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Tasman Cup book - finally!


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#1 Ray Bell

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 01:35

Nobody has ever done a book purely about the Tasman Cup series before...

This series ranked second only to the World Championship in the FIA's listings in the sixties, it ran from 1964 to 1975 and finally Tony Loxley has managed to complete the work for the world to see.

0815cover.jpg

Almost 500 pages, perhaps 1,000 photographs (everybody lost count!), inclusions from all sorts of people:

0815jackiestewartforeword.jpg

Including, unfortunately, writings from three people who died before the publication date... Eoin Young, Sir Jack Brabham and...

0815leogeoghegan.jpg

...while Peter Windsor's Frank Matich chapter was based largely on interviews before Frank's death.

Peter also wrote about the driver he, and many others, loved most:

0815clarkbywindsor.jpg

Among the many who wrote of their own experiences competing in the series was...

0815chrisamon.jpg

...while both sides of the Tasman Sea and both the 2.5-litre and the F5000 eras are fully covered...

0815_NZin70s.jpg

0815australiain60s.jpg

Not race by race, but by representing the memories of the highlights and the low moments through the lenses of top photographers and the writings of competitors, photographers, writers and others.

The book doesn't neglect the lesser competitors nor does it forget the achievements of the locals who dared to challenge the International drivers who came here hoping to clean up.

My personal contribution is about just one race. But that race was outstandingly the best race I ever saw, it was loaded with speed, slipstreaming battles with passing and repassing, heroic acts, disappointment and, unfortunately, tragedy and death. It was a race that saw the lap record fall time after time, the race record eclipse the previous lap record and through it all the irony of the star of that race having his last openwheeler race of his career.

The book goes on sale in a couple of weeks. Advance orders are building with the publishers and also some of the bookshops. At under $100 a copy, I understand, it is tremendous value too. And if you missed out on buying the F5000 Thunder book three years ago there will be a package deal with a discount attached.

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#2 ensign14

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 06:05

:up:  Looks very good...



#3 Allen Brown

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 07:26

Looks fabulous!  To save Amazon taking their slice of the income, is there a direct way to buy?



#4 yasmin

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 07:30

put me down for the 'Package deal'...



#5 Ray Bell

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 07:37

Originally posted by Allen Brown
Looks fabulous! To save Amazon taking their slice of the income, is there a direct way to buy?


The problem is the cost of postage, Allen...

Tony and his partner in the publication are very much aware of the cost of putting books through Amazon, but I think they've come up against a brick wall.

If, however, you know someone who's flying to England in the near future with room in their bags...

#6 baz

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 09:46

So how do I order ?



#7 opplock

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 09:58

Ray

 

Having attended most of the Levin events I'm another potential UK customer. About 20 years ago I bought both of Graham Vercoe's books (Historic Racing Cars of NZ and Golden Age of NZ Motor Racing) from UK based booksellers. They were cheaper here than the NZ price despite being published in NZ! Is there sufficient interest here for one of the specialist booksellers to place an order?

 

Failing all else I'll get a copy sent over from NZ. Postage is usually about the same as the cost of the book.    



#8 Ray Bell

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 10:12

I will keep you appraised of what arrangements are made for sale in the UK...

Tony told me he thought he had someone to take a number of books but today he mentioned using Amazon. Ideally he would have had things arranged well in advance and shipped a quantity direct from China to save freight costs. He is certain there will be a second print run so he'll get another chance then, I guess.

#9 GMiranda

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 10:51

I'll look to buy it =)



#10 Allen Brown

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 11:24

There are several UK booksellers who I'd expect to want to carry this, notably Hortons and Chaters. 



#11 SJ Lambert

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 12:41

Tony's mentioned a few of the many people who've contributed/helped in this marvellous project:

 

"Thanks to Terry Marshall, Roderick MacKenzie, Peter Schell, Warwick Brown, Kevin Bartlett, Graeme Lawrence, John Harvey, Vern Schuppan, Nick Munting and so many more for all their support over the past three years.

Regards,

Tony Loxley"


Edited by SJ Lambert, 12 August 2015 - 12:42.


#12 B Squared

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 13:06

Looks good Ray, thanks for sharing.



#13 RogerGraham

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 15:13

Looks brilliant.  

 

I may be a bit thick (!), but I can't see where I can buy it online (I'm in Hong Kong)?  I looked on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, but couldn't find it there for pre-order etc.


Edited by RogerGraham, 12 August 2015 - 15:13.


#14 cooper997

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 22:16

The publisher is here.
http://www.fullthrot...blishing.com.au

Stephen

#15 GreenMachine

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Posted 12 August 2015 - 22:38

The way the $aussie is going, it might be worth looking at buying here, though postage might be the deal breaker.  My copy is pre-ordered through Pitstop.



#16 Ray Bell

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 02:48

Originally posted by cooper997
The publisher is here.
http://www.fullthrot...blishing.com.au


You're right, Stephen...

However, there's a glitch with the website and the Tasman Cup book isn't on there, even though it was a day or three ago!

Direct orders can be placed with Laura - sales@printciplesource.com.au

#17 SJ Lambert

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 07:41

Glad to see I'm not going bonkers - I couldn't find it on Full Throttle last night....

#18 timbo

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Posted 13 August 2015 - 10:00

I have mine ordered through Pitstop Bookshop.
Unfortunately while looking through their website, I ordered a couple of DVD's and another book as well.
It is a bit addictive.

#19 Ray Bell

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Posted 19 August 2015 - 17:14

A couple more spreads to tempt... there are plenty, after all...

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The pics are great, but I like the reading material too. That's why the book is a good balance between pics and stories, with some pretty revealing stuff amongst it.

New information, too. I know I found out something new about the '65 Longford race as I was headed to do the proof reading and was able to edit that in at that stage. Tony reckons it's the best story in the book, I know it represents many years of chasing up detail to make it complete.

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#20 bradbury west

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Posted 19 August 2015 - 21:18

I have e mailed Laura for an approx. price for shipment to the UK and news of any other probable  shipping arrangement planned for the UK and RoW. With the $Oz at around £0.47 it looks good value.

I will keep you all informed.

Roger Lund



#21 Allen Brown

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Posted 19 August 2015 - 22:16

Count me in, Roger!

#22 bradbury west

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 10:42

Laura seems very efficient. She has replied saying that it is Oz$80 for a single volume,  but for 2 copies to one address here it would be  Oz$115. Perhaps it might be better to wait to see if a system of delivery to the UK is organised by the publisher, unless several others here decide they want a copy, then there is only the extra cost of re-posting from the UK address to the others'. 

Roger Lund



#23 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 10:53

I spoke to Tony today about this...

I think he's given up on trying to find a distributor in the UK and is going to work with Amazon as an experiment.

However, if there is someone keen to take the books on in some way he'd probably listen to their proposition. Obviously it would cost less per book to get a couple of boxfulls over there than for individual postage.

#24 P0wderf1nger

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 12:24

I spoke to Tony today about this...

I think he's given up on trying to find a distributor in the UK and is going to work with Amazon as an experiment.

However, if there is someone keen to take the books on in some way he'd probably listen to their proposition. Obviously it would cost less per book to get a couple of boxfulls over there than for individual postage.

I'm keen to buy a copy, Ray. Might I suggest Tony try Clive Stroud at Chaters?



#25 ozpata

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 12:38

definitely in my shopping list, I've been working on some tracks graphics and hopefully will get all of the Tasman tracks done, hope that don't upset anybody by adding this imagesLongford-Paper-sm_zpsojw2cqsn.png

Longford-blue-sm_zpsoxtop4nf.png

http://oscarplada.blogspot.com/



#26 Allen Brown

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 13:26

How many definite UK orders are there?  I see Roger Lund (bradbury west), Paul Kenny (P0wderf1nger) and myself, but I may missed one further up.  If Chaters have a number of definite orders, they may be more interested in bringing in a shipment, which will be cheaper for all of us.



#27 Tim Murray

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 13:32

I'd definitely buy one, if the transportation costs were not too excessive.

#28 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 13:37

Longford was truly a magical place in the Tasman times, ozpata...

I love circuit maps that are accurate, it's great that you've taken the time to put that together.

Some of the photos in the book, however, will reveal that there's a bit of fixing required around the Viaduct area of your map.

This one shows the Viaduct today:

0815fr_Tas_Cupviaducttoday.jpg

...which agrees with your wide sweep for the road going under the bridge. However...

stewartviaduct.jpg

...my pic here shows Wee Jackie hugging close to that brick wall back in '66, and this one:

1966startrush.jpg

shows that the circuit was pretty much parallel to the railway line as it descended for the turn.

Leaving the Viaduct and heading towards the King's Bridge there is a pronounced left hander...

clarkbrabexviaduct.jpg

which forms an S-bend leading to the bridge:

martinkingsbridge.jpg

so there has to be a left, then a right, then the left in the background of this pic of the bridge.

The problem is that the Tasmanians went to a lot of trouble to cover up the circuit after its demise. The best reference would be an aerial photo from the Tasmanian Lands Department taken about 1962 - 1968 during which time the circuit was in good shape and would have shown up quite well.



.

Edited by Ray Bell, 20 August 2015 - 13:39.


#29 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 13:43

Do we have a contact e-mail for Chaters?

If so, I'll pass it on to Tony for him to try...

#30 P0wderf1nger

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 13:45

Do we have a contact e-mail for Chaters?

If so, I'll pass it on to Tony for him to try...

books@chaters.co.uk



#31 opplock

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 15:37

I expressed an interest in a UK order but after alerting my brother to the book he has ordered 2 copies one of which will be heading my way. The book cost NZ$112, no idea yet about postage.  



#32 ozpata

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 15:51

Longford was truly a magical place in the Tasman times, ozpata...

I love circuit maps that are accurate, it's great that you've taken the time to put that together.

Some of the photos in the book, however, will reveal that there's a bit of fixing required around the Viaduct area of your map.

This one shows the Viaduct today:

0815fr_Tas_Cupviaducttoday.jpg

...which agrees with your wide sweep for the road going under the bridge. However...

stewartviaduct.jpg

...my pic here shows Wee Jackie hugging close to that brick wall back in '66, and this one:

1966startrush.jpg

shows that the circuit was pretty much parallel to the railway line as it descended for the turn.

Leaving the Viaduct and heading towards the King's Bridge there is a pronounced left hander...

clarkbrabexviaduct.jpg

which forms an S-bend leading to the bridge:

martinkingsbridge.jpg

so there has to be a left, then a right, then the left in the background of this pic of the bridge.

The problem is that the Tasmanians went to a lot of trouble to cover up the circuit after its demise. The best reference would be an aerial photo from the Tasmanian Lands Department taken about 1962 - 1968 during which time the circuit was in good shape and would have shown up quite well.



.

Thanks for the information, I know that some of them are like a work in progress, I will correct them and replace as soon as I can, working on Levin now amongst others



#33 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 16:53

I had a look at the Google Earth pic of the area and see why you've got that swinging out so far...

The new highway comes down roughly where the circuit used to do, the road out from the Viaduct goes under it now and then onto the farm. It's basically just a farm road now, I think you'll find.

Aerial photos are a tremendous aid, especially because you can get them from the racing period and that eliminates later changes.

#34 bradbury west

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Posted 20 August 2015 - 23:47

I took it upon myself to contact Chaters about importing some  copies of the book.  Clive Stroud was not available, but the chap to whom I spoke understood that they were trying to sort something out with Autoworldbooks. Perhaps  I should put  Chaters in touch with Laura for a start, to see if there is any progress which can be made. Is it possibly to tell me the weight of the book as I can check the cost of re posting copies to those of you on TNF who have expressed an interest, if no other option arises, than for, say, half a dozen being sent to me, bought individually from the publisher with pro rata postage to UK, then all I have to do is re post them within the UK? .

Roger Lund



#35 Ray Bell

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 00:28

I don't know the weight, Roger...

I have e-mailed Tony so he will come back to this thread to check on what's being said.

#36 cooper997

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 02:48

Motoring books and freight have been an age old problem. The freight forwarders tend to be the winners. This Loxley Tasman book means a bit of role reversal to what we Aussies usually deal with when a new wanted title appears from a UK publisher. The typical scenario through a now rare Aussie motoring bookshop is whatever the book's retail pounds price is, times it by at least 3 to get the retail dollar price here. As a little comparison I've just looked up large sized books - DCN's BRM Volume 1 still has a sticker of $195 in it. Volume 3 was north of $250 if memory serves.

 

So although Chaters might get the freight cheaper, I suspect with their margins/VAT you may not be much better off than direct sales to Full Throttle. A group buy in pairs sounds like it maybe the go. The other point already mentioned regarding acting as a UK agent for a central pooling of UK orders, means if someone did, then maybe Full Throttle might be able to do a wholesale price.

 

The book obviously deserves to be viewed & read by enthusiasts all around the globe, it's just the freight cost tends to slow people down purchasing. But as I started with, we've copped that for years.

 

Stephen



#37 Allen Brown

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 07:46

Motoring books and freight have been an age old problem. The freight forwarders tend to be the winners. This Loxley Tasman book means a bit of role reversal to what we Aussies usually deal with when a new wanted title appears from a UK publisher. The typical scenario through a now rare Aussie motoring bookshop is whatever the book's retail pounds price is, times it by at least 3 to get the retail dollar price here. As a little comparison I've just looked up large sized books - DCN's BRM Volume 1 still has a sticker of $195 in it. Volume 3 was north of $250 if memory serves.

 

So although Chaters might get the freight cheaper, I suspect with their margins/VAT you may not be much better off than direct sales to Full Throttle. A group buy in pairs sounds like it maybe the go. The other point already mentioned regarding acting as a UK agent for a central pooling of UK orders, means if someone did, then maybe Full Throttle might be able to do a wholesale price.

 

The book obviously deserves to be viewed & read by enthusiasts all around the globe, it's just the freight cost tends to slow people down purchasing. But as I started with, we've copped that for years.

 

Stephen

 

Stephen, there is no VAT on books and Chater's margin comes from the difference between the wholesale and retail prices.  Can we try to do this as a group through Chaters first, and see if that works out, before dividing our efforts? 

 

I purchased a very heavy batch of Japanese Auto Sport magazines last year and was able to ship them back at pretty reasonable cost.  I had to be patient, but it worked out hugely cheaper than sending them back airmail individually would have been. 



#38 bradbury west

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 12:32

I have now spoken to Clive Stroud at Chater's, who could not have been more helpful, as ever.

He is already in the process of trying to source Tony's book so I have sent him Laura's details etc, as an extra contact, plus a link to this thread. It is a case of watch the space.

Roger Lund



#39 P0wderf1nger

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 13:17

I have now spoken to Clive Stroud at Chater's, who could not have been more helpful, as ever.

He is already in the process of trying to source Tony's book so I have sent him Laura's details etc, as an extra contact, plus a link to this thread. It is a case of watch the space.

Roger Lund

Good work, Roger, thanks.



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#40 Allen Brown

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 13:30

Good work, Roger, thanks.

+1



#41 Alan Cox

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 14:25

Count me in for a copy, Roger...



#42 Simon Thomas

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 15:40

Great, I too will take a copy, thank you.

SImon Thomas



#43 group7

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 16:09

Roger, thanks for your work on this ! you can count me in for  a copy as well, if shipping to Canada from the U.K.  is not a problem, I'm sure it's cheaper than from down under I have purchased from Chaters before.

 

Mike Scott (group7) in Canada, one of the colonies !



#44 Alan Cox

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 17:29

Is it possibly to tell me the weight of the book as I can check the cost of re posting copies to those of you on TNF who have expressed an interest, if no other option arises, than for, say, half a dozen being sent to me, bought individually from the publisher with pro rata postage to UK, then all I have to do is re post them within the UK? .

Roger Lund

Automoto Bookshop list it as weighing 3.10 KGS. It will cost about £26 to ship it by sea to the UK


Edited by Alan Cox, 21 August 2015 - 17:34.


#45 bradbury west

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Posted 21 August 2015 - 19:49

Crikey, that will flatten the doormat. Thanks, Alan. That is about the price Laura quoted for post from Oz, so it all fits.  Chaters' endeavours seem the best option in the first instance, methinks

Roger Lund



#46 launchpad

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Posted 28 August 2015 - 13:22

At Last - I have one!  I received my copy today and spent the rest of the day enjoying the experience of leafing through all 500 pages.
When I was helping Tony choose some of the photos to use in the book, I was staggered by the quality and range.
But now that the whole book is in print -WOW!

I looked at the photos first - as it is a visual experience. I remembered the races and competitors, but anyone who wished they were watching Tasman races will now feel that they were there.

The competition, sportsmanshjp, fun, pressure and the cars are all there to transport you to every Tasman race.

Then there are the stories. After - or as you check out each section - take the time to read what the people who were there remember.

I have waited for a specialised Tasman book since my youth, and finally it is here and it was worth waiting for!

Get your copy through Full Throttle Publishing and live or relive the real story of the Tasman Series.
 
Just for your interest, I have attached a pic of Piers Courage in 1969 Warwick Farm "Esses" in practice.
 
1969%20TASMAN%20WARWICK%20FARM%20PIERS%2



#47 bradbury west

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Posted 28 August 2015 - 14:31

Rod, just brilliant. That one has to be especially for Mr Bell. He knows why...

Roger Lund



#48 Ray Bell

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Posted 28 August 2015 - 21:42

Yes, he was headed for me with the wrong gearing!

A fantastic sight!

#49 Lola5000

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Posted 29 August 2015 - 02:35

Just forked out the Dollars.



#50 275 GTB-4

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Posted 29 August 2015 - 06:36

Just forked out the Dollars.


Well...best you go and lie down to recover Rob :p