(Part 2) Best automotive books according to redditors
We found 1,475 Reddit comments discussing the best automotive books. We ranked the 514 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive
One of Ilmor's employees, Jade Gurss, wrote a book about this engine a few years ago. Great read on the background of the engine and all the pitfalls the engineering team had!
If you're finding that interesting, you'll want to read Jade Gurss's Beast, which details the development of a special Mercedes-branded one-off by Ilmor engineering for the 1994 Indianapolis 500. It's a little too positive for my taste on one of the factors that helped wreck the sport, but it's well written and you will learn a lot.
https://www.amazon.ca/Beast-Secret-Ilmor-Penske-Shocked-World-ebook/dp/B00KBBVQ0G/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=jade+gurs+beast&qid=1567888735&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0
This website is a decent starting point:
http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm
This book might help as well:
Motorcycle Basics Techbook (Haynes Manuals)
Best thing you can do is something, I spent years whining about how I need to meet a mentor, or figure out how to start out. I then pulled myself out of my pity pile, stopped wasting my time on stupid shit and got down to business. The bottom two are good places to start.
Check to see if your university has a Formula SAE team. As an AE student you can help design and fabricate the airfoils of a Formula one car. Lightweight aeropackages with a low lift/drag ratio and a large downforce win races.
Race Car Aerodynamics: Designing for Speed (Engineering and Performance) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0837601428?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
*edit: forgot to include link
If you want to read more about how this engine came to be I would recomment you guys to read Beast by Jade Gurss
There's an entire book on how this motor happened:
Beast: The Top Secret Ilmor-Penske Race Car That Shocked the World at the 1994 Indy 500 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBBVQ0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_N3haBb06KTWX3
The engine is Ilmore, not Mercedes. Mercedes just supplied some funding. Not only was it built to win at Indy, it was built in secercy to the point that the wives of the people working on it couldn't know. Penski went as far as buying a separate building just to hide the work being done. It's a very good read!
No prob, I was gonna make a little post about it anyway.
On a side note, if you love F1s as much as I do, definitely pick up that R&T, it has like a 12 page article of stories and facts about the F1. It's kind of an added chapter of the book (which I can hook up a PDF if you need).
I would suggest you do some research before you post this kind of vague question here.
What you're asking is akin to, "How do I speak Latin?"
Carroll Smith is a very good start E: there are many books, I forget which one has suspension design, but all of them are worth getting.
Gellespie is a good addition
Milliken and Milliken is much more detailed, some call it 'the bible' but it's just a very good reference with a lot of equations for when you start doing more complex models that won't be explained by simpler books.
I'd reccommend getting at least smith and gillespie to start. If you need more complex modeling go for milliken, but 90% of FSAE teams don't need what's in milliken IMO. They struggle on the basics so much that it just is too much to absorb in a usable manner.
No one cares if you have a roll couple distribution model based on your tire data if you haven't done a proper camber or toe analysis, or if your vehicle isn't designed to have self-centering steering.
I really enjoyed Beast. Goes in depth on the 1994 Indy 500 and the special engines that Penske brought. It also goes into talking about the build up to the split.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937747336/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LwbeBbJ12W11C
Another great resource are the Bentley's service manuals. I picked one up for my E82 (a lot of shared parts with the E90) and it has a ton of great information and step-by-step instructions on some major services.
Aerodynamics, especially automotive aerodynamics, is a very complex subject. If you pursue this path in undergrad you'll need to get comfortable with advanced calculus and physics, as well as fluid mechanics. From experience, I would highly recommend getting involved with the car project teams at whatever university you decide to go to if you want to pursue a career in motorsport. Motorsport teams are looking for people that are not only exceptionally knowledgeable in their field but also passionate about racing.
As for things to read, there are loads of books on the subject. Understanding Aerodynamics by Doug McLean and Fundamentals of Aerodynamics by Anderson are two aerodynamics books sitting on my bookshelf.
For automotive/motorsport aerodynamics, the following are good books from my bookshelf:
Competition Car Aerodynamics by McBeath
Race Car Aerodynamics: Designing for Speed by Katz
Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles by Schuetz
Note, Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles is a full-on textbook and may be beyond what you're looking for, but it goes into great depth on a number of road vehicle aerodynamic topics.
One last book I came across on Amazon is Amateur Car Aerodynamics by Edgar. I haven't read this book, but the title sounds like the language may be more suited for people who don't have a background in fluid mechanics.
If there are any specific topics in fluid mechanics/aerodynamics that you are looking for I may be able to help find some.
I could go on for hours about basic vehicle dynamics tbh, but suffice it to say that there are countless variables that go into determining handling characteristics. If you're really interested, the definitive introductory resource is this book, which if you can find used would probably be best. It's certainly not an easy read.
For a more accessible read, this book is pretty great too. It's also much cheaper.
IMO, you should probably do a bit more research about common solutions that people have for your particular car. I'd recommend, before changing anything, learning a bit more about basic vehicle dynamics. You don't even need to learn fancy math or anything, just kind of get an idea of what changes generally affect which characteristics.
Since this question keeps coming up, here's a link to an entertaining book about them:
http://www.amazon.com/Beast-Secret-Ilmor-Penske-Shocked-English-ebook/dp/B00KBBVQ0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444243090&sr=8-1
(No financial ties to the book author or Amazon).
This is a good beginner book for working on aircooled VWs. Maintenance is pretty straight forward; the most important thing is changing the oil and adjusting the valves every 3,000 miles, both of which are easy to do and cost relatively nothing. Also make sure all of your engine tin is there. Ghias aren't cheap and finding a dry convertible is getting more and more difficult to do. Good luck, that should be a fun project!
IMHO, you combat fear with experience, knowledge, and/or training. Try one or all of these to develop your defensive riding skills:
a) The DVSA publish a riders handbook. Read it cover to cover if you haven't already.
b) Contact your local rider training school and ask for some one to one training (at a guess this will be about £100-150 a day).
c) After I passed my car driving test, I was given a paper copy of the Police Driver's Handbook by a relative. Not sure if there's a motorbike version of it, but I'd be surprised if there isn't.
(Ninja) edit: Yes there is. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Roadcraft-Police-Handbook-Motorcycling/dp/011341143X
https://www.safedrivingforlife.info/shop/motorbike (has both books)
If your actuator needs replacement, do it yourself. That was literally the first job I ever did on my 2008 328i. You can do it.
It is a PITA, and can be time consuming (especially depending on how good the adhesive holding your moisture barrier is), but there's really nothing you can honestly screw up or make worse unless you drop the window glass...which isn't an expensive replacement anyway =)
As long as you have the right tools, get the correct part, and have a bunch of door fasteners handy (because every other one is going to break, they are a PITA too), it's a super inexpensive job that doesn't even require too much in the way of tools.
Edit: I dug back through my archives and pulled the relevant resources I used. Should be similar for a 2006 I imagine.
Helpful DIYs and videos:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477507&page=3
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6713414&postcount=40
https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/BMW-3-Series-E90/BODY-Door_Panel_Replacement/BODY-Door_Panel_Replacement.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em9TdvaB0_8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaEunU4T7Qk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMPTAypu4R4
And of course, your relevant Bentley manual is always a good thing to have.
actually he wants this one: http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/tech_main_e90.htm
the 335d is an e90 not an F30
also this. that book is your new god now. I've had ones for my e30, e36, and e46, it gives you a good description on how to do damn near anything and every bolt's torque value. It is worth far more than the $100 they charge for it.
oh, and OP, Beamer is the motorcycle, Bimmer is the car.
Buy this book
https://www.amazon.com/Beast-Jade-Gurss/dp/1937747336/ref=asc_df_1937747336/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312178235188&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10979648467133401519&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016869&hvtargid=pla-492092935402&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60258871337&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312178235188&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10979648467133401519&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016869&hvtargid=pla-492092935402
https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding-ebook/dp/B004CLYCPM
It's worth emphasizing that this strongly ties in to camshaft design.
For more detailed reading, read The Scientific Design of Intake and Exhaust Systems
Not an answer to your question, but you should definitely order this. Excellent read.
Look for the series starting with The Perfect Corner. Then Perfect Control and The Perfect Corner 2.
I’ve read them a couple of times so far and the change in thinking they inspire helped my driving considerably.
Plus I love working through the case studies in the second book.
If you have access to a shop with a lift and vaguely-competent help, then there's no reason you should stress over the potential big-ticket replacement stuff. The much-maligned HPFP can be accessed after maybe an hour's worth of disassembly. The water pump would probably be more work (no firsthand experience), but a lift would make it much more pleasant. Any job you might need to do, there's probably a DIY available online.
The scanner issue is easily solved; you can do basic troubleshooting with Carly and a bluetooth OBDII dongle. Alternatively, if you want to go the JB4 route, you can add the JB4 bluetooth adapter and read codes to your phone with the JB4 app (my preferred method).
If you intend to do your own work, you should also invest in a Bentley repair manual. Alternatively, you could probably find a free download online for the thing, but to be frank, if you think $100 is a steep investment, then maintaining a 335 may not be for you. I prefer to have a physical book I can lay out beside me while I work.
All in all, I've had my 335 for about nine months now. Here's a rundown of compulsory work I've done to it:
I've also invested about $2k into performance stuff and associated costs; most of that was from a set of KW coilovers and the required alignment afterwards. Then there was the JB4 and a few other items.
Overall, I love the car. The turbo system has been finicky, but I think mostly I've been cleaning up negligence by the prior owner there. With the JB4, the car is pretty damn quick, and it's plenty of fun on the track as well.
My name is /u/N546RV, and I own an N54 335i out of warranty.
http://www.amazon.com/Engineer-Motorbooks-Workshop-Carroll-Smith/dp/0879381868
The Carroll Smith books are the fucking race car bible.
Basically that's it for the swerve. Just getting to know how hard and fast you can switch directions. A lot of the time it's a car pulling in front of you and not having time to break.
For emergency brakes its going from speed to 0 as quick as possible without locking a tire. Most of the time locks come from too much rear break. At the beginning of the brake apply both brakes, progressively applying more to the front and letting off the rear(front breaks have about 75% of the stopping power). Also, if you do lock a tire it's best to ride it out, depending on speed releasing a break can cause the bike to over correct into a highside.
You might also look into taking the Motorcycle Safety Course(assuming you are in the US). It gives the basics of low speed maneuvering and how to deal with panic situations. It also has the benefit of lowering insurance rates and counting as the driving portion of the license test(depending on the state).
Also, This book is very in depth look into good riding habits and bike control. Highly recommended if you don't know much about bikes and how their controls are much different than cars.
oh man, the exhaust/manifold clamp is my worst reoccurring nightmare.
Another good book to get is the: tuning the a series engine http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuning-Engine-Definitive-Performance-Economy/dp/1859606202 if you have to do engine work. it's old but so is the car.
I loved this car growing up. 94 was an amazing year for Team Penske, they swept the podium 3 times.
There's also a good book about the pushrod engine the PC23 used at indy:
https://www.amazon.com/Beast-Secret-Ilmor-Penske-Shocked-World-ebook/dp/B00KBBVQ0G
Oh god. Do yourself a solid and throw that piece of shit new edition of roadcraft away and get yourself a copy of the old one while you still can!
That new edition is terrible. Whichever committee of idiots put it together wrote the car version, patted themselves on the back, then did a find/replace to turn car into motorcycle. It's SO bad.
There's a fantastic book about the development process of the McLaren F1.
Driving Ambition: The Official Inside Story of the McLaren F1 .
I happened upon a copy at Foyles in London in the early 2000s and was blown away by the level of detail, I had to buy it and bring it back home.
Probably the only book I've bought that's worth more now than it was when I bought it.
There's also a book about it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBBVQ0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ugUuzb54VERT3
For an old engine design, it's damn good. Someone who knows how to build them well can have them revving at 8000rpm all day long, no issues.
And it's not that the old head is useless - David Vizard made a career from making fast A-series using the standard head - it's just that we always want more power!
Turbo is a common route to follow - there's a whole forum of nutters doing it http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php (while you're there, check out "Medusa", which is the kind of thing you end up doing when you're bored of sticking turbos on minis!). But for fast road use, a flowed head, lumpy cam and decent carb set-up is all you really need.
The bible on A-series modifications is https://www.amazon.com/Tuning-Engine-Definitive-Performance-Economy/dp/1859606202
I don’t know which races you watch on youtube but chances are that those people are really good and have lots of experience.
Being 1-5 seconds off pace from the really good drivers isn’t that bad actually. Especially when you’re still new and even more on a track like Bathurst (which is quite challenging).
In iRacing you’re being paired with drivers approximately your skill level anyways. So don’t worry about that too much and just keep on gaining experience.
edit: if you’re totally serious about gaining speed real fast, you may wanna have a look at this book. Didn’t read it yet but heard lots of good things about it: http://www.amazon.de/The-Perfect-Corner-Step-Step-ebook/dp/B019WQFEIK
My mum does not drive. Her pimp provides all necessary transport.
Milo tins actually detract from the vehicle performance. The GReddy decals and stick on aluminium look fuel cap covers probably contribute more to performance.
Edit: you should read this book mrscienceguy. Spearwood library used to have a copy.
http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Exhaust-Systems-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837603099
These two were recommended. I like to look at how sailors work things out. Very simple and dependable, vibration resistant, waterproof setups. Certainly can be $$$$ but it is kind of setting a standard for durability. Marine solar, Marine 12 volt TV. Or for example, ice chests with 6-8" of XPS foam are common instead of 12 volt fridge. Works /Won't break.
These two were recommended:
Weems & Plath The 12 Volt Doctor's Practical Handbook 5th Edition
https://www.amazon.com/Weems-Plath-Doctors-Practical-Handbook/dp/1878797131
Managing 12 Volts: How to Upgrade, Operate, and Troubleshoot 12 Volt Electrical Systems 2 Updated Edition
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0964738627?ref%5F=sr%5F1%5F1&qid=1482876085&sr=8-1&keywords=Managing%2012%20Volts%3A%20How%20to%20Upgrade%2C%20Operate%2C%20and%20Troubleshoot%2012%20Volt%20Electrical%20Systems&pldnSite=1
Here are the two best intro books on the subject:
https://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Vehicle-Dynamics-Experiments/dp/0768011272
https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Premiere-Books/dp/1560911999
Formula SAE in college is a great resource. Look for a co-op opportunity in vehicle design (it'll probably have to be in Michigan unless you're lucky or go into commercial truck). Experience is highly valued when you're trying to get that intro level job because co-ops and internships are so widely available in the industry.
Black Noon is a book about the tragic 1964 Indy 500 where they had to stop the race due to a massive crash and the death of two drivers.
Beast is about the 1994 engine that Penske created with Ilmor that found loopholes in the rulebook and allowed them to dominate the Month of May at Indy.
Go Like Hell is a fantastic book about the legendary Ford vs. Ferrari rivalry in the 1960's at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit is a book about Phil Hill and his journey from California midget racing to Formula 1.
All of these are great reads that your dad would find some enjoyment in I'm sure.
At that mileage you may want to have a look at your engine seals. In particular the valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket.
If you're a DIY kind of guy, pick up a Bentley manual. It's basically the bible for your car.
Like someone else said, e90post.com. Great section of DIYs there. There's also a good section where you can get the BMW software for diagnostics and programming. A little finicky to get set up, but once you do, it can be a life saver. My e90 went into Transport Mode randomly and without the software, I would have had a trip to the dealer.
/r/bmwtech is a good place too.
Buy this and read it.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Used-911-Story-Edition/dp/0963172662
Then just get ready to search alot, do not be hasty to buy. When you do find one it must get a PPI from a highly recommended shop(I paid for 5 PPIs before I bought a 930). Then negotiate from there.
It's 50 year for 911, prices are a little inflated right now, and seem to be going higher at least for rest of year. After that hype its possible some of non-enthusiast that are turned on to 911 this year will wash out and drop the prices a bit, but don't bank on it. At this point I am not sure 20K is getting you a "nice clean driver" 911 unless it has huge miles already on it.
Go hangout on rennlist or pelican parts, and with the book I recommended you will get a good idea of what you are getting yourself into.
Peter Zimmerman's book, The Used 911 Story covers just about everything you want to know.
Do you have any motorized toys? Like a minibike? That's a good place to start learning. I'd recommend picking up a decent textbook as well. I dunno how well your English is but I tend to recommend Automotive Technology by Jack Erjavec
Motorcycle Basics Techbook. Covers all the major systems in detail and how they developed.
I’m no new comer to this, I’ve been building and dyno tuning bikes for a decade and a half. the issue with open pipes hurting bottom end is not up for debate, it definitely will hurt bottom end power if they aren’t matched to the characteristics of the engine, what is up for debate is the fact that back pressure helps maintain it which is simply not true.
What occurs when you remove baffles is an increase in pressure at the port due to the reversion wave not being defused.
The little washer on a bolt trick or the various other baffles aren’t there to add back pressure (even if that’s how they advertise) they scatter the reversion wave which delays it’s arrival back at the exhaust port.
The other side effect of removing baffles is a reduction in gas speed due to the increase in pipe volume, physics tells us that a slower moving fluid (exhaust gas flows which makes it a fluid) is under higher pressure. When the exhaust gas slows it will lose momentum which is required to achieve scavenge (negative pressure), scavenge is required to make power since it aids in cylinder fill.
Back pressure will, especially at low engine speeds, push exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber, this is evident on a dyno when tuning. When exhaust gas is pushed back into the chamber it displaces fresh oxygen, with less oxygen in the chamber there needs to be less fuel added or the mixture will be rich, which is exactly what the o2 data shows, the reduction in fresh air and fuel causes a loss of torque
As engine speed increases so does the gas speed which carries more momentum to keep it flowing in an outward direction, reversion waves travel at the speed of sound along the exhaust which means that it is essentially a fixed amount of time to reach the exhaust port, as engine speed increases the exhaust valve will close earlier in relation to the reversion wave allowing it to hit the port on a closed valve so it doesn’t push gas back into the combustion chamber. When reversion is timed right it aids in reducing port pressure (lowering back pressure) and increases scavenge.
This is a scientific study on exhaust and intake design showing the detrimental effects of back pressure
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/analysis-of-exhaust-manifold-using-computational-fluid-dynamics-fmoa-1000129.php?aid=77193
This is an article by rb racing, they have been designing some exceptionally high performance bikes and manufacturing exhaust systems for Harley’s in particular for an awful long time
https://www.rbracing-rsr.com/exhausttech.htm
This is an enlightening read on exhaust and intake design where they monitor exhaust and intake pressure at fine increments of engine rotation while testing its effects on performance, higher exhaust pressure repeatedly shows a reduction in power and fuel economy, this is performed many times over with lots of different intake and exhaust designs.
https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Exhaust-Systems-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837603099
I’m basing my opinion off of the data of several scientists within fluid dynamics who actually understand the physics of what is happening in an exhaust system and have measured exhaust pressure and performance on precision equipment, as well as my own real work data as tested in a repeatable way on a dyno, rather than a someone who sells Harley’s.
This question has been asked a bunch of times, but the one post I've found the most helpful was /u/that_video_art_guy's response in this post. For quick reference, here's the copy/paste:
I've read many of these books, I'm partial to the mechanics and team member books but find all of them to be very enjoyable.
The Super Collective Super list of Super Good F1 Books:
Mechanics/Team Members
[Life in the Pit Lane: Mechanic's Story of the Benetton Grand Prix Year](
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pit-Lane-Mechanics-Benetton/dp/0760300267/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356716346&sr=1-5&keywords=steve+matchett) - Steve Matchett
[The Mechanic's Tale: Life in the Pit-Lanes of Formula One](
http://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Tale-Life-Pit-Lanes-Formula/dp/0752827839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356716346&sr=1-1&keywords=steve+matchett) - Steve Matchett
The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car - Steve Matchett
Team Lotus: My View From the Pitwall - Peter Warr
Jo Ramirez: Memoirs of a Racing Man - Jo Ramirez
Art of War - Five Years in Formula One - Max Mosley, Adam Parr, Paul Tinker
Tales from the Toolbox: A Collection of Behind-the-Scenes Tales from Grand Prix Mechanics - Michael Oliver, Jackie Stewart
Technical Books
Red Bull Racing F1 Car: Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual
McLaren M23: 1973 Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual
Lotus 72: 1970 Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual
Tune to Win: The art and science of race car development and tuning - Carroll Smith
Engineer to Win - Carroll Smith
Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook AKA: Screw to Win - Carroll Smith
Race Car Vehicle Dynamics: Problems, Answers and Experiments - Doug Milliken
Chassis Design: Principles and Analysis - William F. Milliken, Douglas L. Milliken, Maurice Olley
The Racing & High-Performance Tire: Using Tires to Tune for Grip & Balance - Paul Haney
Technical Driving
Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Complete Guide to High-Performance and Race Driving - Ross Bentley
Going Faster! Mastering the Art of Race Driving - Carl Lopez
Working the Wheel - Martin Brundle
Drivers and Rivalry's
Senna Versus Prost: The Story of the Most Deadly Rivalry in Formula One - Malcolm Folley
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit - Michael Cannell
Winning Is Not Enough: The Autobiography - Sir Jackie Stewart
Shunt: The Story of James Hunt - Tom Rubython
Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory: A Memoir of Racing Success, Adversity, and Courage - Alex Zanardi, Gianluca Gasparini, Mario Andretti.
It Is What It Is: The Autobiography - David Coulthard
Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way! - Perry McCarthy The Black Stig, Damon Hill
F1 Through the Eyes of Damon Hill: Inside the World of Formula 1 - Damon Hill, Photography: Sutton Images
People Of F1
Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One - Professor Sid Watkins
Beyond the Limit - Professor Sid Watkins
I Just Made The Tea: Tales from 30 years inside Formula 1 - Di Spires
Bernie: The Biography of Bernie Ecclestone - Susan Watkins
Picture Books
McLaren The Cars: Updated 2011 Edition
Art of the Formula 1 Race Car - Stuart Codling, James Mann, Peter Windsor, Gordon Murray
The bible for vehicle dynamics is Race Car Vehicle Dynamics (RCVD) by Milliken and Milliken.
Also lean on SAE papers, and the formula SAE forums out there. Tons of great information to be found.
Thank you!
Link for Amazon UK
book
Video: lots on youtube, i recommend 'chrisfix'
Get and read this book. It goes over all of the necessary information.
My impression of you seems to be that you don't have very much mechanical experience. I would for the sake of preperation, with the assumption you'd want to repair it yourself,buy a a bentley manual or visit this website. I would also encourage you to purchase a code scanner. At the minimum, this would put you in a leveraged position. As you wouldn't rely on your stealership or a joeSCHMOE as much as you normally would to tell you what's wrong with your car. I find people who buy bimmers either have the money to have them repaired and not dent their wallet or have the know how to repair it themselves. There's nothing wrong with the first type, but I wouldn't be caught dead waiting for someone to change my tire. I encourage you to learn more about your engine, to take things apart. Whatever you may hear may be hear-say. Your car is definitely different than the others.
Good luck!
First off (To the OP): Your fear is understandable. I've heard it all: murdercycle, organ donor, all of it. Keep in mind that he can die in a car, walking on the sidewalk, or absolutely anything. A motorcycle is more dangerous than a car; there's no doubt. And the chance of a serious or fatal accident is higher than a car.
The question you should be asking him: why do you want a motorcycle? If it's just to save money or some other, non-passion reason you should have him think hard about his choice. You will spend more money, have more frustration (Maintaining the bike and a car), and have more stress than not owning a bike at all. But if it's a truly a passion, then all the bad will be outweighed by the feeling a rider gets when they're on a bike. It is an experience that cannot be described; it has to be felt. The money and all the frustrations pale in the face of that. And trying to rationalize it away never works.
And questions you should be asking yourself: why am I so afraid? Is it because I don't know anything about riding? Is it because the media has hyped up the danger? Am I worried he's going to die, and is that worry not overblown? You thoughts matter and you should think about your fears, where they come from, and are they realistic/overblown/justified/etc. Maybe you'll want to take the MSF course (See below) and see for yourself the risks involved. Maybe not. But it's just as important for you to understand your feelings as it is for him so you can have a good discussion and come to a solution that you both can agree to and feel satisfied with.
Now.. If he wants to see if riding is worth it then he should do the following:
Hell, I find this book so important that I'll buy you a copy if it'll help in any way. Just PM me.
Then get the proper gear (CE rated) a used bike (To see if it's something he'll want to spend money and do), and get on the road and take it slowly. Just like any new car driver does. In fact, treating riding in the beginning like starting out in a car for the first time is the best way to think about it. In other words, he won't be commuting on a highway immediately after completing the course.
But then again there's some bad advice out there too. To whit:
> There are only two kinds of bikers. Those who have, and those who will, lay their bikes down.
Some sort of mishap should be expected. I've had my "0mph crashes" (Dropping the bike while stopped), and I've had one accident where I got a hospital ride, and then thrown out of the emergency room for not being sick/injured enough. Proper gear, proper safety equipment, etc should be paramount and will make the difference between walking away with a little road rash, and the ICU or worse.
That being said...."Lay the bike down"? Seriously? You've been riding for 10 years and you're putting that in writing? Do you even understand where that comes from and why it's no longer relevant?
You NEVER lay the bike down. Modern bikes have amazingly good brakes (Search Youtube for "stoppies" to see) and you NEVER cede control ever. You ride that brake upright until the bitter end if you can't avoid the accident to lose speed and keep control. If necessary you hit the object upright too (See motorcycle airbags, or as I call them "assbags"). The laws of physics, once they're in full control and you become a passenger, are a lot harsher than if you always have control and options. "Lay the bike down"....Why don't you go back to fixing your rear drum brake while you're at it too?
>Leather is a MUST
Nope. Motorcycle Consumer News some years back highlighted a report that did drag tests on various materials showed that Cordura/Synthetics could keep up with all but the highest quality leather. Unless your husband plans to compete in MotoGP at Leguna Seca he should buy gear from a reputable manufacturer, and pay close attention to the seams, stitching, and zippers. The material itself makes little difference for most street use; poor stitching will in a slide though.
>STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM SEMI TRUCKS.
Yes and no. They are dangerous to be around, but the hysterics presented are just that. I worry more about the student from China that has just started college with his brand new Audi and a US driver's license. Take the risk in context, not as an absolute.
>STAY THE FUCK off the freeway in the rain.
Horseshit. I do it all the time, and have no problems. Living in New York it rains A LOT and this year even moreso. That said I have had no traction problems or issues from riding other than the water soaking through my gear and the usual fuckwits in their cage. Your husband needs to decide for himself how safe/unsafe it is than rely on individuals who deal in absolutes.
>Full faced helmets protect from road rash, but I've seen some of my best friends get killed because of the torque on their neck on impact.
Anecdote is anecdote. Mine is easy: In my accident my full face helmet prevented injury to my head. That included a bounce in the process.
Statistically there is NOTHING to support such a statement. If anything, wearing a non-full face helmet opens you up to more serious, if not fatal face/head injuries. See the Hurt Report for details. Proficient Motorcycling will go into some detail on this as well.
Ultimately, if your husband decides to ride, he should take individual opinions with a grain of salt. Individual anecdotes about how full face helmets can kill, leather over Cordura/synthetics, staying away from rain and tractor trailers, etc are just that: either anecdotal or outright BS. He should listen to the MSF instructors and the book. If there's any questions he should not go for anecdotes. He should look to Europe where they take riding more seriously than the US, try to buy equipment that meets Europeon standards, and failing that spend time with quality publications (Motorcycle Consumer News) and quality message boards (Eg: Adventure Rider). And, above all else, he needs to be comfortable with what he has and what he's doing. If not, then he needs to stop and re-evaluate.
Now before /u/MentalSewage goes off, here's my experience:
All typos and grammar mistakes are mine. Accept no substitutes.
Well, some books that might be worth looking at:
Formula Student Finish to Win by Patrik Sipak
Racecar: Searching for the Limit in Formula SAE by Matt Brown
Learn & Compete A primer for Formula SAE, Formula Student and Formula Hybrid teams by Suzanne Royce, Michael Royce and others
Race Car Vehicle Dynamics by William and Douglas Milliken
Race Car Aerodynamics: Designing for Speed (Engineering and Performance) by Joseph Katz
I figured responding would be better than downvoting and what not. Here's a short list of some good textbooks to start with.
Fluid Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications: This is my favourite general fluid dynamics textbook.
Race Car Aerodynamics: Designing for Speed: Considered one of if not the best textbooks for race car specific aerodynamics.
Race Car Vehicle Dynamics: This is the defacto vehicle dynamics textbook. I don't think any F1 engineer out there hasn't read this.
Computational Fluid Dynamics: The CFD Bible.
PM me if you want ahem links to the digital versions. Sorry if I've been harsh earlier, everyone starts somewhere and some concepts aren't particularly intuitive. You've got the right attitude though, a better feel for aerodynamics will come soon enough.
I suggest you actually learn the basic fluid dynamics, then you'll understand how they work when people explain to you. Actual maths involved in proper fluid dynamics is pretty tough but you don't need it to understand the concepts.
Race Car Aerodynamics by Joseph Katz is a good mixture of theory and practical examples. The maths is basic, nothing beyond A level or first year undergraduate level.
A good starting point, if you're really serious about the car, Get it to an Indy Porsche mechanic and do a PPI. Also, get this book while you are at it. It should have every major and known issue in it. Then check the maintenance and repair history; a good binder / folder full of receipts is a pretty good indicator. If anything is rebuilt, including the steel widebody, check for paper work.
In short: Check maintenance and repair history, compare it to the book, and if there is anything you are unsure of, get a PPI done and mechanic should tell you.
Edit: I wish I could help you more, but I don't own one. I researched into 80s 911 SC when I was looking for one, and above is what I learned.
I would recommend signing up to some classic mini forums, the best one I have found is The Mini Forum lots of great advice also lots of projects and ideas to read about.
I would recommend 'The Yellow Bible' (as it is know to classic owners) for excellent information about all the 'A' series engines.
I own a copy of this which has some excellent and interesting information about the models.
Haynes also do a 'restoration' manual that you might find interesting if you decide to persue ownership.
Where abouts are you from? It could be worth looking up a local club and trying to meet up with owners to get some infomation - I've always found this useful as most of them are very knowledgeable and very willing to help!
Feel free to AMA - I'll try to help as much as I can!
https://www.amazon.com/Technique-Motor-Racing-Driving/dp/0837602289
Not specific to karting, but this is a great book on driving technique.
I don't really think there is one place online.
I've been reading about this car in magazines and online for over a decade now. You'll have to Google around.
If you really, really, really like this car, purchase https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Ambition-Official-Inside-McLaren/dp/1852278412.
Here's another fun fact for you. They have a 56K modem on-board so owners can plug them in and McLaren can diagnose problems remotely.
Alright one more fun fact: They can only communicate with a Compaq LTE 5280. McLaren keeps several very well maintained versions.
Ok fine more fun facts not mentioned in the video: the reason for the chosen tail lights? Someone was sent out to weigh all available safetied tail lights; the ones they got were the lightest.
There is no radio in the F1. The CD player was specially developed by Kenwood, and is very very light. One of the upgrades McLaren offers is to take it out and replace with a modern MP3 system.
McLaren had very stringent weight, etc. requirements from manufacturers for the parts for the F1. BMW went over the weight limit by a tad, but got a hell of a lot more power. Still, Gordon Murray was upset they went overweight.
Here's a video of the owners manual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUfRNAuPSbw
I say go for it, the cost factor is really no different than any other 40 year old car; the thrill being able to pull the engine out and work on it with just a floor jack makes any daunting task that much more manageable.
My first was a '73 Super and then went on to two "74 Supers and a"74 Westfalia...wish I still had the Westy. I totally agree with /u/throwingupandcrying in finding a specialist for any task you're not ready to handle, but also get your hands on the Muir repair manual use it with reckless abandon.
If you're interested in ride/handling or chassis design:
Race Car Vehicle Dynamics
The Science of Vehicle Dynamics
Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics
Chassis Design: Principles and Analysis
YouTube is a great resource, as people are saying. Especially if you can find someone who is working on a similar bike.
The basic user maintenance for your bike will be briefly described in the owner's manual. To go deeper than that definitely pick up the Haynes or Clymer service manual for your bike. They are more beginner-friendly than the manufacturer's service manual.
Finally, if you really want to foster a deep understanding of how motorcycles work on a book-learnin' level, grab the Motorcycle Basics Techbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/185960515X
You could start with the original 'bible' - The Technique of Motor Racing
The Perfect Corner and Perfect Corner 2 and Perfect Control. These are by far the most accurate and in-depth books if you want to not only know the best way to take a corner but also understand why it's the best way. No other resource comes close, in fact many books/videos get things wrong.
Honestly it's the only resource I'd fully trust. Others may give good tips in general but fall apart in some specific cases. Be warned though that it leans heavily on the physics side of it, even though there's not much actual math. I consider it a plus, but then again I'm a maths teacher so I'm definitely biased towards these kinds of publications
https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Basics-Techbook-Haynes-Manuals/dp/185960515X not sure if that would help but seems like it gives a basic rundown of common engines. Looks like something you might be looking for at least for now
I purchased this book and it was an amazing resource. I had 0 knowledge/experience in anything more complex than switching a lightbulb and it helped me safely and confidently design and build out the electrical for my van
It's certainly possible, but difficult. CFD is also an option. You are probably better off looking for a book or resources on car aero and learning some overall trends.
https://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Aerodynamics-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837601428
https://www.amazon.com/Race-Vehicle-Dynamics-R146-Premiere/dp/1560915269/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491969872&sr=1-1&keywords=race+car+dynamics
Get him started early
I would advice you take some time to practice in a quiet car park, get as familiar as possible with the controls and how to control the bike at slow speed, make sure you are 100% confident
In the meantime make sure you know the highway code to a good level, this is a good book to read, look for youtube videos explaining good roadcraft, check out rnickeymouse's channel and learn the common reasons people crash on corners, treat every other driver as a complete idiot who is trying to kill you, stay relaxed, dont tense up especially not your arms and upper body, learn from your mistakes before your run out of luck and you should be fine
I think everyone goes through this starting out. The guy who I took advice from was ATGATT and had a good riding philosophy. When my mom first saw me with the bike, I showed her all the gear, padding, and armor. and it eased some of her fears. "Whatever happens" does not have to be whatever. You need to take control of your own safety so when "whatever" happens, you have a safe response. Your dad needs to see how you're prepared for danger and prepared for life.
Watch a lot of motorcycle crash videos, seriously. Try to figure out what went wrong, why did the rider crash, what could they have done to prevent it? Buy and read this book: Proficient Motorcycling
Are you a good car driver? Be honest with yourself. If yes, then you can be a good motorcyclist because it uses a lot of the same driving skills. The biggest difference is the controls. The risk is much higher and that's the part you really need to be okay with. Use your fear to make better decisions, become more observant, and find ways to get other drivers' attention. No matter how many years you ride, there will always be fear.
Lastly, Why did you stall five times riding around your block? What did you do to resolve this issue? What are you going to do the next time you stall the motorcycle? Don't tell me, tell yourself. Learn something from everything you do wrong...and right.
Now that I've got a bit of real world experience since my MSF class, I do plan on taking a supermoto class and ADV riding training (if I can find such a thing).
The main thing I learned since MSF is that there's always more to learn. David Hough's book saved my ass the very day after I read it, luckily for me! I got into a situation in a construction zone that I would have had no idea how to handle if I hadn't read his book, and only had the MSF as my base of knowledge.
http://www.amazon.com/Technique-Motor-Racing-Driving/dp/0837602289
Fundementals of Vehicle Dynamics
Very informative on the technical side, especially in suspension dynamics.
Pumping means don't drive. Bleed and adjust brakes. If you're not familiar with these processes, you need to get
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1562614800?pc_redir=1411126743&robot_redir=1
This is the one correct answer, and well stated.
Philip Smith's Scientific Design of Exhaust and Intake Systems is also an excellent reference. It's older, but the science really hasn't changed, and you don't really need an engineering degree to get through it. The book and research were long before digital modeling, so it's all dyno experimentation using mechanical measuring systems, no CFD or modern voodoo.
The whole "back pressure is necessary for low end torque" idea is 100% bullcrap.
This book?.Thanks for the start. I've got a decent collection of the smaller allens, looks like need to start getting the bigger guys.
Beast: The Top Secret Ilmor-Penske Race Car That Shocked the World at the 1994 Indy 500
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KBBVQ0G
Dull but worth reading: Motorcycle Roadcraft
I was actually looking at it a couple days ago on amazon and i saw some guys on forum that were compairing it with: https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Technology-Systems-Approach-5th/dp/1428311491/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1484368197&sr=8-4&keywords=Automotive+Technology%3A+A+Systems+Approach
which also looks like a good overall car book. My next will probably be one of these 2.
Doesn't cover everything you're looking for but Engineer to Win by Carroll Smith is a great book for simple design best practices. Lots of good stuff on materials and stress 101. It's a quick read too.
http://www.amazon.com/Engineer-Motorbooks-Workshop-Carroll-Smith/dp/0879381868
edit: This is not strictly an engineering textbook but I think it offers a very insightful view from the "real world" perspective that is valuable. Especially since I assume you've already taken undergrad level engineering courses. This book can offer a lot of "ah" moments as the theory side and practice side meld.
Also shigley's sounds like the engineering textbook reference you're after.
https://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Aerodynamics-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837601428/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=race+car+aerodynamics&qid=1564857858&s=gateway&sr=8-1
This one is great assuming you are looking at 996 or older:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Used-911-Story-Edition/dp/0963172662
I cheated I own this [book] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Ambition-Official-Inside-McLaren/dp/1852278412)
As is often the case here, The question you ask encapsulates an entire area of science. More specifically, Materials Science. In this case, Metallurgy.
I suggest you read this completely, and, if you are intrigued by the preview, purchase the book.
It gives an excellent heads-up on the practical aspects of metallurgy in a way that is easy to understand and is quite entertaining.
Not only will you have the basics down, this book applies the principles in ways that you can use immediately in the real world.
I think you'll be hard pressed to find actual detailed schematics.
http://www.amazon.com/Race-Rally-Car-Sourcebook-Competition/dp/085429984X
That book has a lot of pictures and diagrams of various racecars (both production based and formula style) and discussion about design considerations.
The To Win series by Carol Smith has some wisdom from a man who built a lot of formula cars, but it's mostly technical stuff - not straight up schematics.
The only resource I know of that has full schematics about how to build a car, is Build Your Own Sports Car for as Little as £250 and Race It!, but that's to build a 1960 era Lotus 7. (If you want to check this out, I have a .PDF copy I might be able to upload, as the original is out of print - the book shouldn't cost 1/2 the price of the car they teach you to build IMO, lol).
A while back, I had the same dream - except not a Formula 1 car, just a homebrew of some sort.
To get "practice" at putting a car together, I taught myself a 3D CAD program called SolidEdge (similar to Solid Works, except there is a free academic version that's readily available to almost anyone). I looked everywhere for schematics of real race cars so I could attempt to model one before I started working on my own design. The best thing I could find was that Build Your Own Sports Car book.
Seems like nobody wants to give away their design secrets - even with 50 year old cars...
About 10 years ago a friend of mine got a book about Ferrari's ~2000 F1 car. I think the book cost $250. You could probably build a ~2000 Ferrari F1 car based on the photos and diagrams in that book, but you'd need an extremely well equipped shop to do it, and it would still cost hundreds of thousands of dollars just to make the shell and suspension. I don't even remember what the book was called. I think it might be this one, but I'm not sure.
This is a good book:
http://www.amazon.com/Managing-12-Volts-Troubleshoot-Electrical/dp/0964738627
Take the MRC!
Then buy this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding-ebook/dp/B004CLYCPM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408734391&sr=1-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling
And read it cover to cover, at least three times.
Once you have the stuff in that book down, move onto this:
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408734423&sr=1-2&keywords=twist+of+the+wrist
Just look and perform the same? That's do-able. Here's some inspiration to get you started:
http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Sports-Little-%C2%A3250/dp/1859606369
This is the book they taught out of when I was at WyoTech.
David Vizard says the biggest restriction on air flow through an A series engine is the valves, particularly the inlets. So porting the valves is a big winner.
EDIT: his book "Tuning the A series" is pretty much a must read for rebuilding A series
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tuning-Engine-Definitive-Performance-Economy/dp/1859606202/ref=la_B001JOWD4M_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415720506&sr=1-1**
>And weight on that tire would just be taking away from your other tires.
Except that's a good thing...
For tires to generate lateral force, they need a normal load on them (i.e. weight) and they need to slip (hence slip angle).
So by that logic, you just want to pile on more weight and you get more lateral force. This is true, but the problem is that pneumatic tires have a sensitivity to that weight. This means that for more and more load you pile on them, the less lateral force you get back. It's why race cars want to always be as low as possible, you transfer less weight.
Essentially, because the weight got transferred off the tire, it lost more lateral force capability than the outside tire gained.
If you don't believe me, read either:
The Racing & High Performance Tire by Haney
or
Tune to Win by Carroll Smith
or
Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics by Gillespie
or
RCVD by Milliken and Milliken
or you can choose to ignore a random person on the internet that says he has several years of engineering experience for several racing series.
Bare in mind I've only done the ERS and an evaluation ride for IAM, so maybe someone who has been on these courses can give a better answer, but...
A little above ERS, but below IAM/RoSPA.
ERS to me was like an extra after passing, Pass Plus style. I enjoyed it and learnt from it, but it did feel like hooning around the countryside with mate a times ( not saying that's a bad thing, but if you are paying for a course you might think so ).
The thing with ERS, is it's being done by police riders who you'd like to hope are expect to have some of the highest standard of riding.
Bike Safe, IAM and RoSPA all seem to have their grounding in "THE SYSTEM" ( say it like you are in a cold war thriller ). Which comes from the Police Rider's Handbook, which basically lays a ground work of how you should be riding when it comes to reading the road, hazards, etc ( IPSGA )
For me, at £45 it's worth a punt. I know it won't make my insurance cheaper (fucking Hastings Direct), but if I can come away with a little more knowledge then it's all good.
( updated link )
The first technical driving book, and one that still has some following, would be Piero Taruffi's The Technique of Motor Racing. It's a very technical book, so if you read it keep in mind it won't be a book to breeze by.
Personally I've read and enjoyed Ross Bentley's books, and I think Taruffi's book is an interesting read and has some useful concepts, but not that many as once before.
The original Locost book claimed £250, which when reading it made a lot of fairly generous accounting lines, but it did feel like you could do it somewhat close to that if you were really patient and waited for super good deals.
I'm in the US. Current exchange rate puts it at $5600 = £3500. That would be super tight, but do-able. $8k US could get it done though. Tools and talent not included.
You mention being versed in CAD. Have you studied vehicle design for input on the suspension, driveline, other aspects? If any engineering schools local to you offer it, it's probably money well spent to take a Vehicle Dynamics class. At minimum, here is the book my alma mater uses for that class which is very well written and easy to understand: http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Thomas-Gillespie/dp/1560911999
It doesn't need upgrades really. I used to track a Nissan Micra 1.1 (? long time ago). Throttle was on or off, hand brake was turn, none of this ESC nonsense :) Do what you have to do though mate. Life is a balancing act, but you will need a hobby. If you want something a bit more fun fuck I hate Reddit URL format
You'll never do it for 250 quid, get a pro welded chassis, but everythiing else is fine. I've driven a hyabysa powered one and it blew my mind.
Managing 12 Volts: How to Upgrade, Operate, and Troubleshoot 12 Volt Electrical Systems Updated Edition
Great bike ;)
As well as Twist of the Wrist - very good read, I'd also suggest you also read "Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider's Handbook". Not so much "how to get round corners faster", more "how to survive".
Enjoy the bike, I enjoy mine.
Congrats! please do your self a favor and buy this. Great 0-60 and actually one of the most humorous things I've ever read.
Also join www.thesamba.com great community there and a ton of helpful people, along with ideas and such. Of note, it is about as troll'y as reddit.
Texas is home of a few VW clubs, find them, use them, join them. Hahah, but seriously those guys will know the good shops and will have a shitton of connections. Also a bunch of them probably horde parts.
Your bus has a name, you will figure it out as you travel with it. Give it time the name will become apparent. For example Phoenix [my wife's and my bus] has risen from the smoldering ashes a couple of times now.
Honestly if you have any questions at all don't hesitate to pm me as well, always happy to help a new member.
The yellow bible.
I hope you've read Build Your Own Sports Car for as Little as £250 and Race It! by Ron Champion The book is a bit dated, but the ideas are there. You may also find a copy of the book scanned online somewhere.
There are also online forums based around the book. I've found the UK forums have more active members than the US forums.
It's not a cheap book but it takes you through the majority of aspects in automotive mechanics. It's college level and geared towards formal education and studying, but I find that even for personal interest it gives the reader/enthusiast a great starting foundation. If you can afford it and have the motivation to read it in its entirety, you will be in a much better position to make proper mechanical decisions if you start a project car in the near future.
I should also add that I own this book and am currently reading through it myself. It's tough at some points due to the nature of the content, but it's superior to the general knowledge and information you'll be presented with in most forums and shop talks.
Penske ran the Mercedes engines the year after, 1994. But it was mostly just branding. Engine was designed by Ilmor Engineering (whose engineer, Mario Illien is now advising Renault F1).
Source: I read this recently: Beast: The Top Secret Ilmor-Penske Race Car That Shocked the World at the 1994 Indy 500
http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Premiere-Books/dp/1560911999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425872946&sr=8-1&keywords=1560911999
http://www.amazon.com/Engineering-Fundamentals-Internal-Combustion-Engine/dp/0131405705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425872963&sr=8-1&keywords=0131405705
These are the two books I could find that professors at Embry-Riddle, for the high performance vehicle design option of mechanical engineering, use. Im sure there are others, but i dont know where to find them as im not a mechanical engineering student. I'd say go to:
http://www.neebo.com/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-daytona/textbooks
And search around for courses that relate to your interest and find the books they require
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1560915269/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1463348434&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=race+car+vehicle+dynamics&dpPl=1&dpID=51RPTK9WZCL&ref=plSrch
No surprise that the McLaren F1 is my number one ultimate dream car going back almost 25 years. I've had dreams about driving one, waking up with actual tears on my face. I've got a cabinet full of McLaren F1 die cast models and toys and two copies of the F1 book Driving Ambition. I spent my time in the UK looking for one. I long for one each and every day of my life. Like an unrequited or lost love.
Check out this book here
There is a community of diy Caterham/Lotus 7 clone builders here
They may not be rear engine like the atom, but there is much to be learned there.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B019WQFEIK?pc_redir=T1
I've just "bought" it and can access it through the Kindle Cloud Reader thing (read.amazon.co.uk)
ps: UK link http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B019WQFEIK
pps: thanks for free stuff... I like free stuff :)
I don't know how you're this uninformed. Read both these books and tell me which one is harder.
This book is a decent read for the older cars, it doesn't have too much info after they went to water cooling, http://www.amazon.com/Used-911-Story-8th/dp/0963172662/ref=pd_sim_b_2.
I daily drive a 930 with a 4 speed. It isn't for everyone but it really is a fantastic car. It has completely tainted my opinion of modern cars, they all seem so heavy and really isolate the driver compared to my car. If something happened to it I could only replace it with another 930, http://www.flickr.com/photos/willtel/2893100203/in/set-72157604555459772/.