Auto Biography

Auto Biography

Author: Earl Swift

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2014-05-06

Total Pages: 403

ISBN-13: 0062282670

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A brilliant blend of Shop Class as Soulcraft and The Orchid Thief, Earl Swift's wise, funny, and captivating Auto Biography follows an outlaw auto dealer as he struggles to save a rusted '57 Chevy—a car that has already passed through twelve pairs of hands before his—while financial ruin, government bureaucrats and the FBI close in on him. Slumped among hundreds of other decrepit hulks on a treeless, windswept moor in eastern North Carolina, the Chevy evokes none of the Jet Age mystique that made it the most beloved car to ever roll off an assembly line. It's open to the rain. Birds nest in its seats. Officials of the surrounding county consider it junk. To Tommy Arney, it's anything but: It's a fossil of the twentieth-century American experience, of a place and a people utterly devoted to the automobile and changed by it in myriad ways. It's a piece of history—especially so because its flaking skin conceals a rare asset: a complete provenance, stretching back more than fifty years. So, hassled by a growing assortment of challengers, the Chevy's thirteenth owner—an orphan, grade-school dropout and rounder, a felon arrested seventy-odd times, and a man who's been written off as a ruin himself--embarks on a mission to save the car and preserve long record of human experience it carries in its steel and upholstery. Written for both gearheads and Sunday drivers, Auto Biography charts the shifting nature of the American Dream and our strange and abiding relationship with the automobile, through an iconic classic and an improbable, unforgettable hero.


Automobile Biographies

Automobile Biographies

Author: Lyman Horace Weeks

Publisher: Prabhat Prakashan

Published: 2023-10-01

Total Pages: 113

ISBN-13:

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Automobile Biographies by Lyman Horace Weeks: Lyman Horace Weeks presents a captivating collection of automobile biographies, providing an engaging glimpse into the histories of various automobiles. From the pioneers of automotive engineering to the iconic models that shaped the industry, this book offers a rich tapestry of automotive innovation, revolution, and evolution. Key Aspects of the Book "Automobile Biographies": Automotive Pioneers: Weeks explores the lives and contributions of pioneering figures in the automotive industry, shedding light on their groundbreaking innovations. Iconic Automobile Models: The book delves into the stories behind iconic automobile models that have left a lasting impact on automotive history and culture. Evolution of Automobile Technology: Readers gain insights into the evolution of automotive technology, from the earliest vehicles to the cutting-edge advancements of the time. Lyman Horace Weeks (1863-1949) was an American writer and historian with a keen interest in automotive history. He was a passionate advocate for documenting the evolution of the automobile industry and the remarkable stories behind various automobile models. His contributions to automotive literature continue to inspire enthusiasts and historians alike.


Henry Ford

Henry Ford

Author: Pat McCarthy

Publisher: Enslow Publishing

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9780766016200

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A biography of the American inventor and industrialist who is best known for making the automobile practical, through both his revolutionary assembly lines and his desire to make a car every working man could afford.


The Automobile Industry, 1896-1920

The Automobile Industry, 1896-1920

Author: George S. May

Publisher:

Published: 1990

Total Pages: 520

ISBN-13:

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The first of two volumes chronicling the history of the automotive industry through biographies of individuals and companies, buttressed by a wide range of supporting entries. All of the famous names are here, from Buick Motor Co. to John North Willys, but it's the names unknown, or only vaguely remembered, or known but not known about, that provide the most pleasure. With both portrait and automotive photographs. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


Carroll Shelby

Carroll Shelby

Author: Rinsey Mills

Publisher: Motorbooks

Published: 2014-03-15

Total Pages: 555

ISBN-13: 0760346461

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The definitive record of the twentieth century's preeminent car builder and racer is now available in an updated paperback edition. It was motoring author Rinsey Mills' passion for AC cars and motorsports history that led to his first meeting with Carroll Shelby. His suggestion that they should collaborate in order to create an accurate record of Shelby's life and achievements at first was rebuffed but later taken up with enthusiasm. This authorized biography is the result. Carroll Shelby: The Authorized Biography was a long time in the making, as Mills left no stone unturned in his quest to produce the complete study of Shelby's remarkable life. He carried out extensive research and conducted numerous interviews, fully capturing the narrative of Carroll Shelby within and outside of the automotive racing world: his childhood in Texas, wartime tenure with the Army Air Force, and postwar entrepreneurship; his earliest race wins in 1952 and his legendary 1959 victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; his monumental release of the first Cobra and the formation of Shelby American in 1962; his historical partnership with Ford that would last for decades; all the way through to Shelby's personal hobbies, travels, and present-day legacy. Fascinating photographs from Shelby's personal collection complete a book whose original hardcover edition was published mere weeks before his passing, making Carroll Shelby: The Authorized Biography a magnificent and lasting tribute to one of the greatest automotive figures of the twentieth century.


The Life of the Automobile

The Life of the Automobile

Author: Steven Parissien

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2014-05-13

Total Pages: 447

ISBN-13: 1466836237

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The Life of the Automobile is the first comprehensive world history of the car. The automobile has arguably shaped the modern era more profoundly than any other human invention, and author Steven Parissien examines the impact, development, and significance of the automobile over its turbulent and colorful 130-year history. Readers learn the grand and turbulent history of the motor car, from its earliest appearance in the 1880s—as little more than a powered quadricycle—and the innovations of the early pioneer carmakers. The author examines the advances of the interwar era, the Golden Age of the 1950s, and the iconic years of the 1960s to the decades of doubt and uncertainty following the oil crisis of 1973, the global mergers of the 1990s, the bailouts of the early twenty-first century, and the emergence of the electric car. This is not just a story of horsepower and performance but a tale of extraordinary people: of intuitive carmakers such as Karl Benz, Sir Henry Royce, Giovanni Agnelli (Fiat), André Citroën, and Louis Renault; of exceptionally gifted designers such as the eccentric, Ohio-born Chris Bangle (BMW); and of visionary industrialists such as Henry Ford, Ferdinand Porsche (the Volkswagen Beetle), and Gene Bordinat (the Ford Mustang), among numerous other game changers. Above all, this comprehensive history demonstrates how the epic story of the car mirrors the history of the modern era, from the brave hopes and soaring ambitions of the early twentieth century to the cynicism and ecological concerns of a century later. Bringing to life the flamboyant entrepreneurs, shrewd businessmen, and gifted engineers that worked behind the scenes to bring us horsepower and performance, The Life of the Automobile is a globe-spanning account of the auto industry that is sure to rev the engines of entrepreneurs and gearheads alike.


Chrysler

Chrysler

Author: Vincent Curcio

Publisher: Automotive History and Persona

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 717

ISBN-13: 0195147057

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This richly detailed account of one of the most important men in American automotive history is based on full access to both Chrysler Corporation and family historical records. Curcio traces Chrysler's rise through the industry and gives unique insight into this colorful and passionate man. 50 halftones.


Iacocca

Iacocca

Author: Lee Iacocca

Publisher: Bantam

Published: 1986-06-01

Total Pages: 402

ISBN-13: 0553251473

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“Vintage Iacocca . . . He is fast-talking, blunt, boastful, and unabashedly patriotic. Lee Iacocca is also a genuine folk hero. . . . His career is breathtaking.”—Business Week He’s an American legend, a straight-shooting businessman who brought Chrysler back from the brink and in the process became a media celebrity, newsmaker, and a man many had urged to run for president. The son of Italian immigrants, Lee Iacocca rose spectacularly through the ranks of Ford Motor Company to become its president, only to be toppled eight years later in a power play that should have shattered him. But Lee Iacocca didn’t get mad, he got even. He led a battle for Chrysler’s survival that made his name a symbol of integrity, know-how, and guts for millions of Americans. In his classic hard-hitting style, he tells us how he changed the automobile industry in the 1960s by creating the phenomenal Mustang. He goes behind the scenes for a look at Henry Ford’s reign of intimidation and manipulation. He recounts the miraculous rebirth of Chrysler from near bankruptcy to repayment of its $1.2 billion government loan so early that Washington didn’t know how to cash the check.