European Style with American Muscle
By Mike Gulett
4/5
()
About this ebook
A review of "European Style with American Muscle" by Martyn L. Schorr.
If you’re like me and passionately love European-style sports cars and GTs powered by powerful, reliable and durable American engines, Mike Gulett’s latest e-book, "European Style with American Muscle", belongs in your library.
While not overly heavy on text, it’s packed from cover to cover with great information and quality color photography of some of the most exciting Hybrids to have come out of Italy, France, Switzerland and the UK. Mike breaks down the field into 25 chapters, covering the usual suspects plus cars that you have probably never heard of. And, if you are familiar with the marques, you may not have realized American engines powered them. For example, Brough Superior (Hudson chassis and naturally-aspirated and supercharged Sixes), Ginetta (Ford Four and V8s) and Gordon-Keeble (Chevy V8).
It’s also highly-recommended for car enthusiasts who may think that there are only a few vintage European and British nameplates - Allard, AC, Pantera, Iso, Bizzarrini, Jensen, etc., that have relied on American powerplants. Actually Mike covers 25 brands some that will really surprise you.
"European Style with American Muscle" is a great read and puts a whole new focus on Hybrids!
Martyn L. Schorr wrote the book on Baldwin-Motion, “Motion Performance: Tales of a Muscle Car Builder” (Motorbooks).
He is the editor of “Car Guy Chronicles” and is the Chief Communications Officer of “Sarasota Cafe Racers”.
Mike Gulett
Mike Gulett writes about classic cars, race cars, other cars that interest him and the people who made or drove those cars. He is also a car collector and writes from the perspective of a collector and an enthusiast. He has more than thirty years experience in the technology business with fifteen years experience as either the President & CEO or the President & COO. He has worked for NCR, Intel, VLSI Technology, Virata and Ikanos in addition to a few other start-up companies. Mike started publishing his blog, My Car Quest, in November 2010 and has lived and worked in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years where he still lives with his wife and a few cats.
Related to European Style with American Muscle
Related ebooks
British Luxury Cars of the 1950s and ’60s Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mercedes 300SL Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mercedes W108, W109 V8 With Buyer's Guide, Chassis Number And Data Card Explanation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBritish Sports Cars of the 1950s and ’60s Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Classic Car Adventure: Driving Through History on the Road to Nostalgia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJAGUAR - The complete Story of the famous Jaguar Car Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bugatti: Type 35 Grand Prix Car and Its Variants Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Road & Track Iconic Cars: Mustang Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPEUGEOT - Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings1973-1974 Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty 455: Muscle Cars In Detail No. 6 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hillman Cars Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMuscle Cars: The First American Supercars Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/51969-1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429: Muscle Cars In Detail No. 7 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/51971 Plymouth 'Cuda: In Detail No. 2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings1958 Automotive Guide to Cars of the World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMustang and the Pony Car Revolution Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOldsmobile W-Powered Muscle Cars: Includes W-30, W-31, W-32, W-33, W-34 and more Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRoad & Track Iconic Cars: BMW M Series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mercedes Pagoda SL Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClassic Japanese Performance Cars: History & Legacy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mercedes W110 Fintail Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great Cars of All Time: Fascinating stories of the origin, development, and famous feats of the world's most exciting automobiles Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Complete History of the Toyota Supra Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/51969 Plymouth Road Runner: Muscle Cars In Detail No. 5 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chevrolets of the 1950s: A Decade of Technical Innovation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDiscovering Lost Automobiles and their Stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cars of Harley Earl Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/51968 Shelby Mustang GT350, GT500 and GT500KR: In Detail No. 3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Little Book of Fast Cars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Iconic Cars: Corvette Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Automotive For You
It Came from the Garage! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Auto Repair For Dummies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Drive: Real World Instruction and Advice from Hollywood's Top Driver Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Car Basics Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5California Driver’s Practice Tests: DMV Practice Tests Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGirls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Automotive Wiring and Electrical Systems Vol. 2: Projects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Reckoning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chevy Big Blocks: How to Build Max Performance on a Budget Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5How to Rebuild GM LS-Series Engines Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAutomotive Wiring and Electrical Systems Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Repair Automotive Air-Conditioning & Heating Systems Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Let's Build A Camper Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Rebuild the Small-Block Mopar Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5GM 4L80E Transmissions: How to Rebuild & Modify: How to Rebuild & Modify Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping & Boondocking on America's Public Lands Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Official Highway Code: DVSA Safe Driving for Life Series Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5CarTalks: Car Basics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Automotive Diagnostic Systems: Understanding OBD-I & OBD-II Revised Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Buy a Used Car Without Getting Ripped Off Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Rebuild VW Air-Cooled Engines: 1961-2003 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Small Block Chevrolet: Stock and High-Performance Rebuilds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Welding for Beginners in Fabrication Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Paint Your Car on a Budget Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5RV Living: RV Repair: A Guide to Troubleshoot, Repair, and Upgrade Your Motorhome and Understand RV Electrical Safety Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAlphabet Trucks Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for European Style with American Muscle
2 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
European Style with American Muscle - Mike Gulett
European Style with American Muscle
Primer
By Mike Gulett
Copyright 2011 Mike Gulett
Smashwords Edition
Visit Mike Gulett’s Smashwords Profile and blog at My Car Quest.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: AC (Shelby)
Chapter 2: Allard
Chapter 3: Apollo
Chapter 4: Bitter
Chapter 5: Bizzarrini
Chapter 6: Bristol
Chapter 7: Brough Superior
Chapter 8: Cunningham
Chapter 9: De Tomaso
Chapter 10: Facel
Chapter 11: Ghia and Dual-Ghia
Chapter 12: Ginetta
Chapter 13: Gordon-Keeble
Chapter 14: Hudson
Chapter 15: Intermeccanica
Chapter 16: Iso
Chapter 17: Jensen
Chapter 18: Lister
Chapter 19: Marcos
Chapter 20: Monteverdi
Chapter 21: Nash-Healey
Chapter 22: Railton
Chapter 23: Sunbeam
Chapter 24: Trident
Chapter 25: TVR
About The Author
Introduction
A car enthusiast, manufacturer or dreamer recognizes the beauty, performance and elegance of a European chassis and body style but is not happy with the small displacement engine usually found in European cars. Fortunately, there are many American engines that are more powerful and are well designed for durability, high performance and easy maintenance.
He has the brilliant idea to put one of these American engines into a beautiful European car. The result is a very fast, small car that is suitable to win races or just to drive around, have fun and look great. Chevrolet, Ford, Cadillac, Chrysler, Nash, Hudson and Buick power these cars.
The chassis and body styling come from many different companies located in several European countries. However, there is a large concentration from the United Kingdom.
Rock stars, movie stars and other celebrities who can afford any car that they wanted, have coveted many of these cars. Some celebrities originally commissioned a few of these cars and changed the course of some of these car manufacturers.
There are twenty-five marques profiled in this book with 14 from the United Kingdom, 5 from Italy, 3 from the United States, 1 from Germany, 1 from France and 1 from Switzerland. There must be many more one of a kind cars that maybe only the creator and his friends and family know about.
Most of these companies have gone out of business for various reasons, including the oil crisis of the 1970s, mismanagement, wars, disagreements between business partners, a merger of a supplier or partner, or the death of the founder.
The car business is a difficult business and even companies with a great product have struggled to survive. Most did not survive but fortunately many of these wonderful cars do still exist today.
These cars are art on wheels and are great collector cars. They are appreciating in value as they become more recognized as an important part of car history. They are not a footnote but an important chapter in the history of the car.
Chapter 1: AC (Shelby)
AC Cars Group Ltd., formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd., was one of the earliest car companies in Britain. AC has gone through many changes in ownership over the years and has struggled financially.
AC had been using the Bristol straight-6 cylinder engine for many years, up to the early 1960s, including in the AC Ace, a 2-passenger roadster. The Ace had a hand-built body with steel tube frame, and aluminum body panels.
1957 AC Ace
In 1961 Bristol stopped making engines and switched to Chrysler V8 power for Bristol models (see the Bristol chapter). AC was forced to change engines and they switched to the 2.6-liter Ford Zephyr engine.
Shelby
In late 1961 Carroll Shelby contacted AC with the idea of using an American V8 engine in the Ace chassis. AC liked this idea so Shelby went looking for an engine supplier. He approached Chevrolet and they turned him down because they did not want to create competition for the Corvette. Ford, however, liked the idea because they wanted to compete with the Corvette.
The Ford 260 cid V8 lightweight, tuned engine was chosen and an engine was shipped to AC where it was fitted into the prototype chassis number CSX0001. After AC was convinced this would work the engine was removed and the chassis was sent to Shelby in California where another engine