R.I.P. John Harold Haynes

When I was A Youngster and Started Working on Cars, there Wasn't Real Excess To The Internet. A Real Big Help Came From The Haynes Manuals. Wich I Know, If You Ever (Re)Built a Car, You Must Have Seen One.

So When I Got The News That John Haynes... Creator of the Haynes Manuals and Founder of the Haynes Publishing Group PLC and the Haynes International Motor Museum Had Passed Away Last Friday the 8th of February. I Desided To Post This Memoir

John Haynes... born on 25th March 1938 in Ceylon.

At the Age of 12 He Moved to the UK to Attend Boarding School at Sutton Valence School in Kent. At That Time He Started Converting an Austin 7 Into a Lightweight Sporty Austin 7 ‘Special’.  He Eventually Sold the Car and Decided to Produce a Booklet Titled “Building A ‘750’ Special’ to Show How He Did the Conversion. The First Print Run of 250 Copies Sold Out in 10 Days.

In 1965, John Created the First Official Haynes Manual. His Mate Bought a ‘Frogeye’ Sprite, In Poor Condition and Asked John to Help Him Rebuild it. John Agreed... He Then Realised that the Official Factory Manual was No Help to the Average Car Owner and He Bought a Camera and Captured the Whole Process of Dismantling and Rebuilding the Engine. The Use of Step-by-Step Photo Sequences Linked to Exploded Diagrams Became the Trusted Hallmark of the Haynes Manuals.

The First Haynes Manual, for the Austin Healey Sprite, was Published in 1966, the First Print Run of 3,000 Sold out in Less Than 3 Months.

To This Date over 200 Million Haynes Manuals Have Been Sold Around the World.

John’s Publishing Success Made it Possible to Enjoy His Passion for Cars and Made Him a Collector Also. In 1985 He Founded the Haynes International Motor Museum in Sparkford, Somerset Wich Nowadays Displays Over 400 Vehicles.

R.I.P John Harold Haynes (80) 25 March 1938 to 8 February 2019