A classic automobile restorer has to have a good knowledge of cars. But, to be a really good one, he has to have the ability and desire to keep good records as well. So, unless you have a photographic memory, it is extremely implausible that you will e able to keep track of all of the minute details associated with restoring your particular classic car. In addition, with all of the data recording tools at our disposal today, there is really no good reason for not keeping records of your progress on the car.
Today, just about everyone owns a computer. And nearly all of them have a spreadsheet or similar piece of software for doing mathematical calculations. But the software is good for storing information as well. When you begin your auto restoration project, you will without doubt be poring through parts catalogs and assembly manuals searching for the specific parts that you need. And, a spreadsheet is just about the ideal tool for storing and accessing this data. It is extremely simple to put together a replacement parts spreadsheet that will contain items such as parts description, parts source, parts number, manufacturer, estimated price, and any other information that could help organize your search for parts.
In addition to being a great repository for such information, a spreadsheet will also allow you to sort and re-organize your collected data with very little effort. You may not even have to create your auto replace parts spreadsheet yourself. There are many places on the Internet where you can download the perfect spreadsheet for your needs for a small price and sometimes even free.
In addition to the spreadsheet, there is another great record keeping tool that will probably come in handy. And that is a tape recorder or digital audio recorder. The benefit of a recorder is that it lets you keep a running commentary of the ongoing condition of the car, the various parts that have to be ordered, tracking the work that has to be done, and the like. In addition, most people find the process of talking into a recorder, much easier than having to stop every few minutes to write your thoughts down on a pad of paper.
If you like, you can even have the recording transcribed into a written document that you can refer back to as you begin your work. Transcription services can be easily found over the Internet for very reasonable prices.
It is true that an audio recorder does have its limitations. For example, it doesn't have the advantage of giving you a visual record as a digital camera or video cam would, but it can still be useful. A remote start/stop activator will also be advantageous to avoid recording random shop noises while you're working.
It can be a bit of a pain to record this info. But, a good restorer understands that it is important to keep records. And, in the long run, these records will make any restoration job easier.
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