BRM: A Mechanic's Tale - Hardcover

Salmon, Dick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1845840828 ISBN 13: 9781845840822

Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd, 2007

Synopsis

British Racing Motors (generally known as BRM) was a British Formula 1 motor racing team often described as Britain's Ferrari as it built its own cars. Founded in 1945, the team raced from 1950 to 1977, competing in 197 Grand Prix and winning 17.This is the BRM story told by a man who was both a devoted fan and a loyal member of the British Racing Motors team. Seen purely from a mechanic's point of view this account of BRM is generally complimentary, but at times is critical of personnel and procedures. Dick Salmon was involved in the repeated failures and humiliations of the 1950s, through the gradual progress of winning minor races to the excitement of Jo Bonnier winning the first World Championship Grand Prix in Holland in 1959. BRM's glory culminated in the ultimate honor in 1962, when in East London, South Africa, Graham Hill drove a BRM to victory to win both the Driver's World Championship and in doing so brought the Constructor's Championship to the BRM team, thereby making a considerable contribution to international motor racing history. Probably for the first time, criticism is levelled at both Louis Stanley and the introduction of the H16 engine as contributory factors to the ultimate failure of British Racing Motors: Louis Stanley for his freeloading extravagance, and the rather foolish decision by BRM's management to build such a complicated and bulky power unit.

About this title

About the Author:

Richard was born in the small village of Irnham, where his parents kept the Post Office and village general store. After school he served an apprenticeship at a local garage before being conscripted into Royal Engineers in 1944, serving in South Iraq and being demobilized in 1947. Richard went on to work for British Racing Motors racing team for 17 years. Subsequently working for Lotus cars, Perkins diesel engines, Fiat-Allis, rebuilding BRM cars for sale by Christies and running a restoration business Richard has a thoroughbred motoring background.

Review:

Sports Car Market, May 2008
US magazine

Like the perfect garage pass, Dick Salmon takes you deep inside the story of BRM racing through his experiences as a mechanic, from the early ’50s through the mid-’60s. It’s the days of experimentation, failure, and ultimately a World Championship for the team behind the talents of Graham Hill. Salmon offers a mixture of up-close and personal history of the team blended with driver antics and more than enough anecdotes to keep the smiles coming. Like a friend in the pub, the ratio of information to storytelling is low, but that’s the charm of it all.

Provenance: ****
Hard to argue with the guy who was there. A great photo record as well.
Fit and finish: ***
The reproduction is high quality and the mix of black and white and ’60s color is well handled. 'A Mechanic’s Tale' sits on the dividing line between memoir with photos and photo book with memoir. No matter, every page turned brings another gem.
Drivability: ***
The stories of the drivers and events are often overshadowed by the 'mechanic’s tales,' which may mean way too many vignettes at roadside cafes rather than race tracks for some readers. But the fresh, straightforward prose makes it worthwhile.

Two Wheels magazine, August 2007

If you're lucky enough to own a bevel-drive 750, want to own a bevel-drive 750, or just dream about it, then Two Wheels contributor Ian Falloon's The Ducati 750 Bible is probably required – and certainly recommended – reading. Particularly, if you're buying one.

During the '70s, Ducati's manufacturing processes left a lot to be desired in terms of consistency, so originality is an extremely vexed question. Falloon has done more than anyone else to sort through the evidence to come up with some answers.

This is now more valuable than ever, given the rising prices of bevel-drives and the surfacing of re-manufactured models that aren't quite what they to seem to be. Perhaps the most famous story concerns a fellow who bought Paul Smart's 1972 Imola-winning machine and, in an attempt to find out more, managed to get Smart's phone number. He asked Smart some technical questions about the machine and Smart answered in some depth. When asked how he could be so sure, Smart replied: "I'm looking at the bike now. It's in my lounge room."

But then again, his teammate Bruno Spaggiari's bike did come to Australia and that's how legends start ...

Classic Cars, May 2007 by Mike Goodbun

Mechanic, Dick Salmon, worked at BRM from 1951 to '67 so he's perfectly placed to shed fresh light on what it was really like to work for Raymond Mays' Lincolnshire-based race team. His tale includes hilarious anecdotes of transport mishaps and border crossings, the elation of BRM's highs and the misery of its lows.

Photography is mostly black-and-white, but also includes intimate colour scene-capturing by Anthony Carter (Motor Racing – Reflections of a Lost Era). All 224 pages are refreshingly simply laid-out.

It's an essential purchase for BRM fans, but you don't have to know about BRM to enjoy it.

About this edition

• Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1845840828
• ISBN 13: 9781845840822
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224