Paul Duchene
The Best Motor Racing Books
Collectible automotive book review
Paul Duchene has been a journalist for 50 years. In that time he’s owned 150 cars (total value $150,000). He has written for the Chicago Tribune, NY Times, Car and Driver, Autoweek and Roundel. He was Automotive Editor at The Oregonian, and Executive Editor at Sports Car Market Magazine. In his spare time he tinkers with cars and motorcycles and announces vintage races. Paul has also raced bicycles and motorcycles - including the Motogiro d’Italia - and finished eight Alaskan winter rallies. These days, he’s a Senior Analyst with Hagerty Insurance… which translates as “Old and Has Opinions!” Reach him at [email protected] |
Some of Paul Duchene's articles:
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Best of the Best - Books:
Collectible Automotive Books Review by: Paul Duchene Issue #10 May/June 2020 Fangio
A Pirelli Album by Sir Stirling Moss with Doug Nye In an ideal world, Juan Manuel Fangio’s biography would be written by a peer or close friend. Happily, the best book about motor racing’s greatest world champion was written by somebody who was both: Sir Stirling Moss, in concert with veteran journalist Doug Nye. Fangio and Moss went head-to-head at the highest level of motor sports for 10 years. When Fangio came to Europe in 1949 at age 38, he was twice Moss’s age and an accomplished racer and rally driver in South America. |
The Immortal 2.9 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900Collectability, according to vintage racer, restorer (and very funny writer) Thor Thorson is defined as “Desirable then, desirable now.” Few supercars match the elegant 1936-’39 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 sports racers which have transfixed enthusiasts for 85 years – like Sofia Loren.
It’s hard to believe (if you are a certain age) that it is 34 years since Simon Moore’s original biography of all the 8C 2900 models. “The Immortal 2.9" was acclaimed then as one of the best histories of a uniquely desirable sports racer. His 2008 revised edition raises the bar considerably. |
Chevy and Ford Engines... In Ferrari Competition Cars?!Two books by Randy Cook: Bowtie Ferraris: Chevy-Engined Ferraris from the 1950s and 1960s. AND… Blue Oval Ferraris et al: Ford and Other American-Engined Ferraris from the 1950s and 1960s.
The competition Ferraris built between 1947 and 1959 sell for millions of dollars today, based on their provenance. Shouldn’t the fact that many spent years powered by Chevy or Ford V8s be included in their record of provenance? Randy Cook thought so and set the record straight. |