Classic Car Reviews

I bought this book as a gift for my dad, so I can't say whether or not I personally liked it. I thought it was a perfect gift for my dad because it has lots of pictures and not a lot of text (my dad isn't big on reading). The most text it has is captions under the pictures. He seemed to enjoy it - he spent an hour or two rummaging through it, and he still pulls it out every now and then (which is something he doesn't usually do - once the book gets put away, it stays put away).

So, if you prefer looking at pictures of cars from the fifties instead of reading about them, then this is a good book for you.

Basicly you get a hugh book full of lush high qulity pictures , each picture has little commentry text attached and all are arranged by year , make and model . Most of restored cars but also b&w oldies , advertising , promo etc. I would have liked to see more interior pictures of the cars as well as all round view of the same car and not many image of differnt cars ,but still this is a really great book for 50's cars and you'll surely enjoy browsing it .

This comprehensive compilation of photographs and anecdotes about the fabulous automobiles of the 1950's will appeal to any nostalgia buff, whether a collector, a would-be collector, or to anyone who just likes the cars of the era. Organized year-by-year and then by make, the book makes it easy to find the model you are looking for. The photo reproduction is excellent and the brief descriptions (including prices)are to the point. You will find almost any car made in the U.S., both popular models that sold well and many that were sold in limited numbers.

This book covers the period very well, giving a detailed overview of each "sub-era" nicely, without reverting into a who-finished-where-for-each-race format. It includes articles from the period from vintage magazines, photos (including some nice color photos from the early '50s) and illustrations on every page, detailed descriptions of significant technological advances, as well as the personalities of the day. It's a nice intro for those unfamiliar with the period, and a nice review for those who are. My favorite part: the chapter covering the "Silver Arrows" from the '30s, Mercedes and Auto Union. Although it's titled "The Front Engined Era," Ludvigsen also covers the early rear engined cars as well, such as Cisitalia's Porsche-designed Type 360, the Alfa Romeo Tipo 512, and, of course, the Cooper-Climax.

I was born in 1951, and didn't really pay serious attention to F1 until Mario made a serious run at the title. This book has gone a long way toward filling a major hole in my understanding of Grand Prix racing. It's a superb book. The writing and the photos are first rate. I wouldn't have imagined that I would find the early cars as interesting as Ludvigsen made them. I had no idea that GP cars had as much power as they did, as early as they did. Coupled with the so-called tires of the time, and the agricultural "suspensions", Ludvigsen has given me an inkling of the courage and skill of the drivers who drove some of those beasts. Now I'm reading Classic Racing Engines, but that will be another review...

Classic Grand Prix Cars provides an excellent history of the Formula 1 era from 1906-60, with liberal doses of vintage black and white photos accompanying information on the sports cars and engineers which powered them. Prior fans of auto racing history in general and Formula 1 in particular will find Classic Grand Prix Cars a keepsake history packed with lively descriptions and technical insights on the cars. Very highly recommended for all Grand Prix racing fans!

PORCHES PICKET FENCES WONDERFUL FRIENDS AND THIS TIMELESS BOOK........JUST BEAUTIFUL PICTURES GREAT DESCRIPTIONS AND WHEN ONE FEELS A HUNGER FOR THE PAST THIS IS THE ENTRANCE TOO A BIT OF NOSTALGIA JOYOUS READING.A SMILE EVOKER!

AMAZING BEAUTIFUL TAKES YOU BACK TO BEAUTIFUL TIME WHEN ALL THINGS WERE THE MOST UNUSUAL AND JUST PLAIN GREAT.LIKE THAT ICE CREAM SODA SHOPPE .LOVING MEMORIES ABOUND BETWEEN THESE PAGES.THIS BOOK IS A KEEPER...GREAT FOR YOUNG AND LETS SAY WISER NOT OLDER TO READ....

Concept Cars is an exceptional book! The cars are stunning. The book includes cars like a Dodge Copperhead, a Chrysler Atlantic, a Smart Car, and many other awesome vehicles. Concept Cars has interesting facts to offer and cars that you probably couldn't have dreamed of. If you want some information on some really radical cars, this is the book that you want to read! If you don't want to spend a lot for the real car, this is the next best thing!

One heck of a book! It tells you everything you need to know. The "Concept Cars" book gives you tons of information on the classic, modern, and future concept cars. Each time you turn the page, its a different car. This book explains everything that you need to know, like how fast, or the car's history, it even tells you size, and seating positions, this book even tells you what the car's body is made up of. Like I said, there is everything there is to know about these cars in this book. I recomend this book because it gives alot of information, and also because I enjoy reading about cars. There is a total of 94 pages with many pictures and information. Read this book and you'll be one happy customer!

Just want to let everybody know that Jerry Weesner of Streetrodder (June 2002) picked Cool Cars, High Art as a Hall of Fame selection with only three other books on the art of customizing.

This handsome book is an unusual treatment of its subject for sure. There is a bevy of color photographs to satisfy the aficionado--and to make it an ideal gift for any car-crazy friend. But what I find most striking is the author¹s truly unique take on the car as an art object. Obviously comfortable with the demands of current theoretical discourse, he seems purposefully to prove that the obscurantism that bedevils so much academic prose today is merely self-indulgent. He has helped me grasp much more than just the beauty of the customized car. Readers (and especially teachers in a number of disciplines) will appreciate Prof. DeWitt¹s cunning explications of a Williams poem, a Picasso collage, a Futurist sculpture, and a surprising number of movies and TV shows to support his insights into our car culture.

A celebration of the great American cars of the late 1940's through the early 1970's. In addition to all the iron turned out by Detroit there are a few cars that were improved upon by their owners. We are talking Kustoms, the forgotten art of the 50's. The livley anecdotal text is accompamnied by the best car photography today. Many of the cars featured are former participants of the 1950's and 1960's submarine races.

Great book. The text is informative, witty and quick paced. The photography is outstanding. No reprints of old photos. The author/photographer is obviously a great photgrapher who happens to love American Cars. Unlike the majority of car books where someone has a camera, it is high noon and they take a picture This book has set a standard which leaves all the other car books in its dust.

As journalist and car lover I think that Quentin Willson realize a great book, because he worked with a lot of information that is presented in a didactic style that invite you to read it.
Data hasn't mistakes, fact that demonstrate a good job.
Beautiful photos complete a fantastic collection book. If you love cars, you love it.

Great Car has 1 or 2 two-page spreads on each car. There are good photos of front, side, back, and something else of interest, such as engine, depending on the car. Minor irritation: pictures split across the fold. Book is sewn, so you can open it fairly flat without having the pages pop out, but it's still a little annoying.

Each car has a smattering of history, a smattering of performance, and a little bit of whatever else was interesting. Some in an introductory paragraph for the car, some in captions distributed across the display.

I've been poring obsessively over the book for several evenings, and I'm still finding neat new stuff.

The selection of cars is partly "Great Cars" like the Ferrari Dino, AC Cobra or the Maserati Ghibli and partly landmarks, like the Citroen 2cv, or the Edsel. Hardly any boring cars (the Audi Quattro (looks boring next to a Lamborgini anyway) or the Olds Toronado come to mind). Usually there is something interesting to say about every car.

Not a reference. More like a micro coffee-table book. Pick it up, open it to a random spot, see what you're driving today.

This book covers the Ford Mustang up through model year 1994. It has chapters dedicated to Mustang prototypes and toys and models, in addition to Ford Mustangs and Shelby Mustangs. Also includes a chapter on buying a vintage Mustang, and a chapter on Mustang advertising. A well rounded book with lots of pictures.

This is the best Mustang book erver created. It features many pictures and tons of info.

My father and I just got back from visiting The Nethercutt Museum. The book does a great job of bringing the museum home with you. If you can get to the museum you can pick up a copy of the book at the reception desk for [money]-a bargain.

For the first time, all of the automobiles in the Jack Nethercutt Collection are pictured in one book! This book exhibits all the characteristics a book on automobiles should have. Using it's horizontal format to great advantage, photographer Dennis Adler displays all of the cars in all their glory. Mr. Adler understands his subjects and each photograph shows exactly what the viewer would wish to see. The text is short, concise, and highly accurate. Due to space limitations, there is little technical data. This is not missed. Also touched upon, are the Nethercutts' collection of mechanical musical instruments-- pianos and automotive mascots. This book has my highest recommendation and exhibits better photography and more taste than some books costing many times over.

In my quest for knowledge relevant to designing, building and driving a light-weight, high-performance sportscar, I have bought and borrowed numerous books, magazines, plans and workshop-manuals.
This book has been one of the best of my many purchases.
My one regret is that I didn't have this book much earlier; I very nearly did, but when I began my project, "Race and Rally Car" looked wrong to my novices' eyes. I hadn't realised then that my planned sportscars were so closely related to Formula racecars in all their systems and dynamics.
Now, with the benefit of my researching/learning experience, I am able to appreciate just how valuable a source Mr Staniforths' book is!
This is a truly great picture/storybook for us petrol-heads, a practical guide, and a comprehensive reference, all based on the authors' own extensive experience as a race-car designer, builder, and driver.
Those years of hard-won experience left an empathetic awareness of the broad-ranging requirements of a novice. He has created this book with just the right mix of wit and serious technical detail to inspire and encourage the reader with doubts about their own ability to "give it a go".
It encompasses all that is important in building a fast sports or racecar, thoroughly covering topics like planning, design, building techniques, technology, testing and development. It features excellent illustrations, really inspiring photographs, and includes historical and anecdotal material of considerable value to any aspiring Murrays, Tauranacs or Schumakers among us. There is also a detailed source-index to other authoritative sources for more complete descriptions of processes that have been, of necessity, only lightly dealt with here.
Overall, it's an enjoyable read and a sound investment. I suspect that the more sophisticated features of my ultimate design will owe more to this than any other single book.
It deserves a place in your library.

This was the first book I bought related to race and sports car design. It is very well written, and Staniforth's writing style is very entertaining as well as being informative.

The book covers all aspects related to building and modifying a sports car and does so in reasonable depth. I did find that I will need other references where I want detailed information about a specific topic. For example, the sections on suspension are clear and offer good information and are sufficient to get you started with whatever project you have in mind. However, if one really wants to get down into the gritty mathematical details of designing suspension then a second reference specifically on that topic would be needed.

As a book to highlight all that is important in building a fast sports or race car, I recommend the book whole heartedly.