Is it just me or is it very difficult to find things in the 1971 corvette AIM? Am I missing an index page? The table of contence is very broad. Has anyone made a better index for finding what your looking for?

 

I agree.....kinda want to buy the PDF version - but I'd probably have the same problem with it.....

 

You're right, the Table of Contents at the front of the book is very general. But when you go to the general area, the initial page or pages in that section have more specific information for where to go. For example, if you want to see how the battery hold down system assembles, in the front of the book you won't find "battery," you'll only find "electrical," but can conclude that this is the best starting point for your search. I don't have an AIM in front of me (I'm at work), so I'll make up some numbers, but you'll get the point. When you look at electrical in the front, it will list the series of pages electrical items are in, such as M100 through M125. When you go to M100, there will be a picture of your car with the wiring harnesses, battery, etc., all displayed in the picture. Each of the subassemblies, battery in our case, will have a line to it with an alphanumeric indicator in a box at the other end of the line. That number in the box directs you to the sheet in the AIM that covers that particular component. So if the number in the box with the line going to the battery is B20, you would go to sheet B20 to see the battery hold down diagram. The sheets are all in order, that is A1 through A10, then B1 through B5, and so on. In addition to the line indicators in the drawing, that same page with the picture of the car's electrical system has a mini index that spells out the subassemblies and what sheet to go to. Pick anyone of the major items in your index and go to the first pages of that grouping, and you'll see what I mean. You'll see it becomes much easier to find what you're looking for.

 

AIMs do not have indexes. Do a Google search. There is a vendor who sells indexes he/she created for certain model years. Most of the available AIMs are photocopies of originals. Numerical page numbers were added by the AIM vendor; they are not GM page numbers.

An index using the numerical page numbers should work, but may not be perfect.

 

I bought a copy or the AIM from Willcox and it comes in a searchable PDF format. Easier but still not perfect.

 

You have to understand the purpose of the AIM. It was a document that the assemblers on the factory lines used as reference for the work they were doing. And the organization of the book is for the benefit of the factory and those work areas that are sequenced down the assembly line.

Only those details that are actually performed at the final vehicle build factory are included in the AIM. Details of sub-assemblies, like engine, transmission, door assemblies, steering assemblies, etc. are NOT in the AIM, because those assembly activities were performed at different plants...not the vehcile assembly plant.

The sequencing of the drawings is as per the factory sequence was scheduled. If that doesn't work for you...well...tough. That's the way it is. Also, the book is designed for the base vehicle configuration; the small block coupe, without any options. For those vehicles that do have optional engines, accessories, convertibles, etc, etc, there are relevant drawings that detail how the factory dealt with those specific options. Detail parts/assemblies relevant to those options are included in the drawings for those options...not in the base model drawings. And, drawings for all option codes are included at the rear of the AIM in alphabetic sequence, according to those option code designations: M40 for auto transmission, C60 for A/C (you get the picture).

It really isn't difficult to use the book if you apply the rules for using the book the way the factory needed it. Of course, folks today want the damn book to be ordered the way THEY want it as THEY would choose to use it. Oh well......

 

I did an index for my 71' AIM. It's far from perfect but better than nothing. It's an Excel file. PM me your email address and I'll send you a copy. Since it will be a live document, you can add more detail as necessary.

Gary

 

I just got some tabs from an office supply store, and wrote in the major parts that were between tabs. Works pretty well, but there`s still some page flipping to find stuff.

 

Not perfect true.. but given the material I had to work with it was a great improvement....

If you use the advance search with one word it will create an index of all the pages with this name... Then you click through the index. The bonus with the PDF AIM's is you can enlarge pics to see the pictures better, you can print pages multiple times and you can put them on your phones now..