Classic American Cars [Hardcover]

Quentin Willson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 1997

Celebrating 60 of America's best-loved automobiles, this full-color car show spotlights the most glamourous cars of the golden era from 1945-1975. The text, by the author of The Ultimate Classic Car, and more than 680 lavish full-color photos reveal the design flourishes that make each car a classic.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-What could be more American than a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air? Along with hula hoops, drive-in movies and rock 'n' roll, it's become a '50s icon. The Bel Air is just one of 60 cars featured here. Take the wheel of a Mustang, cruise around in a Lincoln convertible, or roll down a country road in a '69 Vette. This book justifiably treats each engineering masterpiece as a work of art, paying homage with full-color photographs on thick glossy paper. Automotive aficionados will appreciate the historical, technical, and design trivia presented for each car. Young adults who like old cars or are in the process of getting their first wheels will get thoroughly revved up over this book.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (October 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078942083X
• ISBN-13: 978-0789420831
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #837,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best, Most Interesting and Unusual Cars from 1943-78!, December 29, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Classic American Cars (Hardcover)

This book clearly deserves more than five stars. Any car buff will enjoy it, but it will be most appealing to those who do not get a chance to enjoy classic cars very often. If you can only afford one book on post-World War II American cars, this is the one for you!

I grew up in California, where people worshipped these cars when they came out. In many cases, I had not seen the cars or even photographs of them for more than 30 years. This was a wonderful trip down nostalgia lane for me.

But the nice surprise for me is that the book is filled with interesting information that I did not know before. Most of the 60 featured models are covered on a four page lay-out, especially the older ones. You get a side, front, and rear views of each car. You also get many slant views, as well. In little photographs, the book also captures key details, famous publicity shots, historic moments, and related personalities who owned the car. The engine and technical improvements are outlined, also. You also get each model's specifications, including how many were produced. I did not realize how many of the cars I love had only a very small production run.

One of the best parts of the book was showing how the car evolved into later models, or even newer ones. For example, did you know how the original 1943 Jeep became the Grand Cherokee?

Another feature that makes the book interesting are profiles of the most important car designers, as well as the other items they designed. Especially in the 1950s and early 1960s, the cars were more show than go. Then came the muscle cars!

Each decade has a brief historical overview of noncar events to put the cars into context.

Although there are many interesting and rewarding cars in the book, here were my favorites:

1948 Tucker Torpedo

1950 DeSoto Custom

1954 Chevrolet Corvette

1954 Kaiser Darrin

1955 Ford Thunderbird

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

1958 Packard Hawk

1959 Plymouth Fury

1963 Ford Thunderbird

1963 Studebaker Avanti

1966 Pontiac GTO

1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500

But they are not all fun, sexy, and beautiful in the book. You get Edsels, Ford Falcons, and Chevrolet Corvairs as well. This provides a good background for appreciating the more wonderful cars.

After you have finished enjoying this exciting book, I suggest that you seek out a classic car show and go see the real thing. That will help you overcome your misconceptions that a picture gives you a full flavor of what is depicted. You still need to slide into those seats, look over the steering wheel and the hood to the open road, and feel the car corner. Perhaps someone will take you out for a spin. Now, that's a car dream worth living!

Take your life on the road again in classic style . . . and enjoy the drive!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is must read material for those into classic cars., January 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Classic American Cars (Hardcover)

This book was a Christmas gift and a great one at that. I find I can't put it down and when I do, I bring it to work and then I can't get it back. The book is beautifully illustrated and well researched. It even has info about the average wages of the period and stats on all the cars. I remember having some of these vehicles myself. And my father had some of these too.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for every automobile enthusiast!, May 21, 2002

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Classic American Cars (Hardcover)

This book is a Classic Car Show in book form. Taking cars from the 1940s through to the 1970s, it covers no less than 60 autos "that changed the world." It has many great color pictures, and a great deal of information on each car. This book is a must-have for every automobile enthusiast!

This large "coffee table" book, is excellently done, a real treat for the eyes, and also quite interesting to read. Among the cars included are no-brainers, like the 1963 Ford Thunderbird, the 1966 Corvette Stingray, and 1971 Chevy Nova (we had one!). However, there are also some other cars that are interesting additions, like the 1943 Willys Jeep, the 1954 Hudson Hornet, and 1958 Packard Hawk. This is a great book, one you must see!