The Log Book (MG Drivers Club of North America) – Summer 2008
A wonderful new guide, “The Enthusiasts’ Guide to buying a Classic British Sports Car” has been published in the UK. Researched and written by Peter Hingston it covers 150+ models with detailed specifications and around 600 photos of the marques included from AC Ace to TVR Tasmin. Naturally, MG is well represented with reports on every model from the TC to the RV8.
Mr Hingston’s incredibly comprehensive text has already been praised by the likes of “Classic & Sports Car” magazine and the MG Car Club and MG Owners Club’s of the UK. The book begins with a detailed five step process that a potential classic British sports car owner should go thru: from decisions on what marque and model to choose, insurance, club support, service and spares availability, etc. Each model is rated by cost range from UK£1,000 to over UK£40,000 (US$2,000 to over US$40,000). As an example the MGA receives two full pages and seven photos (including a classic picture with the A’s designer Syd Enever next to the 100,000th “MGA). Information is provided on the A’s build dates, numbers produced, engines, models, performance and prices today. There is even a short section on modifications that can bring the A up to more modern performance standards, should the owner desire.
A bonus feature of “Essential Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car” is an easily photocopied invaluable and incredibly comprehensive “100-Point Vehicle Checklist Guide”. This will let you rate a British sports car (or really any car) you are considering on everything from body work, paint, paperwork, engine, steering and so much more. Each section of the “Check List” has a series of detailed tips on what to look for in that category.
This is Mr Hingston’s 12th book and his second on sports cars and took him 3½ years to produce. As he says, “Though the project ran well beyond any sensible schedule, slightly to my surprise, I actually enjoyed every bit of it!” This is one book that definitely should be on the shelf of your British car book collection.
In North America the book is currently only available thru Amazon.com. More information can be obtained from the author at www.hingston-car-books.co.uk. Cost is approximately US$46.00 plus shipping.
Classic Car Mart – May 2008
As somebody who has written motoring books myself, I know the amount of work required to produce a worthwhile end product. Compared with the relatively small amount of words deemed necessary for the ramblings of a monthly column in a classic car magazine, putting together a decent book that’s full of information, facts and figures is… well, it’s a major undertaking.
That’s why I’m an admirer of anybody who takes the trouble to do an exemplary job, although in the case of Peter Hingston, such efforts go a step further. What he’s produced here can only be described as one of the most in-depth, most detailed and most worthwhile sports car books currently available.
What’s even more impressive is that, unlike most of us, Peter didn’t even go the traditional route of being commissioned by an outside publisher to produce his work. Instead, he published it himself; or rather, his company did, a small publishing house run by Peter and his wife. And to get such an impressive 184-page hardback title on sale under such circumstances for a realistic £22.95 is no mean feat.
Anybody looking for a full-colour visual tribute to today’s classic British sports cars will be in for a disappointment, as all 600 photographs used throughout are in black and white. But for me that’s no bad thing, as this book is about the quality of its writing, the depth of its research and the enormity of the information it provides. I’ll go further: the fact that this is most definitely NOT a coffee table book simply adds to its appeal.
You only have to glance at the Acknowledgements section to see how many experts, enthusiasts and sports car owners Peter Hingston liased with when writing this book. And that gives an indication of the depth his research – a major achievement given the sheer number of vehicles he covers. You see, this author manages to provide essential information on around 120 fine British sports cars, including such mainstays of the scene as MGs, TRs, Austin-Healeys and Aston Martins, through to more specialist but no less desirable alternatives like the Gilbern Invader, Singer Roadster, Jowett Jupiter and Ginetta G15.
The history of each model is covered, together with its technical specification, ownership hints and buying advice. And with such extras as club lists, a 100-point buyer’s checklist guide and a five-step plan for buying your own classic sports car, there are plenty of bonuses in store.
If all you require from your next sports car book is an abundance of colour photography, look elsewhere. But if your requirements are deeper than that, and you can appreciate the three and a half years of full-time work that Hingston claims to have spent on this book, you’ll find it essential reading. We certainly did.
Lotus Letters (Lotus Club Holland magazine) - April 2008
Onlangs is “The Enthusiasts’ Guide to Buying a Classic British Sports Car” verschenen. Auteur Peter Hingston beoogde het maken van een aankoopgids en een referentieboek voor liefhebbers. Hij heeft er 3,5 jaar aan gewerkt en honderden mensen van allerlei autoclubs voor geconsulteerd. Dat laatste is uniek, dit is beslist geen snel in elkaar geflanst boekje. Classic & Sports Car noemt het een “must-have reference book”. Alle Britse sportwagens uit de periode 1945-1980 komen aan bod, in totaal ruim 150 stuks. Het boek meet 28×21cm, telt 184 pagina’s en 600 zwart-wit foto’s. Uiteraard wordt Lotus uitgebreid behandeld: de Mark VI, Seven (plus 2 aparte Caterham pagina’s), Elite (Type 14), Elan, Europa, Elan +2, Elite, Eclat/Sprint & Excel en Esprit (vroege modellen). Allemaal hebben ze 2 bladzijden behalve de Mark VI en type 14 Elite, die hebben er één. Alle Lotus info is gecontroleerd door de relevante clubs: Club Elite, Club Lotus, the Historic Lotus Register, Lotus Drivers’ Club, Lotus Seven Register en the Lotus Seven Club. Het boek is te bestellen via Amazon (ISBN: 0-906555-25-6, Priis 34 euro).
Enjoying MG – March 2008
This book provides exactly what it promises in the title, it contains a very comprehensive guide to classic British sports cars. It works well as a buying guide but serves equally successfully as a reference book. By consulting with various owners’ clubs the authors have been able to give really useful inside information on vital checks and any possible problem areas of each model covered. In addition to the well-known marques there are rare models and even rarer manufacturers listed in these pages, some that have long been forgotten. This book is a very thoroughly researched and useful guide for the serious devotee of the Classic British Sports Car.
Classic & Sports Car magazine - February 2008
Don’t be fooled by the pedestrian design and look of this 190-page hardback. Think of it more as a reference book for potential buyers or old car fans. The layout is clear and info is easy to find. Advice on buying is down-to-earth and every British sports car from 1945 to the ‘80s is listed in alphabetical order. Brief histories start each make and expand into model-specific checks and values. Each section was proof-read and corrected by the relevant owner’s club, so there’s little doubt on the veracity of the data. Images are all mono, save for showing distinguishing features, but there’s an air of authority here that makes this a must-have reference work.
Classics Monthly magazine – February 2008 Issue 133
An ambitious collection of cars, not just for its inclusion of leftfield curios such as Allard, Elva and Dellow but because the revised information sources are for the most part owners clubs themselves. If you intend to buy a classic sportscar, the 100-point checklist is based in the real world and therefore ideal for helping you keep a cool head when buying. Hingston and Gundy obviously enjoy the subject matter and impart as much info as space allows. The book covers sports cars up to 1982 with confidence and buckets of know-how for the would-be buyer. Accessible, digestible and refreshingly useful. Sure to become a CM favourite.
Austro Classic - January 2008
Das Resultat von 3 1/2 Jahren Arbeit liegt vor uns: Mit der Hilfe hunderter Helfer verschiedener Markenclubs hat der Autor die definitive Kaufberatung für mehr als 150 britische Nachkriegsklassiker zusammengestellt. Auf 184 Seiten finden sich kurze Typenbeschreibungen plus Kauftipps, technische Daten, Produktionszahlen und Richtpreise. 600 Schwarz-Weiß Photos lockern auf, was sonst rasch zum „Datenfriedhof” hätte werden können. Wer an den Erwerb eines der behandelten Fahrzeuge denkt, könnte sein Geld schlechter investieren als in den Kauf dieses Buches. Das Buch gibt’s bei Amazon oder direkt beim Autor unter www.hingston-car-books.co.uk.
Totalkitcar.com – January 2008
Author/publisher, Peter Hingston, has been responsible for many books over the years, on a variety of topics, not just about cars. He’s sold a total of 600,000 copies! He also has a love for sportscars both mainstream and specialist and although the cover of his latest work stresses that this one doesn’t feature kit or replicas, within this enthralling compendium you find the likes of Lotus, TVR, Gilbern, Marcos and Piper covered. However, as the title suggests, the subject matter is classic all the way, and despite featuring at first glance a fairly rudimentary layout, don’t be misled as this is a superb effort on all fronts and far and above other similar, yet inferior, classic car guides, of which there are many. With this book I think the bar has been well and truly raised.
Weighing in at over 1kg and 184-pages, this is a true reference work of genuine authority, whether you are in the market for such a car and/or are just an enthusiast. Either way you’ll find this informative and entertaining. There are several keys to its success, which set it apart. For a start, there’s real buying advice on each of the many models covered, written helpfully in plain English, which is refreshing. I hate pompous classic car books. They are about as much fun as a fire in an orphanage. The history and data section on each marque and model is top quality.
Another masterstroke is that Hingston worked closely with a variety of owners clubs and enlisted their help in proof-reading their respective chapters, thus ensuring accuracy and co-operation. This of course means that you can be sure of its accuracy. Some may raise an eyebrow at the black and white photos, but it’s a deliberate tactic as it highlights detailing of each model and just as medium wave has infinitely more soul than FM, so it is that mono works better than colour, here.
I can’t praise Peter Hingston highly enough as this book is a real triumph (excuse the pun!) and comes VERY highly recommended. It is available direct from the publishers via: www.hingston-car-books.co.uk or from branches of Waterstones.
Old Stager (Historic Rally Car Register magazine) – December 2007
For a number of years we have met the author of this newly published book at various classic car shows. During most of this time, we were living in SE London, but on moving to Herefordshire in 2005, we found that Peter was a near neighbour, three minutes drive away! The book, in A4 format, covers British Sports Cars from 1945 until the early 1980’s by which time most of the traditional British motor industry had committed suicide. It must be said of course, that we now have a thriving specialist sports car industry today. Peter’s volume, however, only covers the traditional sports cars of the period described and he does it in a very readable and accessible manner. Listed alphabetically by manufacturer, each described together with a brief specification, so this is very much a book of reference and its comprehensive coverage make it a ‘must’ for every enthusiast’s bookshelves. High quality photographs add to the excellence of the publication and it finishes with a 100-point checklist for prospective sports car buyers and a very useful list of contacts for the owners clubs of the cars featured. Buy it for Christmas – it’s in the shops!
Classic Car Weekly publication – December 6, 2007
Buying a classic British sportscar can be a bit mind-blowing. After all, there are so many choices – how do you know which one is right for you? You could sift through all the buyer’s guides we’ve ever done but even though we print two a week, that could still take some time.
This new book aims to take some of the pain out of a difficult decision and gives a rundown on the history and key points to look out for when considering one of over 150 sports cars featured in this guide. There is even a section devoted to other eccentricities from the bonkers Berkeley to the gorgeous Gordon-Keeble, while there is also a 100-point vehicle checklist as, after all, rust is rust regardless of which car you are looking at. In the main A-Z section, each car has at least two pages of coverage with a good selection of black and white photographs.
In all, we thought this was a good and interesting read and has clearly been well researched and thoughtfully put together. Covering everything from Aston Martins to MGs, this book would be a useful guide to anyone seeking a new classic.
A selection of unsolicated comments from Clubs on the draft texts….
“From what I’ve seen I honestly believe it will become the standard work on classic postwar British sports cars.”
Alan Morgan, Chairman, Club Lotus.
“I thought the (MG T-Series) text was very informative, and reads exceptionally well.”
Stewart Penfound, MG Car Club T Register.
“I have had a good look at your Ginetta entries and you have done a good job, rather better than most Ginetta outsiders who attempt such things, I have to say.”
Trevor Pyman, Ginetta Owners’ Club and Ginetta author.
“A quite excellent and well researched entry for the 2-Litre Bristols.”
Geoffrey Herdman, Bristol Owners’ Club Chairman.
“I do like your straightforward and concise method of dealing with what can be a very long and complicated guide to these cars. It makes easy and understandable reading.”
Terry Horler, Gen Sec, Midget & Sprite Club, and author of “Original Sprite & Midget”.
“An excellent and comprehensive summary of the Jaguar XK range.”
Mick Duffy, JDC XK Register Chairman.
“I have glanced at the Lea-Francis entries and they seem to be properly researched and pretty accurate, which is only too rare nowadays.”
Robin Sawers, General Secretary, Lea-Francis Owners’ Club.
“… most impressive, and I/we look forward to the publication of your book.”
John Craddock, Stag Owner’s Club.
