Austin A30/A35 – Read all about these small but big-hearted classics... Kim tells more... It is more than 50 years since the very last Austin A35 (a van version) came off the production line, but in fact the story of these cars dates back to the late 1940s, when the Austin Motor Company was instrumental in earning vital Dollars for Britain (following the financially crippling War effort), and … [Read more...]
Bookshelf
Our pick of motoring related books covering a wide variety of fascinating subjects
Book Review – Setting Up a Home Car Workshop
Reviewed by Kim Henson... Title: Setting Up a Home Car Workshop Author: Julian Edgar Published by: Veloce; www.veloce.co.uk and www.velocebooks.com 160 pages; softback Price: £19.99 UK; $32.50 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787112-08-7 Since my schooldays I have been working in, planning, and hopefully improving my various home garages and workshops, all with the aim of making life easier in … [Read more...]
Book Review – A fascinating children’s story about a long-dormant Jaguar XK120 and its re-awakening
The XK Files: 120. Reviewed by Kim Henson. Author: Jennifer Barker (and illustrated by Robin Lawrie) Published by: Porter Press International Ltd; https://porterpress.co.uk/ 128 pages; softback Price: £6.99 UK; $9.99 USA. ISBN: 978-1-907085-72-7 When I was a lad I used to love reading, as well as being interested in motor cars, and I was always excited to find books that heavily … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Perfect Car
The Perfect Car... Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: The Perfect Car (The Biography of John Barnard) Author: Nick Skeens Published by: Evro Publishing www.evropublishing.com 591 pages; hardback Price: £40 UK; $60 USA. ISBN: 978-1-910505-27-4 John Barnard’s remarkable design career encompassed two periods at McLaren, plus two stints at Ferrari as well as working for the Americans Parnelli … [Read more...]
Book Review – Derek Bell: All My Porsche Races
Book Review – Derek Bell: All My Porsche Races. Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: All My Porsche Races Author: Derek Bell and Richard Heseltine Published by: Porter Press International: https://porterpress.co.uk/ (...and signed by Derek Bell if purchased direct). 304 pages; hardback Price: £45.00 UK ISBN: 978-1-907085-65-9 Derek Bell’s long career divides into two parts: … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Test (Testing Times).
An absorbing novel centred on motor sport in the 1970s – Reviewed by Kim Henson. Title: The Test (Testing Times) Author: Jeremy Walton Published by: Independently published 320 pages; paperback Price: £7.00 UK ISBN-10: 1976989779 ISBN-13: 9781976989773 How to Buy: Shop in Amazon UK-books-Jeremy Walton-The Test (Average customer review 4.5 out of 5 stars, eight customer … [Read more...]
Book Review – Racing Colours (Motor racing compositions 1908-2009).
Book Review – Racing Colours (Motor racing compositions 1908-2009). Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: Racing Colours (Motor racing compositions 1908-2009). Author: Simon Owen Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd; www.veloce.co.uk 188 pages; hardback Price: £14.99 UK; $24.95 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787111-94-3 Musician and artist, Simon Owen’s penchant for painting racing cars dates … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Good, the Mad and the Ugly
Book Review – The Good, the Mad and the Ugly. Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: The Good, the Mad and the Ugly Author: Peter Dron Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd; www.veloce.co.uk 256 pages; hardback Price: £14.99 UK; $24.95 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787111-84-4 The author looks back over 40 years’ motoring journalism and reflects, hardly surprisingly that that fings ain’t what … [Read more...]
Book Review – An Austin Anthology
A fascinating new book about Austins – with a different historical approach... Reviewed by Kim Henson. Title: An Austin Anthology Author: James ‘Jim’ Stringer Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd; www.veloce.co.uk 112 pages; hardback Price: £14.99 UK; $25 USA. ISBN: 978-1-787111-91-2 All motor car manufacturers have interesting and often offbeat aspects to their history, many of … [Read more...]
Book Review – Reliant Three-Wheelers; The Complete Story
Reliant Three-Wheelers; The Complete Story. Reviewed by Kim Henson. Title: Reliant Three-Wheelers; The Complete Story Author: John Wilson-Hall Published by: Crowood; www.crowood.com 176 pages; hardback Price: RRP £25.00; Crowood website price £20.00; also available new on the internet for £10.00 or less. ISBN: 978-1-84797-806-6 Three wheels on your wagon? Three-wheeled vehicles … [Read more...]
Book Review – Porsche Boxster and Cayman – The 987 Series 2004–13
Title: Porsche Boxster and Cayman – The 987 Series 2004–13 Author: Brian Long Published by: Veloce; www.veloce.co.uk 180 pages; hardback Price: UK £40.00; US $60 ISBN: 978-1-787110-81-6 Kieron Fennelly reviews a new title covering Porsche’s well-liked mid-engined modern classics… The appearance in 1976 of Paul Frère’s definitive 911 Story, now in its ninth edition, started an … [Read more...]
Book Review – Jaguar XJR-9: Owner’s Workshop Manual
Title: Jaguar XJR-9: Owner’s Workshop Manual Author: Michael Cotton Published by: Haynes Publishing; haynes.com 164 pages; hardback Price: £25.00 (but at the time of writing, currently on offer on the Haynes website at £18.75) ISBN: 987-1-785211-13-3 Kieron Fennelly delves into a volume covering the history and development of Jaguar’s iconic XJR-9, and the races in which it … [Read more...]
Book Review – The Volvo estate car: Design icon and faithful companion
Title: The Volvo estate car: Design icon and faithful companion Author: Ashley Hollebone Published by: Veloce Publishing; www.velocebooks.com 160 pages; hardback Price: £19.99 ISBN: 978-1-787110-75-5 Kieron Fennelly investigates a new book about the oh-so-solid and wonderfully spacious Volvo estate cars… To devote a book to a car that was neither a style icon nor had any sporting … [Read more...]
Book Review – Ford GT 40 – The Autobiography of 1075
Kieron Fennelly reviews a comprehensive and fascinating new book about Ford’s GT40 and in particular, the history of the famous No. 1075… Title: Ford GT 40 – The Autobiography of 1075 Author: Ray Hutton Published by: Porter Press International; www.porterpress.co.uk 320 pages; hardback Price: £60.00 ISBN: 978-1-907085-68-0 The sportscar racing of the mid-1960s remains enduringly … [Read more...]
Book Review – France: The Essential Guide for Car Enthusiasts
Planning a trip to France? If so, this book may enhance your visit... Reviewed by Kieron Fennelly. Title: France: The Essential guide for Car Enthusiasts Author: Julian Parish Published by: Veloce; www.veloce.co.uk 248 pages; soft covers Price: £14.99 UK/$24.95 ISBN: 978-1-787110-57-1 France: The Essential guide for Car Enthusiasts France, says Julian Parish, is the most … [Read more...]
Cars in Films – A website that will help you search for your favourites!
Find your favourite cars/movies within a fascinating website (microsite) taking you to a wealth of motoring adventures from the big screen... Kim Henson is your guide... For motoring enthusiasts, there is always something special about the multitude of iconic cars used in films, and the scenes in which they appear. To cater for these, this 'Pop Culutre Cars' website (please click HERE) provides … [Read more...]
Book review: Gullible’s Travels – About two extraordinary ‘against all odds’ journeys, 70 years apart, undertaken in 1947 Austin Sixteens
Kim Henson reviews this entertaining book, and says, “If you like motoring adventures you really won’t want to put down this fascinating book, until you have finished reading it…” Title: Gullible’s Travels… Authors: Alan C. Hess and Guy Loveridge (with a Foreword by Leonard Lord). Published by: Douglas Loveridge Publications, 85, Warburton, Emley, West Yorkshire, HD8 9QP. 214 pages … [Read more...]
Book Review: “The Railway Experience”
Wheels-Alive is happy to cover all sorts of transport, and in a change from motor cars Kim Henson has been studying a book covering 150 years of Britain’s once revered railway system… Published by: Shire Publications Ltd: www.shirebooks.co.uk 112 pages (paperback) UK Price: £9.99 ISBN-13: 978 1 78442 123 6 PDF e-book ISBN: 978 1 78442 190 8 ePub ISBN: 978 1 78442 189 2 I read … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Triumph Sports Cars”
Kim Henson enjoys reading a potted history of Triumph’s wide range of sporting models, the first of which was produced almost a century ago, and the line continued until the 1980s… Published by: Shire Publications Ltd: www.shirebooks.co.uk 64 pages (paperback) UK Price: £7.99 ISBN-13: 978 1 78442 041 3 PDF e-book ISBN: 978 178442 106 9 ePub ISBN: 978 1 78442 105 2 Graham Robson … [Read more...]
Book Review: “BMC Competitions Department Secrets”
Kieron Fennelly reads the amazing story of what actually happened in BMC's Competitions Department in the 1950s and 60s, written by those who were there at the time... Authors: Marcus Chambers, Stuart Turner and Peter Browning Published by: Veloce: www.veloce.co.uk 640 pages (hardback) UK Price: £25.00 ($39.95 US) ISBN: 978-1-845849-94-8 This book is essentially a pictorial history of … [Read more...]
