Coventry Climax Racing Engines: The Definitive Development History - Hardcover

Hammill, Des

4.57

14 ratings by Goodreads

9781903706831: Coventry Climax Racing Engines: The Definitive Development History

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1903706831 ISBN 13: 9781903706831

Publisher: Veloce Publishing, 2004

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In the 50s & 60s Coventry Climax engines powered many race-winning cars, including some driven by Stirling Moss & Jack Brabham. To get the true inside story, the author, an engineer, has talked to all surviving Coventry Climax personnel who were involved with the racing engines. The author was given full access to all of Walter Hassan's papers, photographs and engine drawings. After 30 months of original research and writing, this book describes exactly how these famous engines developed from industrial fire pumps to the Hillman Imp, from Le Mans winning Lotus Elites to Formula One winners driven by Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham, right through to the company's takeover by Jaguar in 1963. Viewed through the eyes of an engineer, and the detailed recollections of those who were there, this is a fascinating account of the trials and tribulations of leading edge race engine design from 1952 to 1966.

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About the Author:

Des Hammill is a professional engineer with huge experience of building successful and reliable racing engines and solving the problems associated with all aspects of high performance applications. Des has written many of Veloce's SpeedPro series books.

Review:

Review from Classic Bike Guide, January 2008
UK magazine

OK, who hasn't heard of Coventry Climax? I know they're race car engine makers but the company history is a fascinating insight into the working psyche of a successful engine maker.

Books like this fascinate me and the subject is, if a bit technical, far from boring - at least that's what I found.

Author Des Hammill has patiently researched his subject and admitted early on that prior to delving deep into Coventry Climax, he's accepted the 'common knowledge' about the company and its products as being correct.

There are details of engine development, the characters involved in all aspects of the company and the racing world, references to motorcycles and the emerging world of the professional race team as opposed to the gentleman's sport.

Coventry Climax Racing Engines has a wealth of history crammed into the 192 pages of this hardback 9in x 6in book. Is it worth the �16.99 from Veloce Publishers? I think so, but then again I enjoy a load of such technical books.

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