What is the best Colin Chapman book?

[Whitney-Paine]

Looking for an insight into his methods, personality and design ideas as opposed to history of Lotus and race results.

Any help appreciated!

SB

[Sam_68]

I'd say you need to read both 'Colin Chapman, the man and his cars', by 'Jabby' Crombac, and 'Colin Chapman Lotus Engineering: Theories, Designs & Applications', by Hugh Haskell.

The former is primarily an excellent biography, but still manages to give a fair amount of anecdotal technical content to explain his engineering and design approach, the latter majors on engineering and technical concepts, but doesn't do much to explain the man and how his thinking was shaped.

Together they give a reasonable overall picture, IMO.

[Whitney-Paine]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response ordered the first one and will have to save a bit for the second!

SB

[Stu - B]

Started this thread under a previous "handle".

Would like to say thanks for the tip. Bought the Haskell book at RaceRetro for what I thought was a steep £95, but it is worth every penny. Cannot put it down and would recommend buying a copy to anyone who likes Lotus.

SB
www.3dengineers.co.uk

[mickrick]

That's a fascinating web site!

[Sam_68]

Stu - B said:

Bought the Haskell book at RaceRetro for what I thought was a steep £95

I take it it's out of print at the moment, then?

[Stu - B]

Sam_68 said:

Stu - B said:

Bought the Haskell book at RaceRetro for what I thought was a steep £95

I take it it's out of print at the moment, then?

Tragically....yes.

My favourite quote from the book so far. Colin Chapman having just raced an Eleven in heavy rain was asked "What is it like in the wet" - as in the handling. CC replied "choppy round the ankles".

[dandarez]

I bought the 'Jabby' first edition in 1986 and never bothered to buy the Haskell book.

Does the Haskell book cover the tobacco sponsorship deal in more detail?

Jabby's book gives an insight to the story but fails to mention whatsoever as to just how close Ginetta were to getting the first ever tobacco sponsorship deal.

Even today, few know or realise that it was Ginetta who instigated the idea.

[Stu - B]

It mentions nothing about sponsorship, majoring on the technical side of designs.

[wilsongt]

May I suggest 3 books that present a more accurate picture of Colin Chapman and Lotus, especially in the early days? More balanced than Jabby's biography, which naturally was influenced by his long-standing friendship with Colin Chapman and his family

1. Dr Mike Lawrence's biography. (Coin Chapman - Wayward Genius)Pulls no punches, but still affectionate
2. Robin Read's story of his time at Lotus (Colin Chapman's Lotus: The early years). He was sales director during the Lotus Elite, Seven S2 etc. Very insightful
3. Peter Ross. (Lotus - The Early Years) The real story of Lotus in the early days, from someone who was there. Personality and engineering detail

All highly recommended, they deconstruct many of the myths surrounding the man and his marque, and are more balanced and realistic (and this from someone who considers Colin Chapman to be the greatest racing car designer of all time, and Lotus as hs favourite car company)

Regards
Glenn

[Stu - B]

wilsongt said:

May I suggest 3 books that present a more accurate picture of Colin Chapman and Lotus, especially in the early days? More balanced than Jabby's biography, which naturally was influenced by his long-standing friendship with Colin Chapman and his family

1. Dr Mike Lawrence's biography. (Coin Chapman - Wayward Genius)Pulls no punches, but still affectionate
2. Robin Read's story of his time at Lotus (Colin Chapman's Lotus: The early years). He was sales director during the Lotus Elite, Seven S2 etc. Very insightful
3. Peter Ross. (Lotus - The Early Years) The real story of Lotus in the early days, from someone who was there. Personality and engineering detail

All highly recommended, they deconstruct many of the myths surrounding the man and his marque, and are more balanced and realistic (and this from someone who considers Colin Chapman to be the greatest racing car designer of all time, and Lotus as hs favourite car company)

Regards
Glenn

Thanks!

[Pat H]

Robin Read's book really is worth seeking out.

I paid £25 for my copy when I was a university student back in the 1980s.

My Dad went mad that I'd blown so much (of his) cash on a book, but it was money well spent.

[Sam_68]

Apologies for yet another resurrection of this thread, but I finally got round to buying the new Karl Ludvigsen book today (Colin Chapman: Inside the Innovator), today.

I've only had chance to briefly skim through the contents, so far, but I have to say that it looks very promising on the technical side: a possible cotender against the Hugh Haskell book in this respect.

[coppice]

And here's another resurrection; the Ludvigsen book is , for me , the definitive work on ACBC. It has extraordinary insight into the man himself(and is much more objective than Crombac's work especially) and the technical content is fascinating, even to a not very technically inclined reader. Very highly recommended.

[anonymous-user]

The Ludivigsen book is superb. The Crombac bio is, I think, a hagiography. Four lines on De Lorean?

[delands]

Stu - B said:

Sam_68 said:

Stu - B said:

Bought the Haskell book at RaceRetro for what I thought was a steep £95

I take it it's out of print at the moment, then?

Tragically....yes.

My favourite quote from the book so far. Colin Chapman having just raced an Eleven in heavy rain was asked "What is it like in the wet" - as in the handling. CC replied "choppy round the ankles".

Wow.. and here's me with an unread copy of the book.

[anonymous-user]

My mechanic has my copy of Haskell at present, and my Ludvigsen, and he rates both highly. It is a pity that Setright did not write more about Lotus. He penned a good short piece in an American Encyclopedia of Automobiles circa 1974.

I have been reading "Colin Chapman, Wayward Genius" by Mike Lawrence. Rather blunt prose style (no Setright, he), but much more realistic in its appraisal of Chapman as a rather brilliant spiv than the frankly rather rubbish Crombac spiel.

[coppice]

There is also a highly readable piece in Car magazine (about 1966) which constitutes a long conversation between Setright and ACBC . This was , of course , in the days when Car had the best writers (and designers and photographers) in the business and covered motor sport in depth. Unlike today's parody which seems aimed at readers with the attention span of an ant...

[anonymous-user]

I happen to be at the RAC all morning today so will see if the 1966 piece is in the (excellent) Library.

I bought a bundle of 1970s and 80s Car mags on eBay just to read lots of Setright stuff, but the stupid courier lost the package.

[anonymous-user]

The RAC Library only has Car Magazine from 1987 onwards, so I will have to search for a copy of June 1966 online.