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Fri October 29, 2010
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Description:
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ISBN-13: 978-0-7603-3458-5
224 pages
657 color images
29.99 USD retail
Publication Date, 10/3/10
My feelings on this book were mixed. It has some problems, but generally, I liked it.
First, the bad. About 20% of this book's content was in another, MBI title, Corvette Performance Projects: 1968-1982, now out-of-print. That's good for those who produced the book because recycled content cuts cost. It's of no consequence to those having not read the earlier book. It's bad for those who bought both books. It would be nice if publishers printed disclaimers about previously published material but, that's unlikely so–buyer beware.
The book's title implies there is material on the '53-'62, "solid axle" or "C1" cars but, while there are some projects which apply to any Corvette, there is no content specific to those models.
The cover teases prospective buyers with the headline "Improve Handing" but, there are no projects in it which could result in improved handling.
It also teases with "Increase horsepower", however, in 93 pages covering 21 engine projects, only two are capable of a practical increase in engine performance and the increases would be small.
Too many of the book's 657 images have an odd bluish cast. That might be ok in an $18 or $20 book on low cost paper but it's unacceptable in a $30 book on high quality stock. Good image reproduction is not rocket science. MBI needs to do better.
The best part of this book is the topics, all of which are tasks a do-it-yourself, C1, 2 or 3 owner might undertake. Tom Benford's prose makes them easy to understand. Most can be completed by Corvetters with entry-level mechanical skills, a basic set of hand tools and with parts and materials of modest cost. Virtually all the projects are solutions to real world Corvette problems.
Some of the best stuff in this book covers the mid-to late-'60s Corvettes because those are some of the model years long-time Corvette writer, Benford, has in his "fleet" of project cars. There is nothing better than a how-to writer who does the work on his own vehicles.
At the beginning of each article there is a box that gives skill level, tools and time required along with a parts source and a cost estimate. That's an intuitive way to bring the reader into an unfamiliar automotive task.
While the publisher needs to be a little more credible in marketing this title and needs art directors with better eyes, Weekend Projects for Your Classic Corvette 1953-1982 has a lot of good material. If you're a beginning DIY with a C2 or C3 Vette, put this book on your list.
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Technical Writer for Internet & Print Media
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Registered: January 2001
Location: Southern California