FORD IN BRITAIN, A history of the company and the cars.

Coinciding with the end of Ford car production in Britain is this new book from Martin
Rawbone published by Haynes.
Covering the period from almost a hundred years ago - when a trickle of Fords entered
Britain via the importers Central Motor Company in London - to the present day, it
covers the setting up of the first manufacturing facility in Trafford Park Manchester and
the move to Dagenham in 1931. Dagenham was chosen as it offered deep water docking
for the import of raw materials and the export of finished cars.
All the cars manufactured in Britain from the Model T to the Mondeo receive a mention,
but surprisingly as this is such a lavishly illustrated book, there are no pictures of the
Model T.
The earliest car pictured is the Model Y 8hp, which as a genuine £100 four seater saloon,
really made inroads into the British Market selling 164,844 units in the 1932-1933
season.
William Morris responded by copying the Y type almost down to the last detail - the
resulting Morris Eight becoming Britain’s best selling car of the late thirties.
The book’s main appeal lies in the many original publicity photos- many in colour even
of the pre-war V8-22 - which are used to illustrate the various models covered.

I particularly liked this picture of an early Zodiac - which is still badged as a Zephyr Six -
complete with glamour girl of the period. How could she resist the offer of a ride in such
a sleek motor!
Every model is described and illustrated, from the Pops and Prefects, through Anglia,
Cortina and Capri, to the ill-fated Scorpio. Even the light commercials, both the car
derived ones and the forward control Thames vans are included.
At £30 “Ford in Britain” is not bargain basement but fans of the marque should not be
without it.
JM

Repairing and Restoring Classic Car Components.

Many restoration books have been published over the years, but this one by Peter and
John Wallage (Haynes £17.99) is the first to cover in detail the restoration of specific
components in such detail. The twenty two chapters cover the dismantling and restoration
of distributors, dynamos and alternators, electric fuel pumps, starter motors, wiper motors
trafficators and horns, Stromberg, Solex, Weber, Zenith, and SU carburettors, mechanical
fuel pumps, locks, heaters and instruments. All are clearly described and illustrated with
exploded diagrams, and colour photos. The emphasis is on making them work rather than
making them look pretty, which I think should also have been covered.
Most restorers steer clear of these units, preferring to entrust them to specialists, but with
the aid of this book, the average competent amateur should be able to tackle them
himself. The purchase price could be saved just on a single item.
JM

New MINI (Haynes £16.99)

Graham Robson the author of this new work should need no introduction as he has
written many books on various British marques.
Here he chronicles the history and development of the Mini replacement right back to the
sixties, when many attempts were made, even by Issigonis himself to come up with a new
design. Each in turn was dropped as the old design soldiered on for forty one years
against all the odds, even outlasting the Metro which was intended to take its place.
No longer British owned the new MINI is a marque in its own right, and has rapidly
become a style icon seen as the epitomy of cool by the young and young at heart.
Robson’s book is crammed with colour photos showing the design and development
process, the testing of the prototypes and the assembly lines at the new facility, and
provides a fascinating insight into all the behind the scenes work that went into the new
car.
Bang up to date, it even includes details of the recently launched Cooper S.
If you can’t afford to buy the car you can at least read about it so that when you’ve saved
your pennies you will know what you are buying.
JM