We can't have just one cool musclecar. Our garages and driveways tell the story of our obsession. Inside the garage we may have a 12-second Chevelle parked next to a really cool two-door '66 Nova. Then the parts hauler might be a flawless '71 El Camino with a very torquey 406. Of course the family car just happens to have some sort of Chevy V-8 lurking under the hood. This is all fun until the day arrives that something breaks down and we wonder, Exactly what performance parts did I install on that car?
With so many projects and modifications, it should be obvious that remembering how each car is modified is probably next to impossible. But there is a simple solution to this dilemma. With easy-to-do recordkeeping, you can quickly organize a book that will keep all that detailed information for each car in one location.
To demonstrate, we've put together an example to help you get started. When you're done, you'll have all this information at your fingertips and a system that's a big timesaver.
Owning several Chevys is lots...
Owning several Chevys is lots of fun, but keeping track of all the specific parts you've chosen over time may be difficult to remember.
Here's how we formatted a book to keep track of one of our cars. For simplicity, we divided the information into general categories and wrote the specifics in a small book that fits in our glovebox. Don't forget to include a page for maintenance records, too.
Brake Pads; Perf. Friction; 052Z
Rotors; Raybestos; Slotted RB101W Steel Brake
Hoses; Goodridge; 12244
With the help of a simple...
With the help of a simple record book, you can easily manage the details about each car, including specific parts and even a maintenance record. We purchased a small book at a local drugstore that easily fits into the glovebox.
Spark Plugs; ACCEL; 276S
Header Gasket; Fel-Pro; 1404
Intake Gasket; Fel-Pro; 1205
Collector Gasket; Fel-Pro; 2001
Head Gasket; Fel-Pro; 1003
Oil Filter; ACDelco; PF35
Belts/Fan; Gates; 15455
Belts/Power Strg.; Gates; 15350
Trans Filter; Purolator; P239
Ignition Timing; 12 BTC
Total; 36 BTC @ 3,000 rpm
Holley Jet #; 72 P 78 S
Inside the book we've dedicated...
Inside the book we've dedicated separate pages to specific vehicle systems. This page is dedicated to the brake system. If we have a breakdown on the highway, we can easily find the part number for each component we've added.
Initial and total timing specs...
Initial and total timing specs can be kept in your record book. The information can also help you develop a baseline tune-up record to take along when you visit the strip. Inside the book, you can record what changes you have made and how it affected your elapsed time and speed data.
Don't forget to include under-car...
Don't forget to include under-car items in your record book, like lower radiator hoses, sway bar sizes, and bushings.
For an at-home garage ref...
For an at-home garage reference...
...we keep a large second...
...we keep a large second book on file.
A record book will not only...
A record book will not only make it easy to replace parts when you're wrenching on your Chevy, but it will also save time.