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Thread: Any good automotive books to read?

  1. #1
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    Any good automotive books to read?

    Any good source or a site to find a great selection of history, art & photography, performance, technical, or motorsports to read?

    I already have a few that I've thoroughly enjoyed reading (and over and over again) although none of them are actually BMW related.

    - - - Updated - - -

    There are three four books that I'm currently interested in purchasing.



  2. #2
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    I enjoyed reading Alex Roy's The Driver book. It features an E39 M5 which is nice.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

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  4. #4
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    It's a good read, and a fascinating insight into the world of endurance racing.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  5. #5
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    Making it Faster - Dan Binks and Norm DeWitt....Motorsport and technical - a fun read...sorry , no E39...

    Btw - I just ordered "The Driver"... The featured M5 did it for me! Thanks!!!!
    Last edited by windwagen; 01-18-2016 at 07:33 AM.

  6. #6
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    JimLev is offline Artifically Aspirated Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    I enjoyed reading Alex Roy's The Driver book. It features an E39 M5 which is nice.
    I met Alex a few years ago when he was here in the Boston area. Very interesting guy to talk to. His M5 was all setup just the same as when he made the cross country run.
    Nice to have a plane flying ahead of you to be on the lookout for troopers.

  7. #7
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    Thanks for the suggestion! I think I finished that Alex Roy book within 31 hrs 04 of picking it up! I don't know why the synopsis and cover mention 32:07...that's the wrong time!

  8. #8
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    Just finished Nigel Mansell's autobiography "Staying On Track". Interesting read about integrating motorsports into your life, and the price you pay.

  9. #9
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    I have followed Alex for years. I have read his book a few times as well as watched the Documentary about his Cross Country Run in 2006. Titled 32hrs 7mins. GREAT documentary.
    Also read Cannonball! By Brock Yates.
    "Helicopters: 10,0000 pieces of metal fatigue rotating around an oil leak."


  10. #10
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    Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory. Met him a couple of time before the accident. What a genuine person.
    Was some talk of him getting in a indycar again.


  11. #11
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    Corky Bell's Maximum Boost? Bosch Fuel Injection & Engine Management: Theory of Operation, Troubleshooting and Service Using Common Tools and Equipment, High Performance Tuning?

  12. #12
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    "Where The Writer Meets The Road" by Sam Posey chronicles his career as a writer, driver, broadcaster, etc. Very entertaining and fun to read.

    Being a fan of Formula 1 for decades, I read Mike Hawthorn's "Challenge Me The Race" when I was 16. I reread it in 2015. He tells of what seems like every race he participated in between 1951 and 1957 in the most engaging manner-wheel to wheel racing with Fangio, etc., etc. His second book, "Championship Year", which I only read last year provides the same sort of descriptive prose describing the races he participated in in 1958, the year he won the World Championship. Racing at that time was quite different than it is today. No big sponsorships and the drivers raced in every type of car and race. Both these books are out of print but can be bought on eBay or Amazon quite reasonably.

    I have an extra copy of"Challenge Me The Race if someone wants to read it, PM me.

    I also bought a copy of "American Racing" by Tom Burnside (took the pictures) with text by Denise McCluggage. This book is also out of print and is a big format, coffee table type book with amazing pictures of racing in the US during the 50s and 60s and is written in 3 languages all in the same book. There is a Ferrari GTO on the cover lifting its inside front wheel with appropriate damage to its left front fender and air intake-very cool.
    Much modified VF Supercharger Kit tuned by Tuning Tech FS, M5 front sports seats, CVV to catch can conversion, Boost Gauge, Schmiedmann header to rear muffler high flow exhaust, Header Ceramic coated inside & out, Exhaust heat wrapped from flanges after header to before CATs, Kicker sub with dedicated 200 watt amp, CCFL angel eyes, CF facelift kidney grills, Quaife LS diff ,Super duty cooling kit, Electric fan controlled by temperature adjustable 2 speed controller (JimLev design)

    John

  13. #13
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    So I've ordered the book 'Mclaren-Honda Turbo: A Technical Appraisal' written by Ian Bamsey who is my favourite author. I've read his other books and love his attention to detail to every part of a race car.

    https://www.amazon.com/McLaren-Honda...rds=Ian+Bamsey

    I want to read books like Ian Bamsey writes. If you are familiar with his books, then recommend me some other good ones.



  14. #14
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    Not much of a racing or technical book, but mixes that aspect of racing with life - as told by Enzo the dog.

    It's an easy read - I read it over a weekend.

    https://www.amazon.com/Art-Racing-Ra...ng+in+the+rain

  15. #15
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    Few authors that I like are Ian Bamsey, Peter G. Wright (mostly covered F1), and Peter Morgan (mostly covered Porsche).

    I got my Mcl-Honda book recently and am in love with technical details already.

    Going to purchase Porsche 956/962: The Enduring Champions book by Peter Morgan soon.



  16. #16
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    A coffee table book on the pre- Bangle 5 series. Beautiful pictures and good value:


    Classic 5 series - No Bangle

  17. #17
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    Does it count if I met Alex and had him sign my copy?

    Seriously though, great book! It really makes me love the E39 chassis more to read about it in action.

    'Driven: Inside BMW, The Most Admired Car Company In The World' is one of my top reads. it was written towards the end of E39 production so there is a lot that was still relevant to the design and research around the chassis.

    Quote Originally Posted by dannyzabolotny View Post
    I enjoyed reading Alex Roy's The Driver book. It features an E39 M5 which is nice.
    Wade

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