Vauxhall 30/98 and Strasbourg Sunbeams
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There are now one-make books about almost every make of car and a number relate to specific models.
In the latter caategory, Nic Portway has followed up his memorable book on the 30/98 Vauxhalls, of which he is an owner, with a high-quality, two-volume set: Building the Power and Claiming the Rewards covers the history of these cars from 1903 to 1918. Both could almost be described as picture books with their wealth of wonderful illustrations, except that the accompanying text covers the history of Vauxhall in typical informative, interesting detail.
I have been reviewing motoring books for longer than I care to remember and have never been more impressed or delighted than I am with Portway’s scholarly and wonderfully well-presented research, which is backed up by a great many fine pictures of production and racing cars, plus advertising material over the years. The set is published by New Wensum Publishing, Combs Tannery, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 2EN (ISBN 0-9526907-3) for £268 incl p&p.
Nevill S Webb’s The Strasbourg Sunbeams is another specialised work, a sequel to the late Anthony Heal’s renowned history of the racing Sunbeams from 1910 to 1930. Webb sorts out the confused past and present of the four cars built for the 1922 French GP – and the 1½-litre Sunbeam racing engine – and corrects the myths that surround them. It includes 250 photographs, some in colour and many previously unpublished. It costs £38 (plus £15 postage) from the author at 100 Eastlane Street, Carrara, Australia, QLD 4211.
Incidentally, Mr Webb is now rebuilding the No1 French GP Sunbeam.