Chas Parker

The former wartime airfield at Silverstone is Britain’s most important motor racing circuit, best known as the home of the British Grand Prix and where the first Formula 1 World Championship race was staged in 1950. This magnificent book, originally published in 2013 and now comprehensively updated in this second edition with 64 extra pages, tells Silverstone’s entire history, covering the great races, influential characters and unforgettable events, as well as the evolution of the circuit itself. The book is profusely illustrated, including plenty of great photographs that have rarely been published. Produced with the full assistance of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) and Silverstone Circuits Ltd, this is the last word on the history of the much-loved home of British motor racing, from its beginnings in the aftermath of the Second World War to its status now as a world-class motorsport venue.

The open two-seater SS Jaguar 100 was introduced in 1935, the name derived from the car's 100mph top speed, and was the first model to use the Jaguar moniker (previously the company founded by William Lyons and William Walmsley had produced motorcycle sidecar combinations under the Swallow Sidecars banner, and then cars using the 'SS' brand). The SS 100 was powered by a Harry Weslake-developed version of the six-cylinder engine produced by Standard Motor Company. SS Jaguar 100 chassis No. 18008, carrying registration BWK 77, and now known as 'Old No. 8' in deference to its chassis number, is regarded as the first works Jaguar racing car, and initially came to fame in the 1936 Alpine Trial (not to be confused with the Alpine Rally), which was run in Switzerland over a distance of 1,455 miles. Tommy and Elsie Wisdom persuaded William Lyons to lend them the then-new BWK 77 for the event, and against initial expectations they won in the car. Following the Alpine Trial victory Old No. 8 became the company's development car, Tommy Wisdom continuing to drive in it in circuit-racing events, while Sammy Newsome took the wheel for hillclimbs. As the car continued to be developed, it was lightened, and a new, more powerful 3.5-litre engine was fitted in place of the original 2.5-litre version, with the engine repositioned to improve weight distribution. In this form, in 1937 the car lapped the outer circuit at Brooklands at a speed of 118mph, winning with Wisdom at the wheel at an average speed of 112mph. Post-war, the car continued to compete, now in private hands, and was regularly entered by various owners in races and sprints, with various further modifications carried out along the way . After passing through various owners, and spending time on display in a French motor museum, and then in the Moray Motor Musuem, in Scotland, the car was purchased by its present owner in 2020, and is still raced today. 'Old No. 8' is one of the most significant cars in the rich history of Jaguar, and its fascinating story is told in-depth in this book, including details of its early works competition career and a look at the anatomy of this unique and important SS 100. The engaging text is supported by a remarkable selection of archive period photographs, along with a gallery of specially commissioned studio photography documenting this 'Exceptional Car' as it is today.

"I will build a car for the great multitude," stated Henry Ford, and so he did. The Ford Model T, or the 'Tin Lizzie' and the 'Flivver' as it was also known, transformed American society, bringing mobility through car ownership to millions of middle-class Americans at a time when the horse and the railroad were the only real viable means of transport. Using moving assembly lines and the best possible materials, between October 1908 and May 1927, Ford built around 16.5 million examples of this extraordinary car. By 1918, half of all cars built in America were Model Ts and by 1925 around 8,000 a day were being produced, making Henry Ford one of the world's best-known manufacturers of automobiles. The selection of body styles varied from two- and four-seat open and closed models - tourers, town cars, runabouts, landaulettes and cabriolets - to vans and pick-up trucks, and customers could also have colours other than black

This glorious book tells the story of the celebrated lightweight Jaguar C-type, chassis number XKC 051, that Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt drove to victory in the 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours. The car went on to have a busy post-works racing career, first with Ecurie Ecosse, then with privateer drivers Bill Smith and Geoffrey Allison. Among its small number of collector custodians in later years, the names Briggs Cunningham in America and Adrian Hamilton (son of Duncan) in the UK stand out. The development of the C-type is described, focusing on the three lightweights of 1953 with thinner-gauge aluminum bodies, pioneering disc brakes, and aircraft-style fuel tanks. All this is covered in fascinating detail, supported by interviews with drivers and mechanics, a fine collection of period images and studio photographs.

This book tells the story of one of the six alloy-bodied XK 120s that were prepared by Jaguar in 1950 for racing and rallying. This one, known as JWK 651 because of the registration number, was owned by Leslie Johnson and raced by him in some of the most prestigious events of the time, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Mille Miglia (twice) and the Tourist Trophy at Dundrod. Beyond that, Johnson and up-and-coming racing driver Stirling Moss visited the speed bowl at Montlhery for a record-breaking attempt, and Johnson also took part in the RAC Rally. In 1950, the car lay in second place in the Le Mans 24 Hours after 15 hours and was gaining on the leaders when the clutch failed. Besides this diverse and distinguished period competition career, the book tells the story of the later life of this most significant XK 120. The book includes a wealth of period photographs as well as a portfolio of magnificent studio images

This superb book tells the story of one of the most historically interesting of all Jaguar D-types, the XKD 504. This is a car that has raced more than any other D-type across its long and varied life, and this life is recounted in full. From its role as a works car used extensively for testing fuel injection, to two seasons of racing throughout Europe with Ecurie Ecosse, to four busy years of national competition in the hands of first Mike Salmon and then Peter Sutcliffe, it's all here. This book provides fascinating insight into every aspect of this D-type's history, supported by a fine collection of period photographs.