Van Books - History and Models

¡A la carga!: 80 años de furgonetas y camionetas españolas

This book covers the evolution of domestically manufactured vans and light trucks in Spain from 1907 to 1987, with a special focus on the technical and industrial projects that contributed significantly to the progress of various economic sectors and established Spain as an automotive powerhouse.

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Author:	Juan Antonio Sosa del Cerro
Details:	276 pages, 28 x 21.5 x 1.6 cm / 11 x 8.5 x 0.63 in, paperback
Illustrations:	profusely illustrated
Publisher:	CreateSpace (USA, 2014)
ISBN:	9781500762391

The American Delivery Truck: An Illustrated History

Even when motorized vehicles replaced the horse, not everyone owned a vehicle to drive, much less to haul with. Rural residents relied heavily on vendors to bring the goods directly to them or their nearest town, and vendors relied on delivery trucks to deliver their food items or services. The idea took on a life of its own and in 1915 Reo created an entire class of vehicles called "Speed Wagons" that provided the basis for a new generation of delivery vehicles dubbed in Commercial Car Journal "Speed Trucks."
The Speed Truck chassis could provide for a whole range of special delivery-type vehicles to satisfy a growing need for reliability, speed, convenience, and a level of style that would create the right impression for the user to haul goods to its customers.

Other manufacturers created specialized chassis and mechanical configurations for delivery vehicles and, in addition, companies such as Boyertown Body created bodies to suit the needs of the customer, including vans, panel trucks, and even pickup trucks. Color, paint schemes, and lettering were crucial to creating a positive image.
Some of the major marques featured in this illustrated history include Reo, Federal, Diamond T, Sterling, Divco, International, Fargo, Dodge, Chevrolet, Ford, Graham, Stutz, and Diamond T, to name a few.

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Author:	Robert Gabrick
Details:	128 pages, 28 x 21.5 x 0.6 cm / 11 x 8.5 x 0.24 in, hardback
Illustrations:	numerous b&w photos
Publisher:	Iconografix (USA, 2014)
ISBN:	9781583883112

British Vans & Pick Ups 1945-1965 - including camper vans

Directly after the Second World War, most light commercials were derived from passenger cars, usually small and of very limited carrying capacity. Typical of these was the Morris Eight van, which would struggle to cope with more than five hundredweight of potatoes or to reach 50mph. By comparison, the Ford Transit of 1965 would carry three times that amount, drove like a car and did 70 mph with ease.
In between these dates, from the early 1950s, manufacturers had started to develop vehicles specially designed for the market, introducing larger light commercials which not only enabled bulkier and heavier payloads to be carried but also led to them being converted for alternative uses - most notably the camper van.

In this book the manufacturers - large and small - are dealt with in A-Z order: Austin, Bedford, Bond, Commer, Douglas, Ford, Jowett, Morris, Morrison, Reliant, Standard and Trojan.

The author gives a brief history of each and then provides detailed coverage of the various models produced, using the original manufacturers' publicity material for the illustrations not only to identify the vehicles but also to give the flavour of the times when they were to be seen going about their business.
A companion volume to the author's much- praised "British Lorries 1945-1965", this is not only a reliable and comprehensive reference book but also via its illustrations a pleasing evocation of earlier times on Britain's roads.

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Author:	Rinsey Mills
Details:	184 pages, 27 x 21 x 1.3 cm / 10.6 x 8.25 x 0.51 in, hardback
Illustrations:	800 illustrations in colour
Publisher:	Herridge & Sons Ltd (GB, 2012)
ISBN:	9781906133313

Japanese Mini Truck - An Introduction to All Things Kei Truck

The Japanese mini truck stands out for its remarkable utilitarian capabilities, ranking among the most versatile vehicles globally. Compact enough to fit in the bed of an F150, yet robust and adept at conquering challenging terrains with its top-notch four-wheel drive.
With a lack of English literature on this subject, the author felt compelled to fill the gap, particularly as the fascination with mini trucks grows in the United States, catching up with the rest of the world that has long appreciated their attributes.
This guide, featuring over 160 full-color images, unveils the unique experience a mini truck offers, distinct from any other vehicle in the automotive realm. It covers the history, uses, configurations, comparisons, specifications, makes, parts, accessories, and conversions (electric and amphibious).

Authored by Mark Roehrig, the book not only serves as an individual read but transforms into an exciting shared experience with family and friends. A comprehensive resource, it addresses the absence of English literature on Kei trucks, providing insights into their production, global distribution, and practical considerations for those considering ownership.
After perusing this guide, readers will gain knowledge on state regulations, load and tow capabilities, model differentiations, and essential considerations when purchasing or registering a Kei truck.

Information

Author:	Mark Roehrig
Details:	72 pages, 28 x 21.5 x 0.4 cm / 11 x 8.5 x 0.16 in, paperback
Illustrations:	160+ colour photos
Publisher:	Trafford Publications (USA, 2012)
ISBN:	9781466941311

Carrozzeria Coriasco

In Italy "Coriasco" is the name given to every light compact truck. Apart from thousands of his most famous Fiat 600 and 850-based commercial vehicles, this coachbuilder also made many more special bodies, from coaches to ambulances, from advertising vehicles to giardinettas, elaborata and even a few sports cars.
This book tells the full history of Carrozzeria Coriasco, illustrating it with a wide selection of pictures, often never published before.

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Author:	Alessandro Sannia
Details:	108 pages, 29.5 x 21 cm / 11.6 x 8.25 in, hardback
Illustrations:	220+ b&w and colour photos
Publisher:	Il Cammello (I, )
ISBN:	9788896796627

Petits Utilitaires français, depuis 1944

This book aims to list the light utility vehicles produced in France since 1944. In addition to the major manufacturers (Peugeot with the 202 402 203 403 404 and 504 commercial vehicles that still crisscross French roads; Renault with the Juvaquatre, 4 CV, Estafette, Goélette and Colorale utility vehicles; Citroën with the 11 U; C 6, U 23, U 55 and C 15), there are hundreds of vehicles built by major automotive companies (Simca, Chenard and Walker), or the fruit of the imagination of engineers seeking solutions to the problems of energy shortages (SOVEL and its electric vehicles, Duriez and its adaptations based on Jeep) or diversification of ranges (Berliet, Latil, Bernard, Delahaye).

The catalog of these productions is impressive in its diversity, bodywork and of creations which often made the link between the passenger car and the utility vehicle (weighing more than 3.5 tonnes).

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Author:	François Allain, Dominique Pagneux
Details:	192 pages, 31 x 23.5 cm / 12.2 x 9.25 in, hardback
Illustrations:	profusely illustrated
Publisher:	ETAI (F, 2004)
ISBN:	9782726884423

Deutsche Autos - Personenwagen und Nutzfahrzeuge in der DDR

So much for just Trabant and Wartburg. Anyone who thinks that only these two cars waved their two-stroke flag in the GDR is seriously mistaken. There was certainly a lot of variety in the street scene of the workers' and farmers' state.

In the passenger car sector, for example, there were the F8, F9 and P70 models from IFA or EMW from Awtowelo, as well as cars from neighboring Eastern European countries.
For trucks, there were models such as Horch, Framo or Barkas, again supplemented by trucks from neighbors.

Michael Dünnebier and Eberhard Kittler describe all of these vehicles and even more, with their history and technology, and illustrate them with around 600 images.

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Author:	Eberhard Kittler, Michael Dünnebier
Details:	320 pages, 26.5 x 23 cm / 10.4 x 9.1 in, hardback
Illustrations:	120 b&w and 436 colour photos
Publisher:	Motorbuch Verlag (D, 2017)
ISBN:	9783613040007

Deutsche Lieferwagen und Transporter - seit 1898

Delivery vans are indispensable, whether for supplying inner cities or for long-distance transport. They have been popular for a long time and are used in many different ways. From the early transport vans around 1900 to the delivery tricycles before and after the Second World War to today's flatbed and box vans on four wheels: Wolfgang H. Gebhardt presents the history of large and small series products and prototypes, including small municipal vehicle manufacturers in Germany.
An overview of all manufacturers from A to Z with more than 900 historical photos and detailed information on brands and types.

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Author:	Wolfgang H. Gebhardt
Details:	500 pages, 26.5 x 23 cm / 10.4 x 9.1 in, hardback
Illustrations:	922 photos
Publisher:	Motorbuch Verlag (D, 2021)
ISBN:	9783613044142

Il grande libro dei motocarri italiani

During the early 1930s, a form of motor transport for goods was introduced that was derived from the motorcycle, fitted with three wheels. That's how the three-wheel van phenomenon began, an economical, practical and untiring vehicle that covered the roads of Italy from the uneasy self-government years to those of extensive economic development.

With over 700 illustrations - all of them carefully selected originals from the periods concerned - the vehicles are compared in this book manufacturer by manufacturer, year by year, telling the history of the stylistic and technical evolution of this means of transport. Over one hundred manufacturers are listed all over the Twentieth Century.

Text in Italian.

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Author:	Sergio Puttini, Giuseppe Thellung
Details:	168 pages, 30 x 22 cm / 11.8 x 8.7 in, hardback
Illustrations:	700+ b&w and colour photos
Publisher:	Giorgio Nada Editore (IT, 2017)
ISBN:	9788879115827

Samochody użytkowe RWPG

NEW

The first publication in Polish presenting commercial vehicles produced in the countries belonging to the Comecon, the so-called Eastern Bloc, which existed after World War II, until 1990.
The author explains what kind of organisation the Comecon was and what kind of vehicles are defined as commercial vehicles. He presents the vehicle manufacturers and their production profile, as well as selected models of vans, trucks and buses, taking into account their construction and operating characteristics and technical data.

The vehicles are presented according to the manufacturers operating in each country, viz: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary and the Soviet Union.
The descriptions of the manufacturers and their vehicles are preceded by short chapters providing information on the origins and development of the automotive industry in the countries mentioned.

Text in Polish.

Information

Author:	Zdzisław Podbielski
Details:	184 pages, 29 x 20.5 cm / 11.4 x 8.1 in, hardback
Illustrations:	profusely illustrated
Publisher:	Dom Wydawniczy Księży Młyn (PL, 2023)
ISBN:	9788377297155