Book Review - Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1970

[chuckbrandt]

My dear wife got me a great new book for our anniversary. It's called Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1970 by Harold Page and Mark Brinker.

I'm really impressed with the book. There are quite literally hundreds of cars in it that I didn't know existed.

And the ones I did know about are presented in great detail showing the evolution of cars like the chapparals and old yallers.

My only criticism is they may have taken the "American" in the title a little to seriously because the coverage of the engine swap coopers and listers is thinner than I would have hoped.

But all in all, the book is facinating and well worth the price.

An interesting Shelby tidbit:

"In the late 1950s, Jim Hall and Carroll Shelby had a car dealership in Dallas, and they occasionally raced a primer gray Ferrari Monza with a chevy engine. It was called The Bastard and as a point of honor, was never washed."

Pretty cool huh?

Chuck Brandt

[PDHse]

Hi Chuck, i have that book too. It was interesting to read about the Mirage. A car Ken Miles helped to develop. Great pictures of Scarabs too.

[chuckbrandt]

Yes the Scarab is a beautiful car. The Mirage is nice too, I hadn't noticed it before you mentioned it. Genie is an interesting one too. Actually the Chapparal 1 is a really nice looking car! Too bad esthetic appeal and going fast don't always go together.

Chuck