The book thread

[Sam_Q]

I would like to start a thread where people can recomend some reading material that follows something roughly like this:


Title:

Author:

What its about:

Complexity:

good points:

bad points:

comments:


I will be adding the info on these books shortly:

21st centuary performance, 4 stroke tuning, scientific design of intake + exhuasts, chassis tuning and a few others

people are welcome to comment on whatthey think about books that have been mentioned.

[Billzilla]

Anything by Carroll Smith.
Tune to Win.
Prepare to Win.
Engineer to Win.

Also reading Milliken & Milliken lately .... very heavy going but very interesting.

[Sam_Q]

let me start


Title: Chassis tuning

Author: herb adams

What its about: how changing the stucture of your car vehicle or the initual design combined with its suspension pivot points alters the handling/balance.

Complexity: from the simplest possible (match stick models) to mostly managable forumulars, so about medicore.

good points: very good at explaining how altering how intial stuctures are flawed from the start and how making small changes makes a difference. Is especially good in explaining the effects of different suspension designs.

bad points: It doesnt go very deep into the some of the more advanced ends of tuning and misses information in some area, such as a de-dion link.

comments: Very basic models are used in many parts so it is quite a readable book and was very helpfull to myself personally. Helped me understand the movement of suspension and the effects it had.

[Sam_Q]

well said Bill, although they can be very full on at times, I will write my Caroll smith book next: his bolt book

[Sam_Q]

Title: Carroll Smith's Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook

Author: Carroll Smith's

What its about: Everything you ever wanted to know about fasteners and more

Complexity: from basic to fairly in depth, but nothing too complex.

good points: Exceptional guide on everything fastner related from bolt, studs, nuts, washers to hyraulic fittings. Uses real wold english and written in a style which is more personal that what I have seen in Carol Smith's other books. Makes for a very easy to read book

bad points: Very little, only thing off hand I can think of the aluminium, titanium and hollow fasteners are covered in a tiny section.

comments: I seriously think anyone who is a bit serious about making anything should read it.

[Sam_Q]

Title: 21st centuary performance

Author: Julian edger (autospeed and auusie car mags)

What its about: An all round guide on car modification for a car in the fuel injected era.

Complexity: From basics to some mid/high difficulty mods. Just about all the book is very acheivable

good points: Cover a wide range and has information that is highly practical, well explained and with heaps of pictures in full colour.

bad points: It isnt cheap, its not meant to be a specilised guide and therefore is very broad in its information so probably not a heap of help for a few modifiers.

comments: If your getting into car modification then I highly reocmend it, I cant think of a better all round guide than this one

[Sam_Q]

oh also Bill I did a search and I dont find anything by that name, whats the exact name of that book?

[Billzilla]

oh also Bill I did a search and I dont find anything by that name, whats the exact name of that book?

"Race Car Vehicle Dynamics"

http://www.sae.org/technical/books/R-146

The best book on car dynamics ever written. It's pretty complex and not for everyone though. (I can't follow a lot of it ...)

[big wad]

anything by robert g barrett. especially les norton stories, wouldn,t be dead for quids is tops. great aussie fictional humor about fighting, drinking ,shagging ,crazy shit in cars, etc. you won,t be able to put it down and you will annoy the shit out of your missus through constant sniggering.just the thing with a couple of coldies after working all day trying to fix your import.. cheers bigwad

[Draven]

anything by robert g barrett. especially les norton stories, wouldn,t be dead for quids is tops. great aussie fictional humor about fighting, drinking ,shagging ,crazy shit in cars, etc. you won,t be able to put it down and you will annoy the shit out of your missus through constant sniggering.just the thing with a couple of coldies after working all day trying to fix your import.. cheers bigwad

dude, this is the tech and conversions section. Tech and conversions books are the order of the day

[MWP]

Title: 21st centuary performance
Author: Julian edger (autospeed and auusie car mags)

Borrowed it off a friend, had a quick read through it.
It tries to cover too much, and lacks a lot of detail.

Would recommend it for a beginner only.

[roadsailing]

yeah i found 20t century performance pretty light on, has a bit ov interesting stuff, but more for the person who wants to fit a K&N panel filter and gain half a horsepower.

maxium boost is a very good primer on turbo selection and installation, mid level i'd say, covers the basics but assumes you aren;t a complete noob

[SeptemberSquall]

fred puhn

how to make your car handle

good early to mid difficulty book about vehicle dynamics and methodical chassis and suspension tuning. good to give someone trying their hand at it for the first/second time a scientific process to follow

[MWP]

Yeah, i also have Puhn.
... need to read it again i think

I havent read anything else detailed on suspension/chassis design, so i cant really comment on if its any good or not.

[Hiro]

Anything by Carroll Smith.
Tune to Win.
Prepare to Win.
Engineer to Win.

Also reading Milliken & Milliken lately .... very heavy going but very interesting.

Milliken = God
The bible as far as F-SAE is concerned

If we're not talking about car-related books, then the following are some of the best books you could ever read:

The Gap Series - Stephen Donaldson
Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
Apollo 13/Lost Moon - Jim Lovell

I rate them as some of the best books ever written.