Motoring Books - including your bookshelf.

Instigated via the Quiz thread! It deserves one of its own.

Best bookshelf? My own best bookshelf is above the window in my office just 2 metres long with some of the better books, including two copies of David Weguelin's ERA History - probably the two most valuable books in my collection. They sit next to Doug Nye's BRM, 1 2 & 3. Autographed copies of various books pushes up their value, though the modern approach to book selling is for the author to have signed more copies than not, so the autographed book has little if any extra value - Jackie Stewart's or Murray Walker's for example, though Martin Brundle didn't visit here, but was active selling in the UK.

One gem I picked up from a secondhand bookshop was a book signed by Stirling Moss AND Mike Hailwood.

Graham Hill's autographed "Life At the Limit" may be worth a dollar or two more than an unsigned.

I still have to read "Hunt" (which I can hardly even lift!), and also looking forward to reading one of Santa's gifts this Christmas, Tony Brooks - "Poetry In Motion".

Mine has good numbers (600+) of all sorts. A few autographed, one by Moss, "My Favourite Motor Racing Stories", personally notated bok on the Pantera by Wallace Wyss, apparently the most valuable is the English language version of Orsinis "The Scuderia Ferrari" (which I had no idea had any value at all until perusing Eoin Youngs site) Most reffered to; Costin/Phipps Sports and Racing Car chassis design" and "High Speed Low Cost"

Dangerous subject to get me started on!!!!!
I only have a relatively modest collection - I have only just cracked the 500 mark - and in fact only recently decided to cut out buying some subjects, namely Indycar, and books by Christopher Hilton! Hasn't made much difference yet.....
Favourite Autobiography I have read would be "Starting Grid to Chequered Flag" by Paul Frere, best non-fiction book "To Finish First" by Phil Kerr (anybody that hasn't read this book should be shot!) - mine has an inscription from Emerson Fittipaldi in it, that's another story - best reference books, toss-up between my Autocourse annuals, "Grand Prix Who's Who", and Peter Higham's "Guinnes Guide to International Motor Racing".
As far as Marques go, toss-up between "The Works Escorts", Allan Scott's "TWR and Jaguar's XJS", and "Cosworth" (5th edition).
As far as Rallying goes, "A Boot Full of Right Arms" by Evan Green, although "Marathon in the Dust" by Innes Ireland comes really close!
Of course, my Bathurst and The Great Race annuals cover the Touring Cars sector, "Le Mans '59" by Stirling Moss covers Sports Cars, and as for art, well, I won't try and separate "Brockbank's Grand Prix", "Formula One" by Michael Turner, or "The Motorsport Art of Michael Turner.
Lastly (whew!) anyone who wants a good laugh needs Maurice O'Reilly's "A Series of Small Explosions", and "Journeys With Gelignite Jack" by Evan Green.
Of course there's another 450 books I should have mentioned.......

Should add - favorite author is Nigel Roebuck, although Maurice Hamilton, Doug Nye, & Graham Robson are also bloody good
The Complete History of Grand Prix Motor Racing, by Adriano Cimarosti and edited by our own David McKinney, and Doug Nye's Autocourse History of the Grand Prix Car would be my favourite Grand Prix books.
And anything discribing itself as the Ultimate, or Complete, encyclopedia of Formula One should not be touched with a 40 foot bargepole!!!!

Another great read is Tony Lanfranchi's "Down the Hatch" and an interesting read, "Back From The Brink" by Sir Michael Edwardes.

Totally agree with Malcolm about Michael Turner's, Brockbank's - and Maurice O'Reilly's hilarious book - and the Phil Kerr book. (Pity Maurice's proof reader's made so many mistakes though.)

Doug Nye's original book on the Donington Collection, (signed by Doug and Sir Bernard) is now a book that reminds me of what WAS in the collection...

Sadly, one or two books written about our local heroes have been a disappointment.

I've a few books...but there is one that - gram for gram - has given me more joy than any other for over 40 years. It is here with me now - 'Racing Cars' is in gold on the spine of the small pale green book. I think once it had a cover but that is long since gone.

On the opening page in pencil is '$3.30', the price I paid in 1972 or 73, I suspect the latter, and then two pages later:

THE WORLD'S RACING CARS.

The author is M.L.Twite and this is the 'Fourth Edition: Completely Revised' - the first edition was in 1958, one of the greatest years, and I have the 1970 version. It covers all the racing cars from the world's (Britain's) major categories in 1969 - and I love it. There is:

Formula 1,2,3,USAC, F5000, FF, Can-Am, Group 3 GTs, Group 4 Sports Cars, Group 6 Prototypes, NASCARs and Saloon Cars. We have bores, strokes, compression ratios, heights, weights and widths - and so much more.

I'm not saying it is the best book I have - but it is easily the most leafed. By some margin!

Michael, mine is the 1964 version :) original price showing is 11/- then crossed out and 9/6d, then $1.90, so I guess I got it in 66 or 67. You are right a great wee book which has been used to "discuss" some controversies!
Formula 1, Formula Junior, Indy, Sports/Racing and Prototype. Grand Touring, Sports and Directory of Manufacturers.

I have that one too O'f - but the one covering 1969 is the most extensive of those I've seen.

Why does the weight of an Astra RNR 1A matter all these years on, or the gearbox for the Ferrari 612, or the wheelbase of a Lotus 64? It doesn't - but I misplaced my little green book a few weeks ago, and was delighted when I found where I'd left it.

The 1958 edition is different to the later editions in that it is titled The World's Racing Cars and Sports Cars and was written by Douglas Armstrong. It must have sold very well as my copy is a second impression published in January 1959.

I have a 1964 edition and a 1966 version that is labelled as: Third Edition : Completely Revised.

I paid $12 for the 1959 book, $1 for the 1964 and $7.70 for the 1966.

Makes my $3.30 in 1973 from the bookshop at the Mangere Town Centre look pretty good!

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Originally Posted by Michael Clark

Makes my $3.30 in 1973 from the bookshop at the Mangere Town Centre look pretty good!

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Before the internet you were able to find real bargains in second-hand book shops and book exchanges. I got a 1967 Autocourse for $3 a few years ago.

The internet has now reduced the value of a lot of books because the information they contain is now available on-line. Which is a shame for someone like me who has rather a lot of books.

Also the internet has made it possible for the little store in the wops to look up the Amazon price and charge that straight away. Bargains all gone. Boo Hoo.

Milan, it pays to keep an eye out in the Sallies Thrift Shops (damn it, there goes my competitive advantage!), I found an 1969 Autocourse annual at the Taupo one a few years ago for $2, although I said to them "you don't know what these go for these days" and gave them a fiver...

Mrs Clark picked up a 1963 Automobile Year from a Carterton junk shop for $10 - I thought she'd done well...very well in fact...but I'll tell her a fiver is the new maximum.

Another well thumbed (been rebound at least once and needs it again) is Jenks "The Racing Car Pocketbook"

This site may help -I have a small problem with some early70s motoring magazines that were on a bookshelf with a bottle of gearbox oil, this leaked and many mags have this oil on the pages-including Ron Sylvesters Monaro.
Question is- does anyone know what will clean oil off these paper magazines?

Just in case, with Ferrari Festival and a few enthusiasts on, I am selling my Scuderia Ferrari book on Trade Me.

Have posted this on Motoring and Motorsport Collector Fb page - Pete Dicks a Mate of mine in the UK, known each other since 1978 and first met in 1982 in the USA has this for sale - open to offers - if interested please make a comment here or PM me ..

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A photo of a Tourer

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I have some of that kind of stuff...

But I reckon the prize book I have is A Boot Full of Right Arms by Evan Green. Both of my copies were obtained from charity shops and one of them was autographed by Green and was a review copy for a paper or magazine.

This is a book that you cannot put down, sheer drama pervades as it tells the story of the 1974 London to Munich Rally from the point of view of the crew which led the event as they headed into the Sahara Desert.

Thanks for bumping the thread!

I sold one of my two ERA books to Karin Ricketts, wife of Duncan Ricketts of ERA GP1 fame.

Enjoyed the Tony Brooks book and also the one on James Hunt.

This shelf may not be the most valuable, but I am a huge fan of all sorts of comedy (several shelves of cartoons - including Giles books - and comedy based books) and I have to say that both my wife and I have had a lot of laughs out of Jeremy Clarkson's writings.

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Once again I seem to have had a brain fade as I now have two copies of the hefty Robert Edwards book on Stirling Moss. I bought this latest one on the internet and lugged it back from England last year, not realising I already had one on the shelf.

Gosh this is showing my age! - 'Motor Sport' Racing Car Review by Denis Jenkinson 1958 purchased from Technical Books 27 Victoria St. W. Auckland on 2/9/59 reduced from 12/3d to 4/6d. Placed in prominent position and often looked at!

Have mainly New Zealand Stuff, and several Austin Healey books plus a few from the USA on Sports Car Racing in the 1950's / 1980's ..
Have also recovered on behalf of Seaqnmac Volumes 1 to 22 of " Classic and Sports Car " magazine - his Uncle Gordon was a mechanic and spannerman fro Barry Vuyk and others when competing. Gordon is shifting and had to empty his Garage of them I also got a box of 1973 and 1977 newspaper style magazine called " Motoring News " a UK publication which I am going to go through them when I next visit Auckland
[ currently in storage in Auckland all seven banana size boxes - a lot of magazine - my Cousin will not be impressed as in his Mums house which he looks after - she is 99 and in a Rest Home - Una Dowding is the Wife of the Late " Eddie Dowding " [ 1919 - 2018 of NSCC fame ].

Back to the topic - some books /booklets - some have been published elsewhere on TRS but this seems the right place.

Not for Sale - The Sports Car Talk were given to me, as were some of the others -
[ just don't tell " Her Indoors " who is Outdoors at the moment with a friend walking.]

SCT 1984
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SCT 1986
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Steve Holmes currently has this for his new book - details of the Lycomings History

SCT 1989
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The Ginetta of the front cover ex Tony Herbert is now with Remi Rutkowski in France

A Book on Dunedin by Scott Thomson - copy from Spgeti, Bruce thanks again.
Front cover
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The back with Map of the circuit
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More to come on this not so nice afternoon - almost Beer O'clock and home alone At The Moment 4;25 pm NZDST..

The famous Book which our own the late David Mckinney did a lot of the work on
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Some others this from 1983
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and further back in time 1966
The reversed photo a Left Hand Drive Zephyr Corvette !!
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1967
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1967
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and finally 1973
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Have the " Waimate 50 " a present from Spgeti, again "Thanks Bruce " - apparently it came with two different coloured covers according to Milan Fistonic who has a different version. Must dig it out and scan the cover again as cannot find any images of it.

Graham Vercoe also published these two 24-page booklets on the 1949 and 1950 seasons of NZ Motor Sport.

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Very American - this is for Ken H .. the Autumn 1981 [ August ] edition.

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Saw the Car at the Cunningham Museum, when it was still in existence in Costa Mesa LA California in July 1982.
The car still exists and an English guy called Derek Drinkwater has built a replica of " Le Monstre " and also the sister car " Le Petit Pataud "- the standard bodied 1950 Model 62 Cadillac.

Noticing the Title of the thread " .. - including your bookshelf " mine is rather small, and the magazines and booklets live in boxes in the garage, only seeing the light of day when I need to read up on " stuff ".

Interestingly Ken H, some of the photos in the magazine are from Hans Nohr .. presume he is still around - we lost touch.

Milan, thanks again for showing things [ photos books etc ] that I have and I am sure many others have never seen.

" Graham Vercoe also published these two 24-page booklets on the 1949 and 1950 seasons of NZ Motor Sport. "
Believe Graham now lives in Melbourne and has written some non-motoring books.
Those two " 1949 and 1950 " seasons on NZ Motor Sport - would be a great read.. Milan, are there any pictures of Seagrove, Manukau Circuit ?? would be interested.

Lastly my apology for ;
firstly, borrowing your image of the Radisich Humber - Zephyr on its side
and
secondly, for mis-crediting it on my copy of the photo posted on the Pukekohe thread.

ERC mentioned a few posts ago on this thread ;

Re ;" Once again I seem to have had a brain fade as I now have two copies of the hefty Robert Edwards book on Stirling Moss. I bought this latest one on the internet and lugged it back from England last year, not realising I already had one on the shelf. "

It is a weighty tome, I have acquired - at this stage " borrowed " the copy that my late Uncle Eddie Dowding owned. His family are not interested in it but can claim it back at any time.. !!

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Have other little Gems like Jim Clarks " At the Wheel " in paperback, A Doug Nye book on "Sports cars " autographed by my mate the late Walt Glendenning from California - he sent it to me after the Healey Trip USA 1982.

Very few of the many books I have on the shelf are pristine, but many quite rare now.
I have decided to cull the collection as I don't want to leave the task to those who will have to sort my mess sometime. How I'm going to do that I haven't decided, but there are in excess of 100!
Likewise I'm about to do the same in the garage, I did bring a fair bit of stuff over with me when we migrated, Autojumble it's called here.

Any recommendation on the Chula of Siam books about road racing in the 30s?
I want to buy one, but I don't know which one is of best interest.
I was about to buy the Wheels at Speed.

Gil Bouffard reported on TNF that he had all of Chula's books ten years ago...

He lived in 'The Central Valley in California' if you'd like to chase him up. He hasn't posted on TNF in the past ten years.

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Originally Posted by Roger Dowding

ERC mentioned a few posts ago on this thread ;

Re ;" Once again I seem to have had a brain fade as I now have two copies of the hefty Robert Edwards book on Stirling Moss. I bought this latest one on the internet and lugged it back from England last year, not realising I already had one on the shelf. "

It is a weighty tome, I have acquired - at this stage " borrowed " the copy that my late Uncle Eddie Dowding owned. His family are not interested in it but can claim it back at any time.. !!

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Have other little Gems like Jim Clarks " At the Wheel " in paperback, A Doug Nye book on "Sports cars " autographed by my mate the late Walt Glendenning from California - he sent it to me after the Healey Trip USA 1982.

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Hi Roger, do you know if this book on Stirling Moss is still available.
Regards
Dave Graham

I have two copies! It must still be available as I only bought my second copy last year. More than happy to sell one at the normal price.

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Originally Posted by ERC

I have two copies! It must still be available as I only bought my second copy last year. More than happy to sell one at the normal price.

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ERC as you mentioned got one then another as the other was tucked away .. sell one to Frosty 5 DG .. .
. as mentioned mine is a "Borrow " I do that a bit ..

Not Moss ..
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and my 2000th post !! must spend too much time here !!
mind you ERC is on 3227.. work to do !!

Hi ray have sent you a PM.
Cheers Dave

Allright, now I need time to read. Anyone has a good cover for wheels at speed and Road racing, to send me a scan copy ? Thanks !Attachment 61470

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Originally Posted by Remi110984

Allright, now I need time to read. Anyone has a good cover for wheels at speed and Road racing, to send me a scan copy ? Thanks !Attachment 61470

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Remi, What a good score..enjoy !!

I curse the fact that my Dad had those plus one or two others from that period and I should have grabbed them when I went to the UK for his funeral. I never thought for one minute that they'd let them go to a clearance dealer along with all Dad's other books. I'm just grateful they saved the copy of the ERA History I'd bought him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ERC

I curse the fact that my Dad had those plus one or two others from that period and I should have grabbed them when I went to the UK for his funeral. I never thought for one minute that they'd let them go to a clearance dealer along with all Dad's other books. I'm just grateful they saved the copy of the ERA History I'd bought him.

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Ray, yes one of those things that can happen.
I don't have anything of great history, but should make sure that what I do have, Books, Models, Programmes and other Memorabilia is documented, and who should get them.
Have a list of all my Models, but not books and all the " stuff " that sits in boxes in my garage.
Another job to go on the list.
** " H I "- Arthur ' Arfur ' Daley [ George Cole ] wife or " S W M B O " Rumpole of the Bailey [ Leo McKern ] wife - see the stuff as hoarding, I see it as History.

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** Translations " Her Indoors " " She Who Must Be Obeyed "

Got a set of these sent to me back in 1965 while still at school at Kelston Boys High in Auckland, from the UK Alfa Agents -got the address from the
" Observers Book of Automobiles " and wrote to quite a few agents Alfa, Renault Rover BMW and others.

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Spgeti's favourite cars ..

In all my years on this earth, the only unfathomable book I came across was- Aristotles Metaphysics with Analysis..
Recently I have been given a book that equals it...Weber Carburettors by John Pissini.
A challenging book and all I can say is just pay someone to make your Webers perform better.
Life is too short to get into this book from 1968,- V8s didnt exist then apparently- unless you are into Anglias, Healeys and Italian cars