I have had the privilege to have known Bill and Howard Fisher since 1996. Howard Fisher currently publishes CBAH, and No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guides. You may be familiar with HP Books that was published by Bill Fisher.

I created many covers and interior design for many of the titles. I co-authored and shot all of the photos that are in Tri-Five Custom Interiors and Ford Roadster Custom Interiors.

 

California Bill’s Automotive Handbooks Titles

 

Fords of the Fifties

Dean’s Garage published a post on Fords of the Fifties with an extensive photo gallery of images from the book.

By Mike Parris. Cover and Interior Design by Gary Smith. A complete work of art and information about Ford cars during this romantic decade of chrome, fins, and dual exhausts. Much of the color photography is by author Mike Parris, one of the country’s foremost automotive photographers. Original photography and information from the archives of Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and the Detroit Library’s National Automotive Collection are also featured. This is a must have for any classic car enthusiast. Parris blends a behind-the-scenes story of Ford Motor Company’s survival and comeback from 1949 to 1959 with these beautiful images and details of classic Fords. The company was losing $10 million per month during the mid-1940s when 27-year-old Henry Ford II came back from the Navy to take charge and lead the company to one of the most successful decades in its history. After nearing the brink of bankruptcy, Ford Motor Company came bounding back with record profits, memorable products and dream cars that captured the minds of post-war America. This book will become your best source of information for this great period in Ford automotive history.

 

Fords of the Sixties

By Mike Parris. Cover and Interior Design by Gary Smith. This decade brought us the Falcon, the Mustang, Shelby Cobras, and motorsports wins from Indy and NASCAR to Trans Am and LeMans. Nothing was beyond the grasp of Henry Ford II and his great company. Style and auto racing were playing an important role in Ford’s growth. Henry still called the shots, Iacocca brought on the Mustang, and Carroll Shelby gave Ford the international respect in racing it sought. Henry wanted to buy, but Ferrari wasn’t selling. So he turned Shelby loose with his Cobras and then the GT40s. And LeMans belonged to Ford. And in NASCAR, drivers such as Fireball Roberts, Freddie Lorenzen, and Cale Yarborough were lighting the southern speedways on fire.

 

’Fifties Flashback

Cover and Interior Design by Gary Smith. Was the ’50s your decade? Relive the memories, the optimism, the cars and the lifestyle of those early, more innocent years. Or, experience for the first time the custom-car craze, the horsepower race; when Detroit built terrific cars and America was the greatest country in the world! Nostalgic history of the way things were in the 1950’s. Cars we drove, clothes we wore, the movies, the drive-ins, service stations, car shows, car clubs, what we read, drag races, street racing, rappin’ pipes and more. Hub caps, squirrel knobs, blue dots and flamers all get their time in the spot light.

 

 

Chevy Tri-Five Custom Interiors

Cover, Interior Design, photography, and co-authored by Gary Smith. Award-winning cars and interiors will inspire you with design possibilities for your own 1955-1957 Chevy. You will learn the concepts behind a great interior. Large full-color photos and detailed explanations show and explain how Ron Mangus executes these design ideas. Get a detailed look at creative solutions for seats, door, kick, and rear quarter panels, carpet, mats, headliner, trunk, seat bolsters, and many other interior design areas. From the stock look to wild customs, you’ll find a wide range of new ideas to adapt to your own car’s interior.

 

 

Ford Roadster Custom Interiors

Cover, Interior Design, photography, and co-authored by Gary Smith. You will be inspired with 18 examples of award-winning interiors by Ron Mangus. Many different 1929–1935 Ford roadster interior design styles are shown, from the modified stock sleeper look to unrestrained show stoppers. Get a detailed look at creative interior design solutions for seats, door, kick, and rear quarter panels, carpet, mats, headliner, trunk, seat bolsters, and many other interior design areas. After experiencing this book, you’ll be inspired to personalize your own Ford roadster interior. Gary Smith, co-author and photography.

 

 

Custom Auto Interiors

Cover and Interior Design by Gary Smith. Create your own interiors in the style you want. Expert trimmers Don Taylor and Ron Mangus share two lifetimes of auto upholstery experience and secrets in this fantastic book.

Over 800 color photographs capture every detail you’ll need to create your own exciting and award-winning custom interiors.

Precise step-by-step instructions show you how to turn out completely professional custom interiors.

 

 

Performance Corvairs

Cover by Gary Smith. Here is a full and complete revision to the original How to Hotrod Corvair Engines by Bill Fisher. Everything the engine builder needs to know to rebuild the Corvair for power in all applications from street to full race. Covers all Corvair engines from 1960–69.

Seth Emerson, successful Corvair racer and technical guru, has rewritten the entire book to current performance standards, adding more than 150 new photos and charts.

Bill Fisher was a huge fan of Chevy inline six cylinder engines. Soon after the Corvair came out in an opposed six configuration, he authored the original How to Hotrod Corvair Engines in 1964.

 

 

Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual

Cover and Interior Design by Gary Smith. Crammed full of all the things that made the original Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual the bible for new and experienced six-cylinder engine builders, this updated version is a must-have for any serious inliner.

From soup to nuts, when you want to build the Chevy six for more power and torque than the factory could ever imagine, there is only one book the experts turn to. And now the second edition is absolutely jam packed with the latest blueprints, interviews, airflow charts, build sheets, racer and “hot dog” profiles. Thought-provoking ideas will help you build the Chevy six your way!

224 Pages, over 600 photos, drawings and charts!

 

 

How to Rebuild Your Nissan & Datsun OHC Engine

Cover by Gary Smith. For all Nissan/Datsun 4- and 6-cylinder L-series engines. Parts identification and interchange. Concise text leads you through each engine rebuilding step. Gives comprehensive information on how to diagnose, remove, tear down, inspect, recondition, assemble and install. Includes all steps necessary to do a professional, quality rebuild. Bonus sections include parts identification and interchange as well as in-vehicle cylinder head and timing chain repair. More than 500 photos, drawings and charts. Learn how to breathe new life into your Nissan/Datsun L-series engine. Do it right with this book.

 

 

How to Modify Your Nissan & Datsun OHC Engine>

Cover by Gary Smith. L-series engine mods for road racing, drag racing, off-road racing & improved street performance. Covers 510, 610, 710, 810, 200SX, 240Z, 260Z, 280Z, 280ZX and pick-up truck engines. Frank Honsowetz, Nissan/Datsun racer, tells how to choose L-series engine parts, prepare and assemble them for optimum power and durability. Lubrication, ignition and exhaust systems are covered in detail. Bonus section covers how to choose, tune and maintain Mikuni/Solex, DCOE Weber and SU carburetors. All aspects of modifying the Nissan/Datsun L-series engines are covered.

 

 

How to Restore Your Datsun Z-Car

Cover by Gary Smith.. A thorough, step-by-step guide for restoring 240Z, 260Z, 280Z sports cars. Datsun parts-ID drawings included. Recapture the excitement and value by restoring your Z to like-new condition using the detailed restoration procedures given in this book. Wick Humble discusses the pluses and minuses of “frame-up” or “staged” restoration. Packed with info—over 500 photos and drawings, plus a bonus section that includes 32 Datsun parts illustrations. Use this books to return your Z-car to its original glory! Covers all aspects of Z-car restoration!

 

 

How to Hop Up Chevrolet & GMC Engines

Speed tuning theory and practice, costs, horsepower and torque for 1937-54 Chevrolet 6s, plus the 228, 248, and 270 GMC engines. Fitting the block, stock and special Wayne and Horning cylinder heads, rocker arms, pushrods, cams, boring for larger pistons, rings, drilled crank-shafts, intake manifolds, exhaust headers, ignitions and superchargers. Shows classic speed equipment developed and manufactured by Barker, Belond, Besasie, Champion, Clark, Edelbrock, Edmunds, Chet Herbert, Hilborn, Horning, Howard, Iskenderian, Italmeccanica, JE Pistons, Mallory, McGurk, Newhouse, Nicson, Spalding, Tattersfield, Venolia, Vertex, Wayne, Wico and Zoller. Explains the Chevy power family, the paths to power, block modifications and assembly, estimating horsepower, planning the job to get the most performance for your money. Clearances and general operating instructions are provided for the Wayne-equipped engine. One section is devoted to the GMC 6-cylinder engine. Reprinted from the original 1951 edition. A classic guide for any auto buff’s library.

 

 

How to Hop Up Ford & Mercury V8 Engines

Speed tuning theory and practice, costs, horsepower and torque for all 1932 and later Ford & Mercury Flathead V8’s. Details on planning the modifications, fitting the block, boring and stroking, flathead and overhead-valve cylinder heads, cams, pistons, rings, intake manifolds, exhaust headers and special ignitions. A special chapter discusses superchargers. This Roger Huntington classic will help you understand how things were done around 1951. Shows classic speed equipment developed and manufactured by Ardun, Belond Besasie, Champion, Frenzel, Harman-Collins, Hilborn, Howard, Iskenderian, Italmeccanica, Kong, Mallory, McCulloch, Navarro, Offenhauser, Roemer, Smith & Jones, Spalding, SpeedOmotive, Stephens, Tattersfield-Baron, Tornado, Vertex, Weber and Winfield. Explains the V-8 family tree, planning the job, block modifications and assembly, cylinder heads, carburetors, estimating horsepower and how to get the most performance for your money. A classic guide for any auto buff’s library.

 

 

Ford Flathead V-8 Builder’s Handbook 1932–1953

Cover by Gary Smith. Frank Oddo explains every facet of rebuilding the famous flathead Ford V-8, from stock rebuilds to high-horsepower modified engines. It begins with the origin and evolution of the famous old engine and explains the pros and cons of the various models and what to look for when buying one of these engines.

Disassembly is step-by-step, showing how to find and repair cracks, which are expected in an engine block that hasn’t been manufactured in more than sixty years. Inspecting and derusting the block is followed by reconditioning the block (repairing cracks, boring, valve seats, crankshaft, rods and pistons, and balancing).

Next comes a chapter on flathead breathing and selecting valve train components, including stock and reground camshafts, valves and springs, porting and relieving. Bottom-end assembly includes installing the cam, crank, pistons and rods, main-cap stiffeners and new oil seals to make your rebuilt V-8 a non-leaker.

The induction-system discussion includes one-, two-, and three-carburetor manifolds, single four-barrel manifold, carburetors, and superchargers. Original and aftermarket ignitions for the flathead include new state-of-the-art electronic ignitions without points. Essential details on how to install later-model flatheads into early chassis.

Where to buy parts today to make these old engines perform like they never did when they came out of the factory.

Crystal-clear photographs and drawings make every step of the rebuild easy to understand and follow. Author Frank Oddo was a regular contributor to Street Rodder magazine and a dyed in the wool flathead Ford V-8 enthusiast.

 

 

California Bill’s Ford Speed Manual

Reprint of the original 1952 edition.

How to hotrod Ford and Mercury flathead V-8 and six-cylinder engines, plus Model A and B engines and the Lincoln V-12 engine. Pure nostalgia.

Reprinted from the original 1952 edition. Features California Hot Rods, Track Jobs, Fast Road Cars, Lakes Cars, V-8 in a Model A, Hydraulic Brakes—any Ford.

 

 

California Bill’s Chevrolet, GMC, & Buick Speed Manual

Reprint of original 1954 edition: Hotrod Chevrolet inline six-cylinder 216 and 235 cubic-inch engines, GMC 228, 248, 256, 270 and 302-CID engines and Buick straight-eight 248 and 320-CID engines. Includes construction drawings, photos, and valuable easy-to-read and understand technical data. Reprinted from the original 1954 edition which sold for $2! A classic guide for any auto buff’s library. Featuring California Hot Rods, Track Jobs, Fast Road Cars, Lakes Cars, and GMC Engines in Chevrolet Cars.

 

 

Souping the Stock Engine

Reprint of the 1950 classic, this true hotrodders’ guidebook provides effective methods for tuning all types of stock engines from the conservative road car to full-race capability. Includes general engine performance, stock-engine characteristics, and basic planning for modifications. Shows classic speed equipment manufactured by Ardun, Champion, Edmunds, Frenzel, Iskenderian, JE Pistions, Kong, Nicson, Nordec, Riley, Spalding, Stephens-Frenzel, Tattersfield, Tattersfield-Baron, Vertex, Wayne, Weiand and Zoller. Reprinted from the original 1950 edition. 189 pages.