I'm wondering what software (if any) you guys use to organize your car projects. Any recommendations?

- Specific (car) project software?
- Excel Spreadsheet? Word Doc?
- Pencil/Paper?
- it's all in your head
- none, if I write it down, then she might find out how much I've spent!

I'm not doing a major build but would like to be able to keep track of all areas of the car - Body, engine, interior, chassis, wheels/tires, etc. as I work on it over time. Helps me keep track of priorities, helps me when I'm out at swap meets, helps me with part numbers, interchangeability, etc., keeps track of leads, links to resources, relevant photos, maintenance.

 

If you own Excel, I would create your categories (Engine, Chassis, Interior, Exterior, Wheels/Tires, Electrical, etc.) and create a separate Excel "Sheet" for each category. Very easy to manage, import/export & you have the added feature/function of built-in mathematics.

 

Thanks Norm. Excel is usually my fallback.

 

I use excel and multiple tabs by catagory, including future purchases. The actual expenditures roll to a master that I use for my insurance stated value. I also categorize tools and all the spare parts I have rat holed over the years as Haggarty insures those as well.

 

I have never found a viable reason to spend a lot of time documenting a mod or repair. I just save the receipts in a folder.

 

I make lists as I go along. I keep the box top off some oddball parts for reference, and keep an expanded folder for receipts and instructions.

 

I keep all of my receipts for auto repairs I do. I also created a spreadsheet of future repairs I plan to do on my projects. I even organized them by estimated cost and difficulty of repair.

 

A piece of cardboard and a black magic marker.

 

I use a three-ring binder and Excel.

I don't keep track of expenses because it would be too discouraging to know how many multiples of selling price I spent to create my work of art.

 

Love that answer, Gary.

 

I too use Excel with individual tabs for each section of the car. I also keep track of spare parts I've sold over the years to help fund my hobby. Norm's point is a good one, knowing the total cost of my project can be discouraging; but after 11 years of work I still haven't spent more than the cost of a new vehicle with comparable styling and performance. It's also reassuring to know that I can work on this car if I need to, whereas a new vehicle is so complex that the average driveway mechanic dare not make any repair other than changing the oil.

Rodney

 

Great points, Rodney.

 

I use Excel too. Tabs for each project area and I post links to useful information so I can reference them when I finally get to that part of the project. I'm glad I started it in light of how complex this project became!

It's also been handy for compiling purchase orders - comparing parts, prices, sources, who has it who doesn't, supplier reputations, etc. A lot of critical timing management as I have about a 75 minute drive each way to where I pickup my parts, and consolidated packages reduce the associated courier fees coming across the border.

Seeing the total cost can be kind of depressing...especially when I'm able to reference how much something cost 2 years ago versus how much I actually paid for it this year :-(

 

I don't keep track of expenses because it would be too discouraging to know how many multiples of selling price I spent to create my work of art.[/QUOTE]

Nailed it. If it’s for profit, every dime counts. If it’s your passion, the material cost is negligible.

 

I have never done it for a living, so receipts are only kept for warranty, and the only thing I keep on Excel is my parts inventory. I have never "documented" a car when it was going back together becuase I do it for fun, personal enjoyment, or whatever, not profit or anything else that needs documentation. I've never kept a running list or anything. Sure, I may use a checklist to ensure areas are accounted for, such as install cam and heads and set lash for the next day or something. Or make some quick diagrams for measurements or some other pressing detail needing attention. But more for a task guide than documentation. To me, generating documentation takes the fun out of it.

 

I use Excel. How else can one keep up with cars, boat, PWC, lawnmower, and generator? Cooling flushes, oil changes, repairs, parts used, and parts on the shelf are easily tabulated and referenced. Plus when it comes time to sell something there is a maintenance record for the buyer which instills confidence in the sale.

 

Chalk another one up for Excel. I like the idea of breaking down sections into Tabs. So far, all my expenses are just one big spreadsheet. I track Item, part number, source, and cost. Like VC455 acknowledges - I'm reluctant to actually Total it up at this time. Maybe when I get to the point that I call it done, after body work and paint, I'll pull that trigger. If my wife ever sees it, I'll have to cajole her with something along the lines of "At least I wasn't out drinking and carousing!"

 

"If I kick it, I just hope she doesn't sell my **** for what I told her I paid for it!!!"

My "quick" project escalated from a 6 month basic upgrade idea to something that will exceed 2 years in planning, researching and completing. The spreadsheet helps me remember all the stuff I've forgotten when my brain switches gears from interior to engine to chassis to unrelated planning commitment 1, unrelated planning commitment 2, etc. I'm at a point now where sifting through the new parts on the shelf I find items I forgot I had! It's all checked off in the spreadsheet, though.

Calculations for rear end gears, what happens if I change tire size, etc..."show your work..."...it's all there because I probably don't remember what I decided and why last year :-D

 

So far, the responses:

Excel - 10
nothing - 2
cardboard and magic marker - 1

I guess I'll create an Excel spreadsheet.
Thanks for the replies.

 

Depending on type of data and end goal(s), such as manipulating, comparing, etc. - don't forget you can (also) use MS Access or other less sophisticated data storage software provided (some free) by other vendors. Excel is a very sophisticated DB s/w tool & if you already have the experience & you own Excel, it is my 1st choice - depends on needs really.

 

I just went through cataloguing and inventorying all my spare parts. Maybe 60 boxes worth among trim, brake parts, wiring harnesses - 98% used excepting safety stuff like brake drums, shoes and fuel pumps. Here’s my post on that, which may help some of you:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-parts-174118/

One more vote for excel. Use the “format image: move & size with cells” trick to use photos in a parts database.

Until this week I remembered maybe 40% of the parts I have on hand. If you don’t know you have them, you don’t really have them without a lot of digging through boxes or piles.

Phone-snapped Photos
But one habit I’ve only gotten into the past 5 years or so is casually snapping photos in all kinds of situations. Car parts on the workbench, diagrams, or whatever.

When we grew up photos were a process to produce - snap, take film to developer, wait, get ‘em back, toss the bad ones, then put the good ones in a pile or book. Now we just have to snap with our phones and upload them here to CO or to our computer.

As you’ll see from my spreadsheet above, photos make a good column in a spreadsheet.

IOS Notes
Another program I use all the time is the Notes program on IOS. I’m sure Android has something similar. Basically I make notes in my phone (and can add images or tables) and it syncs to the cloud where upon it’s avaible to my computer or iPad too. It reminds me what to get at the auto parts, hardware or grocery stores to finish a project or meal.

I keep model & VIN numbers and tire sizes there for my cars, my sister’s car, mom’s car, father-in law’s car, just so if I get a call to help I don’t have to ask twice what the car is…And I don’t have to remember it either.

The big leap is you can make a quick entry in your phone and then its available later on where ever you might be sitting.

I’m no great sage, but I hope that helps.

 

Unless you have a scanner, you'll also need a three-ring notebook for receipts, manuals, etc.

 

I use Google Docs for it, that way There's nothing physical to lose, and I can show my work to anyone anywhere. I use their spreadsheet to track my spending. But beware, you will soon realize you could have bought a car already done for less money.

 

I have all my photos in a 3 ring binder. As I make progress I pull out the phone and document it. All photos are in plastic sheets. My receipts are also photographed and put in plastic sheets, the originals are in a file folder. All parts are photographed in and out of the original packaging and the photos are again in plastic sheets. As of today I have five, (5), 4 inch 3 ring binders. Hopefully that's all.

 

Don't do it.you don't want to know how much you have in it. I tried to save all my receipts and eventually lost track and gave up trying to keep track. Although I'm in to deep to give up now.

 

As VC455 says, I also have a 3-ring for what he listed, plus pics and printed manual pages that I markup. That way I don't mark up my manuals.

 

I have a program I use for receipts at work called camscanner. It will convert whatever you photograph into a pdf that can then be added to any spreadsheet. Snap a photo of your receipts, adjust and straighten them in the software, convert to pdf, and save or email as necessary.