We've all seen the photo albums at car shows where the owner has do***ented all phases of the build as well as all the build threads on this website. As I start my first build, I plan to do this as well. My question is do you also create a build sheet for the car so that you remember what year/make/model a certain part came off of? Seems like this would be useful for someone with a short memory like myself or for any future owner of the car in case they need to repair said part in the future. Is this something that is commonly done or just something you keep in your head?
I seem to forget to take pictures as the build progresses, although I do keep a 3 ring binder with all purchases do***ented. I recently went through the binder on the '62 F-100 Unibody and added up all the reciepts, I was FLOORED as to how much money I did spend on it. I'm trying hard not to do that with the '54 build.
I do***ented the build of our Ranch Wagon on Fotki from beginning to the completion last week,,I have also kept every receipt and made notes of components that I may need to know in the future. HRP
Yup, as said above - pictures, LOTs of pics, and a spreadsheet for written do***entation. I use MS Excel, it's fairly simple to use for anyone running a Windows operating system. I think Mac also has a similar program. Easy to use yeah, but when put in black and white those numbers get scary as one starts adding them up! I haven't updated my spreadsheet in awhile now, but all my receipts are stuffed in a folder.
I do a "Baby Book" on all the cars I build. I list each part number and what it belongs to for future reference in case I need to replace the part. I also take pictures during the build to show progress of how the car developes from start to finish. Now the payoff; If and when you decide to sell the car as I do, that book adds lots of value to the car. The new owner knows what you did and exactly what parts you used. The book will make the decision to the new buyer. This was the case with my Yard Art car....the new buyer told me the book sold the car.... besides.... it's fun to look back at the build and see what you started with and what is is now....
The book of receipts is one I had forgotten. I'm not sure I want my wife finding out how much I really spent building the car, but I do see the value it would add. Raceron - I like the idea of using Excel to keep up with the build list. Luckily for me, a lot of the big parts have already been purchased by my dad and are all included in my purchase so my final number won't be too bad. Thanks for the ideas guys
well ive built a few cars and bikes over the yrs and never have done a detailed do***ention on any, well i did kinda on my first 55 chevy. and never again.back in the early 80s when i built the first 55, i did keep most of the reciepts.my god. when i added the up one night i honestly could have bought a small house out in the country.for cash!!!i did all the work except for the machine work.parts and machine work. and i worked in a parts store that had a machine shop. but i did use rhs alot in those days.now days i really dont want to know how much i spend tho i wish i would take alot more pics.id love to look back and see everything that we did to one. but i never think about a camera until the damn thing is almost done. been thinkin about buying a good camera and keeping it in the shop. then all i have to do is remember its there.half the battle won!lol
Dont worry if your bride finds out how much you spent, you also take care of her car too, RIGHT? You need to talley up each .02 washer, and record all and keep the paper work for the guy at the state dept of revenue and license bureau. If they tell you they saw a car like yours sell for 40 grand last week and now you have to pay up, you have proof your car is not worth that.
One other sugestion, when you take pictures, enable the date feature on the camera. When you look back in a few years, you may be amazed at how much work can be done in a short time when you get pumped.
I am taking lots of pictures of the before mess I started with on my 55 Fairlane and things I found that the other owners used to patch the car up and so on . I do take lots of pictures and are on my computer that I will get made into pictures for a binder to let people see what all I went through to get the car to the stage it is at now when done at a show for them to look through . It will also give people an idea on what all needs to be done to make a car or truck Safe and Road Worthy for the road too ! I keep receipts of the items that are under warranty and other parts I have bought for the 55 but I also have traded for many parts as well . I have written down what I have done and what I gave or started for the parts . I don't have receipts for everything because of how I did get some parts but I know what I paid for the parts that I got for the 55 . I really don't want to know how much money I spent on the project ! I can make a really close estimate if I want to , but it's costing more than I wanted to spend on it in the end . Now in Pa. where I live , if you have a car/truck or wagon with no ***le and need one , you will have to save ever receipt for everything you buy for the project so the sate can get their tax money from the value of the car ! If you don't you will play hell to ever get a new ***le for what you just spent all your money and time on building . Jim
I've owned my 68 Camaro ragtop since 1981 n drove it up until 1991. Wrecked it, put it in the barn, pulled it back out in 2005 n completely went through it. I took tons of pictures as well as kept every receipt spent. Glad I kept the receipts for future purposes but I wish I'd not tallied them up. Pictures tell a 1000 words. good luck on your build.
I said that I make notes about part numbers and other things that I might need to know in the future. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time when Ryan offered the glove compartment sized moleskin log books on a limited basis and I thought it was the perfect place to keep notes about the wagon. HRP
That log book is very nice (wish I had one), and would be fine for notes, etc. to add to a fully do***ented restoration record later.
I actually saw one you can buy on cable today . It was on the GearZ show that Stacey David has . If you go to his web site they have a book that you can buy that gives you all the informations and where to put it in the book to keep a complete record of your build . Not sure how much it is but looks very nice . I just looked it up and here is the link . It's $20 but they are sold out right now . http://staceydavid.com/store/gearz-project-build-book-4843 Jim
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