Looking for automotive icons?

Look no further than the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. You'd be hard pressed to find cars that have more enthusiastic fan clubs, loving owners or meticulous collectors and restorers.

It should be no surprise that both of these models attract a lot of attention from writers, and their stories have been told many times. It's getting tough to find much new to say about the history of these two well-loved models -- and that was pretty much the issue with two new books on the market: "Camaro: Forty Years," by Darwin Holstrom, with photography by David Newhardt ($50, Motorbooks ), and "The Complete Book of Mustang -- Every Model Since 1964 ¹/₂," by Mike Mueller, ($55, Motorbooks).

The photography in the Mustang book is gorgeous, with plenty of color shots of each year's models, and lots of archival material. Each chapter has a chart with a list of models, wheel base and length, width, curb weight, prices, compression, production and a host of other items -- quite an argument settler for armchair lovers of Mustangs.

What I liked about "The Complete Book of Mustang" was the highly readable writing and the inclusion of so many contemporary reviews of these cars. You also get a behind-the-scenes look at the corporate thinking that took place each year. For instance, you are treated to a brief discussion of why the 1967 model looked somewhat heavier than the previous Mustangs.

You'll also see lots of chassis and body cutaways, thorough coverage of Shelby Mustangs, and in the back of the book, price and option lists for every year. Huge photos of each year's engines are also included.

This book probably will be appreciated by Mustang enthusiasts and car nuts in general. But there's not a lot of new material in it that hasn't been thoroughly covered by the thousands of books written on the subject.

Still, it's well worth owning.

"Camaro: Forty Years" is equally lavish, and is being billed as the official anniversary book for Chevy's pony car.

Each chapter contains plenty of history, a look at what competitors such as Ford and Pontiac were doing, and a thorough discussion of some of the options to be found on all Camaros.

There were some seldom seen photographs, too, such as a 1970 Camaro test vehicle that had a lifting gull-wing style door. The idea was dropped because it was too expensive.

Countless close-ups of emblems, wheels, engine detail and other items make this book invaluable for the person who is restoring a Camaro.

The artwork in "Camaro" is stunning. Huge, glorious two-page color photos abound, and you're sure to see every conceivable angle of your favorite Camaro covered.

What comes across in each of these photos is just how futuristic some of the newer Camaro models were, as well as how simply elegant the older models happened to be.

The book is not as text oriented as the Mustang book, but a terrific investment for the Camaro aficionado.

For information on both books, go to www.motorbooks.com.