| The Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-2002 | | | | style (when available), shipping weight, and original |
| is an excellent reference book for the classic car | | | | base price. Digging deeper, the book provides base |
| enthusiast that is interested in imported vehicles. It is | | | | and optional engine sizes, horsepower and torque |
| part of a series of automotive reference books from | | | | ratings, wheelbase and other dimensions, transmission |
| Krause Publications, and is intended to be a car | | | | offerings, and even gear ratios for some cars! Vehicle |
| collector's guide. The book covers all of the different | | | | performance data such as acceleration numbers and |
| makes and models of post-war cars that were | | | | top speed are also listed for many models. Photos of |
| officially imported into the United States, as well as | | | | each year and model are included for many makes. |
| some makes that made their way across the water | | | | The amount of information and the detail level |
| "unofficially". | | | | provided is staggering overall. However, there are a |
| The Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, 1946-2002 | | | | few "holes" in the listings. For example, for a couple |
| is set up like an encyclopedia, with the car makes | | | | of Japanese makes, there are specific models that |
| listed in alphabetical order. Each section starts out | | | | are missing from certain years of the eighties and |
| with a general history of the make, and then each | | | | early nineties listings. I did find it puzzling that the |
| make is split up by year and then by model. For an | | | | book has so much detail on some of the European |
| automotive enthusiast, it is fascinating to read about | | | | makes from the fifties and sixties, yet the |
| the history of these car companies and their | | | | information on (again) some eighties and nineties |
| offerings, some of which you may have never seen | | | | Japanese makes is a little sparse, and a couple of |
| or heard of! Several times I have seen a car I had | | | | these models don't have a single photo for a whole |
| never heard of at a car show, and came home to | | | | range of years. |
| read up on it in my Standard Catalog. | | | | All in all, the Standard Catalog of Imported Cars, |
| For each year listed under a car make, there is a | | | | 1946-2002 is a great reference manual even with it's |
| history of each individual model that was offered, | | | | shortcomings on some of the Japanese models. The |
| detailing the major changes to each model for that | | | | information provided on classic sports cars and exotic |
| year and providing commentary on performance, | | | | cars is tremendous. It is definitely worth a look if you |
| styling, or any technological advances. Then it lists | | | | are interested in imported antique cars. |
| production numbers for each model split out by body | | | | |