Car manufacturers - USA: books - history and models

Lost Car Legends: From Allstate to Zimmer - Notable Cars and Stories of America's Long-Shuttered Independent Auto Makers

An entertaining look at over 40 shuttered independent automakers from the past 75 years. From Allstate to Zimmer, noted automotive historian Pat Foster covers an incredible array of makers and their cars... and what variety there was!
There were tiny cars, electric cars, retro cars, luxury cars, commuter cars, sports cars. There were well-established companies with thousands of employees to sham companies with nothing but a good story.

Automakers covered include Allstate, Argonaut, AMC, Autoette, Avanti, Bricklin, Checker Motors, Citicar, Commutacar, Colt, Cord Automobile Company, Crosley Motors, Dale, Davis Motorcar Company, Excalibur, Fascination, Frazer, Freeway, Glassic, Henry J, Hudson, International Harvestor, Kaiser, King Midget, Markette, Mobs, Muntz Jet, Nash Motors, Packard, Playboy, Powell, Quantum, Rambler, Shay, Shelby, Stuart, Studebaker, Trivan, Tucker, Willys, Woodhill Wildfire, and Zimmer.

Automobile Manufacturers of Cleveland and Ohio, 1864-1942

This comprehensive look at the heyday of automobile manufacturing in Ohio chronicles the region's early prominence in an industry that was inventing itself. More than 550 Ohio manufacturers are covered, from Abbott to Zent.
There are familiar marques, such as Jordan, Baker, Peerless, and White of Cleveland, along with Packard, Stutz, Crosley and Willys. Less well-known and forgotten automotive ventures, such Auto-Bug, Darling and Ben-Hur, are documented, although many never got beyond the concept stage.
Attention is given to the various ancillary industries, services and organizations which nurtured, developed with and, in many cases, survived the decline of Cleveland's automotive industry.

The Indianapolis Automobile Industry - A History, 1893-1939

In 1893, Indianapolis carriage maker Charles Black created a rudimentary car - perhaps the first designed and built in America. Within 15 years, Indianapolis was a major automobile industry center rivaling Detroit, and known for quality manufacturing and innovation - the aluminum engine, disc brakes, aerodynamics, superchargers, and the rear view mirror were first developed there.
When the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909, hometown manufacturers Marmon, Stutz and Duesenberg dominated the track. The author covers their histories, along with less well known contributors to the industry, including National, American, Premier, Marion, Cole, Empire, LaFayette, Knight-Lyons and Hassler.

Chaparral: Can-Am Racing Cars from Texas

Few sports-racing cars have captured the imagination as did the Chaparrals. The menacing white machines from Texas oil country cut a swathe through American sports car racing in the 1960s, and even won at the Nürburgring and Brands Hatch.
Created by Jim Hall and Hap Sharp - and ultimately with the help of GM and Chevrolet - the Chaparrals pioneered such innovations in racing as the wing for aerodynamic down force and the automatic transmission.

Great photos from the author, Stanley Rosenthall, and Max Le Grand show the exotic Chaparrals at rest and in action. Photographs include the first front-engine cars, the 2, 2C, 2E and 2G sports-racers, the 2D and 2F endurance racecars, and the wildest of all, the 2H and 2J - the first car to use a fan to generate suction down force.
The book is a rare treat for fans of the exciting and popular Can-Am racing series.

The Dual-Ghia

This is the story of one man's obsession with a concept car that made his dream of building cars a reality. But as they say, beware of what you wish for. Dreams are often fleeting.

The Marvelous Mechanical Designs of Harry A. Miller

Harry A. Miller designed racing cars that were among the finest of the golden age of American auto racing for nearly two decades. What are less well known are Miller's passenger cars, and boat and aircraft engine designs, some of them extremely successful, some of them bizarre.

This book portrays Miller's racing cars of the glorious roaring twenties along with his speedboat and aircraft engines - even his design for a high-speed combat vehicle engine. Seen are his advanced Miller-Fords of 1935 and the radical Gulf-Miller cars of 1938-1941.
An exciting collection of photos of the work of one of America's mechanical geniuses, along with commentary on Miller's work by highly regarded auto racing historian Gordon Eliot White.