Books

BOOKS

Looking at this pocket-book sized volume of some 328 pp, the reviewer is apt to say well there goes Bagnall trying to shift a lot of old rubbish out of the back of the warehouse again as the book is mostly about Harleys. Indians and Mustang semiscooters. In fact, the printing and numerous il lies have the look of one of those volumes about of the '30s Johnson Smith catalogue about How To Fill Teeth For Fun And Profit or How To Build Your Own Camera Obscura. However a closer look will reveal lots of basic information that somehow has slipped past our ken such as what really does a voltage cut-out do. an explanation on how to reckon compression ratio, motor operation at high altitudes, a dissertation on piston ring design and in fact most of those questions which we go wandering around the office trying to hnd out. It is true that the book w ill have little

attraction for the flashy type w ith a Honda Six or the latest chrome-bore Kwacker 125 but there are probably thousands of impecunious people scattered across America who either have a junker Harley or Indian or know where they can hnd one. Mr. Bagnall’s tome offers a great deal of surprisingly complete information on mechanical aspects of these, including doing up the gearbox, how to tune Schebler earbs. how and what to set the tappets, wiring diagrams, how to time the engine etc. that ordinarily one would have to schlepp down to the modern gleaming (and expensive) Harley emporium to hnd out. There is a section on Vintage as well as Military models (The Daughter of the Regiment?) and frankly I think it is worth the $8 (incl postage) that Bagnall Publishing wants, just for useful information.

Henry N. Manney ///>

THE FIRST KNOCKER NORTON SCENE

hr Bruce Main-Smith

Motorsport 6115 G ra vo is Sr. Louis, Mo.

$4.95 64 pp.

Herewith we have presented the latest in Bruee Main-Smith’s series of photographs of old English (not necessarily Olde Englysshe) bikes. Obviously they are from his own collection—every racing photographer has seen the chap who goes around automatically taking pictures of everything and in case you have forgotten, there are always a couple of renditions of B M-S smiling out at you. Anyway this one is about “all years sohc and dohc Nortons" which doesn't necessarily mean that they have all sohc and dohc Nortons but a representative collection. I hnd it most reassuring that in these days where extreme Anglophiles w ill get into punch-ups over the exact original placing of the choke lever, that most of the bikes in this book are sort of hybrids with '37 cam towers and late Roadholders but mid-Forties nine' leading shoe brake with, however the rear tire a trifle bigger than normal. And nobodv thinks anything of it. even if they probably draw the line at Mikunis.

A nice production, mostly photos, hut with the sort of chatty commentary that the English do so well. Norton lovers witf salivate.

Henry N. Manney III