, as well as some of the famous things HF is known for – his adaptation of the assembly line to produce cars, his belief that a low-price car would make more profit through high volume sales, his $5/day wage scheme and 5-day workweek. But Lacey does not shy away from detailing HF’s failures and failings – the Peace Ship, his plan for Muscle Shoals, Alabama, his spying on his workers and attempts to force his employees to live to a standard he set, and his well-documented anti-Semitism. Importantly, Lacey is also able to shine a light on HF’s strained relationship with son Edsel. A wonderful designer and worthy successor, Edsel clashed often with his father, and was worn down by power struggles with Harry Bennett who angled to take over the company. Edsel Ford died at in 1943 aged 49, of stomach cancer. Many believe the stress of his relationship with HF was the main contributor to Edsel’s failing health.

And that’s only about half the book. Similarly, Lacey’s look at HFII includes his saving of FoMoCo from the dire state HF had let the company fall into, his hiring of Ernie Breech and the Whiz Kids, and his ability to recognize what he needed to learn as he took over the company. But Lacey also delves into HFII’s 3 marriages, his fractured relationships with his children, brothers and cousins, and corporate embarrassments including the Edsel, the Pinto, the hiring and firing of Bunkie Knudsen and battles with Lee Iacocca.

All in all, I feel like Robert Lacey presents a fairly balanced, if somewhat brief, look at essentially 80 years of Ford family and company history. Of course, I have already reviewed Never Complain, Never Explain: The Story of Henry Ford II, Victor Lasky’s book, which was used as a source for this book. As such, much was familiar to me already. But, I found Lacey was able to spell things out and present both the good and not so good of events. For example, while HF had created a $5/day wage for his workers, Lacey explains that $5 was a combination of wage and bonus, the bonus part dependent on workers meeting certain lifestyle requirements which were monitored by the company spying on its employees. Further, the benefit of this $5/day was more about saving FoMoCo the costs of employee turnover and less about paying the employees well.

One thing for certain about Ford: The Men and the Machine, it is well-researched, with tons of supporting references. There are 55 pages of footnotes, and the bibliography fills another 24 pages. In addition to published works, this bibliography includes numerous personal interviews, video and audio sources. The bulk of source material comes from the Ford Archives, Henry Ford’s own writings, and interviews with members of the family as well as former company personnel.

At almost 800 pages, it is a long read, but not such a dense book as to be hard to follow. To be fair, many topics covered in this book would make books themselves (I find myself wanting to get a hold of Iacocca’s biography, as that book provides much info for this book). Ford: The Men and the Machine does present a wide-ranging and frankly fairly balanced history of the 2 best-known members of one of America’s foremost industrial families and one of the world’s largest carmakers.

Pros: fairly easy read detailing much of Ford history; many aspects of personal and corporate lives are found
Cons: some subjects may not be as detailed as desired
Where to find it: used bookstores, online

You may also enjoy…
Driving Force: The McLaughlin Family and the Age of the Car
The Buick: A Complete History
Never Complain, Never Explain: The Story of Henry Ford II

Start Your Engines: Famous Firsts in the History of NASCAR

Start Your Engines: Famous Firsts in the History of NASCAR by Jay W. Pennell
Published 2015 by Sports Publications
198pp., hardcover

ISBN: 978-1-61321-828-0

Purchased used from private seller.

Despite a recent decline in popularity, NASCAR remains a big draw for sports fans and is a staple of weekend TV programming. Though the actual cars on the track haven’t been closely related to their showroom brethren for decades, NASCAR still represents a significant marketing vehicle for the manufacturers involved and many fans maintain brand loyalties connected to their racing favourites.

My interest in racing has waxed and waned over the years – this year I’ve watched maybe half a NASCAR race on television, while in other years I would wake at all hours to catch whatever F1 Grand Prix was happening, even participated in NASCAR pools. I find as I read more about cars, I cannot deny the role various types of automobile racing plays in development. As such, I find I want to read more about the various racing series. I found Start Your Engines: Famous Firsts in the History of NASCAR on a local buy and sell site, so I scooped it up.

Now, this is most definitely a book about NASCAR, and pretty specifically about the history of the organization, tracks, people and milestones. There’s very little actual reference to the cars, other ‘Richard Petty’s Pontiac’ or ‘the Chevy of Dale Earnhardt’. That said, I was very interested in the many ‘firsts’ found inside… the first meeting that resulted in NASCAR’s creation, the story of the first super speedway, the first racer to win 5 consecutive championships, the first women and the first black racers. Some of these, I was somewhat acquainted with, but many other stories were new to me.

Author Jay Pennell presents these firsts chapter by chapter, starting with the meeting Bill France Sr. called to consolidate stock car racing, creating NASCAR and the Strictly Stock class in 1949. Though the chapters do follow the real chronology, each ‘first’ is written so as not to depend on previous chapters. Some information is repeated in multiple chapters, but frankly I found I liked that one could pick up this book and just read a story they chose without having to scan back for clarification.

Longtime fans of stock car racing will recognize a number of the names and stories… how Bill Elliott came to be called ‘Million Dollar Bill’; Cale Yarborough fighting the Allison brothers; the first Hall of Fame induction class, including Junior Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. It was also interesting to read how Brian France devised the idea for the Chase for the Cup, and how that has evolved over the years.

Aside from the book itself, I found myself interested in Jay Pennell’s story. In the foreword, Jeff Gluck refers to Pennell as ‘the first citizen journalist’ to make a name in NASCAR media. Pennell grew up a fan of the racing series. It was his passion for NASCAR that led him to start writing about it, though he was not studying journalism or working for any specific outlet. Over time, he began creating content for a number of online outlets. At the time this book was published, Pennell was working as a digital content programmer for FOXSports. His LinkedIn profile now says he’s a brand manager with NASCAR. To me, Pennell’s dedication to chasing the career he wanted, and achieving it, is an impressive one.

Start Your Engines: Famous Firsts in the History of NASCAR is a pretty quick and easy read. In relation to other books over reviewed here, it’s much like Wide Open: Days and Nights on the NASCAR Tour, not only for the obvious, but because there isn’t much specifically about cars. I include it in this blog because of the connections to cars, car collecting, driving, and some of the personalities who are so intertwined with automobiles. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in NASCAR history or wishing to learn more about racing.

Pros: a quick read; stories are well-told, without being too long; spans the first 65 years of NASCAR
Cons: really, none, considering the scope of the book is to cover ‘firsts in NASCAR’; just 15 black-and-white photos
Where to find it: Amazon, new and used bookstores

You might also enjoy…
Wide Open: Days and Nights on the NASCAR Tour
Grand Prix Cars 1945-65
Ferrari all the Cars. New enlarged edition

British Auto Legends: Classics of Style and Design

British Auto Legends: Classics of Style and Design by Michel Zumbrunn and Richard Heseltine
Published 2014 (hardcover edition) by Merrell
288pp., hardcover

ISBN: 978-1-8589-4599-6

Purchased new online

I enjoy reading about cars. But I make no secret that I really enjoy good automotive photography. I mean, I want to see the machines in all their glory. British Auto Legends: Classics of Style and Design is an impressive book filled with gorgeous photography of some of the most beautiful and renowned automobiles ever made.

The fact that Michel Zumbrunn is credited first gives the clue that automotive photography is the focus here. And the images are spectacular. Each car is shot against a dark background, no distractions. Features of between 2 and 8 pages show off the cars, from full exterior shots to engine and detail shots. Of course, each photo subject appears to be an impeccable example, appearing as though it sits new on the showroom floor, well-polished, in many cases jewel-like.

Richard Heseltine provides the text, including the 26 page introduction. That may seem like a lot of space, but Heseltine does a wonderful job with an overview of the British automotive history. I was familiar with some of the negatives of the industry in the UK, especially the woes of BMC/British-Leyland. However, I wasn’t aware that at one time, Britain was the world’s leading vehicle exporter (taking advantage of its Commonwealth reach). This intro provides a basic foundation to understand the environment that produced the legendary cars that follow on these pages.

Heseltine adds a one page description to each feature detailing the car, with further captions on the smaller photos. The text explains the car’s significance, which can run the gamut from sales success to design importance to racing glory. Some of these were cars you’d see every day on the streets, ‘everyman’ transportation. Others are well-known as desirable collectibles, often quickly mentioned when discussing ‘British classics’. And still others are special, purpose-built machines that gained fame on the race track or as ‘supercars’.

So, the cars. The first feature is only the 1907 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Autocar magazine proclaimed it “best car in the world”, establishing Rolls-Royce as probably the world’s most prestigious automaker. The second feature is the Austin 7, England’s answer to Ford’s Model T and a significant influence in the histories of both BMW and Nissan. There’s the Golden Arrow and the Napier-Railton, racers that had significant achievements for English motor racing. And there are icons… the Mini, E-Type, DB4GT, XK120, R-Type Continental, TC Midget, Esprit and DB7. Thee are truly classics of style and design, among the best and most recognizable British cars.

The book wraps with some brief biographies of significant people in British automotive history, a short glossary of automotive terms, and a good list of auto museums. I always appreciate these little appendices to books. Yes, we have the internet and can search things easily ourselves. But, I think it’s a great touch when an author can guide us with some of their ‘inside knowledge’.

I realize there are always compromises to be made when creating a book. There’s always more that might have been included but for considerations of keeping a book to a reasonable length. This leads me to a comment and a criticism. Now certainly some cars, even very well-known models, are not found here. That’s simply comment, because in fairness, an argument can be made as to the ‘legend’ status of such cars. I am somewhat familiar with 2 absent models, the Triumph TR3 and the MGB, both staples at any British car show. However, neither appears in this book – instead the TR3’s successor TR4 and the MGB’s predecessor MGA do show up. This is not an anthology, and frankly I’d think this situation could even spark some lively debate among enthusiasts on which car is preferred.

My criticism though is that in the case of some cars that are included, they seem given short shrift. A single feature photo and a smaller detail shot of cars such as the Gilbern Invader or even Jaguar XK8 doesn’t seem adequate when compared to the exposure other cars are given. That’s disappointing considering some cars are really quite rare and a book such as this might be one of the very few ways to see such cars. But again, concessions must be made.

I normally don’t address a book’s price, but in this case it’s something to note. At a cover price of $54.95CDN ($49.95US/£29.95UK), this is a great bargain to pick up. The photography is fantastic. The writing is well done. And the subject matter is simply fascinating overall. Similar books I’ve seen price up to double this book. I think this is a must-have, one that an enthusiast will enjoy over and over.

Pros: fantastic photography, some rare models featured
Cons: some models might not be as well covered as they could have been
Where to find it: online and retail bookstores

You might also enjoy…
Jaguar: A Pictorial History
Motoring: The Golden Years: A Pictorial Anthology
Roadsters and Runabouts: Collecting and Restoring Antique Classic and Special Interest Sports Cars

Pontiac Trans Am: 50 Years

Pontiac Trans Am: 50 Years by Tom Glatch
Published 2018 by Motorbooks Publishing
176 pp., hardcover

ISBN: 978-0-7603-5766-8

Purchased new from an online retailer.

Pontiac Trans Ams have been on my mind for the last while. A car guy friend who has a 1969 Grand Prix has been shopping for a 1974-75 Trans Am, something his dad once owned. We send each other ads we see on various car marketplaces, and shoot the shit about the ad, the car, etc.

Growing up in the 70s and 80s, the Trans Am was really the hot ticket, hotter than even the Corvette. Sure, the ‘Vette still had its mystique. But Pontiac’s ultimate Firebird had flash and still had a lot of muscle under the hood. In fact, in the mid to late 70s, when the Z/28 had been mothballed, Ford was flogging the Mustang II, and Chrysler had essentially abandoned muscle cars, Pontiac still offered the Trans Am with either a 400 or 455 Pontiac engine (though some cars had the Olds 403), capable of performing something like a 1960s musclecar. And it helped that the TA found itself featured in some popular movies being driven by some of the coolest stars.

Tom Glatch’s Pontiac Trans Am: 50 Years reviews the story of one of the most popular cars of the musclecar/ponycar era. For those who may not know, this book came out in 2018, which makes it 50 years since the debut of the Trans Am option in 1969. The official Trans Am was actually available for only 35 years, ending in 2002 when GM ceased production of Firebird (and for a time, Camaro).

As I read Pontiac Trans Am, I decided my best comparisons might be that it’s less Corvette 60th Anniversary and more Legendary Corvettes: ‘Vettes Made Famous on Track and Screen. That is to say that while there is technical information about Trans Ams, how they were developed and constructed, and a number of passages about Pontiac and GM, it seems much more of this book is dedicated to the marketing of the T/A. And a great deal of that marketing, especially in the 1970 and early 1980s, revolves around movie and television placements.

I guess I’d say the real ‘car stuff’ deals with the development of the original Firebird, the idea to license the name ‘Trans Am’ from SCCA, and the story of the stillborn 303ci engine for actual Trans Am racing. There’s some great information about the development of the 2nd generation Firebird, the structure of how cars were designed in the Bill Mitchell years at GM, the story of the ‘Flaming Bird’ decals and designs, and how the Special Edition, Gold Edition and 10th Anniversary cars came about. Also highlighted are the creation of the 301ci thin-wall engine to improve economy, the development of the 3rd and 4th generation cars, as well as other special cars such as the GTA, Turbo TA and Firehawk. So, there is quite a bit of techy type info.

That said, there’s a lot of reference to the marketing. There’s Natalie Carroll, The Firebird Girl, a former assembly line worker chosen to appear in promo material. There are synopses of movies Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, McQ and The Hunter, all of which saw Clint Eastwood, John Wayne and Steve McQueen (respectively) driving Trans Ams. And there are many pages devoted to the 3 best-known roles: The Rockford Files, Knight Rider, and the Smokey and The Bandit movie franchise which vaulted the black-and-gold Trans Am to the height of cool in the late 1970s.

How popular is the Pontiac Trans Am, 20 years after GM built its last T/A? A 1977 Special Edition black-and-gold T/A, used from promotional events surrounding Smokey and the Bandit, with just 14 miles on the odometer, sold by Mecum for $440,000US. Granted, that’s an extremely low-mile car with special provenance. But a recent search on Hemmings.com yielded 125 results: of those, 30 original Trans Ams (and 1 2011 Camaro converted to a Trans Am look) had asking prices of more than $50,000US, and another 20 were listed as ‘Inquire’ or were scheduled for auction. That’s a fairly strong market.

As for this book, I enjoyed it for the most part. The photography is great, many really stunning examples of T/A are featured. I also enjoyed some of the movie and tv-related images. I think I would have liked more pages directly related to the cars and engines, even if that meant the book had 40 or 50 pages added. At this length, I felt a little like the pop culture stuff took too much ink. Still, a handsome addition to my collection.

Pros: great photos; some good ‘insider’ info around GM and an iconic car
Cons: a little too many movie/pop culture references
Where to find it: online and traditional bookstores

You may also enjoy…
Pontiac: The Performance Years
1979 Pontiac Trans Am
The Illustrated Directory of Muscle Cars

Ferrari all the Cars. New enlarged edition

Ferrari all the Cars. New enlarged edition by Leonardo Acerbi
Published 2019, Giorgio Nada Editore
512pp., hardcover

ISBN: 978-88-7911-733-3

Purchased new from a chain book retailer.

When I reviewed Great Marques: Ferrari, I said I have always had a preference for Ferrari. It may be due to a combination of my Italian heritage, Ferrari’s F1 success in the mid 1970s, and the pop-culture exposure the marque had over some of the other exotics. That’s not to say I didn’t care for other cars – I did. There just seemed to be something about Ferrari that, for me, elevated it above others.

As I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, I was most exposed to certain Ferraris: the 308GTB/GTS, the 365GTB Daytona, even the Dino 308GT4. But it was the Testarossa and ultimately the 288 GTO, both debuting in 1984, that really sealed my admiration for the marque. Of course, as time passed I came to learn of many other cars bearing the prancing horse badge, but as I’ve written in this blog, I really had not put much effort into learning about vehicles from outside North America. Until now.

Leonardo Acerbi’s Ferrari all the Cars. New enlarged edition is an interesting volume. Physically, it’s a small book, about 6.25”x8.25”, yet its over 500 pages and hardcover binding makes it a heavy book at almost 2.5 pounds. So, it’s small yet certainly not a pocket book.

I enjoyed the layout though it was a little peculiar. The introduction and foreword are short at a page each, and then it’s right into ‘CATALOGUE 1940-2019’. Beginning with the 1940 Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, the first car Enzo Ferrari built after leaving Alfa Romeo, and culminating with the SF90 car that competed in the 2019 F1 season, a 2-page spread shows each car in Ferrari’s history. This includes not only the GT road-going cars, but the F1, CAN-AM and World Championship race cars as well as a number of prototypes. Each article contains an illustration by Giorgio Alisi displaying the car in profile, text describing the car or the circumstances of its existence, a photo of an example of the car, and a chart filled with technical information.

The peculiar thing to me was that the small photo and chart are displayed on the left of the spread, while the title, illustration and main text are on the right. It seemed the reverse of a proper format. But I must admit that there were numerous instances where I found even the text a little awkward. I decided I’d chalk it up to Italian-to-English translation, though I don’t really know for fact. And there were a number of typos throughout, which long-time followers will know is a pet peeve of mine.

Acerbi writes with admiration for these cars, perhaps a little over the top. The author is effusive in his praise, especially when describing the exterior designs. It is not unwarranted. Of course, most of Ferrari’s GTs were designed by Pininfarina, and frankly they are gorgeous cars. There’s a lot of positives written about the engineering also, again much of it warranted. I wouldn’t say the writing is overly technical. Frankly there isn’t really the space to get so detailed. But Acerbi does a good job explaining the progressive development of Ferraris V12s and V8s especially.

That said, the author does not hide the failings of many of the F1 car designs. Ferrari suffered long droughts between Constructor’s and Driver’s Championships, and for most racecar profiles, Acerbi accounts for the results – good and bad – the cars were able to achieve. It should be noted that these profiles tend to include an amount of information about the Scuderia and the drivers. This is to be expected, as the cars, team and drivers are quite intertwined. It would be incomplete to talk about the cars without some focus on Lauda, Schumacher, and others. To that end, I note the end of the book includes a ‘Roll of Honor’, a listing of wins by Ferrari F1 and World Championship drivers, including the car they piloted.

I found Ferrari all the Cars to be a very good book all in all. I became acquainted with so many cars I had barely even known of. Certainly, I’d have enjoyed more photos and illustrations. For some models, the description of the car forced me to the internet to find views of the front, back and interior. But, what was great was that it was very easy to see the progression in the cars Ferrari produced, how the shapes flow from one model to the next, how each year’s F1 car built on the previous.

This is a great basis to build one’s knowledge on the cars of Ferrari. It strikes a good balance between styling and mechanicals, and shows an integration between the road and race cars. and I think it’s a stylish book, attractively (if somewhat unusually) laid out.

Pros: all the Ferrari cars to 2019 profiled; good technical data; great illustrations
Cons: not enough images; writing style might not appeal to everyone
Where to find it: online and retail bookstores

You might also enjoy…
Grand Prix Cars 1945-65
Great Marques: Ferrari
Motoring: The Golden Years: A Pictorial Anthology