Do you have a stack of 90s magazines in the attic, an old brochure, or rare dealer sheets gathering dust? If it’s weird, cool, or forgotten automotive history, it belongs here. I will host your pictures on this site for anyone to see and download for free.
Here are some options to capture the media, in order of quickest to most high-res:
Option 1: Phone Camera
- Clean your lens: This helps get a nice sharp image.
- Use flat, indirect light: Place the media near a large window, or outside in the shade. Direct sunlight creates harsh glare, and overhead room lights leave yellow casts and shadows.
- Keep it flat: Use a piece of glass (from a picture frame) or flat weights on the extreme corners to keep warped paper down.
- Shoot straight down: Hold the phone flat over the page (don’t shoot at an angle). Turning on your camera’s grid lines makes it much easier to keep the lens parallel.
- Don’t use flash: Flash almost always blows out glossy brochure paper.
Option 2: Flatbed Scanner
If you have a flatbed or multi-function printer scanner at home:
- Set resolution to 300 DPI minimum: 300 DPI gives clean detail for text and photos. If it’s a tiny image or detailed diagram, 600 DPI is even better.
- Wipe the glass: Fingerprints and dust specs show up aggressively on black brochure covers.
- Scan to PNG or high-quality JPEG: Avoid heavy file compression if your scanning software gives you the choice.
Option 3: Public Library Book Scanners
If you don’t own a scanner, check your local public library or university library.
- Many libraries now have free overhead scanning stations (like Bookeye machines).
- They use overhead cameras and curved glass beds to flatten pages instantly without damaging old bindings.
- You usually just plug in a USB drive, tap the screen, and scan full high-res PDFs or JPEGs in a few minutes.
Ready to Send?
Please upload your files to Google Drive, OneDrive, or any other cloud file-sharing system and include the link in the form below. If you prefer to send it over email, let me know and I will reach out to you directly.
Included scans can be credited to your name upon request, or anonymous submissions are always welcome as well.