Ferrari Book

I was hoping someone could share their knowledge about the book called, "Original Ferrari V8, the restorer's guide to all models." I just saw where someone put one up for sale and it sold for good money in less than 12 hours.

Could someone tell me why this book is so desirable and fetches such a high price?

Thanks in advance.

Bobby

 

Relatively small print run and never reprinted.

 

Anyone know how many were printed in total and how can you tell if it's a first edition?

 

If it is not a first edition, then it will show a date when first published, and also whatever the 2nd , 3rd and so on publishing dates are/were.

First editions will always just have one publication date.

 

I own the Original V8 and V12 in hardcover. I could never understand why there has never been a second printing. The demand is certainly there.

They are amazing books.

 

I have both too.

When I bought mine, no one seemed to care about them. That was about 1998.

 

Me too. I preordered the V8 book in 1997 on amazon and got it by mid-98.
I should have ordered 10 of them
After the V12 book was released in german language, I sold my english one via amazon marketplace and Keith Bluemel himself purchased it.
I asked him, why he has to purchase his own books from a third party seller on amazon, and he replied, that he does a constant search for his books at reasonable prizes for his customers who inquire for his out of print books.
Therefore I think, I offered mine too cheap
But I seriously wonder, why on amazon there's actually an english edition of the V12-book for EUR 406.00 and several german editions beginning at EUR 2.95 !!. The most expensive is EUR 24.00

BTW, too bad, that K. Bluemel never released the Vol. II of his V12-book, which would have covered the Boxers.
Was anounced for several years, then disappeared.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

I think I bought both of these new off the rack at Borders. According to the sticker, the V8 book was $31.45 ("List Price $34.95") and the V12 book was $35.95.

I used to buy quite a few automotive books, I have Automobile Year #1 - #40 (1992), but it's much too expensive (and takes up too much space) to be an active collector these days.

 

It is rather the only one of it's kind, for lack of a better description, covering the entire V8 application range, and as noted it has a V12 companion that is not so highly sought after.

I can only suggest that the V12 guys, well...they know what they are doing without having to consult some book!!

As a V8 owner I have had several copies, and as mentioned above it is a $30USD book that is now approaching $200.
Compare that to a 1976-77 308GTB that cost $27K new and is now climbing to $100K.

Interesting times!