Ford, the Dust and the Glory: A Racing History, 1901-1967 [Hardcover]

Leo Levine (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0768006635 | ISBN-13: 978-0768006636 | Publication Date: February 2001

This reprint of the long out-of-print 1968 classic covers seven decades of Ford's pioneering and illustrious activities in auto racing. As author Leo Levine writes, "no other American manufacturer has been more involved with the sport. In many respects, the competition history of Ford parallels the progress of auto racing in this country."

From Henry Ford's own victory at the October 1901 Detroit Driving Club race to the 1967 LeMans triumph of A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney, this first volume of Ford: The Dust and the Glory tells the inside story of Ford's spectacular racing accomplishments.

Ford: The Dust and the Glory features the stories - and numerous photographs - of the great races, the great cars, and the legendary personalities (both the famous drivers and those "behind the scenes") associated with Ford and its great competitors of the era.

Covering 67 triumphant years, this first of two volumes (the second volume will cover 1968-2000) conveys, as author Leo Levine puts it, "the sound and the fury, the speed and the drama" of racing itself, while spotlighting Ford's groundbreaking accomplishments.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The Dust and the Glory' may be the best book ever written about a manufacturer and auto racing. -- Road and Track Online

About the Author

When 'Ford: The Dust and The Glory' was first published in 1968, Leo Levine was fresh from a career as a newspaperman (highlighted by stints with the European edition of The Stars and Stripes and with The New York Herald Tribune) and as a racing driver in Europe and South America. He quit the latter occupation in 1960 when, he says, "Dan Gurney went around me on the outside, going about 20 miles an hour faster." He then spent twenty years with Mercedes-Benz of North America as one of the company's general managers before retiring and returning to writing and the golf course.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 676 pages
• Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers Inc (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0768006635
• ISBN-13: 978-0768006636
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #349,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading and great value, February 20, 2002

By 

thatguy01 (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ford, the Dust and the Glory: A Racing History, 1901-1967 (Hardcover)

Wow. This is a fabulous story told by a skillful writer. The people and the technology support each other, and "Ford" as a theme takes the story through early racing, hot rodding, Indy, NASCAR, and Europe. The research that Levine put into the book shows, and he (or his editor) is skilled enough to know exactly when to step aside and let the source material tell the story.

And what a value! 640 pages for $..., compared to <200 pages for a typical auto racing book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the Cradle of Ford Racing, September 4, 2001

By 

Jonathan D. Cumpton (Roberts, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ford, the Dust and the Glory: A Racing History, 1901-1967 (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book, essential for any true racing enthusiast. The author weaves the various threads of racing development -- worldwide in scope -- form Dearborn to Oregon to Argentina to California to Europe. The only disapointment in this edition is the rather poor reproduction of the photographs...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flat Heads, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars and Le Mans!, September 17, 2001

By 

James L. Moriarty (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ford, the Dust and the Glory: A Racing History, 1901-1967 (Hardcover)

This book was a terrific detailed history of Ford Motor Company racing through 1967. For anybody who loves fast cars, Fords and lived through the debut of the Mustang, the Cobra, and the GT40 that won at Le Mans this is a terrific read. A friend who is a car buff recommended it and while it took a while to get through (640+ pages) it was worth the effort. It also makes you appreciate the advance in publishing that have taken place since 1968 when this book first appeared. The pictures are grainy and don't do justice to the drivers, the cars or the author's fine writing.