Jürgen Book, Classic Cars Manager at BASF’s Coatings division, was awarded the “Golden Piston 2019” at the Bremen Classic Motorshow. Since 2006 the Forum für Fahrzeuggeschichte (Vehicle History Forum), better known as F-kubik or F3, has presented this award to an individual who stands out for his or her exceptional achievement promoting authenticity in the documentation of automotive history.
The list of Book’s achievements is long, with the jury particularly recognising Book’s role as the initiator of the Glasurit Classic Car Colors program, for which he helped set up the world’s largest color database as a contribution to preserving automotive history.
Glasurit, BASF’s premium refinish paint, offers Classic Car Colors to support millions of classic car owners worldwide in all paint-related matters. Book, who has worked at BASF’s Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions business unit since 1975, was appointed head of the Classic Cars unit in 2017 – the first full-time position worldwide within the paint industry dedicated to this area.
Book’s active engagement with car manufacturers, classic car clubs, museums and private collectors ensures that the archive containing thousands of historic sample panels continues to grow. These authentic colors can then be reproduced with state-of-the-art, legislation-compliant paint technology. The networks of specialised body shops that are being established in a number of countries belong to the Classic Car Colors program and help conserve the value of classic cars through professional repairs and restoration.
Under Book’s leadership, unusual refinish methods for classic cars are also developed that can be used to repair direct-glass metallic paints on small surfaces and with great color accuracy or artificially reproduce traces of aging with modern paint material.
Book’s enthusiastic and active commitment has helped make Glasurit the most prestigious brand in the classic car refinishing sector. The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA), the international federation of historic vehicle clubs, also values Glasurit’s outstanding competence and Book as the classic car standard-bearer. Since mid-2016, Glasurit has been FIVA’s exclusive global consultant for all classic car refinishing matters and Book was commissioned by FIVA to write the appendix on paint-related aspects of classic car refinishing for the Charter of Turin Handbook.
Lars Döhmann, who is on the F-kubik group’s 10-member jury, also praised Book’s personal qualities. “Jürgen Book has in-depth expertise and the patience to explain complicated matters, even to the most uninitiated listeners.” Book’s perseverance, generosity and openness make him a real guiding light in the classic car scene.
Book received the Golden Piston 2019 – a certificate and a polished piston – on February 1 during a ceremony at the Bremen Exhibition Centre with selected guests and media representatives in attendance. Book is of course very pleased about the honor. “What a great tribute from the classic car scene. It shows me that our products and services are reaching exactly the people we have designed them for.”