tongascrew's brief book reviews

Hi sorry I didn't know that. Regards George

 

Hi I agree. Few such volumes which cover a large subject are perfect in accuracy or descriptions. However this book does give a good over all picture of what was going on.People love to poke holes at the Brock Yates biography.It's still one of the best out there.I like to keep notes and opinions on specific issues.Please feel free to post these and I will keep them with the volume. If you wish to be nonamous send me a P. M. Thanks tongascrew

 

It's always a good idea to consider the author when judging a book. tongascrew

 

#1 "Sportscar Heaven, Aston Martin DBR1 V Ferrari Testarossa" by Chris Nixon, 198 pages 2002. Excellent descriptions of the competition between Ferrari, Aston Martin,Jaguar,Porsche and Maserati 1956-1959 for the championship.Details of each event and many great period photos.Points of particular interest:What makes Stirling Moss one of the two greatest drivers of all time.How the 1500-1600 cc Porsches challenged all the big cars, How Enzo Ferrari tried to control his racing team without ever leaving Maranello,regular poor race preparation and pit work by Ferrari and how they still won.Finally the spectacular arrival of Dan Gurney. #2 "Ferrari Testa Rossa V12" by Joel Finn;250 pages; hard back 1978 [soft back reprint], The Newport Press. A classic with many excellent period photos. Excellent text on the design, development of the cars and descriptions of the races and results. Also included are maps and descriptions of the tracks,the behind the scenes turmoils at Ferrari, driver descriptions, some non championship races, owner and driver descriptions, stories and controversies and behind the scenes stories of poor race preparations and pit stops.Also copies of five build sheets. A must read. Enjoy tongascrew

 

"1,"La Ferrari" by Silvio Pasotti, 1990 Electa, hard back, 79 pages; Italian/English. This is the story of the 10 X 6 foot mural painted on a wall of the Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy.In one giant painting Silvio Pasotti, one of Italy's most celebrated living artists.captures Enzo Ferrari's 90 year life depicting hundreds of important persons,places,cars and events in vivid color and creative style.This is a giant masterpiece, the creation of which, is shown and described in detail in this volume. This has to be one of the most unique celebrations of the great man's life. #2 "Ferrari Design of a Legend", Gianni Rogliatti; 258 pages;hard back. Basicly a very nice coffee table book, great photos with minimal text of minimal importance.Of importance are pages 207-243 which contain copies of early blueprints and color drawings by Colombo of the very early Ferrari cars from 1946-1947 and photographs of important early Ferrari engines.Most of these and others are included in "L'idea Ferrari" book about the 1994 Berlin Ferrari exhibit and, for the engines, the "Ferrari Catteristiche technique dei motore Ferrari....1946-1985", with detailed photos of all the important engines of the period. This is a Ferrari Copyright publication from 1985.Both ot these will be reviewed at a later date. Enjoy tongascrew

 

#1 "Ferrari Argentina/Sports Cars" by Bertschi & Iacona;2008;335 pages;hard back: During the 1950s/60s Ferraris from the 166-225, 625-750 and 375s were imported into Argentina.Wealthy men bought these for their own racing efforts, for friends and some for their sons several of who were not old enough to have a drivers licence.Races were held on the few paved tracks.Most were on unpaved and often open roads.Mechanics learned as they went along,parts were regularly air freighted from Maranello, and cars were bought, traded, loaned out and just scrapped.One was traded for a gun collection.Another had his private plane fly ahead of his Ferrari to keep the vultures off. Remarkable details are recorded about the cars,many detailed race results and period and never before published photographs.Something unique and never seen again adventures are told.Enjoy #2 "Ferrari Salute to the Spyder" by Rasmussen;1991;132 pages;hard back. A nice book for someone still new to the Ferrari thing.Ten different models are selected from the 166 Barchetta to the 365 Daytona with one chassis selected from each model. Nice informative text and pictures. Why the 365 California was included and not one 250 PF series 1, 11, 111 is questionable.Most cars selected are road cars with the exception of the 250 TR and the 375+, probably to jazz things up. Will encourage reader to want more. Enjoy tongascrew

 

#1 "The Complete Ferrari" by Godfrey Eaton;Cadogan Books 1986. Mine is the 1989 edition from Motorbooks Intl; 376 pages;hard back: Lots of great pictures and more basic information between two covers for the period 1946-1985 than almost any single volume.Don't try to get all this under your belt in one reading.It covers just about every open wheel,sports, and touring car of the period with one picture of each model.This is what could be called "the big picture" with just the basic details. Like most of us we limit our field of interest to a specific time period and carefully selected groups of cars. This volume will, by definition,help lead the reader to be more selective in their field of interest. #2"The Great Road Cars. by Keith Blumel;Sutton Pub.;soft back edition 2000;144 pages covering the period 1946-1999. A nice picture book and that's about it. #3 "DinoThe Little Ferrari 1957-1979" by Doug Nye; 318 pages' hard back;One thing for sure you will be overwhelmed by the extent of th research that went into creating this tome.It covers the basic statistics and competition successes and failures of both the open wheel and road road cars from the first mid engine formula cars thru the mid engine and front engine sports racing and hill climb machines and the later F1 cars, up thru the various V6 & V8 road crs to the 308 GTC. It all of this is for you there is nothing better out there in one volume.Enjoy tongascrew

 

#1"Pebble Beach Remembered" assembled by Art Evans;2005;Photo Data Research; 241 pages;soft back; the whole scene 1950-1957 well covered with maps. entrant lists;results/reviews and great pictures from where it all started.#2 "Exhibit at the Palazzo Della Regione Mantova: 94 pages; also included "Tazio Nuvolari e mito 50th Anniversary May 18 2003; Comune Di mantua Pub; 17 pages; both soft back and Italian language; Fabulous collection of B & W photographs, many never previously published. from the motorcycle days to June 3,1948.#3 Nuvolari The Legend Lives On; by Cesare de Agostini; George NADA 2003; 192 pages; hard back;cloth cover; 69 pages of intimate English text which dispells certain famous events.Varzi as not passed in the night with the lights off;it happened in broad daylight.Nuvolari was not encased in plaster when loaded on his motorcycle;it was all just heavy protective clothing.Also he and Rosemeyer became close friends duting the Auto Union days and Nuvolari was God Father to one of his children. Afer page 69 the rest of the book is a wonderful collection of B & W period photographs. Enjoy tonga's crew.

 

#1 "ALBERTO ASCARI" by Pierre Menard & Jaques Vassal, Chronosports; Good basic bio. that starts in the 1920s with father Antonio and son Alberto's early pre war years in Moto events.Then a brief discussion of W W II financial successes.Starting with page 44 is a goog basic rendition of the post war years until 1955.Many good B & W period photographs including the three wheel pit stop and the Monaco crash.Just enough behind the scenes events to add color. If you want more there are plenty additional volumes. #2 "STIRLING MOSS, THE CHAMPION WITHOUT A CROWN", by Pierre Menard & Jaques Vassal,Chronosports S.A. 2003. This volume does little to describe Moss as one of the truly greats of all time.It tells better that despite Colotti gear boxes and a lot of questionable engineering and construction at Maserati,Lotus BRM and Vanwall he is still up there with Nuvolari,Caracciola and Fangio.The magic of Alf Francis was a windfall but neither Coventry Climax.BRM, Vanwall or Aston Martin could provide the engines to consistantly show his greatness.Three events at the Nurburgring really tell the story. According to the authors Moss had signed a letter of intent with Ferrari before the Bari snub. and again much later before the crashes that ended his career.Every major scuderia of the period wanted him and paid well to have him.It just shows that despite all their problems Ferrari was the only organization which could deliver over this period of twenty years. #3 THE COBRA-FERRARI WARS 1963-1965"; by Michael L.Shoen {second edition), 2005,368 pages;The A C Bristol in its day dominated its class.As beautiful to look at as it was fast.Put a 289 Ford engine in it and you have a very different story.This book is all about Carol Shelby's effort to compete in the big leagues and not with a great deal of success.The continuous efforts to to modify the A C chassis to handle the big heavy 289 was never ending.Ford was of little help modifying the engine to be competitive. High speed aerodynamic problems were never solved. The likes of Gurney,Hill,Miles, Bonderant et al did some spectacular things behind the wheel.Shelby was unavailable to drive due to a heart condition.There were some successes in major European events but it was at home in the U S A where these cars were more successful.They were spectacular to watch power sliding
there way around the tracks.This book is about the Cobra.If this is your thing then you must have this book. Enjoy tonga's crew

 

I agree it's border line but still that beautiful shape. I recently got an original copy of the Factory blueprint for the rollng chassis. 31" X 52". It's interesting to see how it is a direct descendant of the of what came earlier.I keep in a tube.These fade quickly if exposed to light. I am always looking for more of these original blueprints so if anyone has one for sale please let me know. Thanks tong's crew

 

#1 Ferrari 250 GTO by Keith Blumel with Jess Poureret; large format;192 pages; The first 165 pages are the usual descriptions of the design ,development,and modification of the car.Race results and a brief history of each chassis is covered but only up to the early 1980s. Pages 166-192 are the real gems.Here are the impressions of Bizzarrini,David Clark,Phil Hill,Innes Ireland, Nick and Annette Mason,Stirling Moss,David Piper [maybe the best one],Roy Salvadori, Sergio Scaglietti and more.These stories tell the reader more about these extraordinary cars in unforgetable terms. Read these and when done you will have the sensation of having just driven a 250 GTO at speed. #2"Ferrari The Legend on the Road"by Brian Laban, 160 pages 1991. Picture a birthday cake on a coffee table, spectacular in brililiant color and tasty text.To enjoy this book won't take much longer than consuming your piece of birthday cake.Like the piece of cake you will enjoy this book for as about as long. Maybe next year you will pick it up again.#3"Ferrari Century" by Roberto Boccafogli, 168 pages. Well written with lots of interesting pictures and art work. Also some excellent behind the scenes stories not only about E F but about the well known and not so well known such as Don Erico Belloi, Dino Ferrari, Vittorio Jano, etc. The Pertnership between Nuvolari and E F is interesting as is Fangio the self manager and his one year deal with Maserati to receive all the prize,&promotional moneys plus a salery.Financially Maserati never really recovered from this. You will ENJOY, tonga's crew

 

Interesting idea; In a way I do just that by numbering each entry which is sort of like starting a new paragraph. Regards tong's crew

 

#1 "FERRARI PORTFOLIO" by Sergio Massaro; EPIAUTO undated; English/Italian;large format;hard cover; dust jacket 130 {very exclusive?}unnumbered pages. Includes just 11 models starting with the 250 TR and up thru the GT 40. Qualifies as another luxury coffee table birthday cake book. Sort of a "trophy book". #2"THE CLASSIC FERRARI, Ferrari Days in Japan 1984"; Editor Munehisa Misnige, SUI Pub. Tokyo.large format,hard back,158 pages of average color photographs and minimal English/Japanese text; uninspiring, pretty to look at..#3 "FERRARI BY MAILANDER" by Karl Ludvigsen with Marcel Massini; hard back;large luxury format;slip cover;384 pages, Dalton Watson 2005. All I can say about this one is that Rodolfo Mailander must have known many of the right people, knew well how to make the best of the best camera and dark room equipment of the day and captured the very best of Ferrari during the years 1950-1955. If this subject is of interest and you don't have this volume yet, now is a good time to get one.There are some very nice copies available at reasonable prices. You may have thought you had seen the best, but not until you have visited this one. Of course if you already have this, take it down off the shelf again. This one really is a CLASSIC. Enjoy tong's crew

 

"Memoirs of Enzo Ferrari's Lieutenant" by Franco Gozzi ("motor sport director,writer and lover of fine cuisine and jolly company"). Just a few questions to start.#1 What is the real story of the Prancing Horse logo locked away for 9 years? #2 What are the rules of membership in the original post war Scuderia Ferrari? #3 Who was Antonio D'Elia? #4 Who did E.F. describe as a perfect manipulator of his[own] image? #5 What race had 501 entries and was won by a Ferrari and a bottle of chianti?#6 Who did E.F. refer to as that "prickly little Belgian" ? #7 Which driver did E.F. refer to as " a little bag of bones"? #8 What Ferrari driver did E.F. refer to as " no F.1 canary".#9 The group from Ford were advised that Gozzi was head of public relations, the Ferrari press office, type setter and lib.................."? #10 What sunk the English language contract with Ford and made E.F. use language directly to them that "cannot be found in any dictionary"?#11 Who wrote the menus for every important Ferrari meeting and interview? This unique volume gives the reader an inside look at 50+ years of Ferrari history. Don't forget that while Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Mercedes Benz, Maseratti. Lancia.BRM,Connaught,Jaguar, Aston Martin, Cooper, Scarab, McClaren., Vanwall,Lotus and more came and went Ferrari, the man and his Scuderia were always there. Only one other author has given us historical perspective anything like this. Guess who? Any way . Don't miss this one. Enjoy tonga's crew

 

#1 "UNA VITA PER l'AUTOMOBILE" by Enzo Ferrari;Conti Editore 1998;large format,hard back,cloth cover early, 373 pages. A spectacular "scrap book" with a vast collection of photographs by 70 different photographers.These are what the book is all about plus brief comments on each photo by Enzo Ferrari. It all starts with a large photo of E.F. as a young boy with his brother and parents, and ends with the visit of "Papa" to Maranello.If one has read any of the several autobiographies by E.F. these photos will add a new dimension to these.His experiences at the 1919 Targa Florio and other early events come alive in giant photos.Yes, crashed his Alfa in 1921 to avoid a herd of oxen.Georgio Rimini promised him a new car from Alfa Romeo which never was delivered. Ferrari's comments with each picture help tell the story.An example is the hair raising drive with "El Duce " in the poring rain. These with the photographs really bring life to many an historic yarn. Many of these photos have rarely if ever been published. Don't miss this one.
#2"FERRARI 250 GTO THE HISTORY OF A LEGEND" BY Anthony Pritchard; large format;hard back; Haynes Pub.;2010; 352 pages. Pages 1-35 a review of earlier 250 GT V12 models;pages 37-61 the SWB 250 Berlinetta,pages 63-83 the design, evaluation and details of 250 GTO). Denis Jenkinson tells where the GTO name really came from[a typing error]; pages 84- 221, the racing history event by event of each sn.; and finally pages 224-341 descriptions of each sn starting with sn2643 [?] and inluding sn 2819{?] and sn2053 {none really a 250 GTO but distant relatives at best]. So, if trying to get it all in one volume, this is as good as it gets.Enjoy tonga's crew

 

"Red Arrows Ferraris at the Mille Miglia' By Giannini Marzotto and Sergio Cassano;Giorgio NADA 2001; large format;306 pages.This can be considered the bible of Ferrari at Mille Miglia post WW2. Pages 1-181 several pages on each event from 1947- 1957 written by each of many drivers of Ferrari cars, both famous and not so, such as Nuvolari,Villoresi,Bracco, the Marzotto brothers, Biondetti and Munaron,Maglioli,Farina,Serena, Bianchetti and Cortese stc.The tales told by these drivers include wheel changes on the road,refuelling problems,fires ,crashes, train trips back to Brescia and a bottle of chiante.These drivers and their co drivers had to do it all including some of the pit work for 1000 miles of long straights,bridges,railroad crossings,mountains,pouring rain, some in business suits some in overalls and just every day work clothes and minimal head gear,The tragic crash of 1957 which ended the years of speed events had its own stories, some discussed here.All these tales from the drivers gives the reader of today what European motor racing of the period was all about. Pages 192-269 has accounts of one year's event by one of the Ferrari drivers in detail.and a detailed list of resultsThe final pages are copies of correspondence relating to one of each events. These are in Italian with English translations.If you want to get a picture of what European road racing of the period was all about this is for you.Enjoy tonga's crew

 

"Ferrari D'Autore" by Sergio Massaro;Ediauto Guidizzolo Mantovi undated;86 unnumbered glossy pages;many spectacular color photographs.Cars included the 250TR,250 California,250GTO,250LM,330P4,275GTB,365 GTB4 Daytona,512iBB, 288 GTO,F40. The text is like no other English translation of the Italian. E.F. describes himself as having "my modest power of synthesis". The 250TR is described as having disc brakes and as the "evolution...reflects the purity and simplicity that Darwin applied to the animal species".The 250 California as a "thououghbred colt",the 250GTO as "a racing thoroughbred....driven in a dinner jacket. As for the P4 it was designed as"having a unique harmony of lines between wide st curves stressed by charming and thin aerodynamic protussions"The is more of these colorful descriptions everywhere. You descide if you really need this. Enjoy tonga's crew

 

#1"FERRARI THE RED DREAM" by Doug Nye & Pietro Carrieri; hard back, cloth covered;very large format;Motor Books 2006 and MBI Publishing 2006;245 glossy pages;One of the most spectacular coffee table books.Some of the many giant color photographs fold out into giant prints.It starts in the 1950s and by the late 20th Century starts to run out of breath in both text and photography.A selection of road an racing sports cars and Formula cars are exhibited. There is just a minimal of text.This is a spectacular book but of minimal real importance.
#2"PHILL HILL A DRIVING LIFE" By Phil Hill and several significant others; David Bull Pub. 2010; 191 pages; hard back; large format. A very easy reading volume that covers the author's vast variety of involvements with the automobile. Included are Mercedes Benz machines from the 1880s, a 1915 Packard, the M. G. old #1 and the TC . a type 51 Bugatti. a 1930s Mercedes W154 and W125, a D type Auto Union and that's not all. Phil got himself sent to England in the very early 1050s for schooling in the building of British sports cars and returned home to start racing with an XK 120 and C Type Jaguar. He follows this with experiences with his beautiful 1930s 2300 Alfa Romeo, and an assortment of other Alfa, Mercedes, Maseratti and Ferrari, machines up to the Lotus 18, Ford GT 40 and Chaparral 2E .Much of his racing career was as a member of the Ferrari factory team with experiences with Enzo Ferrari and many of the great drivers, mechanics designers and team managers of the period which he writes about.His writings are totally non political or controversial. The reader is left with overall experiences with someone who was involved for most of his life with a wide variety of the world of the motor car on and off the track and tells the story most eloquently. Enjoy Tonga's crew.

 

"AMERICAN RACING,road racing in the 50s & 60s" Photos by Tom Burnside;minimal text by Denise McCluggage; very large format, hard back;340 pages;Konemann Verlagsgeselshaft, Cologne, Germany.If you want a really GIANT picture book of the period from 17 different tracks, get this one. It takes you to all the of the on and off track scenes with a wide variety of cars, drivers,pit crews,girls,crashes,repairs,engine tuning,social events , pool parties.wives and if there is more it's there.Text is in English German and French.Whether you have done some of this or not these pictures in all sises may do it for you.And there are pictures of Ferraris. Enjoy tonga's crew

 

"A Champion's View"by Phil Hill. Dalton Fine Books, Ltd 2004;hard back,large format;191 pages." The stories you are about to read are the work of a man who has raced,restored and written about more Ferraris than most of us have seen in a lifetime." Thomas L. Bryant, editor in cheif, Road & Track. This really covers it all but nothing about F 1. It starts with the 815 and goes thru 002C, 016 and up thru just about every type of Ferrari competition sports car to the 333S and closing with a description of one of the 1950s FIAT transporters.Phil takes the reader behind the scenes of what took him and other prominent drivers to be successful as an independent with the best of the MG TC, XK120 and other sports cars.The experience of driving Bill Spear's 340MM from Maranello, across the Alps in the dead of a snowy winter night is memorable.Phil tells all about the Ferrari designes and what made them competitive. against the big American V8 specials.He then tells what what it was like in the trenches of U S road racing of the period..Then Phil goes to Europe as an independent and later Enzo Ferrari invites him to join in as a factory driver.This is a very different scene and he describes it in superb writing that captivated the reader.It becomes clear this is a whole new world where things are done differently with a different set of rules both on and off the track and many new challenges.You really want this one It may well take several readings to fully capture the European scene with all its very unique aspects.It well leave you with the feeling that you were actually there.Enjoy tonga's crew