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Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 5:34 pm
by Doug Rudy
David Tom has a new book out called "The Cars of Trans-Am Racing 1966-1972." A few comments on Moffet racing sedans in the US. I got to write a little tribute to Warren Tope, a Ford back door privateer that ran a Boss 302 in national races and some Trans-Am races. Anyway, just thought I would mention it. If it doesn't belong in this forum section I am very sorry. Move it or delete it.
Doug
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:46 pm
by kiwi285
I would think that it would be quite a popular book here with the support of historic racing in NZ. I will be looking for a copy myself.
Mike
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Mon Dec 02, 2013 3:32 am
by nzboss
It does fit here, and I've got my copy!
An awesome book, I highly recommend it

Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:40 am
by Steve Holmes
Thanks you Doug, for the heads-up. I did a search on the title, found it on Amazon, and plan to purchase a copy. This is most definitely the right place to post this. Thanks again.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:25 am
by Robert Bailey
x2 on the case and will order a copy.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 6:28 am
by Steve Holmes
nzboss wrote:It does fit here, and I've got my copy!
An awesome book, I highly recommend it
Where did you buy your copy?
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:04 am
by Robert Bailey
For me Amazon books $40.06 us including shipping to Melbourne.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:04 pm
by Ellis
The Book Depository .com
AUD $ 38.15 ...free shipping worldwide
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:17 am
by nzboss
Another from The Book Depository.com.
These guys are awesome to deal with, and priced well.
.....And with free shipping as already stated.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:02 pm
by kiwi285
My copy is on the way from Amazon.
I haven't heard of the Book Depository but will certainly look it up.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:52 am
by Shoreboy57
David Toms' book didn't quite arrive in time for Christmas but is certainly a great read as lead up to NZFMR and HMCs. And Alan Mann's autobiography arrived too which looks to be a fascinating story of '60s saloon and sports car racing. Thanks Santa
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:28 am
by kiwi285
My copy has arrived and there are some great period and modern photos of the car and heaps of info on all the tricks that were employed in trying to gain that winning edge. Plenty of info from the engineers about what they were up to and how they hid the results from the scrutineers. Not all tied up with race reports and results.
A book well worth having for the background info about the series and how it all unravelled.
Mike
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:45 pm
by Terry S
Interesting that in in Aussie, when I look in Pitstop Bookshop, supposedly Australia's leading motoring bookshop, it says price AUD 66 (plus post) and Availability " Not in stock. Future Release"
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:20 am
by Shoreboy57
[quote="kiwi285"]Heaps of info on all the tricks that were employed in trying to gain that winning edge.
So who is going to run a Camaro with vinyl roof in HMC?
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:30 am
by fullnoise68
Strange things happen when you acid dip a bodyshell Shoreboy!
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:03 am
by Kiwiboss
Shoreboy57 wrote:kiwi285 wrote:Heaps of info on all the tricks that were employed in trying to gain that winning edge.
So who is going to run a Camaro with vinyl roof in HMC?
Might have to put one on my mustang? Dale M
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:14 am
by John McKechnie
The vinyl would be much thicker and stronger than the roof of many Trans Am cars, and vinyl doesnt rust.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:31 am
by Shoreboy57
Just one theory (from Car Life Mag in 1970). I'll leave it to the experts to argue its validity:
The forward part of a car roof is a negative pressure area. Venting the higher pressure cockpit air into that area would noticeably reduce lift. With a vinyl skin covering a series of pin holes, this could have been accomplished without the inspectors noticing (they tested the car with magnets). Nobody ever figured exactly why they ran the vinyl, though and finally got them off on a technicality. (The roofs didn't appear on the homologation papers.) The rules didn't say Penske couldn't use them, so his record was safe.
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:09 am
by Ellis
kiwi285 wrote:My copy has arrived and there are some great period and modern photos of the car and heaps of info on all the tricks that were employed in trying to gain that winning edge. Plenty of info from the engineers about what they were up to and how they hid the results from the scrutineers. Not all tied up with race reports and results.
A book well worth having for the background info about the series and how it all unravelled.
Mike
Ditto what Mike wrote...Good reading
Mine arrived a few days after Xmas from Book Depository...A$38 inc postage
Re: Book on Trans-Am Cars
Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 3:45 am
by kiwi285
I have recently been watching a DVD about American muscle cars and part of it is about the race history of each car type that raced.
Sam Posey was being interviewed about the Dodge Challenger and he mentioned that on one of its first outings it passed scrutineering and when the chief scrutineer came over to talk to them and wish them all the best he leaned on the roof and part of it caved in. He waved his finger at the crew and told them they had better find another shell as that one wouldn't be racing in its current state. The crew chief phoned Dodge HQ and was told to go to the local dealership and take the first customer car they could find and transfer all their race bits to it and use that in the race.
Wonder what the dealer principal told the customer on Monday morning when his car had disappeared.
It appears that most manufacturers was bending the rules trying to prove that their latest race bit were standard production and were therefore homologated.
Mike