Parts ordering / project planning question

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x_atlas0

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I have a general question for the group.

When I am planning a project for the car, I try to be thorough and order all the parts I need ahead of time, that way I can execute effectively. However, I inevitably end up missing some parts, or there are unexpected parts I need to order, constantly delaying my projects.

It would be nice if there was a bill of materials to go with each task in the blue books, as an example.

I'd like to hear from shop owners and other board members on how they plan out their work and how they ensure they order all the things they might need when setting up a project. I'd also like to hear how everyone keeps track of what bolt goes where. I've been making drawings or templates using cardboard, but I'm sure there's a better way.
 
I have a List, i write in every part, i need in future.
made a Excel list from thatwith price from each provider.
When i finished and ready to bring he car back together, i order all the stuff i need.

Breiti
 
There is no way to ensure you order all the parts you need in advance of starting a project. Obvious reasons include (1) sometimes you find things that need to be done in the process of doing something else, (2) often you find parts you think you can reuse that cannot be reused, (3) Broken parts, (4) Lost parts.

One thing that helps is stockpiling fasteners. When ordering plastic fasteners, order a couple of spares. When replacing nuts and bolts, keep the old ones. When removing parts that cannot be reused or selling parts you don't need, keep any fasteners from the old parts. The problem with this, of course, is you then need to inventory your fasteners.
Another suggestion is to do two projects concurrently. When one project is delayed for a broken part that must be replaced, you can turn your attention to the other project. In other words, assume you are going to encounter delays.

Most folks that do this stuff professionally have a stockpile of parts. That's not particularly practical for most of us, but for the pros, this saves tons of time.
 
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I always check what's available from the main dealers (like W&N ..) methodically studying their part lists. I always find something I didn't think of. I usually order more parts than I really need, you can always sell unused spare parts to others in the same situation without loosing money.
Regarding bolts I can only speak for myself: almost all nuts and bolts go into the same bucket before they ar zinc plated so itś impossible to keep track of where they fit. When I reassemble I use realOEM where the bolt size is listed. All the brackets makes a lot of confusion so a LOT of photos will save endless hours with parts diagram studies.
 
I keep an excel file on each car that includes sheets for 'needed' 'to do' 'cost' (which includes source and part numbers) and then special sheets such a 'ac' or other projects. I use the costs sheet to go back and look at what was bought if I need info on a specific part.
Example: I am putting AC in the 2002 and used the E9 'ac' sheet to figure out what I needed (similar parts and sources).
Also the costs sure add up quick!
 
i have an excel spreadsheet for my coupe - since most everything under the hood is new and based on the euro b34 engine, mine will be much different than most. i also have a binder with most of the realoem printouts for most of the areas. i still have my orange books, but i use the printouts as a very portable document that i can write on.
 
I'm with Ohmess, post #3 above "There is no way to ensure you order all the parts you need in advance of starting a project."

Something always comes up, unless it's a job I've done before, or I'm replacing a very specific part and only the replacement for that part(s) is/are needed. Fasteners are re-used after some cleaning.

Most of my work falls in this category. Resist mission creep...
 
i make a cardboard part of the one that i feel that i will need, and using an empty body shell that i have in my house, i place the cardboard part there so i know what to order when available/needed

obviously joking, so well done you with those excell sheets, and printouts
i am not so systematic

i did like @Henrik for years, buying parts in advance when i found them available
 
in my long "empresas y tribulaciones" i took advantage of long time stored stock pile, including ...everything...
but even so i had to buy uregntly several bits that i did not considered, that borke during assembly, or that i didnt know they even exist


see here...

LAN e9 empresas y tribulaciones, an epiphany in 042BBlau. Opus Magna

“introibo ad altare dei…” Sometimes the finish line is the start line and all comes again,… works and worries…a collection
e9coupe.com e9coupe.com
 
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