I recently read an interesting thread on technical/cutaway drawings here on TNF. I own some of the more recent Giorgio Piola Formula 1 Technical Analysis books but would love to get some more books focusing on the technical side of Formula 1 and also sports cars in the same vein as these. I do love the Piola books, I find the drawings and schematics fascinating but the earlier ones are impossible to find or impossibly expensive.
Apart from the Piola books can anybody recommend a few gems along the same lines (with cutways, drawings, photographs of the inner workings, etc)?
Karl Ludvigsen's Classic Grand Prix Cars is one I think but there should be more out there!
Great technical books on F1 and Sports Cars
Started by
mcerqueira
, Oct 25 2007 00:20
12 replies to this topic
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#2
MichaelM
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 00:57
You might want to try Ferrari Formula 1 by Peter Wright. Subtitled "Under the
skin of the Championship Winning F1-2000" and published in 2003.
A very, very good book on the technical side of modern F1 race cars.
Michael
skin of the Championship Winning F1-2000" and published in 2003.
A very, very good book on the technical side of modern F1 race cars.
Michael
#3
RDV
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 05:14
POMEROY, LAURENCE. Illustraded by L.C. CRESSWELL. The Grand Prix Car Two Volumes .
Superb book, covers 1906 to 1939. Cresswell's cutaways and drawings are sumptuous...
Companion to it is The Grand Prix Car 1954-1966 by Leonard Setright 1968 ..great stuff...if a bit hard to find... and no, I'm not selling mine either!
Superb book, covers 1906 to 1939. Cresswell's cutaways and drawings are sumptuous...
Companion to it is The Grand Prix Car 1954-1966 by Leonard Setright 1968 ..great stuff...if a bit hard to find... and no, I'm not selling mine either!
#4
SWB
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 07:42
Sometimes it is the real pot boiler book that can throw up some great technical cutaways so it is always worth rummaging through these in sales and auctions. But mostly the context of the car in history has to be covered as well, unlike the Piola books where they are always contemporary. So as a general 'do it all' book that has great information as well as a good drawings, cutaways and technical photo's I'd recommend
History of the Grand Prix Car 1966 - 91 - Doug Nye
For technical books about earlier sports car design with more graphs, information about drag coefficients, torsional stiffnesses and boost pressures than you can shake a stick at, not to mention photo's and drawings, then
Porsche Racing Cars of the 70s - Paul Frere
The Racing Porsches - Paul Frere
both wonderful.
History of the Grand Prix Car 1966 - 91 - Doug Nye
For technical books about earlier sports car design with more graphs, information about drag coefficients, torsional stiffnesses and boost pressures than you can shake a stick at, not to mention photo's and drawings, then
Porsche Racing Cars of the 70s - Paul Frere
The Racing Porsches - Paul Frere
both wonderful.
#5
mcerqueira
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 10:12
Thanks for the suggestions! The famous Pomeroy books are sadly out of my price-range 
I've got the Ferrari Formula 1 by Peter Wright in my wish list for some time now, also I've bought Formula 1 Technology some years ago. I find the latter a good book however it's a little bit dense for the non-engineering. What I like about the Piola Books is the large amount of visual drawings and the compact but relevant text, you can just pick it up and browse!
The Doug Nye book seems excellent, also got it on my wish list form a suggestion on a previous post, has it got a good number of technical drawings/diagrams, photos, etc? Owners please enlighten me
I've got the Ferrari Formula 1 by Peter Wright in my wish list for some time now, also I've bought Formula 1 Technology some years ago. I find the latter a good book however it's a little bit dense for the non-engineering. What I like about the Piola Books is the large amount of visual drawings and the compact but relevant text, you can just pick it up and browse!The Doug Nye book seems excellent, also got it on my wish list form a suggestion on a previous post, has it got a good number of technical drawings/diagrams, photos, etc? Owners please enlighten me
#6
green-blood
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 10:20
hmm, if its engines, look for Karl Ludvigsens V12 and Classic Reacing Engines.
The V12 book is FANTASTIC
The V12 book is FANTASTIC
#7
f1steveuk
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 11:12
Not a lot of help, but someone will help me out!
There is another book by Peter Wright, which was THE bible when I was at FOM, which I have, but it's at home at present, and there was another "Anatomy of the Grand Prix Car" I think, by an ex Brabham mechanic, which had a lot of Giorgio's work in it as well (he was the illustrator for FOM's TV broadcasts for a while)
There is another book by Peter Wright, which was THE bible when I was at FOM, which I have, but it's at home at present, and there was another "Anatomy of the Grand Prix Car" I think, by an ex Brabham mechanic, which had a lot of Giorgio's work in it as well (he was the illustrator for FOM's TV broadcasts for a while)
#8
2F-001
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 11:36
re: the ex-Brabham mechanic...
that sounds like " The Anatomy and Development of the Formula One racing car" by Sal Incadela.
There have been at least two editions of that; I only have the first one, "from 1975".
that sounds like " The Anatomy and Development of the Formula One racing car" by Sal Incadela.
There have been at least two editions of that; I only have the first one, "from 1975".
#9
2F-001
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 11:44
Also:
"Racing car design and development" by Len Terry and Alan Baker.
If you're interested in a more general look at what makes racecars work rather than technical appraisals of any particular high-end machines, then Carroll Smith's books are interesting - specifically in this context, 'Tune to win' and 'Drive to win' which looks at racecar driving from the point of view of the car (not the other way around), if you see what I mean...
"Racing car design and development" by Len Terry and Alan Baker.
If you're interested in a more general look at what makes racecars work rather than technical appraisals of any particular high-end machines, then Carroll Smith's books are interesting - specifically in this context, 'Tune to win' and 'Drive to win' which looks at racecar driving from the point of view of the car (not the other way around), if you see what I mean...
#10
f1steveuk
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 12:03
Originally posted by 2F-001
re: the ex-Brabham mechanic...
that sounds like " The Anatomy and Development of the Formula One racing car" by Sal Incadela.
There have been at least two editions of that; I only have the first one, "from 1975".
That's it, thanks. The Peter Wright book is "Formula 1 Technology" which is about £60 at present, but as I say, it was THE book to have during broadcasts. Very detailed.
#11
2F-001
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 12:28
I think the OP already has that; my copy came as a birthday gift from some very generous friends - a goody, as you say!
#12
mcerqueira
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Posted 25 October 2007 - 15:18
Originally posted by 2F-001
I think the OP already has that; my copy came as a birthday gift from some very generous friends - a goody, as you say!
Yes I have that book
As I've said, great book but a very technical read (for me of course), I find the Piola books "gentler" in this respect.
#13
pertti_jarla
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Posted 06 May 2009 - 06:56
.Companion to it is The Grand Prix Car 1954-1966 by Leonard Setright 1968 ..great stuff...if a bit hard to find... and no, I'm not selling mine either!
To me it has been something of a bible. Maybe not quite as beautifully illustrated as the Pomeroy books, but full of interesting data. Copies can be found on Ebay and Abebooks, and it seems undervalued: you can get one for $40-50.
