Book excerpt: In the 50s & 60s Coventry Climax engines powered many race-winning cars, including some driven by Stirling Moss & Jack Brabham. To get the true inside story, the author, an engineer, has talked to all surviving Coventry Climax personnel who were involved with the racing engines. The author was given full access to all of Walter Hassan's papers, photographs and engine drawings. After 30 months of original research and writing, this book describes exactly how these famous engines developed from industrial fire pumps to the Hillman Imp, from Le Mans winning Lotus Elites to Formula One winners driven by Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham, right through to the company's takeover by Jaguar in 1963. Viewed through the eyes of an engineer, and the detailed recollections of those who were there, this is a fascinating account of the trials and tribulations of leading edge race engine design from 1952 to 1966.