BOOK REVIEWS, March 1951, March 1951

* BOOK REVIEWS

” 500-c.c. RACING,” by Gregor Grant. (Fottli, 7, Milford Lane, W.C.2. 178 pp., 108.) Five-hundred-c.c. racing is becoming so rumplicated that this book has come at a most Oppisrtutie time. It certainly sorts old this increasingly popular branch of the Sport–the beginning, early history, the drivers and, of course, the cars, antateur-built, and factory-built, in this country, Belgium, Franee, Genitally,

Scatidinavia, Switzerland, Holland and Czechoslovakia. Engines also come in for attention, the famous ” dirt ” J.A.P. getting a chapter to itself. The illustrations are in keeping and the book a useful reference work.

There is some evidence of casual proof reading, such as a line too many in the first paragraphs of Chapter 8 and attributing the %Vest Court Speed Trials to the %V. Hants and D.C.C. on page 70, but correctly to the Hants and Berks M.C. on page 77. On page 173 the Renault 5CV is referred to as of 2CV. In giving the origin of 500-c.c. racing the author overlooks the war-time letters of Lowrey and Neve which we published in MoTon SposT and from whielt so much was to spring. Steve I .aocelield is credited ‘with preparing Curly Dryden’s Norton engines, whereas the honour, in fact, falls to Eraneis Berra. Providiug such errors have not intruded into the technieal descriptions, however, ” Gee Gee’s ” new book is assured of a warm reception, not only amongSt the Brands Hatch spectators but by the boys who do the driving.

%V. 11. Two more Clymer publications reaohed usrecently. “‘lite Treasury of Early American Automobiles ” (213 pages, five dollars) is a large attraetively-produced book containitut reproductions of advertisements, photographs, cartoons, poems, etc., depicting the American automobile scene from 1877 to 1925. Some of the grander advertising layouts of the twent inc will repay study by today’s publieity num. The book is indexed and has a list of most of the 2,200 ears made in the States. The other ” Clymer ” is a two dollar reriOrt on last year’s 2,I35-mih• Mexican Stock. Car IluLte, W011 It’,’

Running to 148 vast tages and 300 photographs, it certainly ” eovers the r•vent ! Indeed. had Clymer thought of doing this kind of thing when competition motoring began, tootoring historians would he outof business and you’d need a library as big as your garage. Both these books are available fro! t t Flop (‘lvuuueir, 1268 S. AlVarado Street, Los Angeles, 6, or from certain enterprising sources in this emintry.W. 11.