Books on Model Cars

[unclescott58]

There are several good books on our hobby out there. But, there are two I'm curious about, and I've been hunting for for a while now. I have no idea of the exact names of the books or who the author was. The books I'm looking for were actually a two volume set that I believe was published sometime in the early 1970's. My junior high school had a set at the time. I remember them both having white covers with photographs on them. Volume one was aimed at the basics of building model cars. Volume two more advanced techniques. And, I believe the author was fairly well known in the hobby at the time. And may still be.

Anybody out there have any idea what set of books I'm looking for? So I can do a better search in my hunt. 

Scott

 

[Bugatti Fan]

Hi Scott

I can remember a car modelling book with a white cover with model photos on it. I had a copy of a book written by Robert Schleicher from the 70s era. Cannot remember the publisher or actual title. It must have been the basics book if indeed it was one of the books that you can recollect. I think that Dennis Doty may have written a couple of books also at about that time. Bill Coulter has written a number of books that were published by Kalmbach. Phil Jensen wrote one   truck modelling in the 70s. Another author that comes to mind is Terry Jessie with his Building and Detailing Auto Models Like a Pro. I am not aware if Don Emmons ever wrote any books as I know that he has written many car modelling articles in magazines. There was also a book published in the UK in the 70s by Gerald Scarborough published by Patrick Stephens at the time. Master model maker Gerald Wingrove wrote 2 books. The Complete Car Modeller 1 and 2, that describe his scratch building techniques in detail.

[Mike999]

That does sound like Dennis Doty's 2 books.  Volume 1 was "Model Car Building - Getting Started."  Volume 2 was "Model Car Building - Advanced Techniques."  The covers on Amazon might not match your memories, but the books have probably been re-issued several times.  I had them long ago and got rid of them. IIRC, one of the "Advanced Techniques" was using thread as spark-plug wires.  Which was already way out of date when I had those books, in the late 1980s or early 90s.

https://www.amazon.com/Model-Car-Building-Getting-Started/dp/0830693858

https://www.amazon.com/Model-Car-Building-Advanced-Techniques/dp/0830693955

 

 

[Phirewriter]

Don Emmons had a book out titled "This is your hobby, Model Cars" I believe it was printed for library use. I have 2 copies with different covers but the same content, both were used library books. They were basically a collection of his articles for Rod & Custom Models. 

Bob Schleicher authored mainly slot car articles and from the same publisher came a collection of his articles in, "This is your hobby, Slot Cars"

I had both of the Dennis Doty books but I was inspired much more by the Emmons book when I was young. I sold the Model Car Building books long ago but kept most of the other model books in my collection.

[unclescott58]

They were very similar to the Dennis Doty's books. But, Doty's books came out in 1989. And the books I'm looking for were for sure in our junior high library in the early 1970's. 

Scott

 

[unclescott58]

No one else out there, have any other clues as to the books I'm talking about? The one other thing I remember about these books. One of the volumes had an article about building one of Parnelli Jones' '63 or '64 Mercury Marauder stock cars. Amongst other great things. Is this clicking with any of you old timers (like me) out there? 

Scott

 

[tim boyd]

No one else out there, have any other clues as to the books I'm talking about? The one other thing I remember about these books. One of the volumes had an article about building one of Parnelli Jones' '63 or '64 Mercury Marauder stock cars. Amongst other great things. Is this clicking with any of you old timers (like me) out there? 

Scott

 

Scott.....the Dennis Doty project was originally published in 1981 as a single paperback book under the tab Imprint.  This was an excellent book, but hampered by dark and difficult to see black and white picture reproduction.   It was republished in 1989 as two separate volumes, again under the Tab imprint. 

The other book that sounds a bit like what you recall was credited to author Bill Neuman in the 1960's as I recall, but it had a number of Don Emmons projects inside (though he may not have been credited as such).  I thought I had a copy of this book in my basement library but apparently not (I just checked).  One of Don's most loved how-tos was his Parnelli Jones '63 Mercury, originally published in Rod and Custom (or Rod and Custom Models); it is likely the book had a reprint of this article. 

Does any of this sound more familiar?  TIM

 

[crazyjim]

I have/had most, if not all the books shown by Mike 999.  Just a matter of which binder they're in.

[crazyjim]

I have/had most, if not all the books shown by Mike 999.  Just a matter of which binder they're in.

[sjordan2]

For lots of handy tips involving scratch building, especially for classics, get Gerald Wingrove's 2-volume set of "The Complete Car Modeller."

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=gerald+wingrove&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Agerald+wingrove

[unclescott58]

Scott.....the Dennis Doty project was originally published in 1981 as a single paperback book under the tab Imprint.  This was an excellent book, but hampered by dark and difficult to see black and white picture reproduction.   It was republished in 1989 as two separate volumes, again under the Tab imprint. 

The other book that sounds a bit like what you recall was credited to author Bill Neuman in the 1960's as I recall, but it had a number of Don Emmons projects inside (though he may not have been credited as such).  I thought I had a copy of this book in my basement library but apparently not (I just checked).  One of Don's most loved how-tos was his Parnelli Jones '63 Mercury, originally published in Rod and Custom (or Rod and Custom Models); it is likely the book had a reprint of this article. 

Does any of this sound more familiar?  TIM

 

Tim, going on YouTube and seeing the Toy Man's interview with Don Emmons on his Parnelli Jones Merc, I'm 100% sure that is the model I read about in the book I'm thinking of. Yet looking at the one Bill Neuman model car book I'm seeing online, does not look like the book I remember. Then again, it's been 45 years. So maybe I am remembering and mixing up the content of Mr. Neuman's book, which I vaguely remember, with another book.

Again, the book I'm remembering was more like Dennis Doty's later books. Being in two parts. Yet they can't be Dennis Doty's because of the time period I'm remembering reading the books. I know the books I'm looking for were published before the spring of 1973. For I moved up to high school that fall. And these books were in the Columbia Heights, MN, Central Junior High library while I was a student there.

Another book I remember fondly from that library was a book on custom cars that had several mild customs in it. Like a '55 Chev with no front bumper. A '60 Ford Starliner with the grille replaced by one from a Canadian '60 Meteor. And I think it also had a chapter on Ed Roth working on Mysterion? It may or may not have included some info on building custom model cars too. Anybody have any guesses on what that one might be? 

There were several great automotive books, dealing with real and model cars, in Central's library that had a major impact on me at the time. Many I've been able to find copies for my collect years later. There several I'm still looking for, and for what ever reason cannot find even a shred of evidence leading me to what those books might have been? The mystery and hunt still continues for several of them. 

Scott

 

Edited March 2, 2017 by unclescott58

[62rebel]

I remember a book that our high school library had, in the mid to late '70's up to 1980 anyway, that had the Parnelli Jones Mercury and a lot of other stuff in it. I tried to have that book constantly checked out myself.... wish I could find a copy of it. Lots of index card and plastic wood used in those days.....

[62rebel]

who else almost quit reading Street Rodder when they dropped the model articles? 

[unclescott58]

I remember a book that our high school library had, in the mid to late '70's up to 1980 anyway, that had the Parnelli Jones Mercury and a lot of other stuff in it. I tried to have that book constantly checked out myself.... wish I could find a copy of it. Lots of index card and plastic wood used in those days.....

Any idea what that book was?

Scott

 

[Phirewriter]

That book is the above mentioned "This is your hobby...Model Cars"  I pulled my copies out last night and it is indeed authored by Bill Neumann but is basically a collection of Rod and Custom Models articles. The Mercury and a number of articles about building closed and open trailers from card stock are included.

Also there are the period engine detail chapters using thread and fishing line for motor plumbing, sectioning, a paint chapter showing a replica of the Mural Bros Willys. A cool look at a time in the history of our hobby.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Phirewriter

[unclescott58]

The more I think about it. And if the Parnelli Jones Mercury is in the book, This is Your Hobby, Model Cars. I'm beginning to think that maybe that is the book I've been searching for? And what I'm thinking was maybe volume #2 is really This is Your Hobby, Slot Cars. Especially since Bill Neumann was involved with both books.

The third book I mentioned, that had chapters on Ed Roth's Mysterion and the bumper less '55 Chev, was This is Your Hobby, Custom Cars. I need to look closer at these "This is Your Hobby" series of books.

Is the Parnelli Jones Merc for sure in This is Your Hobby, Model Cars? If it is, I need to pickup a copy. 

Scott

 

Edited March 3, 2017 by unclescott58

[Phirewriter]

"Is there a chapter that covers dioramas as well ? "

Yes, from a simple sandbox and ocean background for a woody to a car show featuring some of the builds in the book. Hopefully I'll have some stuff on a photo hosting site soon, when I can I'll try to post the scans.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Phirewriter

[Phirewriter]

Hey Scott, before you spend your coin on a copy please note the entire article is not featured. The Mercury is only shown in a couple photos in a chapter on adding details to kits. You'd probably be better off locating the issue(s) that contain the full article for more information.

I guess you can be an author by chopping up previous published articles as Bill Neumann has shown.

[62rebel]

Gonna be on the hunt now

[unclescott58]

Through ABE Books website there was a vendor selling a new copy of This is Your Hobby, Model Cars, by Bill Neumann. I say was, because I decided to go ahead and order it. Even if it's not the exact book I've been searching for. It will be interesting to see if it is. Or is not. I guess I'll know in a few weeks.

Still. In the back of my mind, I don't think that's the book, or books I'm looking for. I'm curious about the name Robert Schlieicher mentioned above by Noel Smith. This name clicks something. Why? Because of this, the search goes on.

If the book by Bill Neumann turns out to be any good, I may have to hunt down both This is Your Hobby, Slot Cars, and This is Your Hobby, Car Customizing. I do have fond memories of the second book for sure. And seeing what little I've seen of contents of one on eBay, it looks pretty good. Maybe as good as I remember. 

Scott

 

[unclescott58]

Oh, a correction needs to be made. On these books listed with the titles, This is Your Hobby..... The This needs to be changed to Here. The correct titles to these books are, Here is Your Hobby..... "fill in the blank." I just went back to eBay to again look at, and bid on, the Car Customizing book. It's a used copy that looks pretty good. And the price at this point, is pretty good too. (Though that may change. Bringing this up here now 2 days before the auction ends. Though I hope not.) 

Scott

 

[unclescott58]

From more searching, on Robert Schleicher's books. His Model Car, Truck & Motorcycle Handbook came out in 1978. And it was done as only one volume. Mr. Schleicher did write a book on slot cars racing that would fit the time period I'm looking for. But, nothing I can find on static model cars. Thanks for the lead on that one Noel. But, it looks like a dead end.

Scott

 

Edited March 6, 2017 by unclescott58

[Mark]

Scott.....the Dennis Doty project was originally published in 1981 as a single paperback book under the tab Imprint.  This was an excellent book, but hampered by dark and difficult to see black and white picture reproduction.   It was republished in 1989 as two separate volumes, again under the Tab imprint. 

The other book that sounds a bit like what you recall was credited to author Bill Neuman in the 1960's as I recall, but it had a number of Don Emmons projects inside (though he may not have been credited as such).  I thought I had a copy of this book in my basement library but apparently not (I just checked).  One of Don's most loved how-tos was his Parnelli Jones '63 Mercury, originally published in Rod and Custom (or Rod and Custom Models); it is likely the book had a reprint of this article. 

Does any of this sound more familiar?  TIM

 

I've got the original Dennis Doty book, but mine is hardcover.  The later two-volume version is in paperback, the advanced volume adds aftermarket information which didn't exist to any great degree when the original version was published.

I'm too lazy to drag out my Rod & Custom Models issues to see if that '63 Merc is in R&CM, or Rod & Custom.  I bought a rough built '63 Mercury about thirty years ago, stripped off four or five thick paint jobs to find it a perfect candidate for the project, made a vacuform floorpan for it (sold a bunch of them, too!), and snagged a couple of the decal sheets someone did for that car.  I should clear the workbench and get going on it other than just piling up parts.  No '64 though...it has to be a '63.

[Mark]

Just checked the Rod & Custom Models issues...the Parnelli Jones Mercury isn't covered in any of them.  I've probably got the Rod & Custom issue(s) with it, I'd guess they are from '63.

That said, anyone who is into early Sixties nostalgia should search out the Rod & Custom Models issues.  There were only eight of them (June '64-January '65), but they sure packed a lot into those eight issues.  Visits to the major model companies (with pictures of production facilities, tooling, and info on the design process), two Phil Jensen scratchbuilding projects, Don Emmons, Joe Henning's circle track stuff, "pre-Monogram" Tom Daniel doing sketchpads on customizing then-new kits, advanced scratchbuilding articles featuring Manuel Olive and Michele Conti, and there's probably some stuff I've left out.  The regular Rod & Custom issues (before, and after through '66) have a lot of similar material, though less in each issue because it's split with the 1:1 car stuff.  If you have a chance to borrow them or pick them up for cheap, don't pass it up...

[tim boyd]

 

That said, anyone who is into early Sixties nostalgia should search out the Rod & Custom Models issues.  There were only eight of them (June '64-January '65), but they sure packed a lot into those eight issues.  Visits to the major model companies (with pictures of production facilities, tooling, and info on the design process), two Phil Jensen scratchbuilding projects, Don Emmons, Joe Henning's circle track stuff, "pre-Monogram" Tom Daniel doing sketchpads on customizing then-new kits, advanced scratchbuilding articles featuring Manuel Olive and Michele Conti, and there's probably some stuff I've left out.  The regular Rod & Custom issues (before, and after through '66) have a lot of similar material, though less in each issue because it's split with the 1:1 car stuff.  If you have a chance to borrow them or pick them up for cheap, don't pass it up...

Just adding my two cents worth here, Mark is spot-on with his recommendation above...TIM