CSX-4000 HST cars-

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dcdoug

Did you ever put together the comparison?

Apparently not. Writing a quality manual is a really, really, hard task. There have been several threads over the years by people, or groups of people, that were going to write a CSX manual... and then you never hear anything again. The Kirkham manual is a good example of just how hard it is to put together.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

The Kirkham manual is a good example of just how hard it is to put together.

As I'm sure you know, the Kirkhams did have a "build" thread (14 pages), plus a separate "question only" thread (8 pages) back in 2007:

Kirkham Motorsports Assembly Manual

Also, there are several portions of the Kirkham manual on their website, though as you mention, it is not complete. Maybe when the economy gets better and they hire Joe W. back, it will get finished.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

As I'm sure you know, the Kirkhams did have a "build" thread (14 pages), plus a separate "question only" thread (8 pages) back in 2007:

Kirkham Motorsports Assembly Manual

Also, there are several portions of the Kirkham manual on their website, though as you mention, it is not complete. Maybe when the economy gets better and they hire Joe W. back, it will get finished.

You can liken it to software. The Kirkham bros. have written a "killer app" -- but in the software world the programmers do not write the user's manual for the program. There are professionals whose job it is to do nothing but write the manual -- and they rely heavily, of course, on the guys that actually wrote the app (they have to). But writing a good manual is a skill all its own. It takes pros. That costs money. And, frankly, there just might not be sufficient demand to justify the expense involved.

Personally, I prefer videos. If I had to drop my ERA rear I would much rather be able to click on a vid file on the ERA web site entitled "Doug Shows How to Remove Your ERA Rear" than to thumb through a manual that has mostly drawings (like GM Service manuals). Simple photos without detailed explanatory text is the last preferable.