Paperback : £17.55
In the 50s & 60s Coventry Climax engines powered many race-winning cars, including some driven by Stirling Moss & Jack Brabham. To get the true inside story, the author, an engineer, has talked to all surviving Coventry Climax personnel who were involved with the racing engines. The author was given full access to all of Walter Hassan's papers, photographs and engine drawings. After 30 months of original research and writing, this book describes exactly how these famous engines developed from industrial fire pumps to the Hillman Imp, from Le Mans winning Lotus Elites to Formula One winners driven by Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham, right through to the company's takeover by Jaguar in 1963. Viewed through the eyes of an engineer, and the detailed recollections of those who were there, this is a fascinating account of the trials and tribulations of leading edge race engine design from 1952 to 1966.
In the 50s & 60s Coventry Climax engines powered many race-winning cars, including some driven by Stirling Moss & Jack Brabham. To get the true inside story, the author, an engineer, has talked to all surviving Coventry Climax personnel who were involved with the racing engines. The author was given full access to all of Walter Hassan's papers, photographs and engine drawings. After 30 months of original research and writing, this book describes exactly how these famous engines developed from industrial fire pumps to the Hillman Imp, from Le Mans winning Lotus Elites to Formula One winners driven by Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham, right through to the company's takeover by Jaguar in 1963. Viewed through the eyes of an engineer, and the detailed recollections of those who were there, this is a fascinating account of the trials and tribulations of leading edge race engine design from 1952 to 1966.
Hailing originally from New Zealand, Des Hammill is a professional engineer with many years of practical experience of building race-winning engines and solving technical problems. The author of several books in the SpeedPro series, Des writes in an easy to understand manner and gives step-by-step guidance. Des also takes his own photographs and creates his own line drawings.
Review from Classic Bike Guide, January 2008
UK magazine
OK, who hasn't heard of Coventry Climax? I know they're race car
engine makers but the company history is a fascinating insight into
the working psyche of a successful engine maker.
Books like this fascinate me and the subject is, if a bit
technical, far from boring - at least that's what I found.
Author Des Hammill has patiently researched his subject and
admitted early on that prior to delving deep into Coventry Climax,
he's accepted the 'common knowledge' about the company and its
products as being correct.
There are details of engine development, the characters involved in
all aspects of the company and the racing world, references to
motorcycles and the emerging world of the professional race team as
opposed to the gentleman's sport.
Coventry Climax Racing Engines has a wealth of history crammed into
the 192 pages of this hardback 9in x 6in book. Is it worth the
£16.99 from Veloce Publishers? I think so, but then again I enjoy a
load of such technical books.
Ask a Question About this Product More... |