"The Picture Story of World Sports Cars"

“The Picture Story of World Sports Cars,” by Stuart Seager. 157 pp. 11 in. 8 1/4 in. (World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd., P.O. Box 111, Manchester, 1, 15s)

This is yet another large pictorial volume devoted to the world’s sports cars. It is a pity it did not appear nearer to Christmas, as it would make an excellent present for young people. Because Stuart Seager is associated with the B.M.C. Publications Section there is a bias towards pictures of M.G., Austin Healey and other B.M.C. sports cars but this is by no means overdone. John Thornley, Director and General Manager of the B.M.C. Sports Car Factory at Abingdon, writes a pungent Foreword and there is interesting supporting text for the many illustrations. At the price this book certainly provides a large number of attractive pictures. Some of them are not too well chosen from the point of view of showing cut-about sports cars captioned as contemporary models and there are a few minor inaccuracies, such as cars being described as lined up for the start of the Marcel Renault Plate on the opening day of Brooklands in July t907 when, in fact, they are being prepared in the Paddock, pictures of 6-cylinder 4 1/2-litre Lagondas captioned as the V12 model, etc. Quite a pleasing book and, moreover, at a modest price.—W, B.

The “Shell Treasury of the Countryside,” selling at 6s., provides motorists with an excellent introduction to the delights of the country and is illustrated with a considerable number of colour plates. It is published by Phoenix House Ltd., 10-13, Bedford Street, London, W.C.2, and this informative stiff cover book runs to 96 pages.

J. H. Haynes & Co. Ltd., 44, Old Bond Street, London, W.1, have published a Ford Anglia Owners’ Workshop Manual compiled by S. F. Page which runs to 140 pages and sells at 25s.

The Service Car Division of Ford Motor Co. Ltd., Watley, Essex, has published a very informative, well-diagrammed book about Automatic Transmission in its series “Introduction to Automobile Engineering.” Copies are obtainable free on application to Warley, mentioning MOTOR SPORT.

C. Arthur Pearson’s “Car Maintenance Made Easy” contains pictorial instructions for carrying out simple car maintenance, and includes details of how to start a car on dry batteries when the accumulator is “flat,” how to fit a vacuum-gauge, fit an oil-temperature gauge, track the steering, etc. It costs 5s. and is published from Tower House; Southampton Street, London, W.C.2.

C. Arthur Pearson also published as the latest book in their 5s. Pictorial How-To-Do-It Library, “Car Care Made Easy.”