5 comments about American Cars of the 1950's.

1. If you love old cars, this is a must have. Almost all of the cars are shown in color. It is a world that is gone, but the pages bring back memories of very large, colorful cars. The price of gas was not a problem. The air conditioning was the wind in your face. The seats of the car were as large as your mother's divan. What memories...



2. This book is well-produced in a very easy-to-read format. If you're looking for in-depth details you won't find them. But if you want a picture of life in the 1950s this book is for you. Each brand of car is presented alphabetically by name and then year-by-year. The color, quality of paper and the printing process are all first-rate. You'll also learn about the independent makes that didn't survive the decade like Hudson, Packard and Willys. I recall visiting our local Ford dealer in the 1950s as a small boy and collecting the brochures for each model. I would study them for hours. You could not help but be impressed with with each company's self-promotion on how good their make of car was. This book condenses the highlights of all of those old brochures and helps convey the message of how great the '50s truly were.



3. 5 JUNE 2008.
   IF I HAD SEEN THIS BOOK FIRST HAND WITH THE LITHOGRAPH ILLUSTRATIONS, FROM MANUFACTUREERS SALES BROSHURES, VICE REAL PICTURES, I WOULD NOT HAVE ACQUIRED IT.



4. Lots of great vintage art from ads and brochures. Well designed, easy to navigate. It's a beautiful little book but i just wish it were larger since it is only about 5 inches tall.



5. I can't stress how much I value the reviews on Amazon, which is why I write them. Here's a case in point: I wanted to send my 14 year old nephew something fun while he was away this Summer, and I knew he loved cars. By relying on the reviews, I chose this book and he loved it.
   I may not always agree with other reviewers, but their insights and opinions help me make better choices. What really amazes me is that Amazon will print the negative ones.

5 comments about Vespa Scooters Owners Workshop Manual: All rotary valve models 1959 to 1978: No. 126 (Owners Workshop Manual).

1. If you own a vinatge Vespa from 1959-1978 you should own this service manual even if you don't plan on working on your scooter. It helps with routine maintence, trouble shooting, and just basic knowledge of your machine. Take care of you scooter and it will take care of you. Tons of pictures, parts and wire diagrams. A MUST HAVE!!!!



2. This is a great book for minor OR major repair to Vespa scooters. It covers vintage models of different styles. For the Sprint 150cc, I found the wiring diagram easy and helpful. It appears the diagrams for others were as complete. All were color coded as well. The book is well illustrated for most any job necessary.



3. Perfect book to read and help you understand your vespa. I feel its a good book.



4. A very thin book and little actual technical information. Do not bother buying this manual. With a little patience you can find all this information and more on the internet at sites such as scooterhelp for free.



5. Useful comprehensive guide with easy to follow photos.
   A must have if you own an older scoot.

5 comments about Mustang 1964 1/2 - 73 Restoration Guide (Motorbooks Workshop).

1. I bought a 68 as a project in a semi dismantled condition, this book is an excellent reference for piecing together which bits go where (& which are missing!), the notes on options are also useful.
   
   This is my first restoration & this book will be a valuable source of information.



2. Gives you good information about model development, and original and optional equipment and modifications. Good photgraphs. Good description of essential parts by model year. The exploded line drawings give you a general impression of the build and parts, but they are not adequate for do-it-yourself projects. I miss information about function (i.e. ventilation or heater regulation) and about fluids (oil, cooler etc.)



3. This book is an excellent guide for anyone who is restoring an early Mustang or needs information identifying an existing car or possible purchase. Richly supplied with photos, diagrams and tables of specifications, the book gives nearly all the informtion to do an accurate restoration of a 64-70 Mustang.
   
   The biggest flaw is that many of the data charts do not include information past 1970. The engine identification photographs and charts fail to give information past 1970. Since the motive power for a Muscle Car is of great interest to most owners, this is an important oversight. The section on interiors also fails to show photos or diagrams beyond 1970. Since I am restoring a 1972 with a trashed interior, I was very disappointed not to be able to tell how my interior should look. The trim codes list didn't go beyond 1970 so I couldn't tell what the colors should be. The suspension section and driveline section is also short of critical information.
   
   For a person working on a 64-70 Mustang, I highly recommend the book. It is richly filled with information and visuals. I would still get the book as a restorer of a 1971-1973 because there is lots of great information, such as complete information on the body and paint. Much of the missing information can be inferred from the 1970 model and since one also needs a shop manual, the rest of the information would be there.



4. As long as you realize this book provides all the nitty gritty details of a Mustang, you should be happy with it. You will note many of the diagrams are the same ones used in the parts catalogs like NPD. Since I am in the stage of disassembly and early restoration, it won't get much use yet but once I start to put things back together, I see this book as very valuable. There is not much verbiage so this will not give you the "tricks" to put things together but should be a good supplement to other books.



5. This book has alot of information/data but none of it is useful unless you need specific concourse part numbers, etc. Even so, the diagrams are jumbled several to a page making them virtually unreadable and hiding any detail you might be looking for such as how exactly the 1968 headlight bucket attaches to the fender/grill (just as an example). If you need detailed, specific information, it would be best for you to purchase your car's make/model/year factory service manual. The most irritating issue I have with this book is that it's a regurgitation of diagrams and data tables but does not include listings of part numbers to match the diagrams. For instance, the body panel breakdown contains part numbers listed with the body panels but there's no cross-reference to find out what exactly the body panel's name is as you would need to order it from a parts house.

3 comments about How to Rebuild the Small-Block Chevrolet: Step-by-Step Videobook (S-A Design Video Workbench).

1. I was impressed with the book and the DVD. As a novice to engine building I was able to follow the DVD and book with relative ease. There were a few areas of the process that are in the book that the DVD did not mention. Overall I think it is a very good tool for the novice like myself.



2. Excellent book and very well made DVD. I learned quite a bit that I didn't know. I would recommend this book to anybody wanting to learn small block engine repair.



3. If you are a auto hobbyist / enthusiast planning to rebuild a motor, or just want to know how a motor goes together, this video book is certainly one to have. I have not ventured into a small block myself yet, but this book (along with others) will give me the confidence to start, and presumably will be covered in grease soonafter I begin.

5 comments about MGB Automotive Repair Manual: 1962-1980 MGB Roadster and GT Coupe With 1798 CC (110 cu in Engine) (Haynes Manuals).

1. Woo, hoo, what a fun car.



2. Everything you need is here; except the parts. Only the factory manual could be more complete and that book is harder to read and doesn't include the easier to read wiring diagram or the much clearer exploded parts diagrams and the pictures. Maybe the Victoria British catalog is clearer on the parts, but not on the knowledg to fix the darn things.
   Keep a copy in the boot with your torch, spanner and a length of broom handle for whacking the starter. You'll never know when the anti-christ Lucas will strike or rust will win over that amazing british steel.



3. This manual covers most of the basics but has general information only and lacks a lot in specifics regarding different models. Body and Chassis
   section is not very in depth. It is a simple repair manual and not a restoration manual. Haynes could make three, possibly four, manuals for this car and be more specific.



4. This manual is basically a condensed version of Robert Bentley's "The Complete Official MGB". I now have two manuals with the same information.



5. I recently rebuilt my engine on my 1972 MGB, and while I did find the chapter on engine rebuilding helpful, there were times when the writing could have been less vague, not to mention the archaic use of "whilst" for the word while. The section on inserting the distributor drive was vague, and I had often contacted Brit-Tek for much-needed advice. Also, on the section describing replacing the rings, the book states to have the ring gaps at a 90 degree angle from the thrust side of the engine. The book doesn't tell you that the thrust side is the right side of the engine. There are also sections in the book, such as that for torque settings, that merely state what the torque settings are for early and later cars -- but without being specific and stating which years are the early and which years are the later cars! There are three different connecting rods, and mine requires the torque setting of 33 pounds. This is not the early setting, which I believe they have at 40 pounds. Again, this is essential to know, if you don't want to snap a nut and incure the cost of purchasing new connecting rod bolts. Issues such as this, make the book sometimes frustrating. I also had the help of a British car garage, Moss Motors and Brit-Tek -- both of which were a great help. The folks at Victoria British generally have little or no knowledge of mechanical issues. Finally, I will add that Peter Burgess' book "How to Power-Tune your MGB" was further helpful.

1 comments about Chevrolet and GMC Pick-Ups (1988-2000) (Haynes Manuals).

1. Although I have many Haynes manuals and continue to buy them, I am generally disappointed when I use them. I recently wanted to know about the PCV valve (like where it is and what it looks like. The picture in the book looks like it is from a mid 70's car, not a '99. This is quite common for Haynes. Their books go into great detail on easy things like unbolting an alternater, but are very sparse on more difficult things like transmissions, emissions, ignition, torque specs, capacities, and wiring -- exactly the things I need vehicle specific information on. Haynes manuals pale in comparison to more comprehensive manuals published by Bentley. I have a Bentley manual for my VW, I wonder if there is a similarly conprehensive manual for Chevy trucks. I will look.
   P.S. If you know very little about mechanics, a Haynes book is an OK start, but you outgrow them fast and you will be frustrated trying to find simple info such as tire pressure.

4 comments about Automotive Technician Certification Test Preparation Manual.

1. I have been in Fleet Maintenance for over 19 years. Having never attempted the ASE certifications this book was a great help. Allot of the questions were the same ( about 45% ). I took 6 ASE tests and past the 5 I took the time to read through this book. You do need a basic understanding for this book to be effective.



2. I just did the tests, 4 per night which wasn't too bright, plus I'm not a mechanic, but we'll see how it goes. I think this book has a lot of good stuff in it, I learned a lot.



3. If you are going into the automotive field this is a great book to help you prepare to work in the industry.



4. This manual is great for anyone who is preparing to become ASE master certified, or for anyone who is going to take more than one automotive ASE exam. The hints in each chapter are helpful on some of the tougher questions and the practice questions really help to prepare.

No comments about MINI 50 Years.

5 comments about The Complete Book of BMW: Every Model In the World Since 1950.

1. The book is almost four hundred pages long, but most of that is pictures
   and the type is pretty big. So, you can probably finish the book in a
   couple of sittings.
   
   I'm pretty familiar with the BMW story, and I did not find many inaccuracies. The book is written from a European perspective. So, torque is given in N m instead of in lb ft. And money is listed in
   DM, pound sterling or in Euros, but most books on BMW are written from
   European point of view.
   
   I will say that the copy editor probably was not very interested in the
   subject matter or familiar with BMW. So, there are a few mistakes
   in the text, but all in all the book was thorough and comprehensive.



2. My son the BMW Guru has just about memorized the book



3. It's a big glossy book all right....but spends about 75% of its space on specs.



4. An excellent, well-written book with superb illustrations. This book contains a wealth of information about all models BMW has manufactured around the world since 1950, together with production figures.



5. High quality the inside as well as the outside. Exactly what I was looking for.

5 comments about Torqueflite Transmis Hp1399: How to Rebuild or Modify Chrysler's A-727 Torqueflite for All Applications.

1. I don't know what this last comment was all about but I think the book was awesome. I have never been able to find another book that even comes close to this book.
   
   The book will not rebuild your transmission...if you think it will you are mistaken. But if you are mechanical and you would like to try and build the trans yourself ...you would be mistaken if you didn't have this as a reference while you were doing it. OR if you just wanted to know about the operation of the trans and how it is supposed to work ...this is the book
   
   However if you are looking for a great reference on what and how to build a transmission this book is the way to go. I had to buy the book for a friend when I was helping a friend with his car. I didn't know much about these units and I thought the book was a great reference. There are no other books of its kind available



2. I borrowed this book the first time I ventured into the automatic tranny. I've since built 4 of them! This is by far, THE best information for the DIY'ers! The statement below saying it's not a step-by-step how-to is not accurate. It does involve alot of theory and what-not, and it does go into hi-po mods, but it certainly is a step-by-step manual that covers most years of builds.
   
   READ IT FIRST completely before you dive in to the rebuild!
   
   Highly recommended, and I'm buying myself a copy now (since the owner of the one I borrowd wanted his back!).



3. I bought these books for my brother for Christmas and he couldn't wait to tie into them. He loved them! Thanks!



4. This is an excellent book and how to make one of the best automatic transmissions ever made, even better. However I recomend doing at least one standard torqueflite rebuild before venturing into some of the modifactions that are shown in the book. The torqueflite is one of the easist automatics to overhaul and a very durable transmission. Information is this book is meant for people with some experience with this transmission.
   
   This book is a huge asset to those who work on these and rebuild them. Years worth of technical information is compiled and shared in this book. Good torquflite mechanics may be pretty easy to find, but finding one with that has all the knowledge in this book are not.



5. This is a reasonable introduction to the Torqueflite tranny. After reading I still wouldn't be comfortable rebuilding one.