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Totally new Armstrong Siddeley book.

Totally new, the book Armstrong Siddeley - The Sphinx with the Heart of a Lion - by Bruce Lindsay breaks new ground in coverage of this under-appreciated marque.

Produced in full colour, it explores every production model from 1919 to 1960, and includes a chapter on the company's diesel stationary engines, which were very popular in the Netherlands. Illustrations are entirely from original sales brochures, period illustrated advertisements, press photos and original photographs; there are no modern images. Summarised technical data and commentary on each model when new is included.

This beautifully-produced book shows the cars as they should be, and will help owners and restorers to rebuild to original specifications. A CD is included, containing images of 76 factory brochures. The book comprises 272pp printed on heavyweight art paper, is hard bound and dust-jacketed, and is presented in a strong slipcase. Supplies may be ordered for Europe from Lucas Geheniau (l.geheniau@chello.nl), and for the UK from Dr John Knowles (enquire@johnknowlesbooks.com). Retail prices are 70 Euros for Europe, and GBP 60 for UK, plus postage. Full details may be found on www.armstrong-siddeley.com

To download the advance notice leaf let for the book, click the image below

Image Copyright © Bruce Lindsay 2010

To visit the web page with more details about the book click one of the images below

Image Copyright © Bruce Lindsay 2010

Back cover of the book

Image Copyright © Bruce Lindsay 2010

A sample spread of the book

Image Copyright © Bruce Lindsay 2010

THE SPHINX WITH THE HEART OF A LION

By Bruce Lindsay.

Some forty-nine years after the end of car production in July 1960 the Armstrong Siddeley marque continues to attract the attention of researchers seeking to inform enthusiasts and an interested audience at large. Each of the authors who have published works on the Armstrong Siddeley marque have chosen a particular theme and in many cases used significant quantities of material which originated at Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited.

Noted  automotive author, Bruce Lindsay, an Armstrong Siddeley enthusiast since the mid 1960's, has set about faithfully recording the Armstrong Siddeley model range as it was released and received by the motoring public, from the very first model the massive 30 HP, right through to the finale, the Star Sapphire Saloon and Limousine.

The forty years of production and marketing, the motivations, the successes and the various innovations by model  are covered,  based on contemporary magazine articles and most importantly with full access to some vast collections of original brochures, factory technical bulletins and product information sheets,  all of which have enabled Bruce to bring together a comprehensive model by model summary of each of the product range which left the Parkside works at Coventry over the forty years of production.

In addition to this almost seamless assemblage of yet another absorbing work on the Armstrong Siddeley marque, the author breaks the chapter continuum with various sidelights of information on the character of John Davenport Siddeley, the evolution of the preselector gearbox and the brawl with Daimler over the fluid flywheel, the manufacture and marketing of the stationary diesel engine range, and the car that convinced J.D. Siddeley to have more than one string to his product marketing bow, the Stoneleigh.

The book takes the reader back into the early twentieth century when each of the fledgling models were new, first the 30 horsepower car, its junior companion the 18 HP, and three years later the inspired move into small cars to balance the range and the cash ledgers of the company.  Using photos, drawings and pamphlets that through the agency of careful collectors, duly acknowledged in the work, have survived over the years since they were first scanned by wistful dreamers,   prospective owners, dealers, competitors and Armstrong Siddeley personnel.

The work leaves the reader in no doubt as to the driving forces of the company in its early years and  also following the retirement of its founder, the mercurial John Davenport Siddeley, who was of the same vintage(born 1866) as the equally irascible pioneering American genius Henry Ford I(born 1863).

The marque is brought to life in picture and in print; the work is also an education on the subject of contemporary motoring, with first-hand accounts of vehicle performance, market reaction, price positioning, and the driving sensation, relative to the competitor vehicles that existed at the time. For example, the review writer notes with some relish that a twin carburetter Sapphire could out-accelerate a Mk. VII (1951 - 1956) Jaguar from rest to 50 mph.

For the enthusiast who first slides the book out of its protective hard slipcase, many hours will be spent poring over the vast array of photographs and images reading the persuasive sales literature penned by the company's publicist, yet appreciating the modern layout and colour reproduction of the original brochures in all their glory. In case the reader is wondering how Bruce managed to encapsulate all of the known extant brochures on the marque, the book includes a CD which has all of the available brochures, starting back in 1920 carefully scanned by page and reproduced in living colour, complete with folds, staple marks and the occasional dealer stamp or embossing which adds to the authentic feel that is well captured by the entire work.

In the days before wide use of the telephone, a brochure on the 15 HP Sports Saloon, politely enquires in italicized text; "May we send you a catalogue?"  Such quaint elegance and courtesy in the marketing of these cars has always impressed the writer, and this book adds to the message of polite and vividly descriptive promotion practised so well many decades ago.

The CD covers 46 pre-war and 30 post war brochures including a 346 Sapphire leaflet embossed by Fergus Motors of New York City USA, serving as an example of the unique material captured on this disc.

In addition to being a reference work delving into all manner of esoteric data on the marque, Bruce's work is also a very good read and invites cover to cover scrutiny with its light entertaining, yet sufficiently technical approach.

The Armstrong Siddeley enthusiast fraternity and the classic car enthusiasts across the globe have again been well served by a marque publication, in this case the very readable and entertaining Armstrong Siddeley - The Sphinx with the Heart of a Lion.

Sandy Cameron.

Other book by Bruce Lindsay

Image Copyright © Bruce Lindsay 2010



Image Copyright © Bruce Lindsay 2010