Books by James Taylor

Book SynopsisIt was back in 1996 that James Taylor's book Original Land Rover Series I was first published, and it has been in print and in constant demand ever since. In recent years James has been engaged in further research and the gathering of new information for a much larger and more detailed work about the Series I, so, having covered the 80-inch model last year in Factory-Original Land Rover Series I, 80-inch Models, this substantial second book is dedicated to the longer wheelbase 86-109-inch models. The aim remains the same as it was for the 1996 book: to provide a detailed guide to correct factory specification and equipment for all models. This broad and versatile model range was regularly updated in both major and minor ways as improvements became necessary or suggested themselves. The changes make a fascinating subject of study in its own right, and it is those changes that lie at the heart of this book. For owners and enthusiasts who aim to restore one of these models to its original, ex-factory specification, its pages aim to identify all the changes that were made on the assembly lines, wherever possible not only recording what happened but also why. With the aid of Simon Clay's photography of some superb examples of the marque, correct details are shown on both complete vehicles and on some under restoration to give the dedicated enthusiast the knowledge needed for an accurate and satisfying restoration. In this book, enthusiast and leading Land Rover historian James Taylor is your guide to the multiple changes in specification that affected the 1953-1956 86-inch, 1953-1958 107-inch, and 1956-1958 88-inch and 109-inch models.

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Book SynopsisAt the start of the 1930s, the Rover Company was in a precarious position. The slowdown in car sales caused by the Recession compounded the problems of an incoherent model-range, and in late 1931 Rover's bank called for an independent investigation into the company's business. That investigation called for nothing short of a re-organisation of the Board of Directors. Yet within three years, Rover had established one of the soundest management teams in the business and had completely rationalised its product range. Rovers became the preferred choice of the professional classes: the cars were discreet, exceptionally well made, and thoroughly reliable. Above all, they had become aspirational. Very little has been published about this pivotal period in Rover history, not least because for many years it was widely assumed that the company's records for the period up to 1940 were lost in the Blitz bombing of the its Coventry factory that year. Fortunately, that is not entirely true. Many records certainly were lost, but enough has survived or is recoverable from other contemporary sources to form the basis of this pioneering book. The Rovers of the 1930s In Detail extends its comprehensive and detailed coverage back into the late 1920s, when the first of the 1930s models were introduced, and forward into 1947, when the 1930s models that had been revived after the war finally went out of production. The story is a remarkable one, researched and narrated by today's leading Rover historian, James Taylor. This is a book that will be welcomed by all enthusiasts of this respected marque, and in particular by those who have felt their interest in the models of the 1930s to have been ignored for so long.

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Book SynopsisAs the nation that conceived the first tank more than a hundred years ago, Britain has a long and fascinating series of tank designs to its credit. Despite a period of apathy from the relevant authorities about the value of tanks, which led to its grateful reliance on American-made models during the Second World War, Britain bounced back to become an important innovator once again - notably with the development of the still-secret Chobham armour for the 1980s. In addition to the outstanding successes of British tank design, there were many unsuccessful designs along the way. The sheer quantity of proposals, prototypes and production models is bewildering to all but the non-specialist, and yet fascinating to those who persevere in their search for information. The Complete Catalogue of British Tanks therefore aims to make the essential information available in readily digestible form, as well as to suggest further sources of information for those who wish to take their interest a stage further. Completed with useful Appendices about the variety of engines used in British tanks, and about the multiple main weapons that have been employed, this book will be a rapid-reference standby for anyone with an interest in the story of these armoured fighting vehicles.

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Book SynopsisThe Austin Seven was a hugely important arrival on the British motoring scene in 1922, its low price making car ownership available to a section of the public for whom this had earlier been a cost too far. It was cheap to run thanks to its small engine, and its simplicity did not frighten those new to the mechanics of a car. The Seven heralded the demise of the cheap but flimsy cyclecar, and in the longer term it also attracted buyers away from the motor-cycle-and-sidecar combinations that had been the only way into motorised transport for those of limited means. A century after the Seven’s introduction, the cars have a world-wide following. Part of the attraction is much the same as it always was – simplicity of maintenance and the low cost of ownership. Yet the sheer variety of Sevens produced between 1922 and 1939 as Austin gradually developed the model is also a source of fascination – and of some bewilderment and confusion. This book aims to give easy access to the key features of each variant of Austin Seven. It follows the vehicle’s evolution from its 1922 origins to 1939 when the last Seven was built. Yet the book goes far beyond that, giving details of models built outside Britain, coachbuilt cars, military variants and factory competition and record-breaking cars.

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