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It is often said that it's everyone's dream to find a Ferrari or a Lamborghini in a barn. Sadly such finds are usually just a pipedream. However, hundreds of cars are being found every year in a wide variety of locations, and each of them has a story to tell.
These are the stories that Michael Ware, former Director of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, has been writing about for more than 25 years. How about the vintage Bentley that finished fourth at Le Mans in 1923 being found rebodied as a woody shooting brake and used for carrying show dogs? Then there's the MG 14/28 which the owner converted to steam for use during the war and, like so many cars, did not reappear until after his death. Or there's the extraordinary story of Wadia Murad, who built a car to take on the motor industry just after the Second World War only to be beaten by officialdom; the car existed a few years ago in a Hampshire barn.
Automobiles Lost and Found is a collection of the author's lifelong experiences of cars that have been abandoned, sometimes in barns, sometimes in scrapyards, sometimes in quite extraordinary locations. There was the Essex built into an underground air-raid shelter, the 1900 Argyll used as a piece of furniture in the front room of a Russian scientist in Dublin, the veteran Darracq chassis supporting the veranda of a bungalow which itself was built around an old bus body. And, of course, there's the one car that still has not been found: the Renault known to be in the hold of the Titanic. These are just some of the wonderful tales of discovery to be found in this fascinating book by renowned motor historian Michael Ware.
This book is a wonderful collection of just some of those stories, each an intriguing read that will delight every classic car enthusiast.
Michael Ware, now retired, was Curator, and then Director of the National Motor Museum from 1966 to 2001. For 17 years (1983-2000) he wrote the 'Discovered' column in Classic Cars and since then the 'Lost and Found' column in Classic & Sports Car, in total recording around 3,000 car discoveries. In his time at Beaulieu he visited places and people with extraordinary collections of unrestored cars and saw aspects of old car collecting few others have witnessed.
Author Signing Sessions:
Michael Ware will be signing copies of Automobiles Lost & Found.
At: The Beaulieu International Autojumble, Menoshire stand GO45.
On: Friday 12th September from 2.00-3.00pm.
On: Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September at: 11am and 3pm.
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Michael Ware is available for interview
Review copies available
Notes to Editors:
The information on this page is supplied courtesy of Haynes Publishing, please
credit accordingly if you intend to use it. For further information, or to request a review copy Please contact Rebecca at Eventageous PR Ltd on Tel: 01452 886380 or emai info@eventspr.co.uk
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Registered in England, Number: 1449587 Registered Office: Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7JJ
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