Alfaholic's Library - Alfas and others

With as many different Alfas there are, this book has to be invaluable.

Mrs Alfaholic came home recently noting she had bought me a gift from a local antique shop that was having a sale.  Having spent a massive A$3.00 she handed me this book.



Published in 1957 is a nice lightish read through the first 50 years of "Grand Prix" racing, as the cover suggests.  Even though the author did not travel to all of the races, it is written from the perspective of a spectator.  He does get to appreciate the falling engine size of GP cars from the early 1900s up to the 1.5-litre supercharged units of the early 1950s, but he does lament to loss of the "real" road circuits like Dieppe and Rheims, as they are replaced by the "short" circuits like Spa and Silverstone!

Being English the author goes to town on the lack of motor industry support from the English manufacturers, when compared to their Italian and French cousins.  There is also probably a bot too much focus on Segrave and Sunbeam, but this is to be expected I guess. 

The book also has some good drawings of GP cars, as done by the author himself.  Overall, a good read though.

Of more interest to this Forum is the author's primary motoring profession.  I believe that Rex Hays was one of the early builder of premium model cars.  In the e was well-known for building 1:20, 1:12 and 1:10 scale replicas with wooden bodies and scratch built chassis.  I understand several of his pieces are on display in the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.

Yes, that deserves a treat!