Simon Taylor's HWM book

I have just posted an opinion of Simon Taylor's new HWM book in the sister Books section here, but it's such a fine piece of work I feel it merits some comment here too.  

I have always had a soft spot for HWM - highly respected and indeed sought-after in Europe as an entrant, at a time when BRM was an over-publicised laughing stock.

But if you don't know about HWM you really should - and Simon's work tells their remarkable shoe-string story in an attractive, warm and ultimately poignant way.  He has unearthed some great photos, and talking with designer Eug Dunn - the man I could not find when I wrote at length about the team - has really made the piece.  

Evro Publishing has made a very good job of it as a tangible two-Volume piece, in a slipcase, and I just love Michael Turner’s wonderful front cover artwork for each volume.  I rate the Vol 1 cover as one of Michael's very best works.  I have never seen either of them before…

Trust me - it's lovely stuff - lovely, lovely stuff. 

https://www.evropubl...lag-for-britain

I particularly like the race venues section.  That concept is inspired.  Very, very, highly recommended!

DCN

A long overdue tribute to a wonderful team who helped inspire my schoolboy interest. I remember being so happy to see Lance Macklin and HWM win the 1952 Trophy Race the first meeting that I attended, and Tony Rolt 2nd too!. A day to remember for this HWM fan.

What with 'Back On Track' already on the 'wants' list these are difficult and expensive times for an old boy! .

Does Simon have a chapter on the car's that raced outside of the UK? For example the Davison/Glass Jaguar-powered example.

Stephen

Yes.

DCN

Hope Simon has found a photo of Hungarian racing champion Johnny Buza who was entered in a few races in NZ with GP107.

Johnny Buza    

Date Venue Event                                                   Car / Engine                          Chassis Result

1958-01-11  Ardmore 5th NZ Grand Prix                  HWM / Alta 1960cc 4cyl s/c  GP107   DNA

1958-02-01  Dunedin 6th Dunedin Road Race         HWM / Alta 1960cc 4cyl s/c  GP107   DNS

1958-02-08  Teretonga 1st Teretonga International HWM / Alta 1960cc 4cyl s/c  GP107    DNS

Edited by Patrick Fletcher, 20 June 2019 - 11:03.

The Simon Taylor HMW 2 volume set has been on my wants list since it appeared in 2019. Problem is my wants list versus the budget to fund acquiring things aren't in the same league! 

Recently I found an online source with significantly discounted prices and as it turned out, very good post cost to Oz. That turned out to also be very quick delivery.

cooper997 photo

It is a beautiful piece of work (4.5 kilos of) from Simon and publisher EVRO, set off brilliantly with the Michael Turner art on the dustjackets - depicting S Moss and Jack Fairman in the Gaze VPA9. Covering much history going back nearly 90 years and it is of course prolifically illustrated. 

Although I don't wish to sound critical, so I'll call it an omission, a lot of the HWM goings on of drivers and the circuits they raced the cars on the south side of the equator don't get the same treatment to those up north.

https://www.speedyhe...ritain/24616607

Stephen

The Simon Taylor HMW 2 volume set has been on my wants list since it appeared in 2019. Problem is my wants list versus the budget to fund acquiring things aren't in the same league! 

 

Recently I found an online source with significantly discounted prices.

Done. I always knew I had to buy it, but  waited and waited as a poor pensioner...

Thanks Stephen

Roger Lund

Done. I always knew I had to buy it, but  waited and waited as a poor pensioner...

Thanks Stephen

Roger Lund

I baulked for a while at spending that much, but having done so, well, frankly it's a bargain!. Ties with Oliver Heal's book on Louis Coatalen as the best motoring book I've bought in the last two or three years (and I buy a lot!).

Enjoy.

Edited by Gav Astill, 27 March 2021 - 11:36.

Roger, you'll enjoy and the 2 volumes means it's a bit easier to handle when reading. Looks like you've just got in on time, I see the site is now quoting out of stock.

Stephen

It's a great work, and already one of my favourite reads. I'm halfway through Part 2 and not really wanting to reach the end.

A page from my very old website http://www.users.glo...1/hwm/index.htm

Edited by Nigel Beresford, 28 March 2021 - 10:35.

Gary, I reckon West Surrey Racing was probably even closer to you than HWM. Literally a stroll across the field

Let's not forget the King's Head back in the '70s and '80s in the Shepperton motor sport pantheon.

Let's not forget the King's Head back in the '70s and '80s in the Shepperton motor sport pantheon.

Edited by Nigel Beresford, 28 March 2021 - 13:20.

Roger, you'll enjoy and the 2 volumes means it's a bit easier to handle when reading. Looks like you've just got in on time, I see the site is now quoting out of stock.

 

 

Stephen

Just purchased a new copy on fleabay for £74.58 free postage.

As Simon owns the Stovebolt special I think we can be assured that, at least, will get  good coverage

How much of the content is dedicated to the post works history of the cars please? Stovebolt Special etc..?

Vol.2 covers each chassis in good detail, including post-works use.

A list of the main topics covered and a few other notes I've been making...

John, George and the HWMs vol 1

dustjacket cover 20/5/51 Genoa with 20 Moss HWM leading field by M Turner

Chapter 1 - 1932-45 John and George p12

Movies to planes to cars p26

How it all began again p28

Chapter 2 - 1946 the awakening p30

The importance of Hillclimbs - 48 S Moss Cooper at Prescott photo p42 

Chapter 3 - 1947 laying the foundations p44 

Two important new circuits - Silverstone and Goodwood p54

Villoresi Maserati and Ansell ERA roll photos p55

Parnell Maserati photo p56

Chapter 4 - 1948 the first HW car p58

Ex Villoresi Maserati 6CM with Riley Imp KV9475 (became Hawthorn's) photo (refer for sale 2/21 C&SC p24) p61

Alf Francis and The Autocar job advert p70

Chapter 5 – 1949 learning by experience p74 

Travel and trucks p90

Chapter 6 - 1950 the works team p94

Heath's affair with model, Laurel Crane photo text and George with Angela Brown, daughter of DB p105

The name and the badge p129 

Chapter 7 - 1951 into single-seaters p130

BRM expensive failure V16 photos p156-157

Chapter 8 - 1952 the World Championship p158 

Easter Mon, 1952 Goodwood, Hawthorn unpainted Cooper next to George in new HWM and Brown and Brandon C-B grid photo p164

Gaze 42 HWM photo p180 

1952 British GP 11 Brown C-B with 29 Collins HWM and 12 Moss ERA e type photo p187 

More truck mayhem - FOP transporter on side p191

HWM at Earl's Court MS p195

Eugene Dunn p196

Chapter 9 - 1953 a new dawn p198

Chapter 10 - 1954 sports car ascendant p222

Goodwood grid with BRM V16 p224-25

Hyeres 12 hours photo with 24 Brown C-B sports shown p236-37

Reims 12 hour 7 Gaze/ G Whitehead VPA 9 photos p239 and p240 

8 VPA 9 at Dundrod TT p242-3

HWM Christmas cards by a young G M Turner p245

Ever present danger p246

Dundrod Lotus and Porsche photo p249

Chapter 11 - 1955 enter the Series Two sports car p250

HW Motors showroom photo p252

The Mille Miglia its beginning and its end p266

Chapter 12 - 1956 tragedy in Italy p268

Jenks photo p270

Heath 28/4/56 will p276 

Crash 545 HWM photo with rolled 311 Maserati p280 -83 

Chapter 13 - 1956-57 the aftermath p285 

A society wedding - Laurel Heath with Gerry Albertini p289

The final HWMs p295 

Chapter 14 - 1958 onwards the next sixty years p302

HWMotors photo p307 

Photo credits p314

Bibliography p315 

Index p316

Vol 2 details to follow...

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 28 March 2021 - 23:16.

Indeed - loved that pub when it was one of my locals. The pantheon(!) should perhaps also include the ‘Shepperton Sheraton’, home to many McLaren kiwis during the Colnbrook era, including John Nicholson, and Tony Jardine living in Lower Sunbury. Oh yeah, Herbie Blash too of course

Ah the 'Shepperton Sheraton'! That brought back a few memories......Dick Bennetts and Harvey Spencer to name but two, many a convivial evening was spent in their company, as well as Alex the truckie, Jon Jon, Ian Patton and others whose faces I can see but their names are jumbled in what passes for my brain.

Herbie attracted a number of luminaries such as David Yorke to the King's Head, and he was very kind to us all with tickets and time, we did not deserve such generosity. I recall that both Piquet and Senna also visited the pub, though not at the same time as there would, no doubt, have been a row about whose round it was. 

The landlord of the Magpie in Lower Sunbury whose name escapes me, was also a racer, he sponsored Dave Coyne in his early F3 campaign.

At one point in the '80s I had a house in Charlton Village, my wife even made the shirts for WSR in the early days, it was different time. 

......Harvey Spencer.....Herbie....

 

...... the Magpie in Lower Sunbury.....

.... Charlton Village....

..and so the motor racing rule of few degrees of separation kicks in again... even if you have never met someone before, you will both have some mutual acquaintance or know some obscure venue.

Edited by Nigel Beresford, 29 March 2021 - 19:27.

..and so the motor racing rule of few degrees of separation kicks in again... even if you have never met someone before, you will both have some mutual acquaintance or know some obscure venue.

And I should apologise to the posters on this thread for dragging them into the lunatic asylum that was the King's Head - a rum do that will always hold a special place in my heart.

Following on from post 21 and the volume 1 content, here's a rundown for volume 2...

HWM vol 2 the cars, the tracks, the drivers

dustjacket cover 74 Fairman in Gaze VPA9 at 25/9/54 Goodwood 

Chapter 15 Beware chassis numbers p326

Chapter 16 The first Walton car (1948) p332

Chapter 17 The Manx winner (1949) p338

Chapter 18 Team trio plus one (1950) p344

1950/A, 1950/B, 1950/C and 1950/D p349

Chapter 19 The first single seaters (1951) p366

1950/A, 1951/B, 1951/C and 1951/E p368

1951/B chassis number Unknown 

Gaze at 2/6/52 Goodwood p373 

1951 works car purchased by Gaze for 1952 season less engine and gearbox. That were switched from his Alta.

Lex Davison in HWM Jaguar photo and Nov 54 AMS cover p374-75

Chapter 20 increasing sophistication (1952) p378

1951/A and 1952 Dinky p382 

Chapter 21 More than an update (1953-54) p386 

1953/A, 1951-3/B and 1953/C (the 1954 F1 car) p391

Chapter 22 Series One sports cars p396

HWM 1, VPA 9, XPA 748 and 2 BMF p397 

VPA 9 chassis 105 converted 1951 single seater chassis.

Lex Davison 3 HWM VPA 9 with Ausca body photo p404

Chapter 23 Series Two sports cars p414

XPE 2 and HWM 1 p418

Chapter 24 The Scragg car p426 

Chapter 25 The coupe p432

Chapter 26 Significant others p438

HWM's Altas p439

The Tony Gaze Formula 2 car F2/1 p442 

The HW-Healeys p444

Facel Vega p446

HWM meets RGS p447

Replicas, tributes and others p449 

Chapter 27 The tracks - where battles were fought p450

Aintree 

Aix-les-Bains

Albi

Angouleme

AVUS

Bari

Bern - Bremgarten

Bordeaux

Boreham

Brands Hatch

Brighton

Cadours 

Caen

Castle Combe

Chimay 

Comminges, St Gaudens

Crystal Palace

The Curragh 'big circuit'

Davidstow

Dundrod

Erlen 

Freiburg-Schauinsland

Garda 

Geneva

Genoa

Goodwood

Hedemora

Hyeres

Ibsley

Isle of Man, Douglas

Jersey

Karlskoga

La Boule

Lausanne

Les Sables d'Olonne

Marseille

Mettet 

Mille Miglia

Modena

Mons

Montlhery

Monza

Naples, Posillipo

Oporto

Nurburgring

Oulton Park

Pau

Perigueux 

Prescott

Reims

Rome-Caracalla

Roubaix

Rouen- les-Essarts

San Remo

Shelsley Walsh

Silverstone 

Snetterton

Spa-Francorchamps

Vasteras, Lake Freden 

Zandvoort 

Winfield 

Chapter 28 The drivers - starting roles, walk-on parts p486

Fergus Anderson 9/2/09 to 6/5/56

Alister Baring 6/1/12 to 1/71 

John Bekeart 4/3/28 to 22/12/95 

B Bira 15/7/14 to 23/12/85

Peter Blond 5/11/29 

Roy Bloxam 9/4/26 to 25/5/61

Alan Brown 20/11/19 to 19/1/04 

Piero Carini 6/3/21 to 30/5/57

Louis Chiron 3/8/99 to 22/8/79

Johnny Claes 11/8/16 to 3/2/56 

Peter Collins 6/11/31 to 3/8/58

Noel Cunningham-Reid 25/12/30 to 26/9/17 

Frank Curtis 4/10/12 to 9/6/65 

Lex Davison 12/2/23 to 20/2/65 p492

Jack Fairman 15/3/13 to 7/2/02

Ray Fielding 12/5/26 to 18/1/98

Rudi Fischer 19/4/12 to 30/12/76 

John Fitch 4/8/17 to 31/10/12 

Paul Frere 30/1/17 to 23/2/08 

Tony Gaze 3/2/20 to 29/7/13 p494

Yves Giraud-Cabantous 8/10/04 to 30/3/73 

Emmanuel de Graffenried 18/5/14 to 22/1/07 

Duncan Hamilton 20/4/20 to 13/5/94 

Tony Hume 5/10/08 to 22/8/71

Michael Keen 10/9/29 to 20/8/55 

Roger Laurent 21/2/13 to 6/2/97 

Les Leston 16/12/29 to 13/5/12 

Dries van der Lof 23/8/19 to 24/5/90 

Lance Macklin 2/9/19 to 29/8/02 

Alan Mann 22/8/36 to 21/3/12 

Johnny Marshall 29/9/18 to 15/10/89 

Jim Mayers 3/7/24 to 17/9/55

Tom Meyer 3/8/19 to 26/6/16

Oscar Moore 6/5/03 to 9/1/98 

Stirling Moss 17/9/29 

Tony Page - not disclosed. But then still alive.

Dick Protheroe 13/10/23 to 28/4/66

John Riseley-Prichard 17/1/24 to 8/7/93 

Giovanni Rocco 10/11/06 to not known 

Tony Rolt 16/10/18 to 6/2/08

Herman Roosdorp 20/3/95 to 1/1/65

Harry Schell 29/6/21 to 13/5/60 

Albert Scherrer 28/2/08 to 5/7/86

Phil Scragg 14/7/21 to 16/11/74

Andre Simon 5/1/20 to 11/7/12

Bill Smith 6/10/34 to 17/9/55 - killed Dundrod 

Charles de Tornaco 7/6/27 to 18/9/53 

Ted Whiteaway 1/11/28 to 18/10/95 

Graham Whitehead 15/4/22 to 15/1/81 

Chapter 29 The results p506 

Photo credits p524 

Index p525

With the huge lists for circuits and drivers shown, one can see why I made my  earlier 'omission' comment. Based on those south of the equator not getting included

 - Gaze and Davison being the exceptions.

But don't let that stop you buying this wonderful 2 volume book set.

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 31 March 2021 - 08:24.

As an aside to all this, I am on my second attempt to add this to my library. Although it is quite possible that the initial order did indeed run foul of our now deliberately sabotaged USPS and got lost somewhere in the bowels of the Lost Mail Bin, I now have a strong suspicion that the seller might have playing the "bookjacking" game (https://zubalbooks.c...bookjacking.jsp & https://zubalbooks.com/article-bookjacking-part2.jsp), especially since it shows up on the bookjacking list -- as the actual owner of the vendor rather than one that supposedly sold it. Until I requested a refund, I was unaware as to the bookseller actually selling the book, doing so under another name as it turns out. I normally check the bookjacking listings before ordering, but as mentioned, there was a bit of slight-of-hand  in play until I finally really pushed the refund issue. Not until then was I aware that one of the Usual Suspects was selling under a different name.

As in Stephen's case, I meant to order this at about the time it was released, but one thing and another got in the way. Simon is one of those folks whose work I always find well-worth reading (and re-reading, for that matter). Although my original intention for purchasing the book has passed, I think that Stephen's recent enthusiasm for the book -- along with my long regard for anything that Simon writes, of course -- and my trust in his critical judgment finally tipped the scales.

Hopefully, this time the set will actually arrive and I can finally read it.

HDC

I promise you should not be disappointed Don.  Very disturbed to hear of your on-line purchasing difficulty.

DCN

My copy arrived  on Tuesday. Spending a couple of hours  browsing through it, it is clearly everything that folk have said about it. The breadth  and depth of the topics covered is quite remarkable, very much what you would expect from Simon Taylor. My first call was the gloriously detailed chapter on the coupe, a car I have loved since I first read the article on it in The Autocar in 1961 or 62, “ Rare as the Koh Hi Noor”. We had it as a display car at the sadly wet 2000 Revival.- but I digress...

Roger Lund

Mine just arrived. Wow! Even just a brief flick through tells me enough - this is top-notch stuff. Thank you Mr Taylor.  It'll be placed on my bookcase next to Vols. 1,2 & 3 of you know what.

Edited by JohnH, 14 April 2021 - 01:20.

Looks like it's back in stock for the moment

https://www.speedyhe...m&productType=0

Stephen

Before Simon got to play with the Stovebolt.

Jan/Feb 1988 Vintage Motorsport (USA)

Stephen

Looks like it's back in stock for the moment
https://www.speedyhe...m&productType=0


Stephen

Before Simon got to play with the Stovebolt.

 

Jan/Feb 1988 Vintage Motorsport (USA)

 

 

Stephen

 

Thanks for that.  When Simon brought the Stovebolt to Monterey in 2003 (I think), my friend Phil and I helped out.  This consisted of me polishing the car, and doing timing and scoring.  Phil took photos.  At one point, a fellow and his sons came along.  Phil did his best to describe the car and its history.  Turned out to be Bat Masterson and his sons.  Phil asked, "How did I do ?"  Bat said, "Pretty good."  Subsequently, Bat and his wife hosted sea cruises and visited us in Victoria.  Sadly, he passed away a few years ago.

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 21 October 2021 - 05:26.