The Illustrated History Of Automobiles

... The complete story of cars and their builders ...

Canadians fell in love with the car at first glance. They were scared by it too, and by its potential. Canada was quick to become a car nation, as the automobile was enthusiastically adopted by Prairie grain farmers, the new modern woman, travellers to the north, and rough-and-tumble adventurers looking for a thrill by traversing the immense length of the country. The automobile was the symbol of the modern Canada of the twentieth century, and the final victory of technology over landscape. Canadians were building cars from the beginning. Independent firms and branches of the big American manufacturers vied for the lucrative Canadian market. Automaking has been an integral part of Canada's economy since the car's introduction. For more than a century, Canadians have lived with this automobile revolution, and all the consequences and permutations that it represents. Blending social, cultural and economic history, Dimitry Anastakis's engaging text tells the fascinating story of the car across Canada from earliest days, when cars and horses jockeyed for parking space, to the multilane freeways of the twenty-first century.

Defined by author and Rat Rod Magazine editor Steve Thaemert, Jr. as the “blue-collar hot rod," a the term “rat rod" refers to a custom car built with creativity, ingenuity, and individuality. Less of a classic-car replica and more of an expression of the builder's personality, “rat rodding" encompasses not just the vehicles but also the scene and the lifestyle ignited by this automotive hobby that's catching on like wildfire. By the editor and senior writer of Rat Rod Magazine, the comprehensive publication for all things rat rod, The Illustrated History of Rat Rod takes you inside the culture to explore the beginnings, evolution, and rising popularity of the hobby.INSIDE THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF RAT ROD:•The beginnings of the rat-rod scene and early enthusiasts.•A look at the hot rods that spawned the rat-rod hobby and how the term “rat rod" was coined.•Rat Rod Magazine and its importance in defining and documenting the hobby as well as other media exposure that helped bring rat rodding into the public eye.•How rat rodding overcame opposition by detractors while gaining acceptance and supporters.•The annual Rat Rod Tour, including event results and anecdotes from attendees.•The clothes, attitudes, music, and styles that shape the rat rod culture.•A discussion of parts, building techniques, and safety practices typical of rat rodding.•A glossary of terminology unique to the rat rod hobby.

Beyond the traditional purposes of moving people, goods, raw materials, and mail from place to place lies a world of unconventional uses of motor vehicles. Rolling grocery stores, churches, classrooms and health clinics have taken traditionally stationary services directly to those who need them. Companies have built vehicles in the shapes of their products (the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile being just one famous example) from the early years of automobiles. This lively history gives a fascinating overview of the many special purposes vehicles have served. The unconventional uses of motor vehicles stretch one's imagination. The author here divides them into eight types based on their purposes and uses. Sales vehicles support a successful sales volume; advertising vehicles retain present customers and attract new ones; education and training vehicles provide skills updates for employees; charity vehicles are used to serve various populations of the needy, suffering, and distressed; religious vehicles promote a particular faith; functional vehicles perform an on-the-spot function normally done by a fixed-base facility; multimodal vehicles have the ability to traverse land, water, and air; and government vehicles provide a host of services to constituencies. Examples are provided for each type of vehicle and examples from other nations besides the United States are included as well.

The definitive visual history of the automobile The Car Book stylishly shows you everything you might want to know about the history of the automobile. With stunning visual images and over 2,000 cars featured, the evolution of the car is tracked from decade to decade and across international borders, from India�s Ambassador to Italy�s Alfa Romeo. Ever wondered how Porsche and Chevrolet became household names? Discover the stories behind the men and the machines that created the most famous marques and take a virtual tour of the anatomy of iconic cars from each era. If you love cars, then you�ll love this � The Car Book is simply a must-have title for all car enthusiasts.

The evolution of Ford automobiles and trucks is depicted through photographs and drawings of various models

Tad Burness' Auto Album, a nationally syndicated newspaper feature seen by millions since 1966, transported readers to the autos of yesteryear. Now fans can trace over 200 years of automobile history and progression with more than 490 automobiles compiled from the Auto Album. &break;&break;Each automobile illustration is hand drawn. The accompanying text tells an interesting story about the car, manufacturer, or time period. None of these have ever before been reproduced in book form. &break;&break;Readers will take a nostalgic trip with the cars they remember and discover a few they may have never seen before. Automobile coverage includes classic domestic cars, pilot models, and imports made from 1784 to 1985. Specific cars can easily be found using the convenient index.

Though American Motors never approached the size of Detroit's Big Three, it produced a long series of successful cars that were distinctive, often innovative and in many cases influential. This history examines AMC's cars from the company's formation in 1954 through its absorption by Chrysler in 1987. The Gremlin, Pacer and Eagle vehicles are examined in detail, as are the AMC custom cars of George Barris and Carl Green. The text details AMC's 1980s involvement with the French firm Renault and the design legacy of that joint venture, which includes the Hummer. The evolution of Jeep is covered from the 1960s through the 2000s. Features include some 225 photographs; a listing of AMC / Rambler clubs, organizations and business entities, with contact details; tables of detailed specifications and performance data; data on technical devices, trim packages and all model variations; a comprehensive account of AMC / Rambler appearances in film, television and cartoons.