Maintenance

This book is a must library addition for any owner of the Austin Healey marque both for reference and the enjoyment of reading about interesting insights into the history of the cars and the people who were the inspiration behind the production of the cars.

Overall it's an excellent book & tool if your interested in maintaining your 320i.

There are two problems with the book, however, and both are related to the graphics. Many of the photographs are blurry or otherwise unhelpful, and there are a number of places in the text where more phtotographs or illustrations would be quite helpful. I would have given this book five stars if the graphics were done as professionally as the text.

Finally, the book doesn't really deal with the "knob-and-tube" type wiring found in many older homes. The author is clear that many subjects are beyond the scope of this entry-level book, and knob-and-tube is one of the subjects that doesn't make it in.

No other book deals with old wiring so well. The subject is too often neglected by the industry.

The author wisely recommends consulting an experienced electrician. Unfortunately, too many young ones do not understand old wiring and many old ones are up to date with the current electric code.

I've been looking for something more in depth on the subject of concrete (acid staining, texturing, etc) as an alternative to the standard tile or plain grey concrete. Unfortunately this book could not help me at all, they have one chapter devoted to concrete and its far from inspirational. I'm not asking for the world here, but if someone is going to name a book "complete" and end up with something thats just barely enough, I have to give it a just passing grade.

I recommend the following instead, especially since they are 1/2 the price but have better content:

(Better Homes and Gardens)
Step-By-Step Masonry and Concrete

(sunset)
Complete Masonry: Building Techniques, Decorative Concrete, Tools and Materials

*note: Sunset has several books on masonry, 3 of them are called "Complete Masonry", I've only had a chance to look at one of them. Also for inspiration and more in depth coverage of concrete, check out "Concrete Countertops: Design, Form, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath" it is excellent, but you will sort of need a basic book in addition to it.

About the only thing missing from this one-sentence summary is that the book is nigh-exclusively devoted to OUTDOOR projects. (The short exceptions are damp-proofing basement walls, and repairing fireboxes.)

The book features clear step-by-step instructions and color photographs (one good photo for each and every step of every project -- HUNDREDS of photos total) for working with natural stone, stone veneer, brick, glass block, concrete block, poured concrete, patio tile, stucco, and hypertufa.

The projects cover all the simple outdoor jobs (such as walkways, walls, and patios), the common elaborations (such as adding lattice panels to a block wall, or laying tile over concrete), and quite a number of complex constructs -- like "Building a Stone Moon Window".

EVERY section of text has one or more illustrating photographs to show what they're writing about. EVERY photograph is in color, with good contrast, color rendition, and composition. EVERY project includes an "Everything You Need" box, listing all the tools and materials required. EVERY tool that's used in the projects has (1) a picture in the "Masonry Tools & Equipment" chapter early in the book; (2) a closeup of the tool in use; and (3) explanatory text discussing proper technique. EVERY material used has pictures of all states through its life -- from the bags clearly depicting brand names like "Quikrete" and "Lehigh", to the dry materials, the mixing process, the layout stage, and finishing with the final assembled project.

If this book had the same comprehensive coverage for INDOOR projects (tiling bathrooms and creating concrete countertops are high on my wish list), it would be worth SIX stars!