Classic American Car Books

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This is a selection of books on general American classic cars, covering the history and development of the American automobile industry, American makes and models.

ROBERT ACKERSON

Encyclopedia Of American Supercars by Robert Ackerson (1980)

DENNIS ADLER

Fifties Flashback: The American Car by Dennis Adler (2004). No other era in automotive history is as revered as the 1950s, when Detroit was the center of the auto world and the American V-8 was king of the road. With hundreds of colour photos of beautiful restorations and a collection of rare archival photos, Dennis Adler has compiled a detailed history of the emerging postwar American auto industry.

GEORGE BARRIS

Barris Kustoms Of The 1960s by George Barris (2002). This showcase of George Barris hot rods and custom cars created during the swinging 1960s features images from Barris gold mine of archival colour and black-and-white photography. George Barris remains the most visible and popular hot rod and custom car builder. His cars, museums and special exhibits at car shows continue to draw attention, and thousands of hot rod enthusiasts enjoy looking at photos of his older vehicles. He is a hot rodding legend.

DAVID BARRY

Street Dreams: American Car Culture From The Fifties To The Eighties by David Barry (1988)

ROBERT BOWDEN

End Of The Supercar Era: The Complete Book Of The Muscle Cars Of The Sixties by Robert Bowden (1979) is a parade of the great cars - what went into the "street machines" of the supercar era, and what they're worth today. It is a fascinating, in-depth look at the "Baddest" cars - those famous, admired, talked about classic and milestone American cars - descriptions, histories, pictures, data and values.

DAVID BURGESS WISE

Classic American Automobiles by David Burgess Wise (1980). Hundreds of classic American car photos from the 1920s to 1940s and a few later models 1950s to 1970s.

COLIN BURNHAM

California Classics by Colin Burnham (1990). All- American rag tops from the 50s and early 60s pictured in California.

JIM CAMPISANO

American Muscle Cars by Jim Campisano (1995). Barracuda, Mustang, GTO, Ford Fairlane - these cars typify the American muscle car and their names conjure up the sights and sound of 1960s and 1970s America, before the gas crisis and concern for the environment led to the development of smaller, gas-saving automobiles.

RICHARD CARSON

The Olympian Cars: The Great American Luxury Automobiles Of The Twenties & Thirties by Richard Carson (1976)

R M CLARKE

Muscle Cars Compared 1966-1970 by R M Clarke (1982). A collection of contemporary articles covering: Buick GS400, Camaro, Caprice 427, Chevelle SS396, Cobra, Cyclone GT, Cougar, Dodge R/T, Fairlane GTA, Ford LTD 7-litre, The Judge, Oldsmobile 4-4-2, Mustang, Pontiac GTO, Plymouth GTX, Rebel SST, Road Runner, Skylark Gran Sport, Super Bee.

E JOHN DeWAARD

Fins & Chrome: American Automobiles Of The 1950s by E John DeWaard (1982) takes a look back at this era in the United States and examines the times through the cars of the period.

MENNO DUERKSEN

Menno Duerksen's History Of The Great American Classics by Menno Duerksen (1987). American auto history and photos of Stutz, Duesenberg, Franklin, Kissel Kar, Packard, Stearns-Knight, Doble, Dorris. 1897-1956.

LARRY EDSALL

Barrett-Jackson: The World's Greatest Collector Car Event by Larry Edsall (2006). Tom Barrett had a 1933 Cadillac V-16 Town Car he wanted to sell; Russ Jackson came to see it. How this simple meeting between two car buffs in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1960 started what would someday be the most prestigious collector car auction in the world.

THIERRY EMPTAS & FRANCOIS LEMEUNIER

Ragtops: Classic American Convertibles Of The Fifties And Sixties by Thierry Emptas & Francois Lemeunier (1989)

JAMES FLAMMANG

Standard Catalog Of American Cars 1976-1999 by James Flammang (1999) provides in-depth coverage of future collector cars from 1976 through to 1999, with more than 2000 photographs. The book includes listings of production figures, options, serial numbers, technical data, specification charts, chassis information and historical facts.

Chronicle Of The American Automobile: Over 100 Years Of Auto History by James Flammang (1994). Informative, accurate captions and production charts. Coverage of makes, both major and minor: Ford, Hudson, Haynes-Apperson, Dodge, Maxwell, Moon, Chevrolet, Autocar, scores more. Great automotive personalities: Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler, Preston Tucker, Alfred Sloan, Lee Iacocca, and many others.

MITCHEL FRUMKIN & PHIL HALL

American Dream Cars: 60 Years Of The Best Concept Vehicles by Mitchel Frumpkin & Phil Hall (2002). More than 650 different dream cars are featured - more than has ever been showcased before - from the significant to the obscure. Rarely seen photographs of vehicles such as the Thunderbird Saturn, Olds El Torero and Dodge Firearrow grace the pages, often with two or more views of each entry.

ROBERT GENAT

Hemi: The Ultimate American V-8 by Robert Genat (2002). Take this high-octane tour through the design, development and research involved in producing the greatest V-8 in Detroit history.

NICK GEORGANO

Art Of The American Automobile: The Greatest Stylists And Their Work by Nick Georgano (1995) reviews such automotive design legends such as Frank Hershey, Raymond Loewy, Bill Mitchell and his 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special and his 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, Harley Earl and the La Salle, Amos Northup, Gordon Buehrig and his Cord 810, Howard Darrin, Al Leamy, Frank Spring, Richard Teague, etc.

SIMON GREEN

Muscle Car Dream Garages by Simon Green (2008). A rare glimpse into the worlds of celebrities from all genres... from TJ Lavin from MTV to Thomas DuPont of DuPont Registry to Chris Wilcox of NBA fame and Hip Hop Artist Funk Master Flex. Readers can explore the garages and adrenaline-pumping muscle cars of sixteen different celebrities

JOHN GUNNELL

Standard Guide To 1950s American Cars by John Gunnell (2004). Over 175 listings of major manufacturers from 1950-1959. Each listing contains information on the models produced, production numbers and new features for the year.

100 Years Of American Cars by John Gunnell (1993)

Standard Guide To American Muscle Cars by John Gunnell (1993). Featuring more than 300 American muscle cars produced during the last 40 years, this is the ultimate guide for high-performance enthusiasts. This full-colour reference features more than four decades of muscle cars from American manufacturers including, AMC, GM, Chrysler, Ford and Studebaker.

DAVID HAMILTON

American Beauties: Famous Cars In Sound & Vision by David Hamilton (2006) is a photographic homage to the legends of the road and a musical declaration of love for a lifestyle, which has been synonymous with shiny chrome beauties since the 1950s.

JAY HIRSCH

Great American Dream Machines by Jay Hirsch (1988). A tribute to American cars of the 1950s and 1960s - cars with style and soul.

More Great American Dream Machines: Classic Cars Of The Fifties & Sixties by Jay Hirsch (1990)

TIMOTHY JACOBS

The Pictorial Treasury Of Classic American Automobiles by Timothy Jacobs (1989). A full complement of automobiles shown in this book from the earliest conception to the modern day.

MIKE KEY & TONY THACKER

Dream Cars Of The Fifties: The Chrome, The Culture, The Charisma by Mike Key & Tony Thacker (1990). The story of the evolution of the American automobile. With superb photographs throughout and fascinating insights into the popular culture of the time, the book will leave you with a sense of nostalgia for the decade when American dreams came true.

BEVERLEY KIMES

Standard Catalog Of American Cars 1805-1942 by Beverley Kimes (1996). With more than 5,000 photos and histories of cars and their companies written by one of America's most respected automotive historians, this is the most extensive automobile reference available.

BRON KOWAL

American Classics: 1946-1970 by Bron Kowal (1988)

RICHARD LANGWORTH

Encyclopedia Of American Cars 1930-1980: 50 Years Of Automobile History by Richard Langworth (1984) has more than 2,000 original factory photographs including 64 pages in colour. Covers the history as well as development.

RANDY LEFFINGWELL

American Muscle: Muscle Cars From The Otis Chandler Collection by Randy Leffingwell (2001). A rare look inside one of the most extensive collections of muscle cars ever formed. Otis Chandler collected unique and extremely rare monster cars.

Muscle: America's Legendary Performance Cars by Randy Leffingwell (2006) chronicles this tumultuous period of American history through the primary tool Americans use to define themselves: their automobiles. From the street-racing hot rod culture that emerged following World War II through the new breed of muscle cars emerging from Detroit today, this book brings to life the history of American muscle.

LUCINDA LEWIS

Roadside America: The Automobile And The American Dream by Lucinda Lewis (2000). History of the American auto and touring the US. Americana photos on the highway, colour photos of classic open road cars from 1894-1999. From grand touring cars to convertibles.

Roadside America: 365 Days by Lucinda Lewis (2003) celebrates America's love affair with the automobile.

ROBERT LICHTY

The Official Book Of The Antique Automobile Club Of America: A 60-Year History Of Dedication To The Autombile by Robert Lichty (1999). From its modest beginnings in 1935, the Antique Automobile Club of America has done much to promote auto collecting, restoring and touring. This book encourages car buffs to relive the grand history as told to early members and pioneers of the auto industry.

KARL LUDVIGSEN

The Encyclopedia Of The American Automobile by Karl Ludvigsen (1979). A marque-by-marque examination of major American automobile models throughout the years, covering the usual Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler, but also Packard, Nash, Cord, Auburn, Duesenberg, Pierce-Arrow and many of the pre-war classics.

LEON MANDEL

American Cars From Harrah's Automobile Collection by Leon Mandel (1982). A magnificently photographed book about the 350 cars in Harrah's Automobile Collection, with close-up shots capturing the detailed craftsmanship of the stylists who made these magnificent machines.

ALBERT MARTINEZ & JEAN-LOUP NORY

Classic American Cars Of The Postwar Era by Albert Martinez & Jean-Loup Nory (date unknown)

TERRENCE MILLER, JOHN McMINN & JOHN IAFOLA

American Dream Cars 1946-1972 by Terrence Miller, John McMinn & John Iafola (1991) is a comprehensive guide to buyers, sellers, collectors and investors in post war American cars.

JAMES MOLONEY

Encyclopedia Of American Cars: 1930-1942 by James Moloney (1977). The true Golden Age of motoring when cars could also be works of art. Packards, Cadillacs, Buicks, Cords, Duesenbergs they are all here in this superb reference book.

ANDREW MONTGOMERY

The Great Book Of American Automobiles by Andrew Montgomery (2002)is a celebration of the glory years of the automobile in America from 1907 to 2002.

NORM MORT

Classic Cars 1931-1980 by Norm Mort (2007). Custom coach-building, chrome fenders and rumble seats signalled the dawn of a new era in automobile history. This highly illustrated book features cars from the classic era from 1931 to 1980, which saw the birth and death of many stunning and outrageous car trends.

ALISON MOSS

Cars: American Retro by Alison Moss (2000). The 1950s and '60s were the halcyon days of the American Dream. Life was easier, safer and altogether more innocent. Nowhere was this more apparent than the freeway, that symbol of the growth of American prosperity. American Retro celebrates the motels, diners, cars and Main Streets that were the landmarks of those great highways.

MIKE MUELLER

Greatest American Cars by Mike Mueller (2004). Each car is shown in a large scale, full-colour photo, with an article detailing the conception of the car, historical information, options, and selling points. Full technical specifications include engine size, displacement and horsepower, as well as transmission, induction, body style, number of seats, weight, base price and production numbers - providing the detailed information enthusiasts need, along with the spectacular colour photos. 'Greatest American Cars' offers a unique slice of American history, as reflected by one of the country's most important and enduring products.

Classic Muscle: The Evolution Of The American Musclecar by Mike Mueller (2006)

Classic Fifties Cars by Mike Mueller (2006). The 1950s were a pivotal decade for the automotive industry. Car production had virtually stopped during the war, and the American public was hungry to get behind the steering wheel of something new. With industrial advancements that made mass production easierand plenty of inspiration from contemporary aircraft designthe 1950s brought a league of cars equipped with fins, chrome, and other futuristic features.

Fifties American Cars by Mike Mueller (1994). Side-by-side comparisons of the 1950s most significant automobiles, plus plenty of period advertising bring back fond memories of those great fins and fenders.

American Horsepower: 100 Years Of Great Car Engines by Mike Mueller (2006). A tribute to 25 outstanding American-made engines valued for their raw horsepower or their design simplicity, their longevity or their design innovation or, in rare instances, all of the above.

The Essential Muscle Car by Mike Mueller (2004) pays tribute to the legend and is lavishly illustrated with large format, full-color photographs of all the major models, along with a comprehensive technical specification of each. It is the perfect reference book for everyone interested in America's most interesting performance cars.

SPENCE MURRAY

Special Interest American Cars 1930-1960 by Spence Murray (1976). A fascinating look back at some classic American automobiles, from the majors and the independents.

DICK NESBITT

50 Years Of American Automobile Design: 1930-1980 by Dick Nesbitt (1986) is an authoritative look at the evolution of American car styling from the great coachbuilt classics to today's high-tech supercars.

RICHARD NICHOLS

Classic American Cars by Richard Nichols (1986). From the Model T to Mustang, Shelby and Superbird.

American Sportscars: A Survey Of The Classic Marques by Richard Nichols (1991) takes off with the earliest obsessions with speed such as the Mercer Raceabout of 1911, a daredevil straight line racer, 75 mph, no doors and a footbrake that didn't work, turns on the power for the '30s V16 Cadillac, 7.4 litres and 54 bodystyle, and cruises into the '80s with the Corvette, 30 years of success and America's first supercar.

America`s Classic Cars by Richard Nichols (1995)

HAROLD PACE

Vintage American Road Racing Cars 1950-1970 by Harold Pace (2004) takes an in-depth look at more than 50 race car manufacturers and more than 100 racing specials.

GERALD PERSCHBACHER

Wheels in Motion: The American Automobile Industry's First Century by Gerald Perschbacher (1996). Automotive history unfolds with colour photos and conversational text that bring new life to previously unpublished information.

HENRY RASMUSSEN

The Survivors: American Classic Cars by Henry Rasmussen (1977)

Decade Of Dazzle: Fifties Stylish American Cars by Henry Rasmussen (1987). A dozen wonderful examples of fifties flash; such as the Chevrolet Corvette, the 1956 Thunderbird, the Cadillac Eldorado and the Lincoln Continental Mark III

REX ROY

Motor City Dream Garages: Amazing Collections From America's Greatest Car City by Rex Roy (2007). A guided tour of 20-plus of Motown's most interesting garages, including those of noted collectors and industry insiders like Bob Lutz and Jack Roush (Roush Fenway Racing), as well as the Edsel Ford Estate and GM's Heritage Center. It is an eye-opening inside look at the loving care that the Motor City lavishes on its own, preserving our automotive dreams for today's generation as well as tomorrow's.

STEVE STATHAM

Muscle Cars: American Thunder by Steve Statham (1997). Compilation of photographs and detailed supporting information on this unique genre of American vehicles. Covers 1964 (the Pontiac GTO of that year is generallly considered the first muscle car) through to the late 1970s.

RALPH STEIN

The American Automobile by Ralph Stein (1975). Photographs and text describing the great American cars before 1940 - steam, electric, Cord, Simplex, Duesenberg, etc.

BOB STUBENRAUCH

Restore And Drive: Collectible Cars Of Postwar America by Bob Stubenrauch (1984) is an introduction to a world of practical ownership and restoration, featuring in-depth profiles of twenty-four autos made between 1946 and 1967.

MICHAEL THORNTON

American Classic Cars: 300 Classic Marques From 1914 - 2000 by Michael Thornton (2002)

CHARLES WEBB

Investor's Illustrated Guide To American Convertible And Special-Interest Automobiles, 1946-76 by Charles Webb (1979) is a virtual one-book encyclopedia of hard-to-find and little-known data on the most desirable collector cars today. A rare book.

TED WEST (Editor)

American Road Warriors: Classic Muscle Cars by Ted West (2008). From America's most popular automotive magazine, the editors at Car and Driver present a one of a kind look at classic American muscle cars.

DAVID WILKIE

American Autos And Their Makers by David Wilkie (1963). Esquire Inc. Great history of the American Automobile industry, in particular it's hey-days of the 50's and 60's.

QUENTIN WILLSON

Classic American Cars by Quentin Willson (1997). Celebrating 60 of America's best-loved automobiles, this full-colour car show spotlights the most glamourous cars of the golden era from 1945-1975. The text and more than 680 lavish full-colour photos reveal the design flourishes that make each car a classic.

MICHAEL WITZEL & KENT BASH

Cruisin': Car Culture In America by Michael Witzel & Kent Bash (1997) examines all aspects of this universal pastime, including the cars, the rise of youth culture, street racing, drive-ins, cruisers versus the law, Detroit's role, classic cruising venues like Detroit's Woodward Avenue, popular culture and more. It is illustrated with historical new photos and features a dozen specially commissioned artwork by well-known automotive illustrator Kent Bash.

JONATHAN WOOD

Great American Cars by Jonathan Wood (1985)

Great Marques Of America by Jonathan Wood (1986). This carefully researched book mirrors the full span and evolution of the American automobile.

NICKY WRIGHT

Post War American Classics by Nicky Wright (1983) chronicles the automobile's fortunes during the first twenty-five years following World War II, one of the most exciting periods since Henry Ford introduced the Model T. It was a quarter century of triumph and tragedy; of fierce competition and survival; of horsepower and innovation.

Classic American Cars: 1945-1970 by Nicky Wright (1992). Subtitled 'My Dad Had One Of Those'. Contains a nice assemblage of favourite American classics from Buick Straight 8 to big fin Caddys and a few lowly Falcons plus the obligatory Studebakers and many more.

25 Golden Years Of Classic American Cars 1945-1970 by Nicky Wright (1997)

Authors Unknown

Cars of the 40s A Consumer Guide - The U.S. Auto Industry in Review, 1940-1949

Expert Guide American Classic Cars (2002)

Classic American Car Lithographs

Classic Automobiles Throughout American History A set of 4 5"x7" lithographs. From original paintings by Stan Cline. Cars at the filling stations Union 76, Texaco, Mobilgas and Shell

Classic American Car Magazines

Motor Trend Various 1951 issues. Vintage car magazine with articles, ads and beautiful photo spreads on classic, luxury and muscle cars.