A Good Read!

[Saltire]

Morning all
I have woken up this morning to an email from my brother who lives on Vancouver Island. He says:

Hi Jon
I am looking to buy for Samantha’s boyfriend (a non-reader) a really easy but good car book. He is an avid off roader 4X4 and I was wondering about the autobiography of James Hunt or maybe the Cannell book The Limit.
Any ideas on something easy to read but engaging about cars?
Thanks

David

(Samantha is my early 20s intern niece, currently working in Ottawa)

Before I reply with my thin list of ideas, does anyone have any thoughts (and you never know, we might also get a good reading list for ourselves).

Thanks in advance!

[Rusty Wishbone]

Biographies are often engaging reads, and not too heavy. Autobiographies by famous racing drivers can be poor - Jenson Button's book on his championship year was terrible. Graham Hill's Life at the Limit ends in a statement that his lawyers made him take all the interesting bits out of the book - and he was right!

I would fully recommend:
My Autobiography - Guy Martin [I REALLY recommend this one]
Flat Out Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way! - Perry McCarthy (ex-Stig)
An Independent Man - Eddie Jordan
Life at the Limit - Prof Sid Watkins
Alex Zanardi - My Story

A more advanced read for Lotus afficionados:
Colin Chapman: A man and his Cars - Gerard Crombac

[Saltire]

Thanks, Rusty; I was considering Jenson’s book myself, so that’s useful on its own.

The Martin, Watkins and Jordan I’ve read and agree (as well as the Prof’s other book, which is equally good). The others I haven’t tried but I’ll suggest (and also look at myself)

[Bern]

Though probably not very relevant in this case, the best book I've read in the last few years has been The TR7 Story by David Knowles.

I bought it in a cheap bookshop just for something to read, and almost couldn't put it down! An insight into BL in the 70s!! And I've never owned a TR7 (though I have had a Vitesse, and a few Dolomites and Spitfres)!

Also recommend this one Bristish Leyland: Chronicles of a Car Crash

[Steve A]

I’ve got Jenson’s book which was very cheap so there might be a clue there, not read it yet.
I’ve read Jackie Stewart’s book, I liked most of it , all the early stuff was interesting but then he does get up himself a bit towards the end.
Jo Ramirez: Memoirs of a racing man is excellent, I couldn’t put it down .

[Rambo]

Just an idea Jon....

As he is into 4WD stuff, why not suggest getting a years subscription to a 4x4 monthly mag ? At least he will be interested in that rather than reading about Sir Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna type stuff As he's a "non reader" he'll at least be able to drool all over the action photos in the monthly mag.

PS Phil had a good read at Castle Combe. Can't remember what it was (the early years of Colin Chapman and Nick Hazelhurst ???) but I'm fairly certain it wouldn't cut the mustard with a young 4x4 type living on VI

[Saltire]

Thanks all, very useful and great suggestions. And interestingly, Mark, I’d wondered about a collection of magazine articles, so we were heading towards the same end point. I’ll see what 4x4 mags are available in Canada.

[lotusflasherman]

Just an idea Jon....

As he is into 4WD stuff, why not suggest getting a years subscription to a 4x4 monthly mag ? At least he will be interested in that rather than reading about Sir Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna type stuff As he's a "non reader" he'll at least be able to drool all over the action photos in the monthly mag.

PS Phil had a good read at Castle Combe. Can't remember what it was (the early years of Colin Chapman and Nick Hazelhurst ???) but I'm fairly certain it wouldn't cut the mustard with a young 4x4 type living on VI

I'm always reading something technical ... think at Castle Combe I was on 'It was fun' by Tony Rudd. Recommend it to anybody interested in Lotus, BRM, Rolls Royce Merlin engines and engineering in general. He was Engineering Director at Lotus from 1969 through to the GM era when he retired at age 68. The title relates to an incident 20 years after joining Lotus when he & Chunky had worked all evening on a problem and Chunky said "I hope you are having fun. If it stops being fun for me I shall quit"

Recently finished "How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of Adrian Newey" ... very readable. I came home to it on a Thursday evening and finished it Sunday night . 400 pages so I didn't get much else done that weekend but I learnt that the difference between a quick F1 car and the not so quick is all about controlling what happens to the air squished out to the inside of the front tyres as it affects all the airflow along the car.

'First Principles' the Official Biography of Keith Duckworth is another good one for Lotus and engineering.
'Team Lotus - The Indianapolis Years' by Andrew Ferguson (Team Lotus Competitions Manager) is another good one for Lotus racing (and what goes on abroad when the wives are left in GB ).

'Colin Chapman - Inside The Innovator' by Karl Ludvigsen' is an interesting treatment of Chapman & Lotus by topics in each chapter. He covers race and road cars and looks at 1) the concepts he came up with, 2) the engines, 3) transmissions , 4) suspensions, 5) structures, 6) whittling weight, 7) aerodynamics, 8 ) discovering downforce and then a few on man management of various groups.. ... lots of photos and line drawings too.

[Rambo]

And talking of Indianapolis......

.....how about "Vollstedt : From track roadsters to Indy cars : the Rolla Vollstedt story. It is a very interesting read, particularly if you like Indy stories from the 60's

Incidentally, Rolla Vollstedt built one of the cars in my sisters collection. "Old Bess" raced against Jim Clark at Indianapolis in 1965. As we all know, JC won the race in a Lotus type 38, the first rear engined car to win at Indianapolis

[Rambo]

Jon - have a look at http://www.4x4.com

Seems particularly relevant for American/Canadian enthusiasts

[Saltire]

And talking of Indianapolis......

.....how about "Vollstedt : From track roadsters to Indy cars : the Rolla Vollstedt story. It is a very interesting read, particularly if you like Indy stories from the 60's

Incidentally, Rolla Vollstedt built one of the cars in my sisters collection. "Old Bess" raced against Jim Clark at Indianapolis in 1965. As we all know, JC won the race in a Lotus type 38, the first rear engined car to win at Indianapolis

Is that this one:

C156C2F9-1E21-4A04-B525-8D93DA727DEA.jpeg

And thanks for the 4x4 reference: I’ll take a look

[Rambo]

Yes, that's Old Bess on the right. And that is Old Gordy on the left. My brother in law, Gordon Alberg. He raced with Steve McQueen et al back on the day.

And that's Gordy's garage. He has some very interesting stuff down at the warehouse too. I must get round to listing the stuff sometime

[Saltire]

I shall look out for car shows when I’m over seeing my brother in September! Nice car!

[Rambo]

Jon - I don't know where your brother lives on VI but there is now a private racetrack somewhere outside Victoria. If you like, I can ask my brother in law and sister if there are any car shows or racing in the area. When are you over ?

[Saltire]

David’s in Mill Bay, BC (about 1/2 hour down Highway 1 from Saanich) and we’re there 19th-23rd Sept.

[esprit888]

David’s in Mill Bay, BC (about 1/2 hour down Highway 1 from Saanich) and we’re there 19th-23rd Sept.

Unfortunately you'll miss the best show in that area, if not on the Island, by a few weeks: its held at the new Race track just north of Mill Bay: https://motorgathering.com/the-event/

Some pics of last year: https://motorgathering.com/gallery-types/2017/

[Saltire]

will have to check our dates more carefully on our next visit.

[Bern]

This is one that I'll be ordering soon: Colin Chapman