This fascinating and inspiring biography of John Haynes – the man behind Haynes manuals – looks 'under the bonnet' at his extraordinary life, and his legacy to the motoring world. This is the story of how one man's vision and enthusiasm gave a small enterprise in rural Somerset a global footprint. The story begins with John's childhood in Ceylon and his school days – when as a young entrepreneur he sowed the seeds for what would become the iconic Haynes car repair manuals – to his time as a young RAF officer, and then as the driving force behind the growth of the iconic Haynes brand and the Haynes International Motor Museum. Family and friends recount the many adventures and experiences of living, socialising and working with John throughout his life – which more often than not revolved around his passion for all things automotive.
John's legacy to motoring is summed up in a tribute from Practical Classics Editor Danny Hopkins: "John Haynes' immense contribution is multi-faceted and his legacy is permanent. John's extraordinary gift to the owners of all cars, classic and modern... facilitating their ability to be self-sufficient cannot be overstated. The Haynes manual is an icon... just like many of the cars, planes, ships and trains it taught us how to repair. John's life in cars has also left us with another legacy. His creation of one of the world's most exciting car collections, a collection he so generously shared with the nation at the Haynes International Motor Museum: it is his passion made metal."
"If you grew up in the era when cars and motorbikes were unreliable, John Haynes was the Messiah." JAMES MAY