I received this and personally have no time available for this. I have permission from the publisher to post snippets from our recent emails here - contact Kevin directly if interested:

kevin@veloce.co.uk wrote:

Hello,

My name is Kevin Quinn, and I’m the General Manager at Veloce Publishing Ltd. We're currently looking to expand our Essential Buyer's Guide range of books, and felt a volume on the Porsche 914 would be a great addition to the series. I’m putting out tentative feelers, as it were, to the community, in the hope we can find a suitable expert(s) to write such a book, and you were recommended to me by someone on a Porsche 914 Facebook group.

I’m happy to discuss this with you (my number is 01305 260068), and equally, I’d be happy (and grateful) if you were to pass on my email to anyone you feel might have the necessary expertise.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Best regards,

Kevin Quinn
General Manager
Veloce Publishing

We believe that the format and presentation of our series sets it apart form other books. We ourselves publish a number of books on the 914, but so far no buyers guide. The idea with these books is that they include everything you need for your initial research, then for a quick ‘walk away or stay’ evaluation, then a detailed evaluation section (this is chapter 9, and is the main part of the book). Presentation is clear, highly illustrated, and designed to be referred to when you’re actually viewing a car. I’ve attached a pdf sample book, so you can take a look for yourself. Also attached is our EBG Author pack, which gives a chapter by chapter breakdown on preparing the material.

We now have over 100 books in the series, with over 200,000 sales worldwide ...

If you’re interested I can send a print sample as well.

As for timescale, basically, I’ll leave that up to you to decide. We’re scheduling books well into the second half of next year, which should leave you plenty of time to put the book together.

If you do decide to go ahead, all I’d need from you is a realistic date when you think you can deliver the manuscript and pictures, a suitable cover image (a 914 viewed from the front and slightly from above), details of specific models/years covered, and a short bio of the author (s) and name/address and royalty percentage details. We could then send a contract, and can make a start promoting the book in advance.

Initial print runs are usually 2000, retail price is £12.99/$US 25. We don’t offer advances or other upfront payments. [edit: compensation is a royalty only per their standard contract]

Don’t hesitate to get in touch of you have any other questions.

I would be very grateful if you would put something on the forum. Hopefully someone will come forward.

Garold would be perfect for this

Well, I have written a lot of articles, and made a lot of illustrations so I could go as a partner with someone.

I was thinking Dave Darling, Garold, Perry Kiehl, Brad Mayeur would be good fits for this assignment, in no particular order. Veloce is OK with multiple authors as well.

Something to think about.

I'd be up for a collaboration

Tell them I own and have rebuilt three 914's and have scavenged a dozen, so I don't need a copy....but I'd buy one anyway! So to those who might be up for this, (and more qualified than us hacks) you are a true and dedicated Teener and surely they will make it worth your while.

Simple:
Buy the best 914 you can afford!

I hope they don't pay by word count ...

I nominate Pete Stout or Eric Shea.
These guys have horsepower in the market.

Tom

Whom/Who ever is picked to write the book........please make sure everything is in chronological order and year specific parts are within each section of year. This of course pertains to pictures as well.

There is not one 914 book written that isn't out of order for models parts and pictures. I think the best book was the one done in Holland, "Caught on Camera"
But is still lacked details.

Further more, most 911 and 356 books suffer the same problem. Picture on page twelve.....unusual parts for that model on page sixteen.
Peter Zimmermans books on the 911 are very good

Always follow the simple solution of: "write as though it is for a five year old, you'll never go wrong".

It isn't easy to do right, I know. I've spent years writing employee construction standards and safety for an International Utility. Life and death stuff.
I ended up writing on a table, then placing the page on the floor, page after page spread out next to my chair, so I could look down on the sheets.
I started doing that after reading that is how David Bowie wrote his music. Darn if it doesn't work. Thank you David.

Actually in this instance George Hussey has the most knowledge that I am aware of. Everyone else knows pieces and bits. Because you make a product does not make you an expert. Just make sure that who ever steps up has a running 914 and isn't one of the usual arm chair jack stand quarterbacks or third party builders, that abound this site.

AndyB

ouch!
while I get your point , not well said- I know most of those mentioned by Jeff and others and the all have first hand knowledge due to many years owning buying and selling these cars, none of them are "arm chair Q.B.'s" !! Yes George has been around them and knows the cars as well as anyone. How about the guy that wrote the book on how to "upgrade and restore your 914" . another knowledgeable person in this arena I am sure.

I'm not the guy for the nuts and bolts and bits and trims etc. Frankly, there are others here who know far, far more than I do and thus offer greater value to such a project than I do so long as Veloce can help them translate that knowledge onto the written page.

However, I think this is a neat project and I'd be happy to write a forward about the 914, its design and engineering origins, how it fits into the Porsche landscape nearly 50 years later, etc.

It's about time that a book like this was done. Other than Brett Johnson's excellent restoration guide—which could also do to be updated—the 914 has not received the attention it deserves. After studying all Porsches for 25+ years in my profession, I have come to the conclusion that Porsche's third production car chassis and platform was not only more advanced than its first two but quite a bit cleverer, too.

Eric does brakes and occasionally shocks, where is the horse power there? Or are you trying to say PMB? Again where is the horse power? I personally never heard of Peter Stout.

AndyB.

Andy, if you have never heard of Pete Stout, you should check the reply just before yours. Meet Pete.

You can also look at back-issues of Excellence magazine (from a few years ago), and Panorama magazine from the year before last. And, if you can find one, check out the magazine "000". If you look at the credits page, you'll find his name as "Editor" for all of those. And I think "Publisher" of 000.

BTW, Eric (and PMB) does considerably more than brakes and shocks. His GT build is amazing. Plus PMB is quite well known to the wider Porsche community, and even other marques... (Like that other "prancing horse" one.)

Frankly, both of them have a whole lot more recognition than folks like Garold or myself.

I would love to see such a book. It would be fun to nitpick and argue over it. I am not currently in a place to write one; I lack the time and motivation. I have also gotten into the "the more I find out, the more I realize how little I know" phase...

--DD

George has already published a book "TECH TIPS 700"
161 pages now in at least 3rd edition

No clue about that book. If you aren't driving a 914 because of what ever reason, you're an arm chair mechanic. I tend to listen for the most part to those that actually work on the cars themselves. Not your third party builders, I have seen it too many times where people want to jump on the band wagon about what or what not to do. Would this be a great publication should it come to fruition? Absolutely. Will everyone agree with it, no. And yes I am an arm chair mechanic for now. I accept it maybe others should too.

AndyB

Already have the second edition, thank you. Now if Bentley came out with one it would be in my garage.

AndyB

I know a lot of people that would not go near any book
that had ANYTHING to do with AA...

Just saying....

Way too much bad press for them in the past and way too many
burnt bridges there.

not personally.... But I see the threads...

PMB is a full resto shop, not "just brakes and shocks".

And if you never heard of Pete Stout i have to question anything you have posted in this thread so far.


PS: And just to be clear, there are many qualified people on this board besides the two mentioned above!

Yes but they are not the only vendor to have issues. But don't say a word or your thread gets locked. Isn't that right Eric Shea.

Aha, now your previous comments make a lot more sense.

Personal Axe, meet the Grind!

Not really, I just call them like I see them. Have I had issues with AA yep 1 time. Personal axe to grind hardly. But it's your site so say what YOU will, however no me before you run your keyboard. I took my business else where, where's the axe there Andy?

Not to subvert Veloce, but in todays era of connectivity, and desk top publishing; if I was going through the trouble, why wouldn't I just go on my own?

Maybe they'd be in some distribution circles that a self publisher would have trouble breaking in, but at the same time there's site after site that would either carry the product or do affiliate sales.

Just food for thought. Now let me ease back in that armchair

I agree with AndyB on several points. Pete Stout is an excellent publisher (he gets my money for 000 and I am avid fan). However, that doesn't make him an expert.

Eric Shea has also received a fair amount of my money for several sets of 914 and 911 calipers. However, building a super nice GT does not an expert on all models, years and nuances make.

This takes an expert like Bruce Anderson and Grady Clay were on the 911's.
George H may be disliked. However, I have no doubt he knows his stuff.

There are probably others out there as well who can see a picture of a bolt and tell you where it came from, what year it came from, and any changes over the years.

I would like to see Pete Stout work with someone like that to put together a book to that level of detail. Now, THAT would be a book worth having.

I don't understand the hate going on in this thread but I wonder why Glenn has not been mentioned. He also would be a great resource..

Funny thing is was just talking to Eric a few minutes ago regarding my preasure regulator while neither of us were in our offices and he was spouting out small differences based off of years and vins off the top of his head.. He is very well versed.

To be honest why couldn't it be a collaboration? It would ensure that multiple people could fact check to ensure the best info gets out..

An expert is two things ex=(has bin) and a pert = well I shouldn't say

Any 914 expert has to have a lot of bins ...

Pete.....why don.t you do it?

I for one would buy it.

As for Horsepower.......character goes a long way in my book. Something in short supply seemingly nowdays.

Glenn Stazak knows a bunch about these cars, and probably as knowledgeable as anyone on the 6's

Do you mean your brake pressure regulator?

Andy B

And just two posts ago you claimed there was no axe ...

Yup I thought that was implied sorry.

It might be good to have different authors write their own chapters and have them evaluated by others to try to insure accuracy. That's what occurs in most medical texts and journals. George Hussey's books are amazingly informative, regardless if you approve of his business or not.

As far as self publishing, I'd talk to Bert Levy (author of The Last Open Road) at Thinkfast Ink for advice. He ran the gamut of publishers till he decided to self-publish his book. Even sold sponsorships - like a real racer!

Pete should herd the cats and get everyone to contribute.

Lov'in the commentary in this thread.
Thanks Pete for offering to write the forward.
That's the first productive comment I've seen.

Who will step up to this task and be forever famous? Anyone contacted Kevin Quinn yet? They provide a format based on similar books they publish for other vehicles, include basic editable text as a place to start. Apparently the majority of the work is in one chapter that addresses the 914 in detail. A multi-author collaboration would be a great approach for the best quality.

Well at least you already have one exploded diagram.

Hi Jeff,
I just did. Nowhere near the expertise of the pros mentioned, but on the other hand I know the cars, have been an all around, and also have made buying mistakes. Note that I offered to edit, so possibly I could be one of the proud ones that herd the cats. Generally my rejections cross in the mail, so it is probably sitting in the inbox.
Warren

Interesting that this was posted yesterday
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=316715

I agree to a point that there is not one authority that is a expert in every area with our 914's. Even the late Capn' and Dr. 914 were incorrect time from time with some of their answers given on these forums.

Perhaps co-authoring would be the best route with this project, and have the draft posted here for critiques and or further development. The scientific community has peer reviewed journals before publishing. I think if we mirrored this approach, this could be a very useful book.

I could write it, BUT it would be completely focused on examining and quantifying the psychological baggage and damage that had to have occured for a potential buyer to think it was a good idea!

Love the peer review idea, but it could not publicly be posted, just peer reviewed by a select few.

I hear through the grapevine that an author has been selected - anyone here?

Veloce's show, and resources, so Veloce would be the cat herder as well as format/plan/author decider...as it should be. And if it's published for all to see, you end up with two problems: 1) Hundreds (?) of cooks in the kitchen, and 2) Not a lot of incentive to pay for or publish a document or information that can be viewed for free online.

There are some REALLY solid talents here on 914world.com, so I am hoping Veloce is watching and maybe asks a few folks here who would make a good "short list" of 10-12~ people if they want to do multiple authors, and then narrow that down to 5-7 (or however many chapters there are). I think the community will know better than I do, but some longtime members with perspective to ask might include Sir Andy, Dave Darling, Jeff Bowlsby, Marty Yeoman, MSDS Inc, and there are others. The trick is not overwhelming oneself with too many voices.

The alternative is to hire a pro. As a pro, I can say I wouldn't want to write anything BUT a forward to this book. I feel like I maybe have some perspective on the 914 to add, but not much more. It's one thing to know a little about a lot, but books like this need those who know a lot about a little to share their knowledge before it's gone. Then there are the rare ones who actually know a lot about a lot. They are exceedingly rare, as in I can probably count the ones I've met on one hand...and I do not count myself among them.

Whatever happens here, it's neat that this project is under development. Sorely needed, and I hope it lives up to its potential!