Motorbooks that you wish were written

Joe Fan · 24 Sep 2001, 18:18 (Ref:150470)

What books on motorsports history do you wish someone would write? It can be a biography, a book on race team or car, a reference book or something else.

Someone told me once that they wish there was a book on the NART team.

**ghinzani** · 24 Sep 2001, 20:30 (Ref:150580)

A book by Enzo Osella about his time running an F1 and F2 team, as well as biographies by Piercarlo Ghinzani, Eddie Cheever, Andrea de Cesaris, Pancho Carter, Danny Ongais. If its completely in the realms of fantasy how about "Johhny Dumfries - my part in his downfall" by Peter Warr with foreward by Ayrton Senna (from up on his cloud)....

Vitesse · 24 Sep 2001, 21:28 (Ref:150638)

A biography of Masten Gregory would be good ...

Seriously though, a sensible definitive biography of Graham Hill, an autobiography by John Surtees and Doug Nye's BRM Vol 2.

**ghinzani** · 24 Sep 2001, 21:51 (Ref:150655)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Vitesse
[B]A biography of Masten Gregory would be good ...

]

I remember reading Masten Gregorys obituary in Motoring News and thinking he sounded an interesting guy, rather off the wall and beatnik - the longer time passes thought the less liklehood there will be books on the less famous old guys. Is there a good book on Nuvolari or Varzi??

DNQ · 24 Sep 2001, 22:34 (Ref:150686)

A James Hunt autobiography - maybe one has been made?

TimD · 24 Sep 2001, 22:40 (Ref:150691)

Be careful what you ask for...

I once asked a publisher if there was anything on the market which had the history of Brooklands laid out with proper tables of runners and riders - in the same vein as Sheldon's Black Books.

His reply was that if I were to write one, he'd publish. That was two years ago, and I'm still hard at it!

What's on my wish-list....

A proper history of USAC.
A reprint of the Keke Rosberg biog - so I don't have to pay £60 for what is a very thin book.
A one-stop history of British Touring Car racing from 1958.
A John Bolster biography.
A history of European Rallycross.
Something on Dealer Team Vauxhall.

Joe Fan · 25 Sep 2001, 07:36 (Ref:150823)

Quote:

Originally posted by Vitesse
A biography of Masten Gregory would be good ...

Good answer Vitesse!

Ray Bell · 25 Sep 2001, 08:16 (Ref:150832)

And a book on Frank Matich...

By the way, for those who knew her, Joan Matich died last week, ending a terrible decade or more for her...

Vitesse · 25 Sep 2001, 12:01 (Ref:150927)

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Fan

Good answer Vitesse!

Damn! Suppose that means I'll have to buy one now

... don't think Ghinzani got the joke though! Better check out Joe's homepage mate! Since Joe is far too modest to tell you himself:

http://www.geocities.com/mastoidfan/mg.html

Joe Fan · 25 Sep 2001, 13:30 (Ref:150980)

Vitesse, I started this thread to generate some feedback on motorbooks that people wished someone would write. Why? Unfortunately, I may have to write another book to subsidize the Masten biography. The biggest expense for motorbooks are photos, which will probably run around $10,0000. Yes, I could go with a smaller photo budget (and probably will have no choice) but this will make the final product less than what I had envisioned.

I may also have to broaden my potential market like Robert Edwards did with "Archie AND the Listers," if I want to evade the self-publishing route. The problem with Masten is that he drove so many different cars and for so many different teams. But this should make the book stand on its own. I got some good fresh info on Lloyd Casner's Team Camoradi that will make its way into the book. I hope to get some about NART too.

**ghinzani** · 25 Sep 2001, 13:50 (Ref:150996)

Aha! did wonder... great site, cool idea for a book! Is there a book on Richie Ginther at all? he was the same sorta free spirit I understand. Dint know that about photo rights... better get my camera out then!!

BTW Ray Bell - dont know much about Frank Matich apart from he constructed F2 and F5000 cars in Oz, correct? whats the story with "the terrible decade" reference?

TimD · 25 Sep 2001, 17:09 (Ref:151068)

Nassau Speed Week.

How about it, Joe? The era you're already researching, a huge fan base for the cars - from 250LMs to Cobras, plenty of atmospheric photo archives, and no-one's done it justice yet.

Didn't Masten run there too?

Felix Muelas · 25 Sep 2001, 20:09 (Ref:151177)

Quote:

Originally posted by ghinzani
Is there a good book on Nuvolari or Varzi??

Let me guess...your question sounds incomplete...you are surely asking if there is a good book in English aren´t you?

Although with your nick, it´s only logical that you should have no problems with original sources about both those geniuses, and so I reccomend :

Giorgio Terruzzi´s "Una Curva Cieca" -Vita di Achille Varzi. Giorgio Nada Editore, Milano 1990. ISBN 88-7911-049-7

Cesare de Agostini´s "Tazio Vivo". Conti Editore, 1987 (I´m unable to find an ISBN number in it)

and, should my assumption be incorrect and you cannot or simply do not want to read Italian (and I duly apologize in advance should that be the case) then I suggest Valerio Moretti´s "When Nuvolari Raced", 1994 Veloce Publishing. ISBN 1-874-105-383

Finally, ask TimD where to get them !

Vitesse · 25 Sep 2001, 21:06 (Ref:151223)

Quote:

Originally posted by TimD
Nassau Speed Week.

How about it, Joe? The era you're already researching, a huge fan base for the cars - from 250LMs to Cobras, plenty of atmospheric photo archives, and no-one's done it justice yet.

Didn't Masten run there too?

Nice idea Tim - select international fields, top drivers, top cars. And maybe as an addition the Cuban GPs and the one and only Puerto Rican GP. Lots of material - Fangio kidnapping etc etc.

Joe Fan · 26 Sep 2001, 08:04 (Ref:151422)

Quote:

Originally posted by TimD
Nassau Speed Week.

How about it, Joe? The era you're already researching, a huge fan base for the cars - from 250LMs to Cobras, plenty of atmospheric photo archives, and no-one's done it justice yet.

Didn't Masten run there too?

Yes, Masten won the inaugral Nassau Trophy race in 1954. I would like to see a book on Nassau too but I wonder if the content would be too small and thus would require a large photo budget. This is probably a great idea for someone like Karl Ludvigsen who is a writer who also owns his own photo library.

Ghinzani, one of my plan B's for the Gregory biography (if I had problems with finding sufficient info on him) was to broaden it by making it a duo biography on Masten and Richie, "Ginther and Gregory."
However, I am surpassing my expectations on the content amount of the Gregory biography by 25,000 words. I have done so by providing interesting background information and other noteworthy stuff that happened in the races Masten competed in. This should be a good book for a fan who is interested in motorsport history as it will not only enlighten them on one of the most interesting and underrated driving talents, but it should also enlighten them on what was going on in racing at that time in Masten's career. Masten's career spanned two decades, from 1952-1972. During that time, he raced almost all of the most famous cars of that timeframe.

Ray Bell · 26 Sep 2001, 08:31 (Ref:151427)

Quote:

Originally posted by ghinzani
Aha! did wonder... great site, cool idea for a book! Is there a book on Richie Ginther at all? he was the same sorta free spirit I understand. Dint know that about photo rights... better get my camera out then!!

BTW Ray Bell - dont know much about Frank Matich apart from he constructed F2 and F5000 cars in Oz, correct? whats the story with "the terrible decade" reference?

Mentioned Richie Ginther to Frank Gardner once, he simply brushed him off by saying about him killing himself when he was broke and broken and living in a caravan in Mexico. Tragic. The man who pushed Moss to his greatest heights...

Matich, ghinzani, was a driver more than a constructor. He started in an MG TC and moved up to an Austin Healey, then a C-Type Jag, a D-Type, Lotus 15 and then hit the heights in a Lotus 19 and had a 2.5 Brabham Climax. When he wrote that off, by which time he was driving a range of small cars for Elfin, Junior, 1.5 and clubman, he moved up a gear and had Elfin build him a V8 sports car.

A series of these followed, some of which were for sale, with Repco backing him and Can-Am efforts included, then when F5000 hit he had a McLaren M10, M10B and then built his own cars. Finally he got the Australian Driver's Championship, but the Tasman Series eluded him from memory.

In the 2.5 period, which was all too short because of events at the time, he was a serious challenge to the visiting International drivers, particularly at Warwick Farm.

Some of the best races I ever saw were his contests with Chris Amon when the latter brought a Can-Am Ferrari here to run in supporting events for the Tasman races of 1968.

This photo shows the part of Warwick Farm (in the background) where I used to wave flags... it was a very high speed ess with the left hander culminating in the braking area for the Causeway... John Harvey's Bowin is turning into that in the pic... Walker has just gone past the point where I was flagging...

One lap Matich went one side and Amon the other of a 1200cc Tojiero they were lapping, around where Walker is in this picture (he's driving a Matich A51 by the way)... with the one on the outside with right hand wheels on the grass, the other with left hand wheels on the grass... clippings flying!

Ray Bell · 26 Sep 2001, 08:44 (Ref:151432)

Sorry, the 'terrible decade' was the time that poor Joan suffered from whatever cancer it was that finally took her life... apparently it was really bad for a long time.

paulzinho · 27 Sep 2001, 17:22 (Ref:152151)

Acomplete history of the Le Mans 24hours, maybe there is one?

Jeroen Brink · 27 Sep 2001, 17:32 (Ref:152154)

A biography of the life of Chris Amon, written by Nigel Roebuck.

Joe Fan · 27 Sep 2001, 17:53 (Ref:152162)

Quote:

Originally posted by paulzinho
Acomplete history of the Le Mans 24hours, maybe there is one?

I think I have seen one before and remembered that it was rather expensive.

Hans.ca · 27 Sep 2001, 20:42 (Ref:152302)

Joe Fan,
I think NART published there own books every year. As photographers we always got asked to send them photos of there team,at no charge, for the up coming book. Never did see any of the books.

angst · 28 Sep 2001, 08:50 (Ref:152515)

Quote:

Giorgio Terruzzi´s "Una Curva Cieca" -Vita di Achille Varzi. Giorgio Nada Editore, Milano 1990. ISBN 88-7911-049-7

I'm sure that there is an English translation of this book available. I shal check my sources again, as I've been trying to get hold of a copy.

angst · 28 Sep 2001, 11:36 (Ref:152579)

My mistake, it's not available yet, due for release early 2002

ISBN:0-9665564-0-2

Translation by Domenico Nieddu.

As an aside, did anybody know that his nephew (I believe), Achille C Varzi, is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University, New York

Jeroen Brink · 30 Sep 2001, 14:57 (Ref:153734)

An comprehensive biography of Bernie Ecclestone

paulzinho · 30 Sep 2001, 16:44 (Ref:153776)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeroen Brink
An comprehensive biography of Bernie Ecclestone

RRP 999.99

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Written sponsorship proposals	hawkenr	Racers Forum	18	10 Nov 2005 11:14
Get your Christmas list written.....!	Super Tourer	Formula One	6	20 Sep 2004 13:59
Where is it written spinning should be an automatic crash?	Green Monster	IRL Indycar Series	5	15 Jun 2004 20:04
Andy Granatelli responds to article written on IRL and CART	MrIndy500	ChampCar World Series	24	6 Jul 2000 02:09