what does every one use as reference material

[Greg Cullinan]

Google image search, ebay motors, conceptcarz.com, seriouswheels.com... all sorts of websites. But nothing's faster or easier than a google image search. Type in what you want, hit enter and BAM, there you go. Instantly.

I also found google to be the easiest.I have a few sites bookmarked but tend to use google first.

Spyder

Posted Today, 02:53 PM

I have primarily used Google Image, and E-Bay Motors. That in turn leads to my Fotki albums, because photos on the internet may be there today, yet not necessarily tomorrow. I have catagories for almost every brand of vehicle, and most albums have hundreds, if not thousands of pics. Most photos are captioned by make, year, model. Many of the albums are then arranged by title (the default is upload date). This in turn makes finding a photo of a certain year easier. Of course, captioning every photo takes time.

I have also indexed my magazine in Excel, but I let that go years ago. Sadly due to overcrowding in my hobby room, some of those mags may end up at the landfill.

I also use Spyders Fotki pagesB), I came across them a few months ago and was extremely impressed with his photos from shows and how well they are labeled and in order.

[sjordan2]

I also found google to be the easiest.I have a few sites bookmarked but tend to use google first.

Spyder

Posted Today, 02:53 PM

I have primarily used Google Image, and E-Bay Motors. That in turn leads to my Fotki albums, because photos on the internet may be there today, yet not necessarily tomorrow. I have catagories for almost every brand of vehicle, and most albums have hundreds, if not thousands of pics. Most photos are captioned by make, year, model. Many of the albums are then arranged by title (the default is upload date). This in turn makes finding a photo of a certain year easier. Of course, captioning every photo takes time.

I have also indexed my magazine in Excel, but I let that go years ago. Sadly due to overcrowding in my hobby room, some of those mags may end up at the landfill.

I also use Spyders Fotki pagesB), I came across them a few months ago and was extremely impressed with his photos from shows and how well they are labeled and in order.

Absolutely. Start with Google Image and eBay motors and you can not only get excellent up-front info, but also leads to a huge world of further information.

[Crazy Ed]

Although I'll agree that Google is a wonderful source I prefer Books and Magazines. My primary interest is with 50's - mid 70's Road Racing Cars and without the History they're (to me) just nowhere as interesting.

Ed

[rustybill1960]

Anywhere and everywhere!

[Blake Rogers]

good idea there bill hey Jon ill take those old mags off you if you dont want them any more

[LVZ2881]

Blake, I cant get the screen shot to work. PM me your email and i'll send you the pic of how i have my database layed out.

[Chas SCR]

Street rodder magazine's, also call the shop where the car was built at and most of the time they have photos of the car i'm doing in built up stages. Talk to the people and if I can see the car in person then go and take a ton of photos.

[Eric Stone]

I use the Google.

[charlie8575]

I use magazines, car shows, the Internet, and eBay.

I really got upset a while ago, though. It appear feeBait has now copy-protected all their pictures! I can't save any of them as they all come up as disabled. Annoying! Hemmings does this too, as well as some dealers. Does anyone know how to copy and paste pictures when you run into that and can explain it in a non-technical way??

What I do is make reference sheets in Word Perfect (because I like the way it handles pictures better) and make little notes to go along with them.

Charlie Larkin

[Jordan White]

I really got upset a while ago, though. It appear feeBait has now copy-protected all their pictures! I can't save any of them as they all come up as disabled. Annoying! Hemmings does this too, as well as some dealers. Does anyone know how to copy and paste pictures when you run into that and can explain it in a non-technical way??

Charlie Larkin

When the picture is on the screen, hit the "Prnt Scrn" key at the top of your keyboard (mine is above F10). Then open up Paint and hit Crtl+V. Voila!

Anywho, I use Google initially for both pictures and links to forums. I also browse CarDomain for some vehicles. For domestics, I go to the American Car Brochure site.

[Art Anderson]

Reference pics are where you find them--and that includes many sources.

For many GM cars, it doesn't get any better than the combination of factory service manuals, and factory assembly manuals! The latter read like a super-model instruction book, showing each and every detail of the car as it was to be assembled (even down to the amount of adhesives to be used in attaching some of the trim!). Nowhere else will you find, for example (Bill Geary, are you listening?) column shift linkage, its shapes, and how it is connected to both the gearshift shaft on the steering column and to the shifting arms of the transmission. This is all laid out in very clear drawings, often in multiple views, all for training assembly line workers on the then-new cars they will be building.

Dealer brochures have a very real place, but be aware that many 50's and 60's brochures show the cars in question in dimensionally altered artwork, so they aren't all that good for proportioning out a conversion. By the same token, the commercial artwork showing engines more often than not, shows incorrect colors, the artwork meant more to convince you to buy, than to be an accurate representation. The same also can be true of interior appointments, particularly given that brochures were underway before many final decisions were made as to upholstery patterns and/or colors.

One can build a great database of knowledge from such notable magazines as Collectible Automobile, and the former Special Interest Auto's (and the subsequent publication from Hemmings, Hemmings Classic Car, as well as Hemming's Muscle Car. Oh, and don't overlook Cars & Parts magazine as well--often there are great pics in that mag.

It should go without saying that taking lots of pics of cars, on the street, at the dealer's, or at shows--while a digital camera of serious quality might be pricey, the pics are free--no developing or printing charges need apply, so take them by the dozens of any car you want to model--don't worry about "beauty shots"--go for pics that tell YOU what the areas of the car look like that you don't necessarily see well in magazine or advertising photo's--you will be glad you did. Of course, online pics are a great resource, but often they need the backup that only a large collection, garnered from extensive research can give. Don't be afraid to keep looking, that elusive shot of that hard-to-see detail may well show up online tomorrow!

And, above all, read--read as much as you can about the car in question. In such mags as CA, for example, there are often gems of information (such as, did you know that ALL '58 Chevies are the same length--no Virginia, the Impala wasn't longer than the lower line Bel Air, just unique rear panel, decklid and top were exclusive to the Impala that year!). It was by reading that I learned the various body lines from GM, Ford and Chrysler--and how sheet metal got shuffled around to make the plethora of body styles the Big 3 produced in their heyday.

Phew, there I think I've covered a lot of it--!!!!

Art

[MrObsessive]

Reference pics are where you find them--and that includes many sources.

For many GM cars, it doesn't get any better than the combination of factory service manuals, and factory assembly manuals! The latter read like a super-model instruction book, showing each and every detail of the car as it was to be assembled (even down to the amount of adhesives to be used in attaching some of the trim!). Nowhere else will you find, for example (Bill Geary, are you listening?) column shift linkage, its shapes, and how it is connected to both the gearshift shaft on the steering column and to the shifting arms of the transmission. This is all laid out in very clear drawings, often in multiple views, all for training assembly line workers on the then-new cars they will be building.

Oh I hear ya Art-------Loud and clear!

An assembly manual is exactly what I used when I wanted to build my '57 Corvette. It came in REAL handy to get at the fiddly bits such as the brake line hangars and whatnot.

Here's a couple pics that were scanned from it.........

For us "rivet counters" out there..............it doesn't get any better than this!

[Eric Stone]

One area that's hard to find pics of is under the body. Anything to do with exhaust is good- Aftermarket exhaust system installs covered in forums or magazines will usually come with photos to accompany the information and that'll give you reference as to what color primer was used, and how the overspray patterns go. Very handy sometimes...

[Jordan White]

One area that's hard to find pics of is under the body. Anything to do with exhaust is good- Aftermarket exhaust system installs covered in forums or magazines will usually come with photos to accompany the information and that'll give you reference as to what color primer was used, and how the overspray patterns go. Very handy sometimes...

Along with that, a good place for various parts for muscle cars is the Summit Racing and Jegs catalogs. They have engine parts, exhaust parts, electrical, wheels, tires, drivetrain parts, all in color and showing available options.

[Junkman]

I use this for colour inspiration lately:

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/338226/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1

I also use IMCDB.org, of which I am a member as well.

Once I decide, which model car I build, I often buy an original sales brochure off I pay. I can always sell it on, when I'm finished and don't want to keep it (the latter rarely happens).

I also have a vast collection of original paint chips.