General Automotive Reviews

This book was written by a British writer, which gives it a nice European flair since motorsports has pretty much been influenced by European drivers and teams since the early races in the late 1800's.

The book is broken down by motorsports segment, with each particular type of racing receiving a chapter dedicated to its history, famous teams, illustrations and photos of the cars, and top drivers and teams up to the 2000 season. This is very convenient for those who are looking for information on a particular class or sanctioning body. Each chapter is sufficiently long to address each type of racing, without being too burdensome. The author has really done his homework and gone to a good bit of trouble to include forms of racing which I'll probably never see, such as the Australian Touring Class races that feature cars unique to Australia, similar to the Toyotas, Hondas, Fords, BMWs, and pocket Mercedes cars sold here in the USA.

The illustrations are particularly nice, a good blend of photographs from the races and artist sketches of cut-aways to show how a particlar car is set up underneath its skin. The photographs are full-color and printed on glossy paper, with a very nice presentation. The writing is fun to read, particularly when the author includes anecdotes from his own racing experiences. After reading his introduction to the book, I'm starting to look at my 1993 Honda Civic EX with a different view (If I tighten the suspension a bit, add a low-flow intake and exhaust system, install a racing seat, pop-rivet a sheet of aluminum across the back seat to keep the gas tank out of the cabin, this baby just might be race ready!)

The book was written for the general population and doesn't get too bogged down with technical details, so it could easily appeal to anyone who's enjoyed watching a race on tv. After reading the book, you may just want to see a NASCAR, Grand Prix, or GT endurance race for yourself, and perhaps spring for a paddock pass!

This is a book small enough to fit in a cycling jersey pocket. It has color pictures, nearly at least one on each page. It has 12 chapters that cover preventive maintenance, wheels, gearings, drivetrains, brakes, steering, saddles, suspension and accesories. It covers a lot of subjects in only 96 pages, so the information is basic. This means that if you need to repair something a little unusual, you won't find it here. It doesn't have many diagrams, which I think are necesary for this kind of manuals, and many bike parts are mentioned supposing the reader knows what they are. On the other hand, the format helps to carry it on a trip, and the author recomends to do preventive maintenance rather than emergency repairs. The information, while basic, is very useful, is easy to find and will get you out of trouble. The procedures for each adjustment or repair are given in three parts: an introduction about why and when to do the repair, a list of tools needed, and a step by step guide.

My advice is to buy it, and if you want to do all the mechanic work on your bike (maybe other bikes too), think about buying a larger manual too.

Interesting and informative about history and actual development of modern (after the Silver Cloud) Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles, without being overly technical.

It's a simple yet common story...

I love my Vintage Truck, and hated seeing it slowly dying of the common cancer we call RUST. I've combed libraries, bookstores, retail and wholesale outlets...and found ONE book that I really found worth owning. I give this review as a tribute to the author as gratitude for the common-sense info and product information he researched into his book. He must have a love for some old auto like I do.

The book is a medium to small sized paper-back. I would rate it's content-to-size as richly packed with information for such a modest and portable size. The explanations, concepts, "How-to's", and retailer contact information were very well balanced. Additionally, products and application techniques were showcased, that were EXCELLENT, and rarely discussed elsewhere.

I have a RUST-FREE truck now. And every auto I purchase will be spared the ugly and slow cancer we call rust. It's a small investment, for such a rewarding read.

Like all other Haynes manuals, this book is an indespensible guide for the backyard mechanic. If you don't want to shell out the big bucks for a GM shop manual, this is your best alternative. The one problem I have with this book is that it advertises as a 1991-1996 manaual even though it barely touches on the new engines seen in the 1995 through present model years. If you own a late-model Saturn and are looking for some general information, this is your book. If you're looking for information specific to Saturns built after 1994, you're better off waiting until the folks at Haynes make a book that truly delivers on what it promises.

This is a book about making a still and producing alcohol. To be blunt, rather high proof alcohol, capable of fueling a car. Vince goes into production of mash, distillation and building the still. Minimal sheet metal tools are needed.
Trevor

The Shock Absorber Handbook is a good work, providing hundreds of formulas for computing load-dampening responses. Somewhat overly detailed on advanced theories,with strong references to hi-performance applications. It is the book you picture as a classic textbook for a college-level shock-design course. Chapter 1 gives a good basis in the history of the hydraulic dampener, from the initial start of friction snubbers to today's performance units. A good book to add to any shock design engineer's library.

Product Design Engineer

ArvinMeritor LVA - Export

The 2CV is chronicled and detailed from its design brief to the last model to roll off the assembly line in 1990. The title of this book implies that the history of the 2CV is an ongoing saga and of course it is, in fact we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 2CV next year. The conception and birth of the 2CV was not an easy delivery. The gestation period was delayed by the advent of World War II, and the Citroen designers used this period to perfect a design that was being rushed for the 1939 Paris Auto Salon. Citroen 2CV documents the design considerations that were part of the 2CVs development and led to the birth of a 2CV, in 1948, that was quite a bit different from the 2CV that would have appeared at the 1939 Salon. The further evolution of the 2CV is detailed with model changes and special versions explained. The 2CVs family relations; the Sahara, The Mehari, and the Vans are presented along with the AMI-6 & AMI-8 and the Dyane. The Parentage of the 2CV is explored with an excellent chapter on Pierre-Jules Boulanger, André Lefebvre, Flamino Bertoni, and Walter Becchia. If you do not now recognize this names, you most certainly will from now on. The 2CV in the UK is well presented with great photos of the 2CV pick-up that was used by the Royal Marines and the most unlikely 2CV of all, the Bijou, a British attempt at an up-market 2CV. We next get a quick look at the 2CVs adventures, 2 CV advertising and to put the 2CV in context, its contemporary competitors Fiat, Simca, Renault and VW. The book concludes with a look at the last days of the 2CV production line. Citroen 2CV will be enjoyed by all. Review from Citroen Quarterly Vol 15#4, Oct 1997

The frustrating thing for biographers writing about Alfred P. Sloan is the paucity of information about what made the man tick. Sloan was meticulously careful not to leave material which would provide insight into his personal life, his thoughts, or his motivations. Instead, Sloan was careful to manage information in such a way that his persona as the supremely rational corporate leader was maintained. David Farber understands that people are more complex, and he offers tantalizing hints into Sloan's motivations. Farber focuses on two important chapters in Sloan's career--his crucial role in the stabilizing of General Motors, the creation of the quixotic Billy Durant, and the impact of the New Deal on corporate America, specifically GM. As for the first, Farber details Sloan's career development after his graduation from MIT and after his father secured a position for him with Hyatt Roller Bearing Company. Hyatt's relationship with GM led Sloan to that company at a crucial point, when the DuPont family had secured their investment by forcing out Billy Durant. Sloan seemed the opposite of Durant, making decisions in a supremely rational way and focusing on the bottom line. Symbolic of this is Sloan's decision to place each car in the GM line to appeal to particular income levels. So is his development of a master plan for GM, which ultimately led the corporation to unprecedented profitability, even during the Depression.

It was the Depression and the New Deal that brought Sloan's attitude into fairly direct conflict with the likes of Franklin Roosevelt, Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, and labor leader John L. Lewis. Farber is clearly disappointed in the almost total lack of social consciousness exhibited by Sloan. Sloan could never understand why anyone would have a problem with the ways GM treated its production workers.

Farber has written a spare yet remarkably helpful book that is about both a man and a period in American history. Even though so little information exists about Sloan the man, Farber makes it evident that the tragedy of Sloan's life was that he never understood his own limitations. Like many rich people (he once shouted to Frances Perkins, "I am Alfred P. Sloan! I am worth seventy million dollars!"), Sloan believed himself entitled to have his way. He simply did not believe that he could be wrong. Not in anything. General Motors is still recovering from Sloan's hubris. Decades of shoddy products (Farber gives GM products more credit than I, a former owner of three Buicks each of which was worse than the last), foolish responses to criticism, failed attempts at reorganization, and similar episodes in the post-Sloan years have led GM to the point at which the new president, Bob Lutz, is more like Billy Durant. Historical irony prevails.

Though I bought this book becouse I love 205 GTI's and wanted a good read, it has real good substance which can be extremely usefull. For instance; except from the history of the 205 which you'd expect to find in a book like this, it has chapters going deeper in the sporting roots of the 205, a buyers guide with usefull tip's, service tip's and an extencive list of adresses (mostly U.K. though) of part specialists, tuning specialists and dealers. Not only the 205 GTI is discussed but also it's special editions, the 205 T-16 rally car, the XS and GT models (though only breefly), 205 rally and 205 CTI cabriolet. it's a good value book with quite a bit of information.

Most images are black and white, with a few large color photo's. and it could use a few more pages. Though for it's price and substance it still get's for stars.