Favorite auto writers

[casualcollector]

Wayne's question to Peter W. prompted my idea for this thread. Name your favorite auto writer, or two.

I was more a Car & Driver reader than Road & Track. There was a columnist at C&D that I enjoyed back in the 60s. I think he returned for a few issues when D.E.D. jr. returned as editor in the 70s. Darned if I can remember his name now!

My two faves... The first wrote for Mechanix Illistrated, I think. Tom McCahill. The second wrote for both Rod and Custom and Hot Rod. Gray Baskerville. Both had a gift for outrageous metaphor.

McCahill's review of the 1963 or 64 Mercury Marauder (I was nine or ten at the time) mentioned his favorite stretch of isolated road, obviously rural in nature. He commented something to the effect that striking a wild boar, given the mass and velocity of the Marauder, would "spray bacon over three counties"!

[PeterW]

I didn't read a lot of US auto mags but yes, Bill, I remember Uncle Tom McCahill though I don't remember which mag he wrote for. He had a clever turn of phrase but after two or three times it became very slick and samey for me. Bit like a grown-up Fonze.

Most of my favourite auto writers wrote in UK mags and the names probably don't mean much to US members of the board. People like Bill Boddy, Mike Scarlett, John Bolster, Sammy Davis, Rivers Fletcher, Mike Worthington Williams (Worthy) ... and in the motorcycle field people like Harry Louis, 'Torrens', Bernal Osbourne and so on.

I suppose it depends on whether you felt like reading for entertainment or information. The best writers of course were able to combine both.

PeterW

[Randy]

Uncle Tom McCahill wrote for Popular Mechanics. I grew up reading his auto reviews. My favorite used to be Pat Ganahl of Street Rodder, Gray Baskerville of Hot Rod, and John Dianna of Car Craft.