Project car guide

How to Document a Project Car

A practical project car documentation guide for recording specs, modifications, photos, milestones, and build history on PinkSlips.

• A good project car record answers three questions quickly: what is the car, what changed, and what is next? Start with a clear current snapshot, then let each update add context instead of making someone reconstruct the story from old posts. Keep the complete setup and its history together on one permanent page.
• Begin with the current identity
• Record the year, make, model, trim, engine or platform details you know, and the name you use for the car. Add a short description in your own voice. This establishes the baseline before a visitor reaches the mod list. Use the car build tracker for that complete baseline, then keep installed parts in the modification list.
• Do not wait for a perfect archive. A useful first entry can be the car as it sits today. You can add older milestones later and keep the timeline honest about when work happened. If the exact trim, production date, or previous owner is unknown, say that plainly. A transparent blank is more useful than a confident guess because readers can distinguish documented facts from open questions.
• Year, make, model, and trim
• A recognizable build name
• Current photos that show the whole car
• A short description of the project
• Separate parts from the story around them
• Use the modifications list for installed parts and the timeline for the work, trips, changes, and turning points around them. A part name tells a reader what is on the car; a dated note explains why the setup changed. Keep the current list scannable so a reader can understand the car before opening every history entry.
• Group related modifications consistently. Use categories such as engine, suspension, brakes, exterior, interior, and aerodynamics to make a long list readable without flattening the detail. When a component is removed, preserve the old decision in history and make the current list reflect the car today. That separation keeps the record honest through multiple stages.
• Add the installed part with its category
• Note work or revisions in the timeline
• Keep removed or planned parts clearly separated
• Make evidence do the explaining
• Use photos to show the current state and close-ups to prove details a wide shot cannot. Add videos, dyno information, trophies, or event notes when they add real context. A number without its setup is less useful than a modest result with the hardware and date attached. Caption unusual details so a reader knows what the image demonstrates.
• Owner-recorded examples include Hanzo and Boo!. They illustrate different ways to make a build legible, not a required format or compatibility recommendation. A photo of a wheel can support a fitment note; it cannot prove clearance on another chassis. Keep evidence tied to the exact car and stage it documents.
• Use a whole-car cover image
• Add close-ups for identifying details
• Attach dates or context to performance results
• Keep the record current
• When the car changes, update the current setup and add a timeline note that preserves what came before. Review the cover photo, wheel and tire details, and description after major work. A permanent page becomes more valuable when it reflects the car someone can actually see today. A short maintenance update can be enough when no larger story changed.
• Set a simple review habit after a show, service visit, parts installation, or track day. Compare the current fields with the latest photos, remove stale claims, and add the next known step. This turns documentation into a useful reference for your future self rather than a one-time publishing task.
• Read the page as a first-time visitor
• Keep known facts separate from assumptions
• Add evidence when a detail matters
• Update the current setup after a major change
• Use a repeatable update rhythm
• For each meaningful change, capture the date, the part or work involved, the reason for the decision, and one piece of evidence. Write the note while the details are fresh, then return later to check whether the current specification still matches. Small consistent entries are easier to trust than a large retrospective assembled from memory.
• A project car can have several simultaneous threads: bodywork, power, interior, and events. Let each thread have its own clear entry while the main page stays a concise snapshot. If a change is still planned, describe it as planned. If it is installed but awaiting a final measurement, record that limitation instead of presenting an unfinished result as complete.
• Prepare the page for another reader
• Before sharing, open the page without your owner context and ask what a stranger would misunderstand. Clarify acronyms, identify the current stage, and put the most important evidence near the claim it supports. Keep the description welcoming, but let the structured fields carry the technical detail.
• A direct public link should lead to a page that stands on its own. Check that the cover represents the current car, the mod categories are sensible, the history has recognizable anchors, and linked media still opens. That last pass is the difference between an attractive snapshot and documentation that remains useful months later.