Does anyone else in readerland keep a assembly manual or “Bible” for their project car?

I was recently updating my binder when my wife and kids started poking fun at me for the stuff I have cataloged. I reminded my son that when I take that big dirt nap and the car is his, he will be thankful for the records.

Since there is very little that’s factory or unmodified on my car, I have a large 3 ring binder I keep notes and reference materials. I have found it saves time and aggravation when trying to remember how I did something, or what non stock part I adapted to serve my purposes.

Here are some examples of things I have filed:

I used a fuse box from a mid 80s Chevy truck. This is my fuse diagram, color coordinated for what’s powered all the time, what’s powered in the accessory position, ignition, etc

Pinout for the Ralky Pac gauges verses idiot lights.

Wiring diagram for the Retained Accessory Power (RAP module)

Pinout diagram for the electrical bulkhead connector

Another pinout diagram.

Pinout for the various electrical connectors. I have a similar diagram for every connector I have made.



In addition, I have paint codes, part numbers, instructions for things I have installed, etc.

Just curious, I’m betting I’m not the only one who has stuff like this

 

Well, I SHOULD have done what you did! I don't know how many times I've said to myself I'll remember this. Then years later I'm struggling to figure out what it was I had thought I'd remember!!!

 

i have books with part nubers,and a few diagrams. but noone here gives a rats *** about cars but me.

 

Well said. I usually have to teach myself over and over how to do something, and halfway through it's an 'aha' moment and away we go.

 

this^^^

And this ^^^^

plus i have a big dry erase board that i record things on, as well as keep pages of notes in the CSM

 

I have a file cabinet drawer with dated receipts for parts and notes for modifications and installation. I also have a 3 ring binder with pictures of the major rebuild stuff - engine, suspension, convertible top, paint n body, interior upholstery.

At one point I felt my mortality and went into the garage and labeled stuff with a grease pencil - boxes of parts, piston-rod assemblies, crankshafts, axle shafts, etc. Just in case I don't make it home one day, someone will be a ble to figure out what all that stuff is.

 

My car is also heavily modified so I created an Excel workbook with about 30 individual spreadsheets to document the modified or substituted part numbers with cross-references to the original application. I have a sheet for the electrical systems with pinouts for everything from the bulkhead connectors to the fuse block to the gauges. I have sheets for brakes, engine, transmission, fuel system, emissions, weight savings with sprung & unsprung weight calculations, just to name a few. Here's a few examples from the electrical sheet.
Rodney

 

Rodney, that is great documentation. Just be sure to leave some sort of info to let folks know where to find the spreadsheet.

 

I created a personal assembly manual that I keep in a binder. Also, I started taking photos each time I started rebuilding something, because even though I made notes of how I took something apart, six months later, when I needed to put it back together, my notes didn't exactly tell me what went where. With the photos from many angles and sides during each step of the disassembly, I can look at them, and along with the notes, it is now clear how to put them back together. Initially, I always thought that it was simple to take something apart, and that I could remember six months later how it would go back together, but unfortunately, there were always steps that I couldn't remember how they should go. Then I would spend way too much time looking through the assembly manual looking for the right page to address my issue. With the photos and notes, it has saved me a lot of time.

 

I hang my head in shame!!! Your a badass!!!

I wish I was that computer savvy. If I need to do anything with a computer, I find a 10 year old kid to help me.


When I made my fuse box diagram I enlarged and printed a picture of the fuse box I found on line. I then taped it to my sliding glass door, laid another sheet over the top, and waited for the sun to shine on it so I could trace the fuse box pic onto a blank sheet of paper. I then wrote out and colored the function, I did the same thing for the electrical bulkhead connections.

 

I started doing the same thing about 10 years ago. Chances are I have more days behind me than ahead of me, it would be easier if my family had a clue what some of this crap is that I have collected over the last 35 years.

 

I'm almost 10-years into this project so my documentation is most definitely a work in progress! At the moment I'm trying to get my car into the body shop to be painted. I think once the car is finished and put back together I will print hard copies of these spreadsheets or maybe burn pdf copies to a CDR for safe keeping.

Rodney

 

Member #3 of the Shoulda Club

 

I'm a masochist, I pile up the installation instructions of all the parts added on a bookshelf and then years later try to remember what I did. It will be one great puzzle after I die.

 

I started saving every magazine with an article about Oldsmobiles. Along came copiers and I started making copies of the articles....but they were only black and white. Now we have scanners/printers that show them in color. I make file folders on my computer and paper folders to store pertinent articles and information for each car. If I get one in the paper folder dirty or ruined, I just print a new copy.
Scanning them and saving them on the computer (with a second copy saved in another media) and I can share what I have if someone needs it. CD's and DVD's are a great idea, but the new computers don't have them. Everything is going to external hard drives and memory sticks. Does anyone still use 5.25" floppies ? 3.5" floppies ? The hardware and software is disappearing.
Now, if I could only find those boxes of old magazines, I would have a huge project to save them on the computer.

 

I've kept a diary journal, LOL, with dates and actions performed over the past ten years of my do-it-in-spurts project. I've kept pictures of installed parts and disassembly processes, and copies of PIM and CSM pages, before and after, of any updates/changes I've made. And of course all the dated receipts and emails from purchases from CO members. When complete with the mechanicals, I will assemble it all into a three ring binder. right now it is just loose-leaf in a folder. My better half wants to see what I've put into it $$-wise when I'm done. Yeah, like that's going to happen, LOL!

 

I'm the same way. It's embarrassing. Lol!

 

[QUOTE=BackInTheGame;1407050]I've kept a diary journal, LOL, with dates and actions performed over the past ten years of my do-it-in-spurts project. I've kept pictures of installed parts and disassembly processes, and copies of PIM and CSM pages, before and after, of any updates/changes I've made. And of course all the dated receipts and emails from purchases from CO members. When complete with the mechanicals, I will assemble it all into a three ring binder. right now it is just loose-leaf in a folder. My better half wants to see what I've put into it $$-wise when I'm done. Yeah, like that's going to happen, LOL! [/QUOTE

I'm here to confess. I am/was a Project Manager by trade, and when I got my '56 in 2011, I started a project plan. Now that both my wife and I are retired, she's beginning to find out what I've been up to for the past decade. I suppose I'm lucky this is all she's found out about!

 

ignachuck you are my hero simply for having an old Boston pencil sharpener. Love it!

Kevin

 

Doesn't everyone?

 

They should.

Kevin

 

Anyone in readerland remember this article from Hot Rod magazine, October of 1984? This was one of my early inspirations for my car build.


Another entry in my “Bible”, one of the Mickey Thompson gift certificates for free tires. I have won 4 out of 6 burnout contests I have entered. I runner-upped the other 2. Pretty good success record, too bad my drag racing career isn’t as lucrative!!!

 

I think it is a brilliant idea. I bet plenty of us have done it.

PS: I do remember that article from 1984.

 

As Ralph said, CDs and DVDs are old technology and new computers don't come with drives for them. So print hard copies and put them ina box or binder.

Yes, I do. Some of my equipment at work has 3.5" disc drives, and I have a stack of discs. But I have to borrow the external USB floppy disc drive from our computer guy in order to transfer data to my computer.

And yeah, I have one of those pencil sharpeners as well. Two actually.

 

People in possesion of sharpened pencils are dangerous to others around them.

 

Printing out TWO hard copies and put them in two places. Keep in mind that fire could eliminate hard copies.

I also have a couple floppy drives "in case" I would ever need one. I also keep a couple "older" computers around with the software to read those drives. And yes, I have a pencil sharpener too. I probably have a box of # 2 lead pencils stored away.