Built for Adventure

A gorgeous tour through Clive Cussler's outstanding collection of rare, classic, and antique automobiles. Featuring stunning color photographs by Ronnie Bramhall. Fans of Clive Cussler's bestselling Dirk Pitt series know that his hero has a soft spot for classic automobiles . . . and that the vehicles that appear in the novels are actually part of Cussler's own vast collection. Through beautiful color photographs and warm, informative commentary, fans of Cussler and Pitt can see fifty-six of them, crafted from 1906 to 1948, in all their glory, and learn about the history and acquisition of each car. The collection began with Cussler's purchase of a 1946 Ford Coupé for $400, and has since expanded to more than a hundred vehicles, many of which are rare and striking examples of their model, design, or coach-work. There's the 1918 Cadillac V-8 Sport Phaeton with early coachwork by Harley earl, before he became an automotive designer for General Motors; the 1937 Cord 812 SC Berline, one of only four known to exist today; and the 1913 Marmon Model 32 Touring that in the 1950s was used to chauffeur such stars as Grace Kelly and Agnes Moorehead. The beauty and elegance of these classic automobiles, combined with the astonishing functionality that allows many of them to cruise the highways with ease alongside modern cars, give proof to Cussler's belief that they are no less than 'masterworks of mechanical art.'