Intake Checklist

Make the buy gate survive real life. Four sections that stop you from ordering parts for phases that are not true yet.

Why it works

The intake is a one-page checklist that forces you to answer four questions before you open the shopping cart: vehicle identity, current phase, fitment risks, and approval gate. It slows you down on purpose. Most bad parts orders happen when you skip identity checks or order two phases early because the part looked cool.

The intake makes that feel like a broken promise instead of a treat.

It is a forcing function. You cannot fill the blanks and lie to yourself at the same time. Either the vehicle identity is documented or it is not. Either the part is for the current phase or it is a temptation buy for a phase that is not true yet.

The intake does not prevent bad decisions. It makes them visible before they cost money. That is enough.

Why four sections beat a spreadsheet novel

Long checklists get skipped. Four short sections get filled. The intake fits on one page. Print it. Fill it in pen. Sign it. Then open the browser.

Four sections cover the failure modes that kill most restoration parts orders:

• Identity: stops you from ordering "fits 1968-72" parts when you do not know if your car is early or late.
• Phase: stops you from buying interior kits when the rockers are still air.
• Fitment risks: stops you from trusting vendor photos that hide the mounting face.
• Order gate: stops you from ordering outside your phase budget or ignoring restock fees.

Each section blocks a common failure mode. Skip one and you will fund that failure.

Field-by-field: what each section protects

Section 1: Vehicle identity

Year, make, model, body, market, plant, known options. VIN (last eight is fine for a shop copy). Build sheet, trim tag, or broadcast sheet status. This section is the foundation. Without identity, every "fits 1968-72" claim is a gamble. With identity, you can verify before checkout.

If you cannot fill this section, you are not ready to order cosmetic or trim parts. Mechanical wear items are different. You can order brake pads for a car whose identity is incomplete. You cannot order emblems.

Write the identity on the intake before you open the cart. Do not rely on memory. Do not guess the year based on grille shape. Use the VIN, the trim tag, or the build sheet.

Section 2: Phase gate (what is true NOW)

Current phase: assess and document, disassembly, metal and structure, mechanical hard parts, paint and body, reassembly and trim, sort and detail. Next phase (the only one you are allowed to buy for). Hard stop date or event, if any. Storage plan for incoming parts.

This section stops you from buying an interior kit when the rockers are still air. If the part is not for the current or next phase, it is a do-not-buy unless you write a scarce-item exception and justify it.

Use this sentence frame before you fill the cart: "Right now the car is in ____, and the only parts I am allowed to buy advance ____." If that sentence feels vague, close the browser tab. Vague phases like "getting it going" or "making progress" are how you buy a four-hundred-dollar grille for a car that still needs rockers.

The restoration phases guide covers the full gate system. This section is the abbreviated version that fits on the intake sheet.

Section 3: Fitment risks (name them)

Parts that must match OEM or documented codes (emblems, bezels, date-coded pieces). Areas where acceptable reproduction or pattern parts are fine (unseen brackets, some weatherstrip). Known supersession or year-split traps (mid-year changes, dual sourcing). Measurement and photo checklist before order (hole spacing, stud length, script style).

This section is where fitment literacy lives. You are naming the risks in plain language before the vendor sells you confidence.

Examples that work:

• "Early vs late emblem split at Jan 1969 per FSM. Need backside photo to confirm stud count."
• "Bed wood pattern varies by year. Measure stake pocket spacing before ordering."
• "Door weatherstrip must match cab style (fleetside vs stepside). Ask vendor for year coverage."
• "Repro brackets fine for hidden mounts. OEM only for visible brightwork."

If you cannot name the fitment risks, you are not ready to order. Do the research first. See the OEM vs NOS vs Repro guide for how to read listings and weigh part quality.

Section 4: Order gate

Budget for this phase only. Lead time tolerance (days or weeks you can wait). Return policy verified (restock fee or final sale). Buyer or approver name. Do-not-buy list until next phase (interior kits, brightwork, wheels). Signature and date.

The signature line is not decoration. It is a written commitment that you will not order outside this phase without rewriting this page. That friction is the point.

Budget by phase, not by lifetime car fantasy. A lifetime build budget turns every vendor email into an emergency. A phase budget turns vendor emails into friction you can ignore. See the budget essay for how to fund one phase at a time.

Common skip patterns (and how they fail)

People skip fields when they feel urgent or when the part looks like progress. Here are the common skip patterns and why they fail:

• Skipping identity because "I know my car": you do not know the mid-year split. You will order the wrong emblem and eat a restock fee.
• Skipping phase because "I will need this eventually": eventually is not a phase. You will buy parts for reassembly during metal phase and they will sit sealed for two years.
• Skipping fitment risks because "the listing looks good": the listing hides the mounting face. You will order a part that does not fit and the vendor will charge a restock fee.
• Skipping the budget because "it is on sale": the sale happens during the wrong phase. You will spend money for a phase you are not in and pull cash away from the phase that is true.

Fill every section. If you cannot, you are not ready to order.

How to run it in 90 seconds at checkout

Print the intake. Keep it near the computer or the phone where you do parts research. When you find a part you want to order, do not open the cart. Open the intake instead.

Fill the four sections in order:

1. Identity: write the year, body, VIN (last eight). If you cannot fill this, stop. Research first.
2. Phase: write the current phase in one sentence. Write the next phase. If the part is not for either, stop.
3. Fitment risks: write the known traps for this part. If you do not know the traps, stop. Research first.
4. Order gate: write the budget for this phase. Write the return policy. Sign the page.

If you get stuck on any section, close the cart. You are not ready. Do the research and come back.

Ninety seconds is enough if you have done the research. If you have not done the research, the intake stops you from guessing.

When skipping is honest (almost never)

Consumables for the active phase (solvents, sandpaper, masking supplies). Emergency wear items (a failed water pump that stops work). Documented scarce items that you have measured and verified, with tagged storage ready.

That is a short list. Most orders are not emergencies. Use the intake.

If you skip the intake for an order that is not on that list, you are lying to yourself. A fake gate is worse than no gate.

Map the intake fields to the live printable

The printable intake at /intake/ includes these fields: year, make, model, body, market, plant, options, VIN, build sheet status, current phase, next phase, hard stop date, storage plan, fitment risks (must-match OEM, acceptable repro, known traps, measurement checklist), budget, lead time, return policy, approver, do-not-buy list, signature, date.

These fields match the decision points in the restoration phases guide and the OEM vs NOS vs Repro guide. They are not arbitrary. Each question blocks a common failure mode.

Print the intake. Fill it. Sign it. Then open the cart. If you skip this step, you are not managing a restoration. You are collecting parts and hoping they fit.

Common intake mistakes

Filling the phase as "making progress" instead of naming the actual work. Writing "various" in the fitment risks section instead of listing real traps. Signing it and then ordering outside the phase anyway because the part was on sale. Reusing the same intake for six months without updating the phase.

If you are going to skip the discipline, skip the intake entirely. A fake gate is worse than no gate.

When to verify with FSM or specialist

Factory service manuals (FSM) and marque-specific forums document mid-year changes, option-driven hardware, and assembly sequences. Use them to fill the identity and fitment-risk sections of the intake. If the FSM says your year had a mid-production change, write it in the known traps field before you order.

Do not guess fitment based on forum lore or vendor confidence. Verify against the FSM. When in doubt, ask a specialist who knows your specific platform before you click buy.

Apply intake discipline to trucks and cars

Classic trucks and classic cars use the same intake process. Truck-specific traps (bed and cab swaps, frame bracket changes, dual-source trim) make the intake even more valuable. See the classic truck fitment guide for truck-specific risks to list in section three.

The intake works on any restoration where parts orders can go wrong. If you are building a classic truck, fill the cab year and bed year in the identity section. If you are building a classic car, fill the body style and known options. Same discipline. Different jewelry.

Links

Use the printable intake before every parts order. See the one-page intake essay for why it works. Read the restoration phases guide for the full gate system. Read the budget essay for how to fund one phase at a time.

Always verify fitment against a factory service manual before ordering. Vendor listings are suggestions, not guarantees.

FAQ

Why does the intake have a signature line?

The signature line is a written commitment that you will not order outside this phase without rewriting this page. That friction is the point. If you sign the intake and then order outside the phase anyway, you are lying to yourself. The intake makes that lie visible. Most people stop before they sign a lie.

Can I reuse the same intake for multiple orders in the same phase?

Yes, if the phase has not changed and the budget has not run out. When the phase changes, rewrite the intake. When the budget runs out, decide if you will fund more work in this phase or move to the next phase. Do not edit the intake in invisible pencil forever. A new phase is a new intake.

What if I skip a field because I will research it after I order?

Do not order. Research first. If you cannot fill a field, you do not know enough to order. The intake stops you from guessing. Guessing costs money when the part arrives and does not fit. Research is free.

How do I handle scarce parts that I need to buy early?

Use the scarce-item process from the restoration phases guide. Add the part to a written risk list with the reason why it is scarce. Tag it for the future phase, photograph the packaging and part number, seal the box, write the install date on it, and put it on a quarantine shelf. Set a reminder to verify fitment before the return window closes. Write "scarce quarantine" in the phase section of the intake. Do not skip the intake just because the part is scarce.

What if the vendor will not provide backside photos or fitment details?

Do not order. If the vendor will not provide photos or answer fitment questions, they are betting you will eat the cost of a wrong part rather than fight. Order from someone else. Write "vendor refused photos" in the fitment risks section and move on.

Bottom line

The intake is a buy gate, not a project plan. It stops you from ordering parts for phases that are not true yet. Print it. Fill it before you open the cart. Sign it. Then open the browser. If you skip this step, you are not managing a restoration. You are collecting parts and hoping they fit.

Use the printable intake and stop funding your own confusion.