The Collector Cars book, which was first published in 2010, has been updated with a new cover and an extra 71 photos.

Mr Stepnell said the first edition of his book sold about 10,000 copies and the second print run was about 3000.

He said he wasn’t sure how many the publishers printed for the third edition which was released just weeks before Christmas.

“If you have a book in the shops for 12 months now you’re doing well,” he said.

Collector Cars is one of more than 70 books he has published since the 1970s. His first book was on the Great Ocean Road and is now working more books about Australia and birdlife.

Mr Stepnell, a car lover himself, said when he published Collector Cars there were few car books around. “I’ve always been keen on cars and the book just happened,” he said.

The freelance photographer said many people were surprised to learn that he doesn’t own a collectible car himself. Instead he drives a 2012 Mercedes.

“I like the post classics. If I had enough money I’d be buying a 50s or so Benz,” he said.

“The real class cars are the unusual American ones. They’ve got class plus distinction. Cadillacs and those sort of cars. They’re big and ugly in some people’s eyes but they’ve got class.”

He spent about four years photographing cars for the book including hundreds of cars from the south-west.