Automotive category: 1940 books

A complete workshop guide to restoring and maintaining your classic British motorcycle. Covering the principles of restoration and maintenance, and therefore applicable across all post-war classic British marques such as BSA, Matchless, Triumph, Norton, AJS and Royal Enfield, Classic Motorcycle Restoration...

Leyland Tractors explores the story of the Leyland tractor, beginning with the orange Nuffield tractor of 1948, which was to influence the development of Leyland tractors in many key ways. The focus then shifts to the period from 1969 to 1982, when the name Leyland was used on the bonnet of a range...

Every year on the first Sunday in August, hundreds gather to see one of the greatest displays of historic commercial vehicles. First organised in 1969, the Trans Pennine Run attracts an annual entry of around 200 vehicles coming from all over the UK.The event starts at Birch Services on the M62 at...

From the 1940s to the 1960s, the microcar posed a challenge to the large companies that mass-produced cars to uniform designs. The microcar was the opposite, produced by small entrepreneurial start-ups using quirky design concepts that offered motorists cheaper and more economical vehicles. This book...

In 1928, Edinburgh Corporation Transport was formed as the corporation increasingly began to run buses as well as trams in the city. Edinburgh Corporation Transport continued to run Edinburgh’s buses until 1975, when Lothian Regional Transport was set up. In this book, George Fairbairn, who grew...

Henry Taylor was a Formula One racer who switched to become a rally racer after having a serious wreck. Taylor later became a Ford executive and was captain of the British rally team for a number of years. My book looks at his career from when he began racing F1 cars for the Cooper marque, which was...

The Second World War proved, among other things, the value of a basic 4-wheeled drive vehicle of rugged construction. The success of the American Jeep inspired the Wilkes' brothers, Maurice & Spencer, who ran the Rover car company, that a British version was likely to be well received.

Starting in 1965, when Swift found success with its early models, this book follows the development of Swift Caravans to the present day, where it has grown into a multi-brand leisure vehicle producer. The author describes the early models, which became popular with distinctive features such as the...

Spanning the 1950s through the 1970s, 1001 Drag Racing Facts is packed with well-researched drag racing facts that even some of the most hard-core drag racing fans might be surprised to learn. Covered are all the popular classes of racing of the era: Top Fuelers, Funny Cars, Pro Stocks, Eliminators such as Gassers and Altereds, Stocks, Super Stocks, and more.

The Woman and the Car is a faithfully reproduced, quirky classic from the dawn of motoring – and testament to womankind's perennial claim on the steering wheel! Take a spin through a time – 1909, to be precise – when no right-thinking lady would consider solo motoring without her revolver, and...

In this modern era of traffic jams, road rage and speed cameras, it's easy to forget the simple pleasure that the gentlemanly pastime of motoring can bring. This handy little guide from the original age of the automobile, reminds us how to achieve maximum enjoyment from the motoring experience. With...

A serious in depth study of the growth of SS Cars Limited during the world's worst economic depression; the relationship with the Standard Motor Company upon which success was based, together with a detailed technical survey covering the progression of design from 1928 to 1950. Many hitherto unknown facts disclosed and copiously illustrated with contemporary photographs.

Today American motorists can count on being able to drive to virtually any town or city in the continental United States on a hard surface. That was far from being true in the early twentieth century, when the automobile was new and railroads still dominated long-distance travel. Then, the roads confronting...

The first book of its kind aimed directly at the scooter rider. This comprehensive manual takes the reader through basic skills to advanced concepts for riding your scooter safely and efficiently. Written by an advanced motorcycle instructor who is a keen scooter rider himself, and packed with helpful...