Best of
Cars

2013

Moo!


David LaRochelle - 2013
    Moooo! But a bump in the road brings this joy ride to a troublesome end. Moo-moo. . . Has Cow learned her lesson about living life in the fast lane? Moo?Pairing two talented creators who managed to tell a complete story with just one word—MOO—this imaginative picture book will have readers laughing one moment and on the edge of their seats the next, as it captures the highs and lows of a mischievous cow's very exciting day.

Plays With Cars


Doug DeMuro - 2013
    In “Plays With Cars,” the former Porsche manager covers some of his most ridiculous decisions, like buying an old Land Rover sight unseen, taking a Mercedes AMG station wagon to a rural Georgia dragstrip, and roadtripping across the United States in a Lotus Elise without air conditioning. He’s also reviewed his former cars, which range from a Mercedes G-wagen to a Nissan Cube. Most importantly, he wrote this entire description himself in the third person.

Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic: How Fixing Broken BMWs Helped Make Me Whole


Rob Siegel - 2013
    In Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic, Rob Siegel shares his secrets to buying, fixing, and driving cool cars without risking the kids' tuition money or destroying his marriage. And that's something to brag about considering the dozens of cars, including twenty-five BMW 2002s, that have passed through his garage over the past three decades. With a steady dose of irreverent humor, Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic blends car stories, DIY advice, and cautionary tales in a way that will resonate with the car-obsessed (and the people who love them).

Porsche 911: 50 Years


Randy Leffingwell - 2013
    Porsche 911: 50 Years tells the whole story—design and development, racing and competition, engineering and technology, style and culture. All the iconic 911 models are included:The original 901 prototype that set the standardThe legendary RS models that made the little Porsche a dominant force on the world's racetracksThe infamous Turbo, the car that kept the performance flame alight during the dark, dismal decade of the 1970sThe fabled 959, the model that redefined the term "sports car"The 993, last of the original air-cooled modelsThe 996, 997, and 991, the liquid-cooled cars that brought the 911 into a new millenniumBeyond telling the story of the cars, Porsche 911: 50 yearsalso spotlights the people behind them: Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche, the son of legendary Porsche founder Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, who co-designed the instantly recognizable 911 shape; Peter W. Schutz, the Porsche CEO who saved the 911 from extinction; and Dr. Helmuth Bott, the engineering genius behind many of the groundbreaking technologies that have defined the 911, including fuel injection, turbocharging, and all-wheel-drive. Leffingwell also tells the story of the 911 community—the clubs and culture that surround the car. Together, all of these facets make Porsche 911: 50 Years the most essential book in any Porsche owner or fan's library.

Grand Theft Auto V Official Strategy Guide


Tim Bogenn - 2013
    Know exactly when to jump in and out of the lives of each of the three main characters and which weapons, tactics, and routes are most effective. Dive deeper into the story with tips for each mission and insight on every twist and turn; know when choices with consequences must be made, and achieve a gold medal every time.

Mechatronics: Electronic Control Systems in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering


W. Bolton - 2013
    From auto-focus cameras to car engine management systems, and from state-of-the-art robots to the humble washing machine, Mechatronics has a hand in them all. This book presents a clear and comprehensive introduction to the area. It is practical and applied so it helps you to comprehend and design mechatronic systems. By also explaining the philosophy of Mechatronics it provides you with a frame of understanding to develop a truly interdisciplinary and integrated approach to engineering.Mechatronics is essential reading for students requiring an introduction to this exciting area at undergraduate and higher diploma level. New Content includes:An expanded first chapter gives a comprehensive introduction to the subject. Includes more in-depth discussion of op-amps, mechanisms, and motor selection to improve clarity and extend applications. A new Appendix on Electrical Circuit Analysis is included to make the basic methods used for both d.c. and a.c. circuit analysis easily accessible to readers.

Top Muscle: The Rarest Cars from America's Fastest Decade


Darwin Holmstrom - 2013
    In the 1960s, something explosive happened in the automotive world: the United States' evolving V-8 engine technology was met by 75 million baby boomers, all with an extreme need for speed and all entering the auto market at the same time. The result was the golden era of factory muscle cars, brutish machines that were unlike any the world had ever seen or will likely ever see again--they truly embodied the "sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll" generation. For some, even a factory muscle car wasn't enough. Detroit automakers responded, secretly building some of the most outrageous muscle cars ever created behind their superiors' backs and ultimately creating some of the most powerful vehicles ever sold to the public. In Top Muscle, author Darwin Holmstrom chronicles the ultimate collection of these super-rare high-performance beasts. Captured by the lens of renowned auto photographer Randy Leffingwell, these cars represent the absolute zenith of the most valuable collector cars in existence, with fascinating histories that illuminate the wildest age in American automotive history. The Brothers Collection features over 600 cars, including such rarities as:- The very first Chevelle Z16 ever built, which was also the very first muscle car that Chevrolet ever built- The very first Chevelle SS454 LS6 off the assembly line- The only 1969 Mach I Mustang ever built with a factory sunroof- The very first A12 (440-6) Roadrunner ever built- The very last Hemi 'Cuda convertible Plymouth produced, One of the eight convertible Trans Am Ram Air III Firebirds that Pontiac built in 1969

The Ghosts of NASCAR: The Harlan Boys and the First Daytona 500


John Havick - 2013
    The Ghosts of NASCAR puts the controversial finish under a microscope. Author John Havick interviewed scores of people, analyzed film of the race, and pored over newspaper accounts of the event. He uses this information and his deep knowledge of the sport as it worked then to determine what probably happened. But he also tells a much bigger story: the story of how Johnny Beauchamp—and his Harlan, Iowa, compatriots, mechanic Dale Swanson and driver Tiny Lund—ended up in Florida driving in the 1959 Daytona race.The Ghosts of NASCAR details how the Harlan Boys turned to racing cars to have fun and to escape the limited opportunities for poor boys in rural southwestern Iowa. As auto racing became more popular and better organized in the 1950s, Swanson, Lund, and Beauchamp battled dozens of rivals and came to dominate the sport in the Midwest. By the later part of the decade, the three men were ready to take on the competition in the South’s growing NASCAR circuit. One of the top mechanics of the day, Swanson literally wrote the book on race cars at Chevrolet’s clandestine racing shop in Atlanta, Georgia, while Beauchamp and Lund proved themselves worthy competitors. It all came to a head on the brand-new Daytona track in 1959.The Harlan Boys’ long careers and midwestern racing in general have largely faded from memory. The Ghosts of NASCAR recaptures it all: how they negotiated the corners on dirt tracks and passed or spun out their opponents; how officials tore down cars after races to make sure they conformed to track rules; the mix of violence and camaraderie among fierce competitors; and the struggles to organize and regulate the sport. One of very few accounts of 1950s midwestern stock car racing, The Ghosts of NASCAR is told by a man who was there during the sport’s earliest days.

Inside Shelby American: Wrenching and Racing with Carroll Shelby in the 1960s


John Morton - 2013
    His dreams of competition eventually led him to enroll, in 1962, in the Shelby School of High Performance Driving. In a bold moment after the last class, Morton asked Carroll Shelby if he might come to work for the newly formed Shelby American. The answer was “Yes, here's a broom.” Thus ended Morton's college career and began his long racing career. Over the next three years, Morton would be a firsthand witness to the evolution of one of the most iconic sports car builders and racing teams of the 1960s. Inside Shelby American is his personal account of a company overflowing with talent, from designer Pete Brock to fabricator extraordinare Phil Remington to drivers like Dan Gurney, Ken Miles, Bob Bondurant, and Phil Hill. The cars were equally captivating: AC Cobra, Mustang GT350, Ford GT, Daytona Coupe. In this book, Morton’s story is intertwined with the memories of other Shelby staffers of the period, revealing through historic photography and an untold perspective the rousing story of America’s most legendary racer and car builder.

Modern Engine Blueprinting Techniques: A Practical Guide to Precision Engine Building


Mike Mavrigian - 2013
    In this book, expert engine builder and veteran author Mike Mavrigian explains and illustrates the most discriminating engine building techniques and perform detailed procedures, so the engine is perfectly balanced, matched, and optimized.

David Vizard's How to Super Tune and Modify Holley Carburetors


David Vizard - 2013
    Thirty, forty, even fifty years ago, if you looked under the hood of any modified or performance car, you more than likely would discover a Holley carburetor lurking there. Often, many enthusiast's first modification is swapping out the factory induction system for a new Holley 4-barrel carb and intake manifold. While many of today's modern cars have moved past carburetors and into high-tech fuel-injection systems, most cars from the highly collectible eras are still running carburetors. Carbs are comparatively inexpensive, highly tunable, and do not require laptops, expensive tuning equipment, or computers to function. And by far, the most popular carb still in use is the Holley carb.In David Vizard's How to Super Tune and Modify Holley Carburetors, best selling author Vizard explains the science, the function, and most important, the tuning expertise required to get your Holley carburetor to perform its best for your performance application, whether it's street, strip, supercharging, or race applications. Holley has been a best-selling subject for years, and this much-needed update guides you through the traditional 4150 Double Pumper, Dominator, and 4160 vacuum secondary models, as well as all the recent releases from Holley, including the Ultra Street Avenger and Ultra HP Series Carbs.With its high degree of tuning ease, and with all the new models coming into the market, the knowledge of an expert like Vizard is a requirement to meet your performance goals, now more than ever. This book is an essential addition to any hot rodder's library.

America's Wildest Show Rods,1960s & '70s


Scotty Gosson - 2013
    Crazy outfits, new-found freedoms of the boomer generation, and the hippie movement, all created an explosion of style completely unique to the period and generation. The 1960s and 1970s were also a time of intense automotive enthusiasm. New car launches every September were greeted with anticipation, muscle cars with excessive horsepower were the norm, and the average Joe was rodding and racing every weekend. When these two forces came together, the results were unforgettable. A new breed of car was developed-the Show Rod. These creations were never intended for use on the streets, and many of them were never intended for any use at all. Customizers designed and built them to attract huge crowds to the big car show circuit that was travelling the country at the time, and in that they certainly succeeded.What began as visions of futuristic cars eventually morphed into cartoon-like representations of cars. Things got wilder when the model car industry got involved, and then television shows and pop music acts jumped in too. Icons like Barris and Roth, household names even to fringe car guys, made their name in this era, as did others like Gene Winfield, Dean Jeffries, Candy Joe Bailon, Bob Reisner, Darryl Starbird and Tom Daniel, all important characters in promoting, designing and building this insane pieces of rolling artwork. This completely unique book is a round-table discussion featuring all of these great customizers discussing the era, their builds, and each others rods as well.

The Cars of Trans-Am Racing: 1966-1972-Op


David Tom - 2013
    In a few short years it became the ultimate American automobile showdown, as each major automotive manufacturer participated heavily in the Trans-Am Series. When the modified muscle cars of the series were seen performing well on the country's finest tracks, fans wanted a model of their own in the driveway. These "pony" cars boasted a new look and style not seen before, and their all-around performance eclipsed anything accomplished by production-based American GT cars to this point. The Cars of Trans-Am Racing is unique in that it focuses on the cars used in this legendary series. These vintage Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Barracudas, Firebirds, Cougars, and Javelins all have become extremely popular with collectors and enthusiasts today. Seeing them in their 'full-competition' versions when they were new will bring back many fond memories for those who were fans of this series. In addition, enthusiasts who enjoy these cars today look to the Trans-Am Series cars for styling inspiration and performance hints as part of the growing Pro Touring trend.Many of these historic cars have been restored to race-ready condition once again. Additional insight and interviews from the original builders and the teams who maintained the cars provide an insider's viewpoint never before seen in print.