Standard & Utility Parts Catalog Planning - Input Requested

[Gary Lewis]

Today I received the 1986 version of Ford's Standard & Utility Parts Catalog in paper form. Next week I hope to scan it and put it on the site. However, that is going to take some planning as it is ~300 pages long and the whole file might be 500 Mb in size.

I could break the file up into sections but I'm not seeing a logical way of doing that as Ford mixed things up pretty effectively. For instance, there are standard bolts and there are special bolts, and they are in two different sections. But when we have a part number we aren't going to know if it is standard or special.

So I'm thinking the best way to put it on the site is in one big file. But I'd like your input. I think this thing is really going to be helpful, but I want to get it right the first crack out of the box.

Here are the first two pages, which gives you a feel for what is in there. Thoughts, please?

[ArdWrknTrk]

This will be great.
Having a part number will mean a lot less 'make do' hardware for me.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I agree.

The more I think about this catalog the more excited I get.  I started years ago on FTE documenting the fasteners, with pictures and descriptions.  In the midst of that IB broke the albums in FTE and it no longer worked.  I then started the website and we have the Documentation/Fasteners section.  But, it is only the tip of the iceberg and even that isn't complete.

I theory this has all of the fasteners other bits and pieces for our trucks.  I haven't proven that, but it does have the few I've tried.  Perhaps the Fasteners section can be tied to the catalog?  Ditto the Documentation/Cooling Systems/Elbows page.  And so on.

I just have to figure out the best way to present it.

[85lebaront2]

Gary, I would say split into two files, one for the first 236 pages and one for the rest as the break from parts catalog to location lists seems to be a logical break point.

[Rembrant]

Gary,

Is this the one you bought from the guy in Canada? He finally accepted payment after all?>..

I'm curious to see what is in this thing.

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - Thanks, but the file turned out to be about 1/2 the size I expected.  Yes, it is still 230 Mb, so it is large.  But, having it all in one file makes the search so much easier.

Cory - Yes it is.

And, it is up: Documentation/Reference/Standard & Utility Parts Catalog.  

Using the approach explained on the page of opening another browser page it takes about 1 1/2 minute for me to find a part, which is faster than going to the numeric index at the back, finding the page #, and then scrolling back up to that page.  But either way works.

Please take a look, guys, and tell me what you think.  So far I've found every fastener I've looked for, but will continue testing it.  Y'all do the same, please.

[ArdWrknTrk]

It works great for me Gary.
This is a really valuable resource, and with your detailed photos even better.

Will you be posting a section for Interior?
I ask because I seem to have misplaced one of the Torx bolts that secure the seatbelts to the floor.
I know the thread pitch is 7/16-20, but at close to $20 a pop I'd want to make sure I'm buying the right one.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Jim.

We do have a section on seatbelts: Documentation/Interior/Seatbelts.  And there are part numbers there, which can then be looked up in the new Standard & Utility Parts Catalog.  However, to save time I've snagged the pic below of the section from the SUPC that contains the seatbelt bolts.  Would it be helpful if I put that on the Seatbelts page so people didn't then have to go look them up?

[85lebaront2]

Jim, I probably have what you need, I have an assortment of them (including the hex head Chrysler ones).

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yeah, I don't get to see that.
Documentation> interior> door locks, door panels, horn pads, steering columns

Maybe it's just Chrome and I should try another browser.
But for a lot of us, we'd never know it exists.

[Gary Lewis]

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?  You can't see the stuff that's far down the menu????  Man, that's awful!  Please tell me that I misunderstood.

Here's what is there:

[ArdWrknTrk]

As soon as I scroll over interior, a new page opens showing only the options I mentioned.

I guess that's why I have all these stupid questions.  

[Gary Lewis]

Man, that is a huge PAIN!  I was just thinking that the whole menu system needs attention 'cause the old guy with the memory of an elephant just told me about a file that had the pages in the wrong order and it took a LONG time for me to find out where the page is.  

And now you tell me you can't even see what pages are out there.  

We need a team to reorganize things.  It would need to have someone with excellent organizational skills on it.  Someone that understands how Ford did things.  And someone that know about what is possible on websites, and particularly Weebly website.  HELP!

[ArdWrknTrk]

When I roll over 'interiors' this page opens.

[Gary Lewis]

That is a page called Interior.  For it to come up is as if you are clicking on it.  But there is nothing on that page of interest.  And subsequent to creating that page I've learned out to make a non-clickable page that just is a placeholder in the menu.

So I just created a new non-clickable Interior page and deleted the old one.  Please see if that makes a difference.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I definitely wasn't clicking.

But now I am able to see the dropdown you show.
And click on the seatbelt page.

Thank you!  

[Gary Lewis]

I believe you.  I wonder how many others have that problem.  Maybe I need to convert a whole bunch of pages to non-clickable.  I'll look around.

Anyway, that was an easy fix!