5 comments about Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 2008 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains).

1. An excellent publication. I've used this book over the years and always get the latest update for the information it contains.



2. Very happy with the quick delivery, I paid for that! But disappointed in the binding of the guide. The first 57 pages were cut that you could not read the entire page. Prices were cut or model numbers.



3. The item was a gift and the receiver found it very useful for his train collection.



4. When it comes to concise and easy to use price guides to Lionel Trains I have always found Greenberg's Guides to be invaluable. It breaks the catalogue numbers down into eras or distinct ranges of years of production and lists price ranges based on condition in a very orderly fashion. If you sell or buy on eBay this is a valuable tool. Greenberg's Lionel Trains Guides and publications are all first rate and come highly recommended.



5. Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 2008 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains)
   
   This is the ultimate guide for pricing Lionel trains.

5 comments about How To Restore Classic Farmall Tractors: The Ultimate Do-it-Yourself Guide to Rebuilding and Restoring.

1. I bought this for a friend that is restoring a 1944 Farmall that he drove as a kid. i did quite a bit of research and this is the only restoration manual
   i could find for Farmall. there are lots of nice coffee table books with pics of different models and specs but not to actually take apart and assemble one. My friend had already researched and had bought the same one.
   Said it was the one.



2. I bought this book as a gift for my husband and all I can say is that he is so excited about it. He is constantly reading it, looking at pictures in it and bragging about what a wonderful book it is. I would recommend it to anyone that is wanting to learn more about the Farm all tractors.



3. I recently acquired a partially restored Farmall F 20, and have plans on restoring an F 12 from the ground up. I bought this book to give me an idea of what I have in store for myself. It is very thorough, giving some very useful directions on everything from aesthetic makeovers to removing and replacing pistons and rods. There is also a short section on the history of the Farmall. Furthermore, it includes helpful numbers and addresses that can be used to acquire parts etc... This will no doubt be of great help in my coming endeavor. Even if one's plans do not include restoring old tractors, but the interest (should I say "sickness":), is there this is a great book to browse through.



4. This is a very informative book with lots of good color photos and descriptive, but not model specific info on evaluating,tear down,inspecting and repairing componants. Each chapter is devoted to a seperate componant or system. The paint chapter focuses on selecting different types of paint,primers,sealers. There are suggestions on selecting and applying decals. I found a nice appendix with contact info for parts suppliers and clubs. I didn't see much about tractors made after the late 50's. This book would be a great companion to a detailed shop manual for someone who has little or no experience working on tractors. There is also a chapter that gives ideas on tools and tool selection.



5. How To Restore Classic Farmall Tractors: The Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Guide To Rebuilding And Restoring is a no-nonsense, in-depth how-to manual for collectors, hobbyists, and even professionals. Chapters cover how to repair, restore, and spruce up every part of vintage Farmall tractors, from engine repair to the clutch, tires, hydraulic system, electrical system, cooling system, fuel system, sheet metal, paint job, decals, and much more. Black-and-white and color photographs, explicit diagrams, and thorough instructions in layman's language distinguish How To Restore Classic Farmall Tractors. A fascinating guide for classic tractor enthusiasts and hobbyists and an invaluable resource for anyone determined to get their classic Farmall tractor in the best possible condition.

2 comments about Hot Wheels Forty Years (Hot Wheels (Krause Publications)).

1. I just recieved this book today and "WHOW" what a book. The details of the graphics are fantastic. The are numerous pictures of cars in cards and with the graphics you feel as if you can pick it right off the page.
   
   Angelo has brought the Hot wheel history full circle with this book.



2. interesting book, plenty of photos, not just a dry catalogue, goes into the history of the manufacturing and design process, great coffee table and reference book

5 comments about The Old Outboard Book.

1. This book is one to get for all ages.It lists all the brand motors of old. It gives the history of each motor which I found very interesting and helpful.It also gives a price guide of each motor and which I disagree with. The motor I have I would not sell for the price thats listed in the book. But it gives you the info on what you are looking for.



2. This is NOT a detailed repair manual, but rather a valuable history of outboards including many of the obscure makes such as the one you have leaning in the corner of the shed.



3. After reading the 2nd edition of Peter Hunn's The Old Outboard Book I couldn't wait to get the revised and expanded 3rd edition. I take the book with me when I go looking for old outboards and swap meets. No better reference exists in my opinion.



4. This book has become the "Bible" for most outboard collectors. It has everything in one place. The big list of almost ALL known US outboard manufacturers, The price guide which is the only published guide of its kind, developed thru consultation with a good cross section of prominent and active collectors, Great Serial number guides, Spark plug charts, and much more. Peter's style is very readable, with a "story" connected to each brand. Hundreds of outboard collectors keep a copy in their car, while touring the country looking for additions to their collections. Most helpful to identify, and value that Garage sale or Outboard meet, find. HIGHLY recommended, especially for those new to the hobby.



5. This book is stretched between a technical manual and a coffee table book way too tight. Hunn covers the larger manuf. with research that could be found on any historical website, and briefly touches on the rare and obscure in general descriptions. Do not rely on this book for technical information. Simply order specific parts lists for the motors you have. I would like to know if Hunn's other book was better as a picture book, as this one was too poorly written to be of any enjoyment.

3 comments about Beckett Price Guide to Hot Wheels, 1st Edition.

1. I just wanted to know the new models of first editions of 2008 but there are not in the guide, there are the last 2007 models, but I really liked the guide because there are pictures of our club cars in mexico. Thanks.



2. I purchased this book thinking that it was a collection of all the hot wheels from the beginning. The fine print of 2006-2008 was difficult to see on the cover.For those who are only interested in those years the book was filled with great pictures and information,but for the vintage collector, this is not helpful!



3. It's good if you started collect in the last few years, If you have older cars I would recommend Lee's Toy Review. Lee's put's out Toy price guide every month.

5 comments about Hot Wheels Variations: The Ultimate Guide (Hot Wheels (Krause Publications)).

1. This was purchased for our 4 year old who is a major Hot Wheels fan. He and dad pour through the colorful photographs and line up all their cars that match those found in the book. I am sure from a collectors point the information of the value along with the detailed picture would be very useful. It is a nice thick, heavy paged book that will be around this house for a long time.



2. I find this book extremely helpful in listing a very large percentage of the current (1989 onwards) Hot Wheels variations. The book follows on from the earlier editions and I find it a very useful refererence source.



3. Awesome very fast shipping. Arrived in excellent condition. Will buy from again. Thanks so much.



4. If you collect variations of Hot Wheels, you have probably heard of the Godfather of Variations, Michael Zarnock. This guy is nuts about variations and has put together one of the top 3 Hot Wheels collector books ever published. I love the book and have loved it since volume 1 because it has fantastic Blue Card identification pictures and very accurate price guide. If you don't know if a variation is real or fake, just check the Grail, it will let you know if you are dealing with fraud or not. In other words, if it is not in this book you are probably not dealing with a variation. Indispensible to a serious Hot Wheel collector. Gratzi, Don Zarnock.



5. I just got got this book today and It was more than I expected there were tons and tons of pictures, mr. zarnock give yourself a pat on the back because you did one heke of a job.

5 comments about An Illustrated Guide To Gas Pumps: Identification And Price Guide (Illustrated Guide to Gas Pumps: Identification & Price Guide).

1. While I would like to see more real pics, the drawings do a fine job of identifying the various pumps. Think the glossary could be expanded to include more terms. All in all, I am glad to have the book in my library.



2. We were very disappointed with the book. We were hoping it would have pictures of old gas pumps and how they should be painted. All it shows is old gas pumps but most are black and white and seem to be drawings instead of actual pictures.



3. The book was done very well. It was a great help to me in getting started in the collecting of Gas Pumps.



4. This is an excellent book to provide information, model identity and value of old gas pumps. We have used this book to identify and purchase many pumps. It goes with us on every exploration. I highly recomend it to anyone interested in buying old pumps or just haveing a interest in them.



5. This book has been a great help to me for identifying and costing pumps that I might want to add to my collection. Nothing published to date even compares.

5 comments about Warman's Matchbox Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warmans Field Guide).

1. It's hard to believe that so much information is packed into such a little book. It's the big little book for Matchbook collectors. The photo quality in this book is second to none. Although the prices of these gems are always in flux, it is great to have an updated price guide. The history, collecting tips and listing of online resources contained in the book are treasures in and of themselves.



2. Most Matchbox guide books are encyclopedic in size. This is the first one I've found that is easy to take with you to toy shows, garage sales, and flea markets. The photos in the book are outstanding. The helpful collecting tips are well-written and are sound advice for collectors. All in all, I'm very pleased to recommend this book. Mine already has considerable wear, and I'll probably be needing another one by Christmas (hint to family)!



3. This book is very welcome as it will increase many people's enjoyment of collecting Matchbox models. Due to its easy availability and reasonable price it may even attract some more people to this wonderful hobby.
   
   With its compact size it is ideally suited for carrying around to toy shows and flea markets, where it can be used as an aid in identifying models one might come across.
   
   While experienced collectors may be slightly disappointed at the lack of detail and some embarrassing and sometimes misleading mistakes (which have no doubt been caused by the tight deadline pressure under which the book was written), this book is perfect as an introduction for beginners.
   
   The quality of the many pictures is first class, and the introductory pages in the front section of the book, including a well-written summary of Matchbox history and useful collecting tips, are a must read for anyone interested in the subject.
   
   Congratulations to Tom Larson on this fine achievement!



4. Upon reading this new book from Tom Larson,it has finally shown that there is room for a pocket guide amongst all the other "big" heavy Matchbox collector books. This book can be carried easily anywhere you want. Study up on your Matchbox hobby as you go about your travelling. Carry it to Toy Shows, diecast conventions, and even to the local antique auctions. It is small,light, full of brightly colored, well shot photos of all your favorite Matchbox cars and trucks. There is even some rare vehicles,sets, and other accessories shown. With accurate Price quotations for "Mint In Box" models,you are surely to enjoy this work for years to come.
   For the price, you can't beat it!
   Definitely worth every penny.
   Finally, a beautifully compiled Matchbox toy car collectors guide.
   It will be a hit, Just watch.
   Thanks Tom :)
   just another fine book in the Warman's series.
   Kudos to Krause Publications for jumping on this one.:)
   
   sincerely
   Burney Reid
   "Diecast Enthusiast"
   Coquitlam, B.C.
   Canada



5. This is one fine little book. The pictures are superb and the text is short and concise. This book would work well for the seasoned collector as well as a collector that is new to Matchbox.

3 comments about The Legendary Model-T Ford: The Ultimate History of America's First Great Automobile.

1. Tom Collins has undertaken the ambitious task of creating the ultimate book about the Model T Ford. His effort has resulted in the first book to be offered coinciding with the centennial of the introduction of the car. One suspects the timing of the book is no accident, though the haste to completion is likely the reason for the undoing of a good, albeit seriously flawed effort.
   
   The book is a large coffee table sized volume. It is beautifully illustrated throughout, using a mixture of period and contemporary photographs. The quality of the photography and the reproduction of those photos tended to be quite good, although some of the pictures chosen were of only fair composition. The captions of the photographs were very often incomplete, omitting the names of the owners of all of the cars in contemporary pictures, and in numerous cases, incorrectly identifying car years, body-style names and colors. This was true of several images of one car in particular that were identified as being from different years. In another case, a beautiful photograph of a Ford assembly line was used. Unfortunately, the cars being assembled were 1929 Ford Model A's instead of Model T's. Major errors such as these served to discredit the historical accuracy of the entire volume.
   
   Collins used numerous quotes to illustrate his ideas. While the quotations were usually well referenced, there were some statements attributed to Henry Ford, such as telling Edsel to "shut up" during a board meeting, sounded suspect and were not referenced. The reference list utilized by Collins is beyond reproach, but if the book is to be considered a reliable source, better care when attributing controversial statements to the highest profile individual in the book would have been prudent.
   
   Throughout the book, Collins used a friendly, conversational style of writing. The prose is easy to digest, though he was repetitive at times. It seemed as if he felt he had space to fill and often did so by circling around his point instead of stating it outright. This was particularly true as Collins attempted to underscore the impact the Model T had on society, a theme he returned to time and again. While Collin's point was well taken, there was no need to repeat it so many times.
   
   Collins was at his best when writing about the Model T Ford and racing. An entire chapter was devoted to the topic and it was space well utilized. The text was interspersed with quotes from drivers, mechanics and press of the Model T era, greatly adding to the richness and feeling of authenticity of the chapter. The illustrations in this chapter were among the best in the book and will likely inspire more than a few recreations of the racing cars shown.
   
   Chapter 10 focused on stories of the impact Model T's have had on people's lives. Most of the chapter was written by contributors and was edited for length by Collins. It read well with stories that were a delight. This chapter was able to better illustrate the impact the Model T had on people than Collins attempts without the human element. Likely, an entire book could have been devoted to this topic
   
   The last chapter is likely the most controversial aspect of the book and certainly the most inaccurate. It deals with current prices of Ford Model T's and appears to be based on data that is seriously outdated. The highest prices were, predictably, for the earliest and rarest brass cars, but even those are woefully out of touch with reality. According to the book a 1909 Touring car in number 1 condition can be purchased for well under $30,000. To whom do I make out the check? Another example (illustrated with a nice photo of this author's 1926 Touring car) indicates that such a car (1926 Touring) is worth roughly $20,000. While that may be an accurate reflection of the price guides, one can be sure that a car restored to number 1 condition cannot be purchased for that kind of money. The bottom end of the scale is similarly out of reality, with prices of restorable cars significantly below what has been seen in well over a decade. A chapter such as this is ripe for dispute and would likely be better off removed if a revision of the book were printed.
   
   Overall, the book is a beautifully illustrated volume that is highly entertaining to read. Collins served as his own editor and illustrated the peril one faces when correcting one's own work. Many of the shortcomings in the book could have been rectified had the job been placed in the hands of another. Much of the erroneous information likely would have been caught by a technical editor of one of the major Model T clubs or by an outside source referenced in the bibliography. In its' present form the reader should enjoy the book's engaging writing and beautiful illustrations while ignoring the historical inaccuracies and numerous mislabeled photographs. Purchasing the book is recommended to all readers, keeping in mind not to use it as a final reference source. For a true reference, the book by Bruce McCaulley continues to be the standard by which other books on the Ford Model T should be judged.
   
   Reviewed by Eric W. Macleod



2. This is a great book, well done and well illustrated. It is more than just another book on the Model T. It is a great book that provides an entertaining history of the vehicle that put America on wheels. WELL DONE THANKS.



3. I am fascinated by antique automobiles, and while Ford wasn't the first person to manufacture a car, he was the first to make one that most people could afford. No longer was the automobile a plaything for the rich. But more than that, Ford made a flivver that was just right for the times- rugged, easy to fix, and made for the road conditions of the day (today's drivers would have a hard time trying to drive one of these. For example, the throttle mechanism is a post on the steering column, not via a floor pedal).
   
   Tom Collins has made an interesting book, one that is not too technical like some I have read on the T. There are two big drawbacks though- ones that make me rate this book more as 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4. One is that there are a fair number of spelling errors, and in this day of spellcheck, that is unacceptable. The second, and bigger problem, is that some of the photos in this book are out of focus. Especially ones by Robin Heil-Kern. On a level plane, one half of the photo is in-focus, but the other is fuzzy. In some cases the whole photo is out of focus, like the depth of field was way off. I found it very distracting, and of course if you're looking for a nice picture book, you want clear photos.
   
   The Amazon price is very discounted, and would make this book a good one for your automoblile library.

3 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Restoring Collector Cars (The Complete Idiot's Guide).

1. Not exactly what I was looking for, but there was certainly much I didn't already know. Great resource referrals! I wanted more specific, step by step instructions, but now I know where to get it from reading this. I did not waste my time or money.



2. By far a really, really good starter book for anyone looking to see what it would take to get into restoring a classic car. If you know the basics; budgeting, tools needed, what car to look for this is not the book for you.
   
   But for those who haven't even scoped the project this is a great starting point to layout your plan of how you are going to proceed or whether your should proceed at all.



3. If you already know a lot about Pitman arms, rag joints, pinion gears, and harmonic balancers, then this book is probably not for you. After all, the word, "idiot," is in the title. As the new owner of a collector car who hasn't much of a clue where to start, I found it to be perfectly suited to my needs and knowledge level. The information is presented in such a way as to apply to a wide range of vehicle types, which I especially liked, since my specific vehicle interests don't correspond at all with the author's. Most importantly, the author is a good writer and the book is enjoyable to read, cover to cover. (There are a few typos, which always surprises me.) Overall, a good value and a great introduction to the topic for beginners.