Books published by publisher Motorbooks

For the Corvette enthusiast, there is no greater source of speculation, pent-up excitement, and anticipation than the pending introduction of a new-generation 'Vette. Since unveiling the original American sports car in 1953, GM has upped the ante with each successive model and along the way, the Corvette has evolved from 6-cylinder boulevard cruiser to street racer to Le Mans winner to world-class sports car. Sixty years of constant refinement have ensured that the next-generation Corvette will give its global competitors a strong run for their money. For the making of Corvette Stingray: The Seventh Generation of America's Sports Car, GM granted author Larry Edsall exclusive access to engineers, designers, and other Corvette team members, as well as its own photographic archives, to create the complete inside story of this top-notch sports car. The seventh-generation Corvette (C7) again raises the bar, not only for outright performance but also for performance-for-dollar. Capable of running with - and in many cases outclassing - the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, and other European legends, Chevy's newest Corvette delivers the goods with a new look and even more performance technology. With more than 300 historical and behind-the-scenes photographs that take you as close to the car as you can get without sitting behind the wheel, Corvette Stingray is a must-own book for any serious gearhead--whether you're a long-time 'Vette junkie, a sports car devotee, or simply an admirer of beautiful machines.

Most car collectors exhibit a healthy enthusiasm for their favorite hobby, a tendency to dig into their favorite marques, chase parts, swap stories, and generally live the car-guy life. Some, however, step over that fine line between enthusiasm and obsession—and that’s the place from which spring the legendary car-collector stories. In Strange but True Tales of Car Collecting, Keith Martin and the staff of Sport Car Market Magazine recount the wildest car-collecting stories of all time, focusing on tales of the most eccentric and over-the-top collectors and collections. Have you heard of the fellow who squirrelled away dozens of Chevelles, Camaros, and other classic muscle cars in semi trailers? How about the president of Shakespeare fishing rods who in the 1960s sold 30 now-priceless Bugattis for a mere $85,000? The English nobleman who cut up and buried his Ferrari horde in an elaborate insurance scam? Or how about the Duesenberg abandoned in a Manhattan parking garage for decades and uncovered by Tonight Show host Jay Leno? These are just a few of the amazing stories explored in this entertaining book, a must-have title for any car enthusiast. Both car collectors and fans of outrageous classic car, muscle car, and sports car stories will find entertainment in these tales of collectors who’ve gone off the rails.

Recognized by their long forks and chopped frames, choppers have found new appeal among today's motorcycle enthusiasts and continue to inspire motorcycle customizers around the globe. Choppers takes a unique look at these classic pieces of twentieth century Americana.Written by experienced motorcycle writer Mike Seate, Choppers provides a comprehensive look at how choppers originated and evolved and what has fueled the current resurgence of interest in building and riding custom motorcycles. Early chapters explore the post-World War II bob job Harleys that predated the chopper. Interviews and historical photos detail the development of the chopper from its earliest days, through the outlaw longbike period of the 1960s and 1970s, to the twenty-first century chopper renaissance.

When Mickey Thompson and his wife Trudy were assassinated in their driveway in the pre-dawn hours of March 16, 1988, the salacious details of the crime and the years of legal wrangling that followed made for hundreds of splashy headlines and sexy television soundbytes.After all, the story had it all . . . unknown hooded gunmen riding into a gated Southern California community on bicycles, ambushing their victims and brutally ending their lives while neighbors ate breakfast and read the morning paper.Leaving behind more than $70,000 in jewelry, the killing was an obvious “hit,” and those close to Mickey and Trudy immediately pointed to Mickey’s hot-headed former business partner Michael Goodwin as the mastermind behind the tragedy. Nearly 20 years later, Goodwin was found guilty by a Pasadena Superior Court jury in 2006 of two counts of first-degree murder. The actual gunmen were never identified or apprehended.John Walsh and America’s Most Wanted did multiple episodes leading up to the conviction. Robert Stack featured the murders on Unsolved Mysteries. CBS’ 48 Hours Mystery got in the act. Everyone wanted a piece of the story.A good story, however, has much more than a powerful ending.Who was Mickey Thompson? What made him more than just another victim of violent crime in America? This is what Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Mysterious Death of a Racing Legend explores. Mickey was one of the most influential figures in early American motorsports. While he did have loyal and longtime friends, Mickey always did things one way . . . his way. And he did it with speed . . . he did everything with speed.From his 1950s adventures in the Carrera Panamericana, ending with five dead and dramatic pictures in Life Magazine in 1953, through making a one-way run of 406.60 miles per hour at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1960 in his famed Challenger, through multiple trend-setting entries in the famed Indianapolis 500 and into the creation of some of the most popular off-road racing series and motor sportsstadium shows, Mickey’s life was full of “firsts.”And in a world that seems to be moving faster than even Mickey Thompson could have imagined, the complete story of this true American legend is one worth slowing down for.

Strange But True Tales of Car Collecting recounts the wildest car-collecting stories, focusing on tales of the most eccentric and over-the-top collectors and collections from around the world. Most car collectors exhibit a healthy enthusiasm for their hobby with a tendency to dig into their favorite marques, chase parts, swap stories, and generally live the car-guy lifestyle. Some, however, step over that fine line between enthusiasm and obsession--and that’s the dusty place where these legendary car-collector stories come from. Have you heard of the fellow who squirrelled away dozens of Chevelles, Camaros, and other classic muscle cars in semi-trailers? How about the president of Shakespeare fishing rods who sold 30 Bugattis for a mere $85,000? What about the English nobleman who cut up and buried his Ferrari horde in an elaborate insurance scam? Or how about the Duesenberg abandoned in a Manhattan parking garage for decades only to be uncovered by Jay Leno? They only get crazier from there.

†‹Hot Rod Empire details Robert E. Petersen's creation of Hot Rod Magazine in the 1940s and the Petersen Publishing empire that grew to the mainstream juggernaut we know today. The end of World War II marked the release of pent-up war-years energy and the desire to live. For many this meant indulging in long-denied purchases, like a new car. For another group, including young vets, it meant a return to car building and racing. Money, exciting new cars, and speed parts all flowed freely in post-war America. Robert Petersen, a young SoCal-based photographer and Army Air Corps vet, noted the rapidly growing hot rod scene in and around Los Angeles. His first move was to organize the Los Angeles Hot Rod Exhibition in 1948. His second, and brilliant, move was to launch at the same event the first edition of Hot Rod magazine. From this launch pad, Petersen Publishing Company would grow to become the most influential enthusiast publisher in America. Petersen’s magazines were rallying points for all aspects of the car, truck, and motorcycle hobbies, well as nurturing and promoting all aspects from car building to racing to show events. Hot Rod, Motor Trend, Car Craft, Motorcyclist, Off-Road and Four Wheel Drive and some 75 other enthusiast titles dominated magazine racks and provided substantial influence over transportation and numerous other hobbies.Hot Rod Empirecelebrates the birth and explosive growth of the transportation hobby under Petersen’s watch.

In MemoriamWe all were saddened to learn of the recent death of master chopper artist, Larry Desmedt, or "Indian Larry" to all knew him. As fate would have it, we at Motorbooks had decided months ago to feature one of his beautiful creations on the cover of this new book. We are honored to be publishing a book that celebrates his life and work, both so sadly cut short. Our condolences go to his family, friends, and to anyone in the chopper community lucky enough to have known and worked with Indian Larry. When a motorcycle has been built from the ground up, stripped of anything not needed for speed, power, and striking looks, and draped in rich colors and chrome, it has been transformed into a chopper. What was once considered an outlaw ride has now become a luxury item and a mainstream obsession. In Choppers: Heavy Metal Art, author and biker Mike Seate explores the many styles of choppers and bobbers and the builders behind them. The book is divided into several sections based on style or type of chopper, with each section devoted to the builders who follow a similar style and philosophy. Some builders are established names in their field, while others are up-and-comers rocking the chopper world with their far-out ideas and new spins on a classic style. Photographer Michael Lichter, who has photographed choppers for Easyriders and several other magazines for nearly three decades, provides stunning studio images of the featured machines as well as portraits of their creators.Featured Builders Include:- Matt Burris- Larry Currick- Arlin Fatland- Al Gaither- Roger Goldammer- Don Hotop- Jesse James- Kendall Johnson- Kai- Brian Klock- Billy Lane- Indian Larry- Donny Loos- Rick Sairless- Russell Marloe- Pat Matter- Arlen Ness- Corey Ness- Mike Pugliese- Kim Suter- Mark Warrick- Paul Yaffe- Hank YoungAbout the AuthorMike Seate is a journalist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began riding motorcycles at the age of 16, and 24 years later has still not bothered to learn how to drive a car. His columns on city living appear three times each week in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and he has written hundreds of feature stories and opinion columns for various motorcycle enthusiast publications. Mike has written a number of books for MBI, including How to Build a West Coast Chopper, Outlaw Choppers, and Jesse James: The Man and His Machines.About the PhotographerMany factors make Michael Lichter's photography distinct, such as his technical mastery, his attention to detail, and his drive for perfection. Few other people see the world as Michael does, and no one else captures that vision on film the way he does. Michael began taking pictures and working in the darkroom at the age of 13. In 1978, Michael started doing commercial photography in Boulder, Colorado. By 1980, Michael had worked his passion for motorcycling into his photography career. His work began to appear in Easyriders magazine. Soon Michael found himself in the beds of pickup trucks during rainstorms, photographing packs of bikers on the roads around Sturgis, South Dakota. Michael is the author and photographer of the best-selling book Sturgis, and is the photographer of Billy Lane: It's Not a Motorcycle Baby, It's a Chopper!

On March 16, 1988, motorsport legend Mickey Thompson and his second wife, Trudy, were gunned down by hooded assassins in the driveway of their Bradbury, California, home. This shocking and brutal double-murder brought an abrupt end to one of the most extraordinary careers in the history of motorsports, a career that has never been completely profiled—until now. Author Erik Arneson delves into the life and career of one of racing’s greatest innovators and most successful businessmen, while also chronicling the story of his tragic murder and his family’s relentless quest to bring his killer to justice. This is a fascinating account of an amazing life that ended too soon.

Most car collectors exhibit a healthy enthusiasm for their favorite hobby, a tendency to dig into their favorite marques, chase parts, swap stories, and generally live the car-guy life. Some, however, step over that fine line between enthusiasm and obsession—and that’s the place from which spring the legendary car-collector stories.In Strange but True Tales of Car Collecting, Keith Martin and the staff of Sport Car Market Magazine recount the wildest car-collecting stories of all time, focusing on tales of the most eccentric and over-the-top collectors and collections. Have you heard of the fellow who squirrelled away dozens of Chevelles, Camaros, and other classic muscle cars in semi trailers? How about the president of Shakespeare fishing rods who in the 1960s sold 30 now-priceless Bugattis for a mere $85,000? The English nobleman who cut up and buried his Ferrari horde in an elaborate insurance scam? Or how about the Duesenberg abandoned in a Manhattan parking garage for decades and uncovered by Tonight Show host Jay Leno?These are just a few of the amazing stories explored in this entertaining book, a must-have title for any car enthusiast. Both car collectors and fans of outrageous classic car, muscle car, and sports car stories will find entertainment in these tales of collectors who’ve gone off the rails.

Some 35 years ago Datsun (now Nissan) introduced the 1970 Datsun 240Z sports car, emphatically disproving the perception that Japanese automakers could only produce economy cars. Designed specifically to appeal to the American market, the Z car has enjoyed long-term popularity with its sporty styling and impressive performance. Z car fans are loyal and numerous. Over 1.4 million Z cars have been sold worldwide, including 1 million-plus in the U.S. The five generations of Z cars include the latest version, the 350Z introduced in 2003, which has refueled interest in Z cars. This book will thoroughly cover the history of this breakthrough Japanese sports car, and will include official Datsun/Nissan photography and memorabilia such as advertising and international marketing materials.

This is the story of how Top Fuel drag racing started, told by those who lived it. An insider from the beginning, author Tom Madigan draws on interviews with builders and racers like Mickey Thompson, Tony Nancy, Tommy Ivo, and Tom McEwen, to name just a few. Their words, and those of others such as engine builder Ed Pink and chassis builder Kent Fuller, give readers a real sense of a lost, and truly thrilling, world.This is Top Fuel drag racing of California in the 50s and 60s, and these are the racers who made its name. Fuel and Guts recreates a time of passion and pure adrenaline--a time before accountants and corporations saw a winner in drag racing. In sidebars, drivers like Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney tell what it was like to leave home and try to make it on the Californians home turf. You werent really a winner until you beat the guys who started it all. And in this book, readers meet these winners and feel once more an excitement now gone forever.