Coventry Climax Racing Engines - The definitive development history


Book Description

Written with the full cooperation of all of the remaining protagonists, one way or another, this book covers everything regarding the development of these engines. The author managed to find everyone alive who was directly involved with the racing engines. 30 months it in the writing, this is an incredibly detailled book.




Coventry Climax Racing Engines


Book Description

In the 50s & 60s Coventry Climax engines powered many race-winning cars, including some driven by Stirling Moss & Jack Brabham. To get the true inside story, the author, an engineer, has talked to all surviving Coventry Climax personnel who were involved with the racing engines. The author was given full access to all of Walter Hassan's papers, photographs and engine drawings. After 30 months of original research and writing, this book describes exactly how these famous engines developed from industrial fire pumps to the Hillman Imp, from Le Mans winning Lotus Elites to Formula One winners driven by Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham, right through to the company's takeover by Jaguar in 1963. Viewed through the eyes of an engineer, and the detailed recollections of those who were there, this is a fascinating account of the trials and tribulations of leading edge race engine design from 1952 to 1966.




First Principles


Book Description

The names "Keith Duckworth" and "DFV" are practically synonymous, such is the reputation of the famous F1 racing engine which he designed. There are books that cover the technical aspects of the DFV engine, and other designs from Cosworth, the company which he founded with Mike Costin, but there are many gaps in the story of Duckworth's career, before and after Cosworth. First Principles comprehensively fills those gaps, taking the reader into the world of Britain's finest 20th century engineers. It was a world consisting of far more than motorsport, embracing an astonishing variety of mechanical devices, including aircraft, boats, and motorcycles--particularly Triumph, for which he was a consultant during his retirement. A man of strong convictions and high integrity, Keith Duckworth OBE cared passionately about his work, fitting almost every aspect of his life around it. From his northern industrial roots, the ups and downs of his personal life, his health problems, to his generous support of charities and business start-ups, this book recreates the story of one of motorsport's--and engineering's--most endearing and enduring characters.




Cyril Kieft and his racing cars 1949-1955 : the definitive history


Book Description

The Story Of Kieft Racing Cars, With A Foreword By Cyril Kieft-Tracing The Working Life Of The Entrepreneurial Mr Cyril Kieft From His Early Days In The British Steel Industry To The Development And Building Of These British Racing Cars. He Started Making MKI Kiefts In 1949 (Formula III Cars) And Then The Swing-Axle Kieft Formula III Cars Of Bridgend In South Wales, Followed By The Central-Seater Sports Cars, The AJB-Kieft, The Two Formula One Cars, The Kieft 1100 Fibreglass Sports Cars And The Erwin Godschmidt V8 Sports Car. In Wolverhampton, England. Includes All Relevant Race Results.




Marvelous Mechanical Designs of Harry A. Miller


Book Description

Harry A. Miller designed racing cars that were among the finest of the golden age of American auto racing for nearly two decades. What are less well known are Miller's passenger cars, and boat and aircraft engine designs, some of them extremely successful, some of them bizarre. This book portrays Miller's racing cars of the glorious roaring twenties along with his speedboat and aircraft engines - even his design for a high-speed combat vehicle engine. Seen are his advanced Miller-Fords of 1935 and the radical Gulf-Miller cars of 1938-1941. An exciting collection of photos of the work of one of America's mechanical geniuses, along with commentary on Miller's work by highly regarded auto racing historian Gordon Eliot White.




Ford Small Block V8 Racing Engines 1962-1970


Book Description

While many will be familiar with 1960 Ford racing programmes using the very compact pushrod Small Block V8, few know the facts behind the technology employed at Ford during this time. This book gives insight to the confident, logical approach of engineers working at Ford's Engine & Foundry Division. Engineers who made outstanding technical decisions, leading to many major motorsport events being won using larger capacity derivatives of the 1961 221ci Small Block V8 production engine, a power unit introduced by Ford mid-1961 for use in 1962 model year intermediate Fairlanes and Mercurys.




Tales from the Toolbox


Book Description

A unique collection of behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes as told, in their own words, by former Grand Prix mechanics who have worked at the top level of the sport during the past 50 years. On the front line of the sport, mixing with drivers and team bosses, they saw a side of it that nobody else got to see and rarely gets to hear about – and this book tells their story, supplemented by photographs from the archives and photo albums of the mechanics themselves, many of which are previously unpublished.




H.R.G.


Book Description




Scientific American Inventions and Discoveries


Book Description

A unique A-to-Z reference of brilliance in innovation and invention Combining engagingly written, well-researched history with the respected imprimatur of Scientific American magazine, this authoritative, accessible reference provides a wide-ranging overview of the inventions, technological advances, and discoveries that have transformed human society throughout our history. More than 400 entertaining entries explain the details and significance of such varied breakthroughs as the development of agriculture, the "invention" of algebra, and the birth of the computer. Special chronological sections divide the entries, providing a unique focus on the intersection of science and technology from early human history to the present. In addition, each section is supplemented by primary source sidebars, which feature excerpts from scientists' diaries, contemporary accounts of new inventions, and various "In Their Own Words" sources. Comprehensive and thoroughly readable, Scientific American Inventions and Discoveries is an indispensable resource for anyone fascinated by the history of science and technology. Topics include: aerosol spray * algebra * Archimedes' Principle * barbed wire * canned food * carburetor * circulation of blood * condom * encryption machine * fork * fuel cell * latitude * music synthesizer * positron * radar * steel * television * traffic lights * Heisenberg's uncertainty principle




Hubert Platt


Book Description

Webster's Dictionary lists the term showman as "a notably spectacular, dramatic, or effective performer." In the art of drag racing, Hubert Platt checked all boxes. Known as the "Georgia Shaker," Platt cut his motoring teeth on the long straightaways and twisty back roads of South Carolina while bootlegging moonshine. After a run-in with the law in 1958, Platt transferred his driving skills from illegal activity to sanctioned drag racing and began one of the most dominant runs in drag racing history until his retirement in 1977. After stints in 1957, 1938, and 1962 Chevrolets, Platt's next ride was a Z11 Impala, which carried his first "Georgia Shaker" moniker. Once Chevrolet pulled out of sanctioned racing, Platt found a new home with Ford for 1964 and remained there until he hung up his helmet. Some of the cars he campaigned became icons in their own right. His factory-backed and personal machines included a 1963 Z11 Impala, 1964 Thunderbolt, 1965 Falcon, 1966 Mustang Funny Car, 1967 Fairlane 427, 1968-1/2 Cobra Jet, 1969 CJ Mustang, 1970 427 SOHC Mustang, and 1970 Boss 429 Maverick. A 1986 NHRA Hall of Fame member, Platt's lasting legacy on the sport can’t be denied. Whether he was launching his Falcon with the door open, conducting a Ford Drag Team seminar, or posting low E.T. at the 1967 US Nationals in his Fairlane, Platt's imprint on drag racing was all-encompassing. His son and biggest fan, Allen Platt, shares his dad's iconic career in, Hubert Platt: Fast Fords of the "Georgia Shaker"!