Looking for options to keep SIMPLE records of a restoration.To start with a three ring bind and some print outs of information. Any ideas for forums to use? I'm completely rebuilding a '73 Barracuda, not numbers matching Barritt Jackson stuff. Just trying to have an enjoyable time exercising my talent and patiences.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS & A VEERRYY MERRY NEW YEAR everyone

3 ring is nice, but many reciepts and lists may not fit in that format. Get a cardboard box and drop stuff in, along with catalogs and notes. If you want to add up the costs, you can do it in Excell or on a sheet of paper. I'd suggest not keeping a running total, it can get

I use digital pictures. Take picture of EVERYTHING. Anything that catches you eye, take a picture of it. You can delete it later if you wish. Use Internet Explorer and categorize by folders.

I categorize by date.

I also suggest taking picture of what you have in storage in boxes. Even if you label a box well, by taking pictures you will know what's in it specifically at the touch of your fingertips. And many times boxes get other boxes put in front of them on the self. So you don't see the box markings anyways.

I'd take a picture of almost every item you take of the car. And if it needs repair or needs replacing, take a picture that shows the problem area. That way if you find a better piece you can compare it to the bad one you have.

I don't have an Ipad type deal. But if you have a tablet, take it with you when you are swap meeting hunting. You can make a special file of the pictures of items you need to buy. Now you can compare the quality of used swap meet items to what you actually have.

But you can also categorize by area of the car. Some people mirror the same areas as in the Mopar Parts Catalog.

This is just the process of rebuilding my motor. Organized by date:

i'd save everything in a computer file. just scan your receipts and store them into a dated folder along with any pictures or whatever else you want to save.

All I know is you don't leave them in the garage with the project that just burned up. It is going to be fun wrestling with the insurance company now. Defintitely put scan them and put them in removable media and keep them in a very safe place.

I've done a couple restos, the first one I took lot's pictures and tossed all my reciepts into folder as I went along. When I was finished my wife added up all the reciepts with me doing 99% of the work myself and it totaled just a touch over 40K. This was in early 2006. The cool thing about that was I also was selling on E bay at the same time. I sold over 250 items all for challengers (all spares)from 2003-2005 and it more than totalled 40K. So I covered the cost of my parts from parts I saved in the 80s.

Then the second resto I keep records of my time and still tossed all the reciepts in a folder.

did a 68 R/R . everything i took off went into a zip lock bag with a tag on it. good thing i did cause i didnt get back to it right away and all i had to do was look at the bag read info on what it was and where it went. keep good receipts and records and you cant fool your self on what it cost you. another thing is my father kept very good records of everything he ever did to his truck, al receipts etc. truck got a rod knock( i wander why 2 boys driving it) sold the truck like it was not a thing wrong with it. guy who bought did the same record keeping. never said nothing about price, glad to see records.

I took digital photos during the restoration of my Superbird. Each day I worked on the car I downloaded them and put them into a simple Word table. One set was just details of the restoration and the other was part numbers, vendor codes, date codes etc. At the end, they went into separate binders for each major compontent (eg engine, tranny, body, interior etc) Doesnt take much time if you do it each day. When you have the part in your hand - take a picture!!

An example of part numbers and date codes etc.