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Factoid Friday is Back! How many pounds of paper were used to print the Mitchell Repair manuals in 1999?

Once again, we’re having a bit of fun in our ProDemand blog and engaging our readers. We’re turning some of the iconic pieces of automotive history from Mitchell 1’s past into a factoid guessing game. Whoever guesses the correct answer will win a $25 Amazon gift card! The contest runs through Friday, Sept. 4, 2015.

We hope you’ll check it out and use this as a reason to reach out to your shops to share something fun and a little different from Mitchell 1! All the details are in the blog post: bit.ly/1Tsick3. Also, we’re tweeting hints, so check out the Mitchell 1 twitter feed: twitter.com/Mitchell1 You can even share our Facebook post if you'd like: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitchell-1/287933449195

I have a few questions about this. I wasn't using any form of books then. I was strictly an on line user and I think even by then the discs I used in other diagnostic systems had been replaced with on line updates. In my personal case I would go with the weight of the envelopes the quarterly updates arrived in. Would this amount include any mailer received announcing the newest books available, paperwork left by any sales person, any quick reference books, specialty applications, inserts, sleeves or any other paper based product used in production. Is this figure to include any of the trimmings during production? To be precise I would also need to know if I am expected to include all the faxes and printed texts as well as any paper used to take notes? On the surface it seems like a simple request but in all reality it's extremely deceiving and needs in depth investigation that aren't available to me. Is this a trick question? Am I on Candid Camera? O.K. guys you got me good with this question come on out and lets start the party. Guys, guys, oh for Christ's sake come on out and lets get the party going, I have work I need to complete............................................

Can you tell I'm a bit more off the wall as usual? Can you tell I watched three hours of the Sherlock Holmes series on T.V. last night? Can you tell I was woken up by the alarm company letting me know that the alarm had been activated at 2:30 A.M. and just decided to start my day then and try to get something accomplished. Well anyway hope all have a great weekend and I'm going to really put an effort into going fishing today. If this happens it will be only the third time my lines have gotten wet this year. Tenth in you count the times they got wet on a rain storm.

How thick was the paper? I have a graphic arts back ground. Some paper weighs more than others.

I will go on the record as saying they used 3,000 pounds of paper, assuming when you meant all book published in 99

I posted my findings

I think the weight of the paper / books in a complete set of Mitchell manuals in 1999 including the quick look up manuals if this isn't a trick question because this was the cut off year they stopped publishing and started using discs exclusively would be around 900 pounds.

From Jill in marketing:

"Folks – Love that this has got you thinking, but don’t worry… we’re just looking for guesses based on logic here. You don’t need to have actually used the books to make a guess – Google can help.

There were some hints in the Factoid Friday post (http://bit.ly/1Tsick3) and we’ve been tweeting hints on the Mitchell 1 Twitter feed (@Mitchell1) over the last week. If you’re not on Twitter, here’s a summary of the hints:
Hint 1 – A total of 1 million Mitchell Manuals were printed in 1999.
Hint 2 – The average book in the ‘99 Mitchell Manual library weighed more than 1 pound.
Hint 3 – The average book in the ‘99 Mitchell Manual library weighed LESS than 5 pounds.
Hint 4 – 290,698 gallons of milk weigh about the same as the paper used to print the 1999 manuals.
Hint 5 – How many people were living in the U.S. in 1776?

Factoid Friday is intended merely as a fun little diversion, so we hope you’ll participate in that spirit. To make a guess, go to the Factoid Friday post and enter your guess in the “Leave a Comment” form. Good Luck!"

"we’re just looking for guesses based on logic here"

Well......isn't Jill quite the smart a*&, Logic? In this forum? Some one get her in here and have her look around.

Ok....Thanks Rich. Now where its the cleaner for removing soda from the screen!

Better ask "Jill"..... Obviously Tim and JD make it sound like we are all wizards in this here forum. That or they leave Steve and I out of the talks.

I'm about ready to introduce you all to Jill, how about that?

Thanks for the warning. We'll be on our best behavior, which isn't great, but it'll do.

Hey all - it's "Jill in Marketing" here! Thanks for the introduction, Tim...

I've been lurking for a while, but now making my debut on the Forum to let you know I'm real. And to say thanks for your interest in the Factoid Friday game. If you only knew how I wracked my brain to come up with hints for this one, you might need that cleanser again to clean up the soda on your computer monitor. I struggle with logic, too (I'm in marketing, right) ... but really, who doesn't know how much 290,698 gallons of milk weigh! LOL!

Anyway, it's nice to meet you all, and have a wonderful holiday weekend,
"Jill in Marketing"

P.S. We'll be announcing the Factoid Friday winner next week...it might be one of you!

What kind of milk? Here in the mitten (that Michigan BTW) we have whole milk, 2%, 1%, 1/2% and low fat milk. We have cow milk, goat milk.

With that I am guessing, again, at 2,034,886, assuming the milk wasn't watered down to help the profits.

Rich I think ya stepped in it and it aint milk!

I know who won!

Ric you got an inside line to Jill's desk?

Yeah, it's a red phone with only one button on it.

I think Ric hacked into her AOL email account.

Yup, we have a winner in the Factoid Friday contest: the one-and-only Ric Morin! All fair and square, as he had the only correct answer...I promise, no funny business! He has won a $25 Amazon gift card. Congratulations!

So, what was the answer to the trivia question, you might ask? Check it out here in the Shop Connection Blog: http://www.mitchell1.com/shopconnection/?p=16687

Thanks to everyone who played the game and kept me on my toes here in the forum!
Jill ("in marketing")

Dang I think I guessed 1 mill. Before all the hints...