Thread: Swap Manual Q&A
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Old 07-26-2007, 01:12 PM   #10
J!m
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I have, and it doesn't make any sense.

As soon as I pick up another detail that will make the manual better, I insert it before the next copy is sold, and the manual is updated. I only have the latest version saved- I don't keep the archive of the old versions. The manual itself is also the place I keep all my swap data- I don't have other files with other information- it's all in there!

I should have kept a record of up-dates over the years, but unfortunately, I did not. It is almost twice as many pages now as it was in the first version. Back then, I had not yet done the rear sub-frame up-grade, or sorted out all the details with the front suspension up-grade. That is all in there now, but could be better illustrated through photos.

Therefore, I also plan to do a bit more photography on my car, to help illustrate these details, and I have also considered tearing into the wiring harness to see exactly how the dealer corrected the other minor electrical problems that were addressed on my car. The dealer has to do the EWS/ECU alignment, and if you tell them the other things in the manual that also need to be addressed (which depends on which engine you have), they can do it (usually), so for now, it is working fine.

I also know exactly how to by-pass the EWS system to eliminate the need for the dealer, but I will not publish that at this time so there is not a sudden rash of stolen E36's out there... Possibly later I will add this information, as I have to check what my liability might be with my attorney before I do.

I'd love to do a PDF version, as you can then jump to the section you want from the index (the manual is fully indexed, by the way) and you could get it as fast as you send PayPal, but there are so many boot-leg EVERYTHINGS on eBay, and I don't want all my years of hard work to go out the window.

By the way, with all the copies I have sold, I still have not scratched the surface of my initial costs to do this job... The sales numbers are not there to justify a conventional publishing house for this right now. I am not getting rich selling a manual every few months on average.

I have given some thought to a password-protected web site for swap manual owners to have access to the latest info, as well as be able to add additional info which could then make its way into the latest manual versions for others. Every copy of my manual is serialized, so this could be coupled to a password and bingo, I have a secure site with access traceability to swap manual owners only. Here's the rub: this all costs money, and it would not be fair to ask an owner of the manual to then cough-up more money to be a web member as well. I have to see if I can work around this somehow... Maybe a Yahoo Groups thing or something so there is no up-front costs. I don't know how well I can lock that down, however. I had also considered a non-secure section for those who have swapped without my manual, or did the Chevy V8 swap or whatever (they would not have access to the secure section) and a photo section- show off your swapped cars, and have a permanent photo record of all the swapped cars out there. Lots of possibilities...
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