Apply now
CourseAutomotive & Motorsport Enrolment open

Course in Historical Source Research for Restoration

Online 300-hour course in historical source research for restoration. 6 modules covering ISO 15489-1 (records management), ISO 11799 (document storage requirements) and Zotero. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.

Duration300 h
ModeHybrid
LanguageEnglish / Spanish
Start datesOctober / March
LocationEurope (Madrid)
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
Enrol now View syllabus Ask an advisor
Virtual lab · try it before you enrol

Take the controls.

Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.

SIM · LIVE ●
Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Justify documentary research prior to a restoration.

02

Locate factory technical documentation, catalogues and manuals.

03

Consult archives, newspaper libraries and records methodically.

04

Analyse photographs and oral testimonies as sources.

05

Interpret marks, finishes and traces on the vehicle itself as a source.

06

Cite and organise sources using bibliographic and archival standards.

07

Write a research report that supports restoration decisions.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Automotive documentalist looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
  • Automotive historian looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
  • Restoration researcher looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
  • Industrial heritage archivist looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
  • Vehicle authenticity consultant looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
  • Museum curator looking to specialise in Historical Source Research for Restoration.
  • Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter automotive museums and archives.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ISO 15489-1 (records management)
  • ISO 11799 (document storage requirements)
  • ISO 690 (bibliographic references)
  • ISAD(G) (International Standard Archival Description)
  • ISO 15836 (Dublin Core)
  • Turin Charter (FIVA)
  • Law 16/1985 (Spanish Historical Heritage)
Syllabus

6 modules · 300 h

  1. 1.1What questions the research must answer
  2. 1.2Technical, historical and usage data
  3. 1.3Primary and secondary sources
  4. 1.4Reliability and hierarchy of sources
  5. 1.5Risk of repeating published errors
  6. 1.6Research plan for a project
  7. 1.7Reasonable time and cost
  8. 1.8Recording what has been found and what has been searched
  9. 1.9Citation method and traceability
  10. 1.10Workshop: research plan for a vehicle
  1. 2.1Parts catalogues and their editions
  2. 2.2Workshop manuals and service bulletins
  3. 2.3Drawings and specifications
  4. 2.4Homologation records
  5. 2.5Colour and finish lists
  6. 2.6Microfiches and digitised archives
  7. 2.7Brand historical archives
  8. 2.8Requesting factory certificates
  9. 2.9Contradictions between documents
  10. 2.10Practice: locating a specific technical data point
  1. 3.1Historical and provincial archives
  2. 3.2Registration records
  3. 3.3Company and fleet archives
  4. 3.4Coachbuilder and supplier archives
  5. 3.5Newspaper libraries and specialist press
  6. 3.6Period advertising
  7. 3.7Technical libraries
  8. 3.8Club archives and model registers
  9. 3.9Consultation methodology
  10. 3.10Practice: a campaign in an archive
  1. 4.1Period photography and its analysis
  2. 4.2Dating a photograph
  3. 4.3Historical film and video
  4. 4.4Postcards, leaflets and commercial catalogues
  5. 4.5Interviews with former workers
  6. 4.6Interviews with previous owners
  7. 4.7Interview protocol and consent
  8. 4.8Reliability of testimony
  9. 4.9Transcription and archiving
  10. 4.10Practice: interview and analysis of a photograph
  1. 5.1The vehicle itself as a document
  2. 5.2Casting and mould marks
  3. 5.3Paint layers and how to read them
  4. 5.4Numberings and punch marks
  5. 5.5Old repairs and their traces
  6. 5.6Materials analysis
  7. 5.7Documented disassembly as research
  8. 5.8Comparison with other units
  9. 5.9Limits of physical evidence
  10. 5.10Practice: reading the vehicle as a source
  1. 6.1Contrast between contradictory sources
  2. 6.2Distinction between data, inference and conjecture
  3. 6.3Drafting of the research report
  4. 6.4Use of research in restoration
  5. 6.5Gaps and decisions with incomplete information
  6. 6.6Publication and dissemination of findings
  7. 6.7Contribution to the knowledge of the model
  8. 6.8Rights of use of images
  9. 6.9Common research errors
  10. 6.10Final Project: Historical Research Report of a Vehicle
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it easy to combine with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zotero, Tropy, Omeka, Adobe Acrobat (OCR), advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real archive and newspaper library consultation procedures, period photograph analysis and oral interviews with witnesses. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.

Accreditable laboratories(EN ISO/IEC 17025) with a rotor test rig, EMC/Lightning pre-compliance, HIL/SIL, vibration/acoustics.
Evidence-focused final project:safety case, test plan, compliance dossier and operational limits.
Industry mentoring:lecturers with careers in training, , eVTOL/UAM and flight test.
Flexible format(hybrid/online), international cohorts and support from SEIUM Career Services.
Ethics and safety:safety-by-design approach, OT cyber, DIH and compliance as core pillars.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Cross-checking contradictory sources

Justify documentary research prior to a restoration.

Distinguishing data, inference and conjecture

Locate factory technical documentation, catalogues and manuals.

Writing the research report

Consult archives, newspaper libraries and records methodically.

Using research in restoration

Analyse photographs and oral testimonies as sources.

Gaps and decisions with incomplete information

Interpret marks, finishes and traces on the vehicle itself as a source.

Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Automotive documentalistAutomotive historianRestoration researcherIndustrial heritage archivistVehicle authenticity consultantMuseum conservator
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior degree required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

Apply now Scholarships
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.

You work with Zotero, Tropy, Omeka, Adobe Acrobat (OCR), advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.

An in-house diploma from SEIUM Institute upon passing continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.

Keep exploring

Related programmes

See all in Automotive & Motorsport
Course649 $

Course in Ethics in Big Data and National Security

Online 300-hour course in ethics in big data and national security. 6 modules covering Directive (EU) 2016/680 (data in police and criminal matters), Organic Law 7/2021…

300 hOnlineAerospace, UAM, Drones & Space
Course380 $

Basic circuit racing course

Basic Track Racing Course This course provides an essential introduction to fundamental techniques for optimizing performance and safety when driving vehicles on closed circuits. It covers…

3 monthsHybridAutomotive & Motorsport
Course780 $

Urban Evacuation Planning Course

Online 300-hour course in urban evacuation planning. 6 Modules Covering Law 17/2015 of the National Civil Protection System, Royal Decree 407/1992 Basic Civil Protection and SUMO.…

300 hOnlineAutomotive & Motorsport
Course in Historical Source Research for RestorationEnrol
Related programmes

More in Off-Road, Special Vehicles & Machinery

ITU Regulations Course in Military Satellite CommunicationsView programme →Course in Costs and Budgeting for Off-Road OperationsView programme →Course in Historic Rally Car ConservationView programme →Course in Case Studies: Historic Le MansView programme →Course in Protection Strategies for Field WorkView programme →Course on UNE Standards for Suits and RespiratorsView programme →

All Off-Road, Special Vehicles & Machinery programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships

Scroll to Top
SEIUM – Institute of Advanced Engineering
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.