Needing Inventory Advice

[nnolte]

I am taking inventory of my boxes, and it is a giant mess. There's no way to determine some of the parts from nondescript names and nothing has a number. Does FF have a site where you can put in the number and see what the part is? "Something Bracket" doesn't help when it is an FF part.

Very disappointed. Any advice?

[edwardb]

OK, stop and take a breath. Way too early to be disappointed... The answer to your question is generally no. There are a few of the parts in their on-line parts catalog that you could search with a part number. But not enough to matter.

Suggest the following: I assume you have the box-by-box inventory listings? That's your guide for the inventory process. Do not mix parts between boxes. Keep them separate. At least for now as you're doing the inventory and learning what the parts are. Each box is a general category of parts, e.g. fuel system, etc. and the parts are grouped into general categories in each box as titled on the inventory sheets. For many, those are in bags with the group part number. That gets you in the ballpark. By identification of stuff you recognize plus process of elimination and with the part descriptions provided, you should be able to identify each part.

Another resource is the build manual. It doesn't have all the answers for your build. But it's a huge resource especially for new builders. Read/study it cover-to-cover several times if possible. For the inventory, go to the section of the manual describing assembly of the parts in question. By following the text and pictures, you can often determine what the parts are. For someone new to this process and build, this is something I often recommend anyway.

What I'm describing isn't a quick process. It will take some serious time. But will be an investment in learning your kit, the contents, and will pay back as you proceed with assembly. Be patient with it. Good luck.

[GoDadGo]

Edwardb (Sir Paul) just gave you some calming and valid advice. He did the same thing for me and many others so don't get all depressed or stressed out just yet. If we could build our cars then you can too but you need to keep in mind that every journey starts with the very first step.

Doing the inventory process is actually the first major step of your journey which took me about 14 hours. I made a copy of the inventory list and attached a copy of each sheet with the corresponding box and then I went to town. As Edwardb stated, don't mix up the parts from box to box, at least until you know what each part is, because that makes figuring out what you have and what you need a lot tougher.

Also, what really helped me before starting the journey was reading the entire manual several times (At Least 3 Times) before I ever received my kit. Taking this action familiarized me with the car and 95-98% of the parts that were going to be installed on it.

Like you, I'm a first time builder but so was everyone else on this forum including Sir Paul when he tackled MK3 Roadster #5125.

If I could do it, along with thousands of other first time builders, then so can you!

MK4 #8515 (aka: The Redbone Roadster)
https://www.factoryfive.com/whats-ne...-mk4-roadster/

[mmklaxer]

I recently completed my inventory and had some struggles up front. Some of the pars I could figure out by process of elimination. For example - The pedal box has this X-bracket looking piece that I couldn't find in the manual, couldn't tell what it was, etc. Looking at older builds I never saw it in use. Then in a separate section of the manual talking about the hydraulic cluthc I found the piece mounts on TOP of the pedal box and screws into the 4 mounting points.

you can read more about what I discovered regarding the current version of the manual and how it helps at my build thread:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...ocess-feedback

PM me if you want to chat.

[haak60]

i just got my roadster yesterday, same deal. some of the boxes with a lot of small parts i'm just gonna hope for the best. parts that dont seam to be in a box they are suppose to be i'm writing on a note pad to see if i come across later

[Namrups]

I wonder if this has something to do with their new inventory system. My inventory sheets were not the best in describing some items but the bags of misc. nuts & bolts was numbered to match the inventory sheets. As stated above, the more detailed and organized you are with the inventory the easier it will be when your going thru the build process and looking for the parts you need at the moment. Your time is more productive actually building than looking thru box after box for the right part. Also, if you do not match up the items in your inventory with the inventory sheets/box numbers, when you go to find a part how will you know if it's really the right one or not?

A perfect example happened to me last night. I wanted to mock up in my mind the emergency brake set up for the upgraded Welwood IRS brake system. Looking thru my inventory sheets I found the box where the IRS brake parts were and located what I thought were all of the parts. Everything checked out on the inventory sheet. When I do a mock up I lay everything out in what I think is going to be the final locations. This gives me a general feel for how things are going to fit and if I have any issues with anything I already installed. While doing this I noticed that I didn't have a special clip needed to attach the e-brake cable to the e-brake. The manual didn't give a specific part number only a description and a picture. I double checked the inventory sheet and nothing matching that description was listed. I double checked the box and did not find the part. Knowing that there is no rhyme or reason to the way things get packed I went back to my inventory sheets. (I had made copies and put them in a three ring binder) Paging thru the sheets I found that in another box there were more IRS brake parts. Still nothing matched the same description but when I pulled that bag out of that box there were the clips I was looking for.

FWIW and IMO how well your organization of your inventory is will dictate how long it takes to do your build and how much enjoyment/frustration you have doing it.

[Papa]

Here's what worked for me:

1. Get a helper to check off items as you identify them
2. Work down the inventory list in order (box-by-box), laying all the box contents out in an open area so you can easily see everything
3. The small parts bags can be worked by grouping parts and then using a tape measure, count of parts, and process of elimination
4. Make sure every part is identified before moving to the next box and if any items are missing, make a note of it and see if it is on your POL sheet. If not on the POL, let FFR know the part is missing and they will ship the missing items to you.
5. Pay attention to parts that are for left or right, and be sure you don't have two left parts when you should have one left and one right
6. There will probably be a box with a mix of miscellaneous parts that were supposed to be in one or more of the other boxes but were not available when the boxes were originally packed. This is the exception where you can inventory them and then move them to the boxes that they should have been in.

Dave

[John289]

As someone else that is new to this, I would suggest going on the FFR Parts page and download any instructions that relate to your build. I have printed some out and also copied them to my computer for reference. These may highlight parts that aren't necessarily shown in the build manual as well.

https://www.factoryfiveparts.com/instructions/

Also, Dan's Garage on YouTube has a really good video that gives an idea of what to expect during the inventory process.