John Haynes, creator of the iconic Haynes Manual and founder of the Haynes International Motor Museum, has in 2019, he was 80 years old.
What's more remarkable, he was born in Sri Lanka, where his father owned a tea plantation, and it was upon this plantation where John’s love of cars first dawned; he would often ride around with his father in their Morris 8 saloon.
Haynes was almost single-handedly responsible for inspiring generations of home mechanics. His detailed books gave you step-by-step instructions to dismantle and rebuild practically your entire car. The difficulty of performing individual tasks was represented by a spanner rating, helpfully.
The family moved to the UK when John was 12, to be enrolled at boarding school. Here, he’d get his first taste of the future that would await: he persuaded his House Master to allow him to miss rugby, and he would instead spend his time converting an Austin 7 into a “lightweight sporty Austin 7 special”, according to the Haynes website.
He sold the car – making a bit of profit in the process – and decided to write a booklet showing exactly how he’d done the conversion. We’re told the first print run of 250 copies sold out in just ten days.
John was later enlisted in the Royal Air Force to perform his National Service, and it was while posted at Aden that he hit upon a full repair manual. An RAF friend had bought an Austin Healey Sprite, and needed John’s help to repair it. He bought a camera, and pictured breaking down and rebuilding the engine.
Thus, the very first Haynes Manual for the Sprite was published in 1966. Currently, more than 200 million Haynes Manuals spanning a raft of makes and models have been sold across the world.
He would later open the Haynes International Motor Museum in 1985, donating his personal collection of 30 cars for the wider public to enjoy. The museum – and educational charitable trust – now houses over 400 cars.
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/founder-haynes-manual-john-haynes-has-died
What's more remarkable, he was born in Sri Lanka, where his father owned a tea plantation, and it was upon this plantation where John’s love of cars first dawned; he would often ride around with his father in their Morris 8 saloon.
Haynes was almost single-handedly responsible for inspiring generations of home mechanics. His detailed books gave you step-by-step instructions to dismantle and rebuild practically your entire car. The difficulty of performing individual tasks was represented by a spanner rating, helpfully.
The family moved to the UK when John was 12, to be enrolled at boarding school. Here, he’d get his first taste of the future that would await: he persuaded his House Master to allow him to miss rugby, and he would instead spend his time converting an Austin 7 into a “lightweight sporty Austin 7 special”, according to the Haynes website.
He sold the car – making a bit of profit in the process – and decided to write a booklet showing exactly how he’d done the conversion. We’re told the first print run of 250 copies sold out in just ten days.
John was later enlisted in the Royal Air Force to perform his National Service, and it was while posted at Aden that he hit upon a full repair manual. An RAF friend had bought an Austin Healey Sprite, and needed John’s help to repair it. He bought a camera, and pictured breaking down and rebuilding the engine.
Thus, the very first Haynes Manual for the Sprite was published in 1966. Currently, more than 200 million Haynes Manuals spanning a raft of makes and models have been sold across the world.
He would later open the Haynes International Motor Museum in 1985, donating his personal collection of 30 cars for the wider public to enjoy. The museum – and educational charitable trust – now houses over 400 cars.
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/founder-haynes-manual-john-haynes-has-died
I hate to sound curmudgeonly (I am, I just hate to sound it) but I've never cared much for Haynes manuals. My experience is almost all with bikes, but I've found they often leave important areas out (no gearbox rebuild info on the Suzuki AP100 from memory) and sometimes the information is just plain wrong (do Yamaha XS650 top ends really need a decoke at 3,000 miles?). I'd much rather grit my teeth and fork out for a genuine factory manual, though I agree that sometimes they're just not available.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like them either.... but.... I respect the effort, and the innovator. You know that. So he gets a post that pays respect. And he got his start in Sri Lanka... when have you EVER heard of ANYTHING from Sri Lanka?
DeleteAs a goofball from a place so damn obscure as Sri Lanka, he gets a post just for that.
They've certainly published some interesting and fun stuff, like manuals for Lancaster bombers and the Space Shuttle. I also thought Ron Champion's "Build Your Own Sports Car For As Little As £250" was an excellent book.
Deleteha HA! Posted!!! https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/05/had-you-heard-of-guy-that-had-himself.html
DeleteDarn it, I like a challenge!
and one for a Top Fueler https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/10/haynes-just-published-top-fuel-dragster.html
Even one for Wallace and Gromit Contraptions! https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/04/haynes-manuals-are-getting-help-from.html
Aaah... Wallace & Gromit. I watched "The Wrong Trousers" again a week ago. It's still fresh.
Delete