Ultimate Ferrari250GTO-The Definitive History book -preorder?

Update: The Breadvan book arrived in Pennsylvania very well packaged and intact. If I am understanding the DHL tracking information, the book was shipped Thursday July 8 and arrived here in the U.S. at 11:30 EST today. Quite impressive as far as shipping and it is a signed copy. A quick look through the book doesn't show any problems but I will make a more detailed exam when I begin to read it.

 

Update:
Mrs Annelise Airey, Financial Director of Porter Press International, has now sent me an email (came in 9 July 2021 at 12.21 pm Swiss time).
I will have to analyze everything and then respond.
More later.

Marcel Massini

 

I received #330/750 yesterday. It arrived without any torn edges or crushed corners (thankfully). However, I have not removed the cellophane wrapper and there is dirt under the cellophane (!) embedded on the buckram.

The dirt is along an entire edge of the slipcase. The worst spot is on the corner (pictured below). There is also a small scuff on the spine of volume one. I did expect the books to be perfect.

I own another set of volumes from the same Ultimate Cars collection (F1 GTR) and those books were perfect. I’m interested to hear what Porter Press has to say. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Oh man!!
This is all so disappointing.
What a seriously lousy and poor execution. I am basically speechless. I really wonder if Porter Press had these books prepared/wrapped/packed in some slum in China or Nigeria?

Annelise Airey at Porter Press has this email:
[email protected]


Marcel Massini

 

Let us know when you unwrap them.

Sometimes what looks like dirt on the actual book cover can be discolouration in the plastic wrap.

Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks Marcel. One has to wonder! I contacted Mrs Airey using the email you provided. I’ll post an update when I get a response.

 

Thanks Rosey. I looked at it (through the wrapper) from a few different angles in natural light and there truly appears to be dirt stuck to the buckram (unfortunately). I left the wrapper on for now so Porter Press knows I didn’t soil them. I wrote them and sent them photos. I’ll post an update here. Are you enjoying your copy?


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Some have mentioned that they own several titles covering the 250 GTO and that the Ultimate Ferrari 250 GTO volumes are derivative of what has already been published. What would a short list of “must have” books for the 250 GTO enthusiast look like?



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To be 100% honest this is my copy of the Ultimate GTO book currently.

It is making it's way here from the UK, not from Porter Press but from my book forwarder in the UK who checks my books over before being sent, plus I pay less postage as then with the publishing house.

Should be here in a few days time, so I can't really participate in review discussions till then.


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In regards to GTO books the must have would be Keith Bluemel and Jess G Pourret's Ferrari GTO (first edition of you can get it).

Porter Press: Ferrari 250 GTO: The autobiography of 4153, the only drawback is it's a single chassis book.

Anthony Pritchards Ferrari 250 GTO, The History of a Legend, it's good but not a must have.

Then there's Alan Lis's Ferrari GTO The Classic Experience , David Clarke's Ferrari GTO published by Osprey and the new book by William Huon, Ferrari GTO L'empriente d'une legende.

I'd start with those and see how you go.

 

You should start much earlier and have also:

250 GT Competition, by Jess G. Pourret. EPA Publishing, France, 1977.
(The Bluemel & Pourret GTO book came out in 1998 only (Landmarques/Giorgio Nada), 21 years later.)

Also:

Ferrari 250 GTO, Super Profile, by Chris Harvey, from Haynes/Foulis 1982.

Plus:

I love GTO, by Fabrizio Pasquero and Franco Varisco, First/Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Libreria dell'Automobile, 1982.

Then there are also these:
250 GTO at Mas du Clos, 35th Anniversary, by John Lamm and Alberto Martinez, published by Hachette in 1997.

and:

GTO, the Anniversary, by Jess G. Pourret, by ACLA, from Libreria dell'Automobile in Milan, 1987.

And then there are also some 250 GTO Anniversary Books such as:

50th Anniversary Tour 250 GTO, by Verlhac Editions of Paris, published 2012 by Moet & Chandon, limited edition of 1'000 copies.

and one about the 2007 anniversary meet in California, etc., etc.

Marcel Massini

 

Yes, agree.

Also have 250 GT Competition, I Love GTO, the GTO Anniversary books too which are all great but I thought I'd cut the new member some slack and restrict them to the more obtainable books.

Didn't want him to be in debt to his bookseller too early in the peace.

 

I really like the underrated Alan Lis book which is nicely readable, a sensible size and has the massive advantage of being relatively easily obtainable at a low price.

 

In addition to the others already recommended there is Doug Nye's 250 GTO book from the Cavalleria series.

 

....the 250 GTO Haynes Workshop Manual featuring 3757GT.

 

Just started reading selected events, and found these errors;
1962 Tourist Trophy - race length shown as 386.24mls - it was 240mls.
Piper shown as 5th on 99 laps, it was 98 laps
Doesn't give me much confidence for the rest of the book.
Nathan

 

Come on, Nathan, don't be so picky, you sound like a Swiss.

Marcel Massini

 

It's always been my ambition.
Nathan

 

As I'm sure you have noted, 240 miles = 386.24 kms.

But I suggest authors might be careful pointing out errors in others' work unless they are totally confident there are no such errors in their own!

 

I am not being picky or critical. It's just that I like accurate information. As an author I know how difficult it is to avoid errors creeping in.
I welcome people pointing out errors in my works, (although I, obviously, try to avoid them) and also in other peoples, in the interest of accuracy. I make pencil corrections in the margins. Many of the books in my Ferrari library have corrections in them.
Anyone finding errors in Ultimate 250 GTO, or any other Ferrari book, ev, is welcome to pm them to me. I like accurate information.
Nathan

 

Perhaps this is the time to start an errata list so we can all learn more? This is my only book on the 250 GTO (so far) and I rank myself as a complete novice in terms of knowledge, but I’m willing to learn!

 

Fair comment. It was only meant as a little gentle teasing.

Being more serious, yes it must be extraordinarily hard to avoid errors. I do know how hard it is to spot errors in your own work because when you read it yourself you can easily read back what you think you have written. So then you are relying on your proof readers and there must be a pretty limited number who have both the time and the knowledge to spot and correct the kind of errors you've pointed out.

 

Jonathan, that's what I thought, (I think I've known you long enough) but you make a good point. I try not to be critical of layout etc. but factual errors if not corrected will only be repeated.
Nathan

 

You should be critical about everything, layout etc. Included!

 

Price is not the only concern—shelf space is too.