Personal stories of collecting and restoring classic cars - Packard, Lamberghini, GTO, Studebaker, Cadillac, Thunderbird, Mercedes-Benz, and more. Includes 32 full color photos of restored classic cars. "... a 'must read' for those of us who truly love the automobile." -- Jay Leno. From the Introduction: This book is not about Zen. Nevertheless, Zen pervades its pages. Anecdotally, it's about the hunt for and occasional capture of unique motorcars by one man over a period of six decades. This book details a lifetime of searching, finding, buying, transporting, restoring, enjoying, and eventually selling the products of a hobby gone wild. Reading these true stories of one man's lifelong car-collecting avocation, you'll find the journey seldom follows the anticipated path. As with life itself, there are sudden turns, frequent stops, and frustrating conditions, events, and outcomes. It's probably better to recognize these through others' experiences, rather than stumbling into the pitfalls and darker elements of car collecting on your own and without preparation. As I did. After you've read the car stories, and had an opportunity to observe mistakes made, and the adverse results that often follow, the book's concluding chapter will offer lessons learned across a -car-collecting lifetime. Take heed. These lessons could help prevent similar mistakes in your own collecting pursuits. Who knows, they might even save you from yourself.Looking back, I wish I'd found something similar sixty years ago to better prepare for the hobby's rigors. Many wasted hours and dollars might have been saved. Above all, these stories should illustrate the difference between learning as you go - flying by the seat of your pants - or gaining information and knowledge before stepping into the rewarding, but also daunting, hobby of collecting old cars. Take the lesson. -- Bruce Valley

"Art of the Classic Car showcases the most beautiful and in some cases rare vehicles of the early 20th century. Each car is showcased with breathtaking photography and coupled with explicit, informative prose detailing the particular history of each model"-Provided by publisher.

Zen and the Art of Local History is an engaging, interactive conversation that conveys the exciting nature of local history. Divided into six major themes the book covers the scope and breadth of local history: • Being a Local Historian • Topics and Sources • Staying Relevant • Getting it Right • Writing History • History Organizations Each chapter features one of Carol Kammen’s memorable editorials from History News. Her editorial is a “call.” Each is followed by a response from one of more than five dozen prominent players in state and local history. These Respondents include local and public historians, archivists, volunteers, and history professionals across the kaleidoscopic spectrum of local history. Among this group are Katherine Kane, Robert “Bob” Richmond, Charlie Bryan, and Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko. The result is a series of dialogues on important topics in the field of local history. This interactivity of these conversations makes Zen and the Art of Local History a unique offering in the public history field.

Join “The Barn Find Hunter” Tom Cotter for a thrilling, illustrated behind-the-scenes look at how he deploys his well-honed auto-archaeology skills to ferret out amazing collector car stashes. Since 2016, author Tom Cotter has been The Barn Find Hunter for an ongoing series sponsored by Hagerty Classic Insurance and found on their popular YouTube channel. Since that time, Cotter and crew have filmed more than 100 episodes throughout the US and even visited the UK. Some of Cotter’s most popular episodes have views in excess of 5 million! Cotter has uncovered everything from pre-WWII classics to postwar exotics like Porsche, Jaguar, and Ferrari. He’s a dyed-in-the-wool car guy, and the collectors he finds can’t resist sharing their treasure and revealing the stories behind their stashed cars. In Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter, Cotter gives you an entertaining and informative look at how he works his barn-find magic, offering tips, hard-won perspectives, and why the thrill of discovery never dies in his pursuit of the next “lost” car. The book is illustrated throughout with images from his most epic finds. Attend any auction or any car show and it’s immediately clear that collectors cannot get enough of barn-find and survivor vehicles and the stories behind them. In Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter, Cotter takes you along for what has been the ride of his lifetime.

For anyone who's ever watched an old beauty driving down the freeway and wondered where it came from, or why people spend so much time and care restoring that old rust bucket, this My Car Quest Chronicles Design Book is an eye-opening, informative read for you! The classic car as art begins with the shape, but the engineering and performance must match the beauty of that shape. The classic cars that the author writes about are works of art. This My Car Quest Chronicles Design Book is a collection of some of the favorite articles from the popular classic car blog, My Car Quest. Including Aston Martin, Bizzarrini, Iso Grifo, and Iso Rivolta models.

Satisfy your dream collector-car desires with this one-stop reference for starting or expanding your collection beyond traditional classics and muscle cars. Focusing on the interests and needs of Generation X and Millennial car collectors, The NextGen Guide to Car Collecting offers a concise history of car collecting to present day, guidance on car buying and living the car-collector life, and an overview of collector cars with a focus on cars built from the 1970s through the 1990s while also touching on more contemporary cars. Chapters highlight Japanese, American, and European cars, particularly those models that have experienced the greatest growth in collector interest over the past decade. The NextGen Guide to Car Collecting explores the many ways the Internet and social media have changed the classic car marketplace. You’ll learn how to buy a classic car online without suffering buyer’s remorse, as well as the four critical keys to a happy collector-vehicle relationship: 1) possessing discretionary cash for the initial purchase; 2) obtaining a thorough knowledge of the car and its ownership; 3) the critical pre-purchase inspection; and 4) access to a work space. You’ll also find out why the popularity of late twentieth-century specialty cars will continue to grow (think increasing electronic complication and the still-large number of enthusiasts for whom “self-driving” means driving themselves) and explore the attributes that makes these cars desirable collector vehicles. In addition, the book looks at the significant increases in quality and reliability of post-1970s machines and how that impacts their collectibility. Finally, learn why expectations that your newfound classic could outlast our current crop of lithium-ion-dependent electric cars may not be unrealistic: recent developments like ride-hailing and sharing services; expanded public transit; rental bikes and scooters; and garage condos and other storage options could actually extend the life of your “new” classic permitting you to truly tailor the use of your classics. Whether your collection requires a one-stall garage or a pole barn, the practical, useful information and keen perspective of The NextGen Guide to Car Collecting will ensure you pull this volume from your shelf time and again.

A look at how the hobby of old cars have evolved.