Patrick R. Foster

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The Complete Book of AMC Cars is a thorough reference covering all of the production cars offered by American Motors Corporation from its founding in 1954 to its demise in 1988.

Get an inside look at the American automaker that rose from the decline of a once-thriving independent auto industry to put up a valiant fight against Detroit’s Big Three automakers.

In The Complete Book of AMC Cars: American Motors Corporation 1954-1988, authors Patrick Foster show more and Tom Glatch provide a thorough and fully illustrated review of all the production cars offered by AMC from its founding in 1954 to its demise in 1988, including:

Rambler

Metropolitan

Ambassador

Rebel

Marlin

Gremlin

Hornet

Matador

AMX/Javelin

Pacer

Eagle

Jeep

Born from the ashes of Hudson and Nash, AMC represented a last attempt at survival for an independent automobile company. Thanks to the capable leadership of CEO George Romney, the company not only survived but thrived, riding on the success of the firm’s small, economical cars like the Rambler. As the market began to shift more toward performance and luxury cars in the 1960s, AMC found itself challenged to compete with the output from Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors.

The fuel crisis of the 1970s positioned AMC’s smaller cars to refill corporate coffers. The firm’s purchase of the Jeep brand also generated profits, but ultimately it was too little, too late. Even a partnership with French automaker Renault and the introduction of the all-wheel-drive Eagle couldn’t save AMC. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation purchased AMC and the story of the last independent automaker came to an end.

Foster and Glatch’s engaging book covers all of the AMC models, as well as racing exploits, from its inception to its ultimate demise. Whether you are an AMC enthusiast or are simply intrigued by cars and the stories behind them, this volume is a must-have for your bookshelf.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The first brand-new car I ever bought for myself was a 1977 Gremlin.

Yuk it up. I'll wait. It was small outside and big inside because it was the front two-thirds of the family sedan, the Hornet, with a teeny little shelf of a seat in back...and a big cargo area. It was fine for one person who took the occasional passenger, which after years of wagging huge loads of kids in my 1968 Bonneville felt *marvelous*. So, of course, being a typical male in at least a few regards, I developed a slightly proprietorial interest in the history of the idea of AMC. I expect there are a few car guys scattered among my acquaintance, so here's a handsomely designed, factually informative resource and pleasure-read for them.

The table of contents, as always, starts us as we are meant to go on:

The remaining sample spreads will tell the giver little enough; but if he's said the words "Nash" or "Hornet" in your hearing, and likes looking at Collectible Automobile magazine, this will not be a high-risk gift.

Organized chronologically, this is an overview of an era-defining also-ran in the car market, that I'll wager a lot of us would prefer to have back instead of mourning another industry lost to the appalling greed of the banksters.

As a gift book, it's going to delight the well-targeted recipient. As a radicalization tool, I'm guessing its dreadful story of betrayal and extinguishment might work on some more resistant male minds. show less

Vintage Campers, Trailers & Teardrops by Patrick R. Foster

My cousin, one I have not seen in decades, has an Airstream that I have seen photos of, lusted after, and always wanted to see up close and personal. And I would like to see Sandy again when I see her Airstream. When I saw this book, I knew that I had to request it to read and review and what a fun book this proved to be! My parents never camped and the one time mom stayed in a tent for part of a camp meeting she was aghast at the show more bugs that made their way inside an we were soon on our way home again…after one night in the tent.

What I liked:
* The photographs – numerous, reminiscent of the past, illustrative, evoked memories and the desire to camp even though I have not done much of it myself.
* The information – precise, historical, fun, provided definitions, made me smile, reminded me of my childhood looking at the clothing.
* The writing – easy to follow.
* The jokes
* The mention of current groups to join.
* Information on how to find campers with additional information that is helpful.
* Thinking about what it would be like to be on the road now, or in the past, knowing that I would be pulling into a campsite…or a place by a lake…to spend some time.
* Being reminded of my sister’s discussion of how they chose the trailer they purchased a few years ago and also thinking about the VW bus she and her husband drove across the USA and back in.
* The information related to the companies and what they created.
* The chapters and what they included:
- Vintage Campers
- Tinned cans, canned hams, wooden teardrops & camper trailers
- From covered wagons to covered wagons
- Pickup shells and slide-in campers
- Vintage European camping and the VW Phenomenom
- Vintage camping life
- Silver Bullets – The Airstream Story
- Pop-up trailers
* All of it, really :)

What I didn’t like
* I can’t think of anything except perhaps not being able to look at, go into, and perhaps take one or more on the road and give it a whirl.

Did I like this book? Definitely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Motobrooks for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars show less

Vintage Campers, Trailers & Teardrops by Patrick R Foster is a fun and nostalgic look back at these wonderful vehicles as well as a source of information for those considering a vintage camper or trailer. For my interest level, that of someone mostly interested in the nostalgia (of my days growing up in the 60s), this was a great read.

I will say upfront that my interest in many books of this type is one of curiosity with a touch of some other element, in this case nostalgia. So what I want show more is a nice history or story about the topic with pictures that elicit some kind of reaction. For this book, I was mostly commenting (to myself) "wow, I remember those!" If this sounds even remotely like what you look for in these books, then you will be happy with this one. Plus, how can you go wrong when a Lucy and Desi movie is mentioned and the Apollo 11 quarantine unit is shown.

In addition, if you're interested in them for both the history and the potential investment of time and energy in these vehicles, I think you will be very happy with this book. It offers a lot of advice and information for anyone considering a vintage camper and, more important, it points you in the direction of other sources of information. This would be a nice first step toward making that decision and making an informed decision.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

Society of Automotive Historians 2024 Book Award Nominee