Trains, Planes and Automobiles by James Hamilton-Paterson

$69.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

A lavishly illustrated celebration of the golden age of aircraft, cars, ships and locomotives from 1900 to 1941 by the author of the bestselling Empire of the Clouds. This dazzling book describes the flourishing of transport and travel, and the engineering that made it possible, in the years before the Second World War. It is a homage to the great vehicles and their mechanisms, their cultural impact and the social change they enabled. James Hamilton-Patersonexplores the pinnacle of the steam engine, the advent and glory days of the luxury motorcar and the monster vehicles used in land speed records, the marvellous fast ocean liners and the excitement and beauty of increasingly aerodynamic forms of passenger aircraft. These were the days when for most people long-distance travel was a dream, and the dream-like glamour of these machines has never been surpassed. Hamilton-Paterson has an unrivalled ability to write evocatively about engineering and design in their historical context, and in this book he brings a vanished era to life. ...Show more

Going by Train - The Complete New Zealand Railways Story by Graham Hutchins

$39.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

Railways played a pivotal part in the development of New Zealand's economy, towns and cities, and helped shape a distinctive culture. This is a comprehensive account of our railways story, from the earliest days of the colony, through rail's growth and golden days, slow decline and recent resurgence. Go ing by Train details New Zealand's railway development from its beginnings to completion of the main trunk, provincial and urban networks and the numerous branch lines reaching far-flung corners of the country. By the 1930s and '40s, railways dominated travel and became part of the national way of life, with trains for all passengers and occasions. Graham Hutchins, who grew up in a railway town and spent many years working on the railways, recounts the locomotives, the lines, the people and personalities in rail's colourful history. With competition from road transport, rail's golden glow began to fade, with line closures, corporatisation and reduced investment. But with renewed interest, its time has come again, with growth in tourist and commuter travel, line redevelopment and heritage restoration. This fully illustrated work gives excellent coverage of local rail's tribulations, triumphs and tragedies, written in a very readable style. Rail fans and general readers alike will enjoy its wide-ranging topics, generous illustrations, anecdotes and personal accounts. ...Show more

My Van, My Castle by Jackie D. Norman

$34.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

Jackie Norman met her soul mate, sold her suburban home and swapped it for life on the road travelling round NZ in a campervan, despite never having any experience of the lifestyle before. Her aim was to swap a stressful life servicing a crippling mortgage with a more carefree lifestyle, stripped back t o essentials, living in the moment and exploring New Zealand. With no schedule and no real goals and after nearly two years on the road Jackie and her husband Gareth have learnt a lot about the highs and lows of a nomadic life. She writes with humour and insight about their adventures on the road and the lessons they've learnt along the way with anecdotes, tips, suggestions and favourite spots they've been on their travels from the tip of the North Island to Bluff in the South. We learn about the day-to-day reality and challenges of life on the road, top campsites, special spots, how to cope with mozzies and the dreaded condensation, and what the traveller community is really like. ...Show more

Kings of the Road - 50 Cars That Drove Australia by Toby Hagon

$49.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

Meet the Kings of the Road. These are the cars that drove Australia - the greatest, bravest, most iconic and inspired vehicles in our history.Every one of them has a story to tell. From the first car manufactured in Australia to the 'beast' that started the feud between Holden and Ford. The first car to cross the Simpson Desert and a 12-tonne Bushmaster that carried our soldiers into war. The 'Kangaroo Chaser' inspired by a farmer's wife and named by Henry Ford himself. And the fastest, most powerful Aussie car of all.Big rigs and pocket battleships. Tough cars for country roads. Versatile rides for city living. Road warriors and street machines. Tanks and trailblazers. Painted wagons and dream chariots. Super utes and concept cars. Legends of the track and even a few loveable lemons. These cars revved the engines, captured the hearts and carried the dreams of Australians.All hail the Kings of the Road! ...Show more

My Cool Convertible: An Inspirational Guide to Stylish Convertibles by Chris Haddon

$29.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

This latest title in the highly successful 'my cool' vehicle series covers the world of open top motoring. Cruising in a convertible car with the top down started out as an American summer tradition and for many drivers around the world there is nothing better than driving down a country lane with the r oof down, the wind sweeping your hair and the sun beating on your neck. The book includes a broad mix of 'cool' convertibles, and their owners, from vintage to classic and modern, with eye-catching photography and locations, captured by specialist car photographer Lyndon McNeil. Convertible cars come in all shapes and sizes from compact city cabriolets such as the Talbot Samba to roadsters such as the Lotus Elan Sprint and grand tourers such as the Aston Martin DB6. Every one of them enjoys a sense of open-air freedom and greater involvement in the driving experience. Think sun, wind and speed. In many ways, the convertible car is the ultimate expression of automotive indulgence. A car with a roof is sensible but a car without a roof is sexy, scintillating and, given the chance, most of us would pay through the nose to own one. From the timeless designs of early models (Lagonda, Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental, Frazer Nash BMW and the MG) to the mid century cars (Nash Metropolitan, Land Rover, Bristol and Renault Caravelle) and the retro/modern (Saab 900, Honda S800, Peugeot 304, VW Golf, Mercedes 380SL and Porsche 914), convertibles are among the most popular and desirable of cars. The convertible has gone through extreme highs and lows during more than a century of automotive history, from near ubiquity at the dawn of the car industry to nearly disappearing in the 1970s; and now once again being a highly popular type of car. The cars featured illustrate the highs and the lows of convertible design and show how convertible technology advanced from simple cloth tops (the 1931 Rolls Royce Phantom II Continental is an early example) to the advanced self-folding roofs of today and many other design features. Some of the most stylish marques are included: the most expensive in the book is the Frazer Nash BMW and the rarest the Fiat 1100 Barchetta. Word Count 25,000 ...Show more

Street Machine Legends (Volume 1) by Simon Telford

$42.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

SINCE 1981, Street Machine has been the bible of Australia's modified car scene, celebrating the best builds of the sport and the fanatics that create them. For this, Street Machine's first book, we've chosen 60 of the best-loved feature cars to appear in the magazine during its first 20 years. We look at the significance of each build to the scene and, where possible, discover what has become of the cars and their dedicated owners. Street Machine Legends Volume 1 is an indispensable collector's item and reference tool for the muscle car enthusiast. ...Show more

Brock at Bathurst by Bev Brock

$44.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

No driver is as connected to a single track as the legendary Peter Brock is to Bathurst. Half a century ago, a shy and bearded Brock first took on Mount Panorama, the track he was destined to dominate with a record nine wins, earning him the mantle ‘King of the Mountain’. That uncanny rela tionship between driver and track is the focus of this book, a 360-degree look at every race of Brock’s glorious Bathurst career. Relive Peter Perfect’s reign over the Mountain in the company of Bev Brock, his partner of nearly three decades, as well as mechanics, teammates, rivals and friends who witnessed his genius up close. Featuring over 150 images, including previously unseen photographs from Brock’s private collection, Brock at Bathurst is a nostalgic and exhilarating celebration of an iconic pairing in Australian sport. ...Show more

Lovin' My Car by Libby Edelman

$48.00 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

After many years spent in cars with her husband, Sam, son Jesse, with their constant banter about cars- the exciting new models on the market, the finer details of engines and their sizes, 'round and 'round about tires, wheels, and gears, the know-how and questions about maintenance and repairs, and so on, Libby Edelman would find herself wondering--why do my men love their cars so? Before long, she would find herself glancing at the magazines at the supermarket to pass the time--and right there under her nose, on the cover of National Enquirer, Edelman found a story about a woman who loved her car so much that she was buried with it! The impact of that story inspired her to set out on a journey to find other women who were just as obsessive about their cars and trucks. Quickly Edelman discovered car and truck women everywhere- Laura and her prize-winning, 1958 Corvette; Maggie's '61 Classic Rambler Wagon named "Bessie"; Natalie's 4-wheel drive 1982 "hi-lux" Toyota pick-up truck; Stella's collection of "junker" school buses that she races on weekends; a black convertible '69 Cadillac Coup Deville owned by Nancy who jams on her guitar while perched on the trunk; and so many more! From the West Coast to the East Coast, Edelman found a community of women from all walks of life who share an automotive love. Some cars are fancy, some quirky, and most are everyday cars. All have proud women owners who share their stories of what their cars and trucks mean to them. These cars are the loves of their lives--an extended family member. They coddle them, talk to them, name them, and (as if anyone could resist) race them. ...Show more

Vintage Trucks and Commercials Kiwi Coll by Steve Reid

$49.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

Bikers - Legend, Legacy and Life by Gary Charles

$39.99 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport | Series: Two Finger Salute Ser.

Expanded and updated. BIKERS: Legend, Legacy and Life is a painstakingly detailed chronicle of this unique band of Brothers, and trawls deep into their history to detail the early town-sieges of America's Mid-West in the 1940s through to the British Mods and Rocker coastal clashes of the 1960s, the Easy Riders of the 1970s, the Street Fighters of the 1990s, and the vibrant multifaceted Biker Culture scene of the first quarter of 21st Century. Bikers will appeal to anyone who's ever ridden on two wheels and also delves into many of the misconceptions surrounding this most misunderstood of sub-cultures. ...Show more

Enzo Ferrari: the Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine by Brock Yates

$28.00 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

Ferrari means red. It means racing. Excellence, luxury, and performance. Less well-known is the man behind the brand. For nearly seventy years, Enzo Ferrari dominated a motor-sports empire that defined the world of high-performance cars. Next to the Pope, Ferrari was the most revered man in Italy. Bu t was he the benign padrone portrayed by an adoring world press at the time, or was he a ruthless despot, who drove his staff to the edge of madness, and his racing drivers even further? Brock Yates's definitive biography penetrated Ferrari's elaborately constructed veneer and uncovered the truth behind Ferrari's bizarre relationships, his work with Mussolini's fascists, and his fanatical obsession with speed. ...Show more

How Not to Be a Professional Racing Driver by Anon; Jason Plato

$55.00 NZD

Category: Automotive & Transport

Pre-order your copy of the full-throtle memoir, How Not to Be a Professional Racing Driver, now My name is Jason Plato. Two-time championship-winning and record-breaking racing driver, television presenter, voiceover artist, pilot, bon viveur, hedonist, robber, former inmate of the Monaco police departm ent and a living, breathing example of what you shouldn't do if you want to become a professional racing driver. That's not some idiotic tabloid claim, by the way. That's genuinely who I am. I drink, I smoke, I don't go to the gym and I rarely stick to the script when talking to the media. Yet I'm still racing, and at the same level I was when I first won a seat with the Williams Touring Car Team over twenty years ago. It's no coincidence that I've won more races in the British Touring Car Championship than any other driver and over twice as many as the drivers who've won more championships. Then again, it's also no coincidence that I once spent several days in prison in Monaco for stealing a JCB. There is nothing sensible, predictable or considered about me, I'm afraid. This is my story. ...Show more