Factory Service Manual Observation

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Most of us probably use the digital version of the manual from MyMopar.com. I certainly do, for the ease and convenience. However, I also have an original manual--with a few grease smudges and dogeared pages--that I rarely use. Not any more.

I grabbed it today to look up a bolt torque, and I suddenly realized that the illustrations in that 49 year old book are FAR more clear than what you see on your computer screen. The scanning/imaging of the e-version just doesn't do justice to the outstanding illustrations--the drawings, diagrams and photographs--in the paper manual. And this really applies to photographs. For instance, the digital pics of carbs or internal trans assemblies (for instance) are terribly dark and grainy, whereas the paper version has perfectly clear "half-tone" pictures were even carb hairpin clips are visible.

Having used original Chrysler manuals for most of my life (I worked in a dealership in the 70s, and had them for my Dart, RR, and Cuda), I should have realized this when I got back into the hobby last spring with the purchase of my Hurst car and the purchase of this nicely used FSM shortly thereafter. Stooopid me.

I wonder if the paper versions sold by Year One compare to the original, or are they also the product of poor scanning.

My two cents, anyhoo.

 

[CBODY67]

What I've noticed with the online versions I've downloaded, the illustrations and page views don't all seem to be the same, for some reason. Some are larger images than other years might be.

BUT in the .pdf format, if I put the cursor up under the top toolbar area, it triggers a horizontal drop-down tool bar with enlargement functions in it, along with saving and such. In that page enlargement mode, it looks fine to me, but possibly not quite as sharp as the old black-white FSM pictures, but still useable to me. It took a while before I found that little trick! Some of the pages need to be rotated for best viewing, too, which is also in that toolbar.

When the first "Manuals on CD" came out, I knew there were some good ones and some not-quite so good ones. I ran into a guy at Mopar Nats that was selling the Chrysler-licensed ones. Parts book and service manual for a particular model year. He said that to get Chrysler's approval, he had to use a "vectorized" format so that when enlarged, the details of the images didn't degrade or lose sharpness. A more involved format, but one that works better. More than just a simple enlargement, as others tended to use back then.

Turn those pages gently!

CBODY67

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Oh sure, I enlarge the digi-pics all the time, but they're still dark and grainy compared to the paper version. Remember a long time ago, when you might have made a Xerox copy of a newspaper photo? Remember how it darkened and lost contrast?

Right this second I'm comparing the two versions of page 14-20 (pictures of carbs). No comparison.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

And you can't beat pages 21-3 thru -10: Tranny hydraulic diagrams in living color!

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Turn those pages gently!

Oh, I certainly do. When I got it off eBay, it was heavily dog-eared at both corners, all the in to the Group 3 section, with the paper weak and thin. I spent a LOT of time carefully straightening each page and then putting a brick on each corner and letting the manual sit outside in Florida summer humidity (we grow gills down here) for a week, then brought it in and let it "cure" in serious air conditioning, still with weight on the corners. Nice.

I had to laugh at myself for spending so much time straightening those damn pages....kinda like straightening fins on a 48 year old condenser!

 

[1978 NYB]

These guys have great paper and CD copies.

Welcome to Bishko Books | Shop Manuals

 

[Old Mike]

When I bought my Newport from the original owner, these came with it, along with a binder containing the original bill of sale and years worth of service receipts.

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

View attachment 260129 When I bought my Newport from the original owner..........

That's really cool. You can bet that OO really loved his Chrysler.

 

[BIGBARNEYCARS]

I still have those two book on my book shelf. Sold my '72 New Yorker in the mid-'80s and My Hurst in '99 but the bookz don't eat anything
Same for the FSMs for'63+'64 Valiants, the '68 Backaruda, '72 Plymouth Duster and ah couple otherz. But then I think I still have my 1st tooth too, lol

 

[LocuMob]

I have paper copies of all my needed FSM's, even have a spare '66 Polara/Monaco FSM ready and waiting. I used the digital copy for he '66 parts book, but bought one when I found it for a cheap price, now I'm looking for a '67 copy to get. To me,nothing beats having a paper copy in front of you.

 

[Big_John]

I have a bunch of service manuals I need to part with. I've got to go through them, photograph and price. Give me a day or so... They'll be for shop use, not displaying in the trunk at a car show and priced to sell.

 

[Polara_500]

I have a bunch of service manuals I need to part with. I've got to go through them, photograph and price. Give me a day or so... They'll be for shop use, not displaying in the trunk at a car show and priced to sell.

Me too...... though most of mine that I'll part with are newer and nobody has shown interest when I've listed 'em in the past.

 

[Fury440]

When I bought my Fury, I paid an extra $10 fo the shop manual. It's been well read. About 20 years ago I bought a photocopy of a part list for $100, unfortunately think the master was cut apart and then fed into document reader for scanning. Most of the pages are crooked, many are slightly out of focus and the image file has been compressed so much that details in pictures are gone. The pages in the "Body" section are mostly interior pictures with a bunch arrows pointing out different parts, the scan shows black blobs with arrows lost in the black.
I guess you get what you pay for and before you lay out any green, you need to examine the product first.

 

[Old Mike]

That's really cool. You can bet that OO really loved his Chrysler.

I’m pretty sure he did. The original bill of sale and dealer paperwork shows he traded in a ‘66 Newport. And apparently his family knew he did. The inside cover of the ‘72 edition has a happy birthday inscription “To the best brother ever.....” from his sister.

 

[Snotty]

I'll take print media over a computer screen any day of the week! For one thing, you can't hold the computer in your lap when you are sitting next to your car - but the book is not a problem!!

 

[swisherred]

I'm pretty happy using my laptop in the car...I have the vectorized version and its pretty clear zooming in...but I'd like to get a paper copy as well. I don't enjoy laying the laptop on the fender while the engine is running and tuning...lol

 

[stubs300]

Another observation I've noticed is that for 66. My 66 Chrysler manual has very little on the /6, but the 66 Plymouth or Dodge is loaded with tons of /6 info. Just sayin.

 

[73Coupe]

I'll take print media over a computer screen any day of the week! For one thing, you can't hold the computer in your lap when you are sitting next to your car - but the book is not a problem!!

Same here. When I have to stare at a screen all day at work, have another screen in my pocket that gets pulled out and looked at, and now a screen in my car, I'm trying to screen back my screen time any chance I get. It's taking a toll on my eyes, I've noticed. Looking at paper doesn't strain my eyes. Plus, I can make notes in my FSM easily (with a pencil, of course).

 

[Trace 300 Hurst]

Wow....looks like I tapped into a vein of disdain regarding the e-manual vs. good ol' paper. As Fury440 mentioned, the "black blobs with arrows" was causing me problems with the screen version. Print is clear and concise, IMO.

 

[Big_John]

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