Motor Racing books

[chevronb37]

Anyone read anything good recently? Next on the list for me is Doug Nye's history of the Goodwood Revival. Once I pile my way through the most recent Autosports and MotorSport...

[ettore]

Currently wading through volume 3 of his BRM book. Very good indeed..

[flemke]

Can-Am Challenger, by Peter Bryant
Let 'Em All Go, by Chris Economaki
To Finish First, by Phil Kerr

All great reads.

[ettore]

One of the most memorable recent books was "the Lost Generation" about Pryce, Brise and Williamson. In fact, I thought it good enough for a much wider release. Very moving.

[chevronb37]

flemke said:

Can-Am Challenger, by Peter Bryant

That sounds great. He pioneered underbody aerodynamics and titanium as a structural material didn't he? Recently purchased the Can Am Thunder DVD to which he contributes a great deal. Amazing those American "garagistes" - as Enzo might have called them.

[chevronb37]

ettore said:

One of the most memorable recent books was "the Lost Generation" about Pryce, Brise and Williamson. In fact, I thought it good enough for a much wider release. Very moving.

That is the only book I've read which has left me in tears. The account of Roger Williamson's death left me as an adult weeping. It is an amazing book. I had to go to pay tribute to RW's statue at Donington after that to try and eclipse the demons.

[flemke]

chevronb37 said:

flemke said:

Can-Am Challenger, by Peter Bryant

That sounds great. He pioneered underbody aerodynamics and titanium as a structural material didn't he? Recently purchased the Can Am Thunder DVD to which he contributes a great deal. Amazing those American "garagistes" - as Enzo might have called them.

That's the man.
He did many impressive things at the time. Believe it or not, after Can-Am (that is, after the great years), he walked away from motor sport. For the last 35 years, although he's done some consulting work for Shelby and the like, he's spent much of his time designing buses and RVs.

[jonnylayze]

Best motor racing books I've read are Doug Nye's 3 BRM histories.

Not cheap but woprth every penny.

Can't wait for the 4th one to come out.

[chevronb37]

flemke said:

chevronb37 said:

flemke said:

Can-Am Challenger, by Peter Bryant

That sounds great. He pioneered underbody aerodynamics and titanium as a structural material didn't he? Recently purchased the Can Am Thunder DVD to which he contributes a great deal. Amazing those American "garagistes" - as Enzo might have called them.

That's the man.
He did many impressive things at the time. Believe it or not, after Can-Am (that is, after the great years), he walked away from motor sport. For the last 35 years, although he's done some consulting work for Shelby and the like, he's spent much of his time designing buses and RVs.

I never knew that, although after Group 7 (single seat Can Am wasn't worthy of the name, in my opinion) where do you go as an engineer? Interesting that the most conventional car (that is to say the McLaren) usually ended up on top and Chaparral ended with just one win, depite GM's money. Has Bryant designed anything of merit which reached a wider audience in Europe?

[flemke]

chevronb37 said:

flemke said:

chevronb37 said:

flemke said:

Can-Am Challenger, by Peter Bryant

That sounds great. He pioneered underbody aerodynamics and titanium as a structural material didn't he? Recently purchased the Can Am Thunder DVD to which he contributes a great deal. Amazing those American "garagistes" - as Enzo might have called them.

That's the man.
He did many impressive things at the time. Believe it or not, after Can-Am (that is, after the great years), he walked away from motor sport. For the last 35 years, although he's done some consulting work for Shelby and the like, he's spent much of his time designing buses and RVs.

I never knew that, although after Group 7 (single seat Can Am wasn't worthy of the name, in my opinion) where do you go as an engineer? Interesting that the most conventional car (that is to say the McLaren) usually ended up on top and Chaparral ended with just one win, depite GM's money. Has Bryant designed anything of merit which reached a wider audience in Europe?

He went over to the States in about '64. In the UK, he had been with Reg Parnell and Lola. In the States, he worked on Indy cars, then with Shelby. He was the overall designer of only a few cars: the Ti22 and the first group of Shadow Can-Ams. He left racing in about '74.

[chevronb37]

flemke said:

chevronb37 said:

flemke said:

chevronb37 said:

flemke said:

Can-Am Challenger, by Peter Bryant

That sounds great. He pioneered underbody aerodynamics and titanium as a structural material didn't he? Recently purchased the Can Am Thunder DVD to which he contributes a great deal. Amazing those American "garagistes" - as Enzo might have called them.

That's the man.
He did many impressive things at the time. Believe it or not, after Can-Am (that is, after the great years), he walked away from motor sport. For the last 35 years, although he's done some consulting work for Shelby and the like, he's spent much of his time designing buses and RVs.

I never knew that, although after Group 7 (single seat Can Am wasn't worthy of the name, in my opinion) where do you go as an engineer? Interesting that the most conventional car (that is to say the McLaren) usually ended up on top and Chaparral ended with just one win, depite GM's money. Has Bryant designed anything of merit which reached a wider audience in Europe?

He went over to the States in about '64. In the UK, he had been with Reg Parnell and Lola. In the States, he worked on Indy cars, then with Shelby. He was the overall designer of only a few cars: the Ti22 and the first group of Shadow Can-Ams. He left racing in about '74.

I seem to recall him designing the Shadows up until Tony Southgate joined - is that right? I felt honoured to meet the current owners of the Mark 1 at the Goodwood FoS last year. That is a fascinating and yet phenomenally dangerous car! Such explosive power and yet it bucked and twitched and generally looked as if it wanted to twist itself inside out. Amazingly brave drivers back in those days.

Back on topic - I read Joe Saward's Grand Prix Saboteurs a little while ago. Another rivetting read. He now contributes to MS sometimes as well.

[stifler]

Crashed and byrned. The semi-auto biography of tommy byrne. Could be read by a non racing enthusiast and be enjoyed.

[MrKipling43]

I've nearly finished Speed on the Downs by Jeremy Woods, it's a little dry but very interesting.

The Grand Prix Saboteurs by Joe Saward is always worth a mention in these threads, as is The Grand Prix Companion by Alan Henry.

[Ianeire]

stifler said:

Crashed and byrned. The semi-auto biography of tommy byrne. Could be read by a non racing enthusiast and be enjoyed.

Read it over xmas, another +1 vote for me. Good read.

[S2/S3]

Just finished reading Duncan Hamiltons autobiography Touch Wood! Which is an excellent read. Hilariously funny in places. highly recommended.

[StevieBee]

stifler said:

Crashed and byrned. The semi-auto biography of tommy byrne. Could be read by a non racing enthusiast and be enjoyed.

Seconded!

Also (in a similar vein too): Flat Out Flat Broke, by Perry McCarthty worth a look.

[Truckosaurus]

Ianeire said:

stifler said:

Crashed and byrned. The semi-auto biography of tommy byrne. Could be read by a non racing enthusiast and be enjoyed.

Read it over xmas, another +1 vote for me. Good read.

Just received my copy in the post from Waterstones online. Looking forward to it.

[acf8181]

Last two i read were Derek Dalys Race to Win, and Byrned out.....both excellent, though in very different ways

[stifler]

Truckosaurus said:

Ianeire said:

stifler said:

Crashed and byrned. The semi-auto biography of tommy byrne. Could be read by a non racing enthusiast and be enjoyed.

Read it over xmas, another +1 vote for me. Good read.

Just received my copy in the post from Waterstones online. Looking forward to it.

Cancel everything. You won't put it down. Tell us how you're opinion of ron dennis changes throughout the book.;)

[Eric Mc]

acf8181 said:

Last two i read were Derek Dalys Race to Win, and Byrned out.....both excellent, though in very different ways

Interesting that they are written by the two Irishmen (omitting John Watson anfd Eddie Irvine - both Northern Irishmen) who came closest to having an F1 career - and both who, for different reasons, blew the opportunity.