James Taylor

In the late 1960s, the old Rover Company put everything it knew into a complex luxury saloon codenamed P8. At the same time, it planned to branch out into a new sector of the market with a stunningly advanced mid-engined sports car prototype that became a formal project with the codename of P9. However, with the forced merger into British Leyland in 1968, Rover found itself squeezed between Triumph and Jaguar: neither marque welcomed the new sports car, and Jaguar particularly did not welcome the new luxury saloon. Little by little, Rover’s plans were undermined, and in 1970 the sports car was killed off, followed by the luxury saloon, which was axed in 1971, a mere six months before production was due to start. Just a year later, Rover itself ceased to exist as a separate business after a forced merger with Triumph.

Affectionately named the Landcrab, the BMC 1800 was the largest of three ranges designed by Sir Alec Issigonis in the late 1950s and early 1960s. As innovative in its own way, the 1800 followed the successful Mini and 1100 and was highly praised for its Hydrolastic suspension and the vast interior space made possible by front-wheel drive. This big family saloon also tasted success in motor sport, and went on to have six-cylinder derivatives, of which the earliest examples were developed in Australia for local sale. Much of the 1800 design was re-employed for a new luxury model, the Austin 3-Litre, which had rear-wheel drive to suit its more conservative market. Sadly, less successful than the 1800, the 3-Litre promised much but never quite delivered – and the plans for rebadged versions, and even a Bentley derivative, were not pursued. Both these cars had important places in the story of the British car industry in the 1960s, and both of them have a following among classic-car enthusiasts today. Acclaimed motoring historian James Taylor details these vehicles in this highly informative and beautifully illustrated account.

The Sunbeam Alpine was the Rootes Group’s contender for sports car sales, especially in the USA where comparable models from other British makers were selling to what appeared an inexhaustible market. Rootes introduced their car in 1959, and chose to distinguish it from the competition by making it more refined, with such things as winding windows and a permanently-attached soft top. Pretty styling, quite different from rival models, also helped the Alpine to secure a gratifyingly strong position in the market. Nevertheless, the Alpine was being made at a time when American buyers were hungry for power and performance, and to cater for that end of the sports car market Rootes developed a high-performance derivative that they called the Tiger. This sold alongside the Alpine from 1964, and central to it was an American Ford V8 engine that offered more than twice the brake horsepower of the four-cylinder in the contemporary Alpine. Over the nine years of its production, the Alpine was produced in five major variants, and with a variety of different specifications, as Rootes gradually improved it to meet customer expectations. The Tiger, which of course arrived later, was produced in two major versions, the second one using an even larger and more powerful version of the Ford V8. Both cars went through a multitude of specification changes, and this fact makes it hard for the average owner today to determine what the original specification of any individual car would have been. The purpose of this book is to identify the minutiae of the changes that were made on the assembly lines. Some remain controversial, but Simon Clay’s excellent photographs help to provide the visual clarity that today’s enthusiasts need to achieve an accurate and satisfying restoration.

When the Land Rover entered production in 1948, its manufacturers had designed it as a versatile platform – a basically-equipped vehicle that could be adapted in multiple ways to meet the needs of its owners. The very first example displayed on a motor show stand, at Amsterdam in April 1948, was not a “standard” vehicle at all but had been adapted to turn it into a mobile welder. In the years that followed, specialist companies flocked to create all kinds of special-purpose adaptations of the basic vehicle, and before long its makers were having to make major decisions about whether they could honour the standard warranty on a Land Rover that had been modified by one of these aftermarket companies. They solved the problem by introducing a Land Rover Approval scheme, under which they would examine and test an example of a conversion and would then agree to honour the vehicle warranty if the conversion met their standards. Even then, some conversions were put on the market without going through the formal approval scheme, and buyers simply took the associated risk. Between these unauthorised conversions and the factory-approved ones, a vast array of different types was created, and for enthusiasts today these have a very special appeal of their own. The aim of this book is to catalogue those conversions, to provide both helpful background information and to help in their identification. It cannot claim to be exhaustive, but it is certainly the most complete illustrated catalogue yet compiled on the subject. Illustrated with pictures from the original manufacturers and with many others showing modern survivors, it is a colourful and enjoyable guide to this branch of Land Rover history.

The Citroën 2CV was designed to bring affordable motoring to rural communities in France, but during a production run that spanned more than four decades it achieved far more than that. When already 25 years old, it presented an affordable solution to increasing fuel costs after the first Oil Crisis, and gained a legion of new devotees as a result. To help maintain its sales in this era, Citroën created a number of colourful special editions, which in some cases were specific to just one country, and in others differed between one country and the next. Along the way, the 2CV also became the foundation for a whole family of other small Citroëns, which were known collectively as the A-series models. The Ami, the Dyane and the Méhari provided simple and affordable passenger transport, and both these and the 2CV itself were further developed to provide light commercial vehicles as well. Meanwhile, licensed overseas assembly plants developed their own derivatives, which added further colour and interest to the 2CV story. There were far more varieties of these cheap and cheerful Citroëns than most people realise, and this book aims to catalogue them in an easily accessible format. It begins with an examination of the 2CV’s origins in the 1930s and then follows the evolution of the production cars before going on to look at the Ami, Dyane and Méhari models, in every case detailing the multiple special editions as well as the mainstream types. There are special chapters on the commercial derivatives, on the less well-known variants that were built in Europe, and on those created far from the car’s French home. The book closes with a look at the aftermarket conversions and accessories that became an important part of the 2CV story from the earliest times.

The BMW E34 5 Series is considered one of the most impressive car designs to come out of the 1980s. The BMW E34 5 Series became the benchmark executive saloon during its eight-year production life, and today enthusiasts still look back on it as one of the high points of the BMW story. The E34 range made its debut in 1988, and built on BMW’s growing success in the medium-sized saloon class. From the start, its makers aimed to seize leadership of the market sector from their arch-rivals at Mercedes-Benz, and to that end they developed a sleek, sporty shape and made the car available with a range of 6-cylinder engines. These included highly regarded diesel types, and later there would be an entry-level 4-cylinder as well. BMW kept the E34 range fresh to the very end, through three major eras of production. The first lasted until 1990, and established the range firmly. The second period, from 1990 to 1992, brought ‘Touring’ (estate) models, 4-wheel-drive variants and advanced new 4-valve engines. Between 1992 and 1996, the third phase brought annual updates, including VANOS variable valve timing and new V8 engines for the top-of-the-range models. In the BMW tradition, these cars combined strong performance with excellent handling, and these qualities were exploited to the hilt by the M5 variants produced by the legendary M Division. Aftermarket tuning specialists made their own contributions, too, adding to the aura of glamour around the E34 range. There were lesser-known elements of the story, too, when BMW used the E34 range for some fascinating experiments with hybrid power systems, a convertible, and a dual-fuel system.

Tervetuloa Pohjoismaiden suurimpaan verkkokirjakauppaan! Adlibris kannattaa sananvapautta, ja haluamme edistää kirjallisuuden ja tiedon saatavuutta.

Like other British motor manufacturers, the Rover Company spent World War II helping the war effort rather than building cars. Bombed out of its original home in Coventry during the Blitz in 1940, it was fortunate in 1945 to be able to move into the new factory at Solihull that it had been managing on behalf of the Air Ministry. The Solihull factory was not only new: it was huge. Its size presented Rover with a welcome opportunity for expansion, but first the company had to get back into the game. With no new car designs ready, Rover’s only option was to re-start production with mildly improved versions of their pre-war models. New models were a long time coming. Early ideas focused on a small economy car, but it soon became clear that this was not what the public wanted. Meanwhile, ambitious plans for a new and ultra-modern car, using mechanical elements that had been under development before the war, had to be put back when there were delays in designing a satisfactory modern body style. As a temporary measure, Rover added their new mechanical elements to modified pre-war style bodies to deliver the P3 models in 1948. The solution was unexpected. Rover’s Chief Engineer had bought a war-surplus Jeep for his own use, and he quickly realised that Rover could easily build something similar that civilian users both at home and abroad would find useful. Combining their new engine with the simplest of chassis and body to save time and costs, Rover had the Land-Rover ready shortly after the new P3 – and its immediate world-wide success took them by surprise. It had plans, too – far too many to put into production. There were gas turbine-powered cars inspired by the company’s wartime jet engine work; there was a hybrid of Rover car and Land-Rover called the Road-Rover; and there were ideas for expanding the existing model ranges and adding more. By 1953, when the story told in this book ends, Rover was ready to introduce new saloons and Land-Rovers that would see it comfortably through the 1950s. Not only had it survived, but it was in better health than ever before.

This book is designed to give guidance on the original, ex-factory specifications of the first-generation Range Rovers built between 1970 and 1996. Sometimes known as Range Rover Classics (although the only ones properly so called were built after autumn 1994), these models laid the foundations for the following generations of Land Rover’s world-acclaimed Range Rover. Many of these early Range Rovers fell on hard times as they passed on to third, fourth and subsequent owners. Many were butchered beyond recognition when converted into off-road playthings. But now, more than a quarter of a century since the last examples were built, it is no surprise that enthusiasts have begun to restore examples to their original condition. This has created a demand for accurate information about what that original condition actually was. James Taylor has trawled painstakingly through original documents and examined original vehicles to put together all the known facts in one place. This guide will be essential reading for everyone with an interest in restoring or running one of these iconic models that became the foundation of today’s Land Rover marque.

This book gives a full run-down of all Mercedes-Benz models produced between 1947 and 2000. Starting with the revived pre-war cars in 1947, the book divides the model ranges into different types – saloons, luxury models, coupés, roadsters, and examines them in chronological order right up to 2000, by which time Mercedes had embarked on a new course. With model-by-model descriptions and detailed technical information, this book will be a great resource for all Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. Featuring over 200 photographs, the book delves into the histories and specifications of nearly 40 different model ranges, explaining their origins, outlining their production changes, and providing production figures for individual models where these are available.

By: James Taylor, Pub. 1889, Reprinted 2024, 420 pages, Index, soft cover, ISBN #978-1-63914-220-0. This set of books should be well received as a reprint for the genealogists, family historian or historian. This volume #1 traces the earliest recorded origins of the following Scottish families up to the 19th Century: the Ancient Earldom of Mar, the Earldom of Menteith, the Douglases, the Angus Douglases, the Keiths, the Setons, the Ruthvens, the Crichtons, the Mackenzies (2), the Hamiltons, the Hamilton-Douglases, the Campbells (4), the Leslies (4), the Ramsays, the Maules, the Lauderdale Maitlnds, the Homes and the Marchmont Humes. These historic families have grown prolifically over time and have added much to the development and history of the American colonies.

By: James Taylor, Pub. 1889, Reprinted 2024, 442 pages, soft cover, ISBN #978-1-63914-221-7. This set of books should be well received as a reprint for the genealogists, family historian or historian. This volume #2 traces the earliest recorded origins of the following Scottish families up to the 19th Century: the Maxwells, the Johnstones, the Stewarts, the Drummonds (2), the Erskines (3), the Grahams (3), the Buccleuch, the Harden, the Hepburns, the Frasers (2), the Gordons (4), the Hays (3), and the Maclellans. These historic families have grown prolifically over time and have added much to the development and history of the American colonies.

Delve into the captivating and sometimes dark history of sideshow geeks and other eccentric acts of the past With this book, you can explore the realm of forgotten carnival entertainment. Learn all about the rise and fall of the sideshow geek, uncovering the truth behind the myths and uncovering untold stories. You'll be taken on a journey through time to discover the captivating and sometimes outrageous entertainment of these forgotten acts. Benefits of reading this book: -Uncover the truth behind the myths of the sideshow geek-Learn about the origins of the word 'geek' and how it has evolved over time-See the stories about actual known sideshow geeks. What is included in this book: - History of the sideshow geek and other eccentric acts- Interviews with performers and thought leaders- Exploration of wild men, stone eaters, human ostriches, and competitive goldfish swallowers- Comprehensive picture of the rise and ultimate demise of the sideshow geekDon't miss out on this opportunity to learn the secrets of the sideshow geek and other eccentric acts of the past. Buy it NOW

The Austin Seven was a hugely important arrival on the British motoring scene in 1922, its low price making car ownership available to a section of the public for whom this had earlier been a cost too far. It was cheap to run thanks to its small engine, and its simplicity did not frighten those new to the mechanics of a car. The Seven heralded the demise of the cheap but flimsy cyclecar, and in the longer term it also attracted buyers away from the motor-cycle-and-sidecar combinations that had been the only way into motorised transport for those of limited means. A century after the Seven’s introduction, the cars have a world-wide following. Part of the attraction is much the same as it always was – simplicity of maintenance and the low cost of ownership. Yet the sheer variety of Sevens produced between 1922 and 1939 as Austin gradually developed the model is also a source of fascination – and of some bewilderment and confusion. This book aims to give easy access to the key features of each variant of Austin Seven. It follows the vehicle’s evolution from its 1922 origins to 1939 when the last Seven was built. Yet the book goes far beyond that, giving details of models built outside Britain, coachbuilt cars, military variants and factory competition and record-breaking cars.

In this fascinating book, Rover expert James Taylor explores the special relationship between the royal family and their Land Rovers. Focusing on the Royal Review Land Rovers which travelled around the Commonwealth, the book reveals the details of the Land Rovers and the special additions and coachwork for their unique role. Although a Land Rover was first presented to George VI in 1948, it was Elizabeth II and her consort Prince Philip who would cement the relationship, not only with a royal warrant but evident customer loyalty over the ensuing years. Royal and Ceremonial Land Rovers covers the various models of Land Rover, including Range Rovers, from the early series, such as State1 with its basic steering, transmission and braking systems, to the luxurious and sophisticated Range Rovers of today, bringing to life an essential part of our motoring and royal history.

Delve into the captivating and sometimes dark history of sideshow geeks and other eccentric acts of the past With this book, you can explore the realm of forgotten carnival entertainment. Learn all about the rise and fall of the sideshow geek, uncovering the truth behind the myths and uncovering untold stories. You'll be taken on a journey through time to discover the captivating and sometimes outrageous entertainment of these forgotten acts. Benefits of reading this book: -Uncover the truth behind the myths of the sideshow geek-Learn about the origins of the word 'geek' and how it has evolved over time-See the stories about actual known sideshow geeks. What is included in this book: - History of the sideshow geek and other eccentric acts- Interviews with performers and thought leaders- Exploration of wild men, stone eaters, human ostriches, and competitive goldfish swallowers- Comprehensive picture of the rise and ultimate demise of the sideshow geekDon't miss out on this opportunity to learn the secrets of the sideshow geek and other eccentric acts of the past. Buy it NOW

The Pontons may have been Mercedes-Benz’s bread-and-butter models of the 1950s, but they were vitally important in establishing the marque as a significant player around the globe. Alongside the saloons that made Mercedes famous world-wide for long-lasting and economical taxis, there were exotic two-door cabriolet and coupé derivatives, and the cars’ basic structure was made available too for conversion into ambulances, pick-ups, estate cars and hearses. Not always appreciated is that the 190SL sports model was also derived from the engineering of the Ponton range. The Ponton Mercedes and the 190SL have long enjoyed a strong enthusiast following around the world. Here is their story, from their creation at a time when Mercedes was emerging from the devastation of war, though their success during the German Economic Miracle of the 1950s, to their final days in the early 1960s alongside the first of the ‘Fintail’ models that would eventually replace them. No enthusiast of these widely respected cars will want to be without this book.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1859. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1859. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.

When it was launched in 1949, the new Rover 75 was considered revolutionary for its time, its sleek integrated styling being very much a break with the designs of the past. In this book, Rover expert James Taylor covers the development of all of the various P4 models, from the 75 to the 110 of the early 1960s, providing a unique insight into a car still affectionately known as ‘Auntie’. Despite its somewhat ponderous appearance, the solid build with wood and leather interiors matched by good driving dynamics made the Rover P4 a pleasure to drive and own. Complemented by the Rover P5 and eventually replaced by the Rover P6, the Rover P4 held sway for over a decade during which it became a favourite of the professional classes and an emblem of the conservative British lifestyle and values. After the end of production, it continued to remain a favourite among classic car enthusiasts. The various models and developments of the Rover P4 are all covered in this concise but comprehensive book, providing an endless source of interest for Rover P4 and classic car enthusiasts alike.