There is a well-known saying about leftover parts. "You know a job was done right when you have pieces left over." Of course, this is nonsense. Leftover hardware is a sign that something wasn't put together properly, and the saying itself is just a poor excuse for an incomplete job. On the other end of the spectrum, there is the issue of not enough hardware, which has just as many associated problems.
The best thing to do is to take your small items, nuts, and bolts and keep them in zip-lock bags. Mark the outside of the bag with permanent marker or put a slip of paper with a list of contents inside the bag. If possible, take pictures of everything assembled from as many angles as you can for re-assembly reference.
Unfortunately, as enthusiasts, we are not always diligent. Many of us skip the neatly-sorted zip-lock bags and find ourselves with a collection of miscellaneous leftover hardware in a drawer, box, or bucket. This collection of leftover nuts and bolts is almost never well-organized and usually grows larger over time.
The situation only gets worse when vehicles change hands. Usually, the associated stockpile of used hardware isn't included with the purchase of a project, forcing us to the purgatory of our own collections to mix and match until we find something that works.
Is it the same grade as the original hardware? Did you record the thread pitch of each bolt before filing them in the bucket?
The truth of the matter is that we don't even need to bother. The fine folks who designed these cars in the first place left records of what was used to fasten things together, enabling Classic Industries to organize bolt sets and fastener kits. No dirty nuts and no rusty bolts, just brand new fasteners, sorted and labeled.
Let Classic Industries simplify your project with one of our convenient hardware kits.
