Our aim is to create a comprehensive overview of all makes and models of automobile.

How many makes (Manufacturers) of automobile would you guess have existed over the last century? The answer is: probably more than you would imagine. This quantity, multiplied by the number of years each Manufacturer was producing motor cars, each a few new models per year, and one arrives at a huge number!

The challenge we had was: How to have a system where each model can be listed with a way to enter data about that model, but where other people with more info could add their info. Also where owners of similar machines could register the serial numbers of their machines so everyone who was interested could see how many of that particular model survive. Also if possible, some price guidance. And preferably a system that allowed confidentiality. To collate data of all automobiles manufactured is an impossible task, even for the most committed group. The only way it will be accomplished is by a global effort of automobile enthusiasts pooling their knowledge on 1 commom platform.

Furthermore with a 'Registry' owners of different cars have the flexibility post details of their automobile and so share knowledge about these incredible machines. With more transparency through this approach we can build further communities of owners to promote the preservation & acquisition of automobiles. Restorers can locate people with similar models for advice on replacement parts, and collectors get to know other collectors to whom they could communicate.

After a long search for a suitable software to fulfill our percieved needs we found an online system that matched most of the criteria we were seeking. Thus for our project we will be co-operating with the "Repository of Manufactured Items". They are not only doing Automobiles, but also the whole field of transportation, as well as practically everything else.

So it makes a lot of sense that we use their infrastructure as it serves our purpose and has an added value to many others as well.

You can find ROMFI here

www.romfi.com

(list all Categories) > Transport Road > AUTOMOBILES> ....and then select a manufacturer, eg. Chevrolet, Ford etc.

To post items you need to register, but it is free. If you have production lists / model type thats not listed you need to send the item to info@romfi.com. They also digitize catalogs as the basis for a reference, so they say that scanned original catalogs are also accepted.

You can see what they mean by 'List' here

Read here about submitting a main PRODUCT page

SUBMITTING AN ITEM INTO THE REGISTRY
into "YES I HAVE ONE" (& "MY COLLECTION")

This feature has a multiple purpose.
- Track surviving items & thus allow a more detailed research
- Sharing Knowledge with the world
- Builds up a detailed private inventory of ones own collection

How does one submit an item that one has?

Firstly there has to be a main PRODUCT page about that item. If you have an item and do not find a main PRODUCT page dealing with that item, then you can, as the first step, submit the CATEGORY definition into ROMFI, and then a main PRODUCT page. (You can read about this in the other menu topics)

On each Product page one sees the following buttons:

To each main Product can be added examples of that product; in ROMFI terms these are called Items. Thus for example if the product detailed is a "1925 Model T Ford Phaeton" and you have a 1925 Model T Ford Phaeton, you can click on the "Yes I have one" button and enter details of your item here.

Serial Number: if the item has one please enter it, or else leave blank

Condition: a pull down menu. Please click here to see Condition definitions

Distinguishing Marks: an overview description of how the item looks, scratches, dents etc

Features: Anything special about the machine, customisations, or any other special information

Provenance(*): History of the object, where you bought it

Picture 1 & 2 : upload pictures of your item

What I Paid (*): 1-enter price, 2-enter the currency 3-the exchange rate to Dollars will calculate automatically

What its worth(*): Your estimation of the value, so that you can see the real value of your collection. (You see this in the "My Collection" area)

Date Acquired(*): A way for you to record when you bought the item, as well as a value adding feature for the ROMFI aggregated price analysis so that it can be studied how the prices of items develops over time.

(*) These fields can only be seen by you in your private "My Collection" feature

Once you have completed entering the data press ADD and your item data is stored in ROMFI. The submission will not be immediately online as it will first be vetted (against spam & spuriousness). This usually occurs within 48 hours.