5 comments about High-Performance Ford Engine Parts Interchange (S-a Design).

1. Hi, I just read the new book that was advertised in a recent "Mustangs and Fords" magazine.

   The Book is entitled "High Performance FORD Engine Parts Interchange" by George Reid

   The book covers 9 small blocks and 12 big blocks from the 221 to 460 CID. The book is well organized with the first 9 chapters on small block engines and chapter 10 thru 18 on the big ones. Chapter 19 is all about Gaskets and Fasteners. It offers alot more on these subjects than you might think. It gives long tabulated lists of gasket dimensions and Mfgr. part numbers.(FEL-Pro). It does the same for ARP and AMK fasteners and full Kits.

   Chapter 20 is devoted to Stroker Kits and 21 shows the reader how to calculate the Compression Ratio, Cubic inch Displacement, and the optimum carburetor size in C.F.M.

   Let me say that alot of the tables listing identification numbers is really going to help me put the correct part on my correct restoration (1970 Torino).

   For instance, the table for radiator FANS lists the Ford Part no., ID no.,No.of blades, Clutch type or non, diameter of fan, and diameter of center hole.

   That same level of detail or more is given in tables for the following:

   -Engine ID tag decoder -Engine Block ID's and Specs. -Crankshaft ID's -Flywheel/Flexplate -Heads and Valve specs. -Intakes -Carbs. -Connecting Rods -Distributors -Alternators & Starters -Harmonic Balancers -Radiators -Exh. Manifolds -Water pumps

   I quickly realized this book has alot more to offer than just "interchange" information. Very rare facts come out in the text and subtle features and changes are shown in lots and lots of photos ! I have never seen as many pictures of rare and super-rare FORD Performance engine parts, gathered in any one book as are shown here.

   If I could say anything about this book that stands out.....it would be that there is very little "glossing over". The book is rich with detailed information with emphasis on "detailed".

   Oh, one last comment. If you think of yourself as one of those "absolute authorities" on "FE" engines or "small blocks" or any other family of Ford engines........... Think of this book as something that has pulled together the knowledge of hundreds of experts just like you ! You are very likely to run across something you either didn't know or totally forgot about !

   Truly yours, Kevin Casto

   ps - this is NOT a promotion, it is a book review and it is my honest opinion. I am not connected in any way to the Author or the publisher. Yes, I really am restoring a 1970 Ford Torino (as time permits).




2. This book is a wonderful source if you're looking for STOCK interchange info on FE or small-block motors. However, if you happen to be a fan of or are seeking information on the 429/460 (385 series) motors, I think you'll be disappointed. While almost entire chapters are dedicated to the FE motor family, more often than not the last 1 1/2 pages refer to the 429/460's. Sure, that wierd one-off NASCAR 427 motor is neat to look at, but you're highly unlikely to see one at the local swap meet. And even if you do, you probably don't want to buy it anyway, due to lack of aftermarket support. This book reads like an art museum guide, extolling the virtues (or lack) of obscure parts that we'll probably never see. Interesting, yes. Helping with building a performance motor for a street or strip car , no. Good coffee table book, but not recommended for the average info seeker.



3. I bought this book for information on 429 and 460 engines (it includes 460 in big letters on the cover). The information on 429/460s especially the heads is weak, tables are partially complete and the casing numbers are inconsistant and sometimes just wrong. It would be foolish to buy parts based solely on this reference. There no material for 429/460 engines after 1975. For the price it is a good value, I just wish it was more accurate and complete.



4. Even with a publishing date of 1999, most of the information is about pre-1980 Ford Engines. For anyone working on 1986 to 1995 Ford 302's there is little information. Many of the Spac. tables end prior to 1975. For me rebuilding a 1995 5.0L to a 1986 Mustang GT, not much help.



5. Fairly good book. What I don't like about it is that it doesn't have the information about each engine in one point. You have to read all through the book to gather up all the info on one engine. For this to have been a GREAT book, each engine should have been addressed individually, not scattered throughout the whole book.

2 comments about VW Camper - The Inside Story: A Guide to VW Camping Conversions and Interiors 1951-2005.

1. I bought this book as a gift... When I received the box and opened it, everything looked like is was just thrown in... This books cover was all torn and wrinkled. I was very upset but kept the book because of the time. I tried to fix it best as I could. From now on please be careful how you put the books in a box, when sending other things with them.. My son really wanted this book and I had to give it to him this way...



2. Here in the US we see mostly Westfalia's and Riviera's, with some Sportsmobiles and Sundials etc....This book is amazing in the number of conversions covered. The european models going way way back to the 50's! You certainly learn about more conversion companies and see many different configurations.
   
   Very, very cool book.
   
   I highly recommend it if you are interested in these great busses.

5 comments about Charger, Road Runner and Super Bee Restoration Guide (Motorbooks Workshop).

1. Very detailed reference for anyone restoring a classic mopar. Very little is left uncovered. Original factory part numbers are included for most parts. A great section on decoding V.I.N. numbers and fender tags. This book also lists most option packages available for the various years. For Concours level restorations this book is a must. I studied it closely before buying my own '69 Charger. This would also be a great source of information for model builders as this book is loaded with pictures and diagrams.



2. As a restoration guide this is a poor guide,if you want a book that is a year one sales catalog with better descriptions this is your book.If you are looking for a book to help you to restore your car it is only good for part numbers.As far as how to restore these cars or any pictures or assembly diagrams,you will not find it here.



3. The use of the word "Resortation" guide seems misleading here. I was expecting to see more "how-to" stuff - or "problem areas with these old B-Bodies" - hints, tips, etc.. Instead you get "this car used this part number and this car used that one"..."and they are NOT interchangeable". Don't get me wrong, that IS valuable information. BUT... it seems like alot of the verbage (a very large portion of this book BTW) would be better placed in a parts interchange manual! Its like combine this book with his parts interchange manual and you have the ultimate Chrysler parts interchange manual! One thing I DID LIKE about the book was ... in places, the author would say "Paint this 30deg Gloss Black"... Now that's cool AND useful! And I guess that was what I expected to see more of...Unfortunately, it doesnt show up that much in this book! All in all I would still recommend this book - There IS alot of useful info here. but I wish someone would write a definitive MOPAR restoration book dealing with such stuff as replacing Floor pans, Quarter panels, cowls, valences, wheel wells, detailing the engine bay etc... Actually a whole volume series A,B,C and E bodies would be cool!!! Good Luck



4. I purchased the Restoration Guide plus Interchange Manual the for our 1970 Super Bee and they immediately became an outstanding reference source for our MOPAR muscle car. Pictures and diagrams are clear and easy to see. We are still researching parts for the project and have not started the restoration process. So far, the book has been very informative and should be easy to follow.



5. I have been into SuperBees since 1969 when I purchased my first with a 426 Hemi and I thought this book would be a more hands-on nitty gritty approach as to how to do even the little things such as installing a headliner.
   
   Although I did find it helpful, I also was a little dissapointed at the generalities of the book and not enough detail.

No comments about Ford Engine Buildups HP1531: Covers 302/351 CID Small-Blocks, 1968-1995 4.6L and 5.4L Modular Engines, 1996-2008; Heads, Cams, Stroker Kits, Dyno-Tested Power Combos, F.I. Systems.

5 comments about Car Talk 2009 Daily Calendar.

1. I wish I had this book ten years ago. The best $10 you can spend on your car. You should have this book if you have a new car, if you only drive your parents' car, if you have never owned a car and are about to buy one, or like me, if your car has been trouble-free and is now starting to act up. It's useful, it makes complete sense, and is very funny too. I plowed through it in about two hours. And if you think you don't know anything about cars, wait until you read what some other people have done...



2. Great stories of the guys vs gals and a wonderful throw in on a college students response to a candidate college! My only complaint would be that the tape was too short only about an hour of entertainment, but a great hour!!!And if you need a good mechanic in Boston this tape has the perfect guy for you - really!!



3. This book could be half as long as it is if all the failed attempts at being funny were removed. The authors seem more concerned with trying to amuse their readers than with providing them with helpful information. While some good information exists within the book, it's buried among lame attempts at humor. I found myself being annoyed over and over again by these unfunny intrusions.

   If you're looking for a lot of helpful, well-organized information on car care, I'd look elsewhere (e.g., "Lucille's Car Care", by Lucille Treganowan, which I highly recommend). And to the authors I'd say, "Either be stand up comics or authors of helpful car books, but don't try to be both!" (because you're failing miserably at it!)




4. Click and Clack diagnosed my intermittant start-up problem in about 2 minutes, via this book.

   As a result, I could talk to my mechanic more intelligently, and I knew what I was in for before I called the shop. I don't fix cars myself, but this book enabled me to be in charge of the process.

   You get a great diagnostic tool, and some cheesy (but still funny) humor, all for under $15. Not a bad deal.




5. I guess you either love these guys or you hate them. My wife finds them incredibly annoying when she hears them on the radio.
   
   Myself, I love them. Their accents are not off-putting to me, and I love how they laugh together.
   
   What I've learned over time, though, is that the 'straight' answers they provide are actually pretty authoritative. They actually know what they're talking about, based not only on their extensive formal education but also based on their hands-on work with many, many cars.
   
   This book distills this expertise into important, relevant items you need to know. Buy it and keep it in the car - you'll be glad!

5 comments about Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America's Two-Lane Highways (Road Trip USA).

1. Bought this for my recently retired parents for Christmas. They loved it. Kinda of a nudge out the door to experience life....



2. This is a wonderful book. The detail and how it is divided into areas makes it an easy read and easy to locate the information you want. I am extremely pleased with my purchase and I recommend to everyone whether you are going to travel or not.



3. I recently completed a series of road trips around the U.S. with one of my children. We found Road Trip USA to be an indispensable guide to each section of the country we visited. The book was full of accurate recommendations and suggestions of what to see and what to avoid.



4. Extensively researched and very well written - good humor makes the exhaustive details easy to read. Over the years, I have driven many of the roads travelled - and I wish I had this book with me in the past. I read through it and say "Oh yeah, now I get it" about many of the sights I have seen. Going to enjoy bringing it with me on future travels - this book gives me far greater insight than other such books I have read. Well laid out, great index and cross-references.



5. The USA is just too big to encompass in one book. Most things covered in this book can be found by searching the internet. Good reference.

5 comments about The Official Ford Mustang 5.0: Technical Reference & Performance Handbook : 1979 Through 1993 (Ford).

1. Now here is a book that can save you money. On the shelf behind me are about 15 books on Mustangs - Mods, Tuning, Rebuilding, Projects, Upgrades, and a complete set of Shop manuals. Many were not worth the time to read, much less the money, I took a chance and purchased a copy of The Offical Ford Mustang 5.0 book. Here is a book that covers all the years, and gives the good and bad points of each. What worked, and what did not.

   A case in point - There is a lot of books out there that tell you to go out and get a set of 24# or 30# injectors as a start. This book at least give pros and cons, 19# will work just fine up to 300HP@39psi, or 330HP@60psi, using a larger injector reduces atomization of the fuel, and can cause problems with low speed driveability response, oscillating idle, and loss of fuel economy, without any HP gains.
   In my case I am in the process of rebuilding a 1995 GT-40 Cobra engine for my 1986 stang, I do not expect more than 300HP with the mods I am using, so the injector may have been a waste.
   This book is a gold mine of information on what went in which year, Ford Part numbers, and Ford Racing upgrade parts. There is a section on each component part, most with history, There was even a section on which parts I would need to change my '86 brakes for '87-later, with additional upgrades of which year/make Ford had larger calipers and rotors interchange with OEM brakes. This book will not tell you how to install a mod or rebuild, but at least you will know which parts you should use.
   I would recommend this book to anyone about to start a project. It will save you time and money. I find I now have a lot of parts that I did not need, and should not use. The book is geared to people like me who are looking to improve their existing car/engine. but are not building a drag/strip car. A car that will perform, but still take a trip to the store, (if it make the trip a bit more fun, so be it).




2. This is a great book,however I did find some errors.On page 223 the author states that all OE 5 liter cams have five 2.081 inch diameter bearing journals.Sorry,all 5 liter cams have five different size cam bearing journals as stated in my official Ford Mustang shop manuals from 1989,1972 and 1966.Page 209 states that oversize valves up to 1.94"intake will work with OE notched pistons,while page 212 says valve reliefs in 87-93 production pistons will accomodate 2.02"intake valves.Which spec is correct?Page 32 and 268 states that the 83-85 dual snorkel air cleaner was used on mid eighties 429-460 v-8`s.1973 was the last year for the 429.And finally,the OE roller cam specs on page 228 don`t make sense to me.If the revised E8ZE-CA cam for late 1988 handicaps the engine by three horsepower compared to the original E5ZE-AA cam,why does the revised cam have better specs?



3. Don't exepect this book to have step by step instructions like a haynes manual. But it does have alot of detailed technical information that reads like a normal book. If you ever had questions like how big of an injector for 300 hp or before you get a 90mm MAF, read this book first.



4. For over 15 years, I have been modifying engines for more power. However, most of my experience is with turbocharged FWD Mopars and none of it was with anything by Ford. Recently, I decided to undertake a new project: buying an early Miata and replacing its engine with a Mustang 5.0L EFI V8. While I understand the general workings of a computer-controlled engine, I knew nothing of the peculiarities of this new-to-me V8 powerplant. Thus began my quest to learn about the 5.0L, and it ended with the purchase of this book.
   
   To put it succinctly, if you want to know the ins and outs of any Mustang V8 from 1979 to 1993 then this is the book you MUST read. The first half contains individual chapters for every model year; each one goes into great detail to explain every minute change that took place to the Mustang's V8 engine (and the rest of its driveline as well). If the book contained nothing but these first chapters, it would already be worth every penny. (Indeed, it has already saved me untold hundreds of dollars by preventing me from trying to bolt together hardware which would have caused certain engine disaster.)
   
   But that's not all. The second half of the book then breaks down the entire driveline, with individual chapters for each component in the system (and even brakes, suspension, steering and more). Each component is discussed in great detail; as the Ford hardware varied over the years, the different pieces are compared and contrasted thoroughly. Rather than simply saying "piece such-and-such is the best," the pros and cons of each item are listed so that you can decide which one best suits your specific application. The author does give occasional warnings about hardware combinations which will not work together properly (or perhaps not even work at all), and these warnings are based on years of experience.
   
   If you're looking to become familiar with Ford's 5.0L V8s of the 1980s and 1990s, BUY THIS BOOK. You'll be very glad you did.



5. I have a 1989 mustange gt, and this book really did teach me a lot about the car. The book is really going to help me down the line when a problem occurs with my car. It is the best 5.0 reference book i have found.

5 comments about Porsche 911 Story: The Entire Development History.

1. One of the best automotive books ever written. Porsche and non-Porsche owners will love it.



2. If you've ever wanted to know everything there possibly is to know about the Porsche 911, then this book is for you! Others may find it to be monotonous and boring. The book goes into great detail about every aspect of each model year 911. Paul Frere is a 911 expert and it shows! I didn't like that most of the pictures are in black and white, although there is a nice little color photo section in the middle of the book. Die hard fans of the 911 will LOVE it. Others may not.



3. For those seeking references and technical data on their 911, skip this book. First time opening the book, I have already seen all the data and pics from OLDER Porsche books. There's barely pictures in this book anyhow. For those seeking good history and techincal data for the early Porsche's, get the Brain Long books.



4. On reading this book, it reminded me of the kind of thing that wouldn't seem out of place in a university library. It's so detailed on detail it's great. This is not coffee table decor, but nor is it a mechanic's repair guide; just an intensive description of 911 development from an author that seems very close to the inside workings of the Porsche factory.



5. I had a hard time finding dates for each change in design. Why not say that the last air cooled porsche was made in 1995 when the body change occurred in 1994? All the book says is with the such and such model came the model such and such transmission. When? Dates are lacking but a good detailed accounting of the changes to Porsche 911.

5 comments about Packard: A History of the Motor Car and the Company (Automobile Quarterly Magnificent Marque Books).

1. This is the real deal for the " Packard enthusiast " one does not often get the opportunity to purchase a book that has all the historical background ,technical detail , actual political & economic timeframes , key people ,Actual Highway & Road conditions "if you could say that at the time " hence the building of the Lincoln Highway , etc .
   
   It is a great read i strongly suggest that all interested parties of "The Packard Motor Automobile " purchase this book .
   
   Another fine example of dedication , persistance & research from the team at Automobile Quarterly , well done !!



2. I ordered this book expecting something nice and I wasn't disappointed. The reviews wee terrific and apparently it is the best, most authoritative book on the subject....so what else could I expect but excellence. Very nice book....beautifully presented, lovely pics,interesting and relevant text, classy binding/cover...yeah, well worth the money.



3. This has to be the most complete research product published today.
   
   The individual model histories are written by experts most familiar with their respective assignments and yet it is written as if you were in the room with the people who founded Packard Motor Cars along with the designers, assemblers and even those who tested them.
   
   At over 800 aprox 8" by 8" pages, certainly not a work you will read in an evening but definitely not easy to lay down.



4. If you are a Packard fan, you must have this book. It can probably answer any questions you might have about the marque. It also has numerous great pictures also.



5. 5 Stars is not enough for this book. This book is the last word on the Packard automobile. From pre-war majesty to post war mediocrity it is all here. This book has many rare photographs and it is utterly breathtaking. What destroyed Packard in the end was changing tastes. Packards were the old moneyed conservitive cars for people who wanted an elegant car but not to show off, Cadillacs by contrast were the reverse, brash glitz - mobiles. The problem was in the 1950's brash glitz-mobiles were in vouge and Packard did try and adapt to the times with it's 1955-56 cars which like Cadillacs came in bright pastel colors, but by 1955 Packard was considered to be an old folks cars by the young affluent car buyers of the 1950's and it was gone. Ironic, Cadillac has the same problem today trying to lure back younger buyers from European and Japanese imports.

1 comments about MotoGP in Camera: The Official Portrait of the 990cc Era.

1. Many enthusiasts, and many highly respected MotoGP riders, consider the 240-HP, four-stroke 990s that raced from 2002 to 2006 to have been the pinnacle of performance and spectacle in racing--the most powerful and demanding race machines ever created, even beyond the 180-HP 500-cc two-strokes that made such extraordinary demands on their pilots.
   
   This book sets out to make the point, and the result is a compendium of terrific photos of the era, year by year, captured by 16 great race photographers from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, professionals whose unique access to the men, machines, pits and tracks gives them the chance to create stunning imagery of the sport. Every reader will find favorites, and there are no bad shots. Nicky Hayden puts his own 2006 world championship into perspective in a thoughtful and insightful introduction.
   
   No aspect of MotoGP is ignored, from the great tracks to the fans, the key men (no women, except for fans and umbrella girls--one of them naked under her wet tee shirt) who drive the sport, the portraits of many of the interesting characters, the agony of crashing and the conflicting emotions of riders who win or lose. Spectators may only see spectacle, but insiders know that top racers put their lives on the line every time they ride, even in practice, and you can see it on the page.
   
   What is particularly striking is that Julian Ryder chose unique points of view and images unlikely to see print in any magazine or newspaper. These unusual views of the sport make the book essential for the enthusiast, a remarkable and memorable record of courage and commitment, daring and danger, the essence of great spectacle unmatched in sport.
   
   Behind the 250-odd images reproduced with stunningly clarity on the page, one aspect of the work deserves consideration by readers: photographers shoot thousands of photos at every MotoGP event, and the ratio between great and `okay, interesting' and `no good' is one in hundreds, often demanding capture in a right-time/right-place thousandth of a second. Ryder has captured the spectacular, violent and fascinating aspects of the sport and its participants.
   
   The book title is ironic. `In camera' is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as `in secret or private session, not in public,' but what could be more aggressively public that MotoGP? Yes, and we are the beneficiaries, at the track and in this magnificent book. Get it!