Vintage Car Toolkits

F124C · Oct 10, 2016

Which car manufacturers in the past supplied the best toolkit with their cars.

I know nowadays you typically get a can of puncture sealant.
Previously a spare wheel, jack and lug wrench.
Prior to this a very small toolkit, the above plus maybe a couple wrenches, plug spanner,screwdriver in a bag or plastic box.

But before this, some manufacturers gave a more comprehensive toolkit but often poor quality, often unplated tools.

I'm familiar with European makes and remember the Jaguar, Rover, Rolls-Royce toolkits from c. 1940's - '60's often in a lovely fitted tooltray. I believe the idea was the tools supplied should be enough to carry out all likely roadside repairs. Jaguar, for many years included a valve timing gauge. Rolls-Royce used to offer, in addition to their toolkit, a Continental Touring Kit which included a load of internal engine spare parts.

So, who do think supplied the best toolkit, most comprehensive toolkit or the best quality tools among the different makes and years.

Al.

kcheves · Oct 11, 2016

BMWs had a nice tool kit fitted to the underside of the trunk. They still do, but its not close to what was provided back in the 70's.

Older Ferraris and Mercedes had really nice tool rolls, now worth many thousands of dollars.

All the air cooled Porsches had tool rolls with plated wrenches and pliers, a drive belt, air pressure gauge (on 356's at least), gloves, and tire changing equipment. Newer Porsches have a can of fix-a-flat, and inflator, and some very basic tools.

Sierra Madre Collection sells a number of repro tools and full tool rolls for older Porsches. The link above has some good images of what was included back in the 1950's through 1980's.

Dave455 · Oct 11, 2016

Best ever were probably the tool kits supplied by Rolls and Bentley, pre war! The adage that 'you get what you pay for' applied then as now!

I've seen an old Rolls, Silver Ghost I think, that had tool compartments built into the running boards. There was everything in there - not only tools, but loads of spare parts as well! Many Phantom iv's had huge tool trays built into the boot (trunk to most of you guys) that must have been about 4 feet by 3! Tools were all first class by makers such as Britool and Garrington, and even then they seemed to have been specially made!

Bear in mind, that back then the majority of the better cars were coachbuilt. A buyer would order a chassis from the car manufacturer, then the coach builder would add the, often bespoke, bodywork! I suspect the tool kits were installed by the coachbuilders, and probably to the customers specifications, hence there are such variations to be found today!

You could probably fill a book just from the examples found at a decent classic car show! I'm surprised nobody has!

Dave455 · Oct 11, 2016

If anybody fancies putting together their own custom tool kit, but doesn't fancy the work involved in making a fitted tray, there are some very nice leather tool cases available in the U.K.

Available from 'The Toolbag Company Ltd'

Stuart in MN · Oct 11, 2016

BMW had very nice Heyco tool kits mounted in the trunk lid up through the late 80s.

gungatim · Oct 11, 2016

My '97 Mercedes has a decent factory tool kit but I wouldn't consider it high quality. pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, soft top manual removal tool, etc. similar quality to Honda/Yamaha motorcycle tool kits of the '70's...

not too familiar with other older stuff, but I know Ford Model T or A had wrenches, pliers, monkey-wrenches, etc. as I come across them routinely. also lots of cars from that era had tire pumps ranging from cheap steel to brass/cast iron models (I collect those) which can still be found inexpensively.

IIRC, british MG/Triumph, etc. through the 60's had decent tool kits, especially when they hand knock-off rims...

Bruce Lancaster · Oct 11, 2016

'32 Ford kit: Open ends covering 7/16-5/8, combination sparkplug and cylinder head wrench, screwdriver, slip joint pliers with screwdriver tip on one handle, lug wrench with extension that made it a starting crank (an early version of AAA?), tire iron, small grease gun, adjustable wrench, tire pump, jack and handle, pouch to hold most of it. There's also a Ford patch kit and fuse kit, but I believe those were extra cost at 15 cents each. Owner's manual covered stuff like greasing and changing the tire on the wheel.

brooksdr · Oct 11, 2016

I have watch some complete vintage car tool kit bring big money at auction. I imagine most of the stuff got misplaced and broke over the years.

Private Lugnutz · Oct 11, 2016

Well, I’m a little biased.

1943 Willys-Overland MB 1/4-Ton 4 x 4 “Jeep” toolkit

Here’s another one, with less factory-issued tools (more Ordnance Dept issued issued or “motor pool”), but more of the accessories.

F124C · Oct 11, 2016

Some Honda motorcycles in the 1960's included a small can of touch-up lacquer paint and a puncture repair kit including a gaiter to repair a tire sidewall!!!! The tire pump was a small folding leg/base stirrup type which clipped into place below the seat.

I learned to ride a C92 Benly using the Owner's Manual. (it took me a while...)

The Owner's Manual gave enough instructions to service the machine and the toolkit allowed the owner to do so, at a push, if he had no other tools available.

Al.

F124C · Oct 11, 2016

Lada cars (idk if they were sold in the US but they were in Canada?) used to supply a very large toolkit including a tire pump and touch-up paint up to the late 1980's. ditto Russian motorcycles with/without sidecar e.g. Ural, Cossack,
Dnepr.

I never know whether to refer to a stirrup type tire pump as a hand pump or a foot pump? - you stand on it yet you operate it by hand....

Al.

F124C · Oct 11, 2016

Were Snap-On tools ever supplied in a car toolkit.

I've heard it suggested that either McLaren or Aston-Martin or maybe Lotus supplied SO tools, anyone here know?

Al.

F124C · Oct 11, 2016

I sometimes am gobsmacked by the prices asked for old car toolkit tools on e.g. Ebay. Admittedly some are in virtually new condition but some are just **** that should have been jettisoned long ago.

Recently discovered that among my collection of old rubbish were tools that were in 1950's Ferraris and Maseratis (I thought that Acciaio was a cheap brand), '50's/'60's Mercedes Benz/Porsche, '50's Jaguar/R-R.

And NO, I don't want to sell them, don't want to know how 'much they're worth'. Couldn't give a stuff.

I might stop kicking them around when they're in my way. Might even pick them up off the dirty,damp floor and oil them or something before tossing them in a box. I don't have room for **** in my carry toolbox that I keep my 3 ratchets in.

Al.

brooksdr · Oct 11, 2016

F124C said:
Were Snap-On tools ever supplied in a car toolkit.

I've heard it suggested that either McLaren or Aston-Martin or maybe Lotus supplied SO tools, anyone here know?

Al.

Nissian GT-R

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Optional-GT...:g:eQgAAOSwmfhX4G0w&item=302079979610&vxp=mtr

brooksdr · Oct 11, 2016

Private Lugnutz said:
Well, I’m a little biased.

1943 Willys-Overland MB 1/4-Ton 4 x 4 “Jeep” toolkit

I really like that kit. Wouldn't mind having one. What does one that nice go for?

gungatim · Oct 12, 2016

F124C said:
Some Honda motorcycles in the 1960's included a small can of touch-up lacquer paint and a puncture repair kit including a gaiter to repair a tire sidewall!!!! The tire pump was a small folding leg/base stirrup type which clipped into place below the seat.

I learned to ride a C92 Benly using the Owner's Manual. (it took me a while...)

The Owner's Manual gave enough instructions to service the machine and the toolkit allowed the owner to do so, at a push, if he had no other tools available.

Al.

I've got a C55 cub from early 60's that still has the tool kit and service manual, valve adjustment tools/feeler gages, etc. only thing I wish it had was the magneto puller tool which is impossible to find...(later motors used a different size).

gungatim · Oct 12, 2016

F124C said:
LGR!

d42jeep · Oct 12, 2016

brooksdr said:
Private Lugnutz said:

Well, I’m a little biased.

1943 Willys-Overland MB 1/4-Ton 4 x 4 “Jeep” toolkit

I really like that kit. Wouldn't mind having one. What does one that nice go for?

Click to expand...

I suggest that you really do your homework before buying a WW2 jeep on board toolset as there have been many unscrupulous eBay sellers offering sets that contained almost no correct tools for upwards of $300.00 to $450.00. I just did a quick search on the auction site and there is one being offered there at this moment that is very expensive and almost totally incorrect. The Tool forum on G503.com is probably the best place to not only find out about authenticity but correct sets are sometimes offered for sale, as well. Good luck with your search!
-Don

brooksdr · Oct 12, 2016

Thanks d42jeep I will keep a eye out.

Bruce Lancaster · Oct 12, 2016

A couple of things drive the $$$ for kits for cars that have a serious restoration following...
which certainly includes WWII Jeeps, early Fords, and flashy British and European wheels of all sorts.
First, tools seldom stay with the car for long. People take that sort of stuff out and keep it when they sell the heap, and probably lots of non-greasy fingernails first owners took out the tools on day one to make space and lose the clatter. The only good news in this is that this means any garage sale on earth may turn up that treasure...
The other factor is that most of these OEM toolkits, certainly the Ford and Jeep ones, were NOT extras or accessories...every car got the kit as standard equipment. This means that at a car show a car without its tool kit on display is incomplete, and will lose just as many points as if it were missing its steering wheel. Instant high demand!

Zeke · Oct 12, 2016

Interesting topic as I used to be in vintage Porsches. The price of a OEM screwdriver is in the clouds. And the leather roll in good condition sans tools will fetch north of $500. Complete vintage sets run from the teens up.

That world is so inflated that I ran out of the room to never look back.

Private Lugnutz · Oct 12, 2016

Bruce Lancaster said:
'32 Ford kit: ... lug wrench with extension that made it a starting crank (an early version of AAA?)

Very interesting, Bruce. As an engineer, I can appreciate the efficiency. There is a similar story on the WWII jeep toolkit. The lug wrench in the Willys MB doubled as the handle for the screw jack. In the toolkit for the Willys MA, which was the prewar pilot model, the screw jack had a rectangular receptacle that received the rectangular end of the jack handle that was sold with the commercial version of the jack, provided by Spun Steel #200W-G. For the MB, the receptacle in the jack was changed to a round receptacle, to accept the round end of the lug wrench, provided by Kelsey-Hayes. Voila! The toolkit was reduced in size, weight, cost, and the number of items to stow and keep track of!

brooksdr said:
I really like that kit. Wouldn't mind having one. What does one that nice go for?

First of all, thanks. Secondly, I second what Don said. And, as with other classic car kits, some of the items are still in hot dispute. To answer your question, though, a nice, complete toolkit with authentic, correct tools can go for as high as $1,000 or more. The tiniest pieces (e.g., a .183" dia. Bristol wrench to turn the set screws in the top of the T84 shift forks, a single end brake bleeder wrench, etc) are often the most elusive. They can also be the most expensive in an informed jeep market. But nice "core" kits, like th eone I posted in color, can be acquired for about half that. It's also possible to collect them one piece at a time, at flea markets, estate sales, and/or through trades, which is what I did, for a lot less. Of course, it also takes A LOT longer! :lol:

F124C · Oct 12, 2016

gungatim said:
I've got a C55 cub from early 60's that still has the tool kit and service manual, valve adjustment tools/feeler gages, etc. only thing I wish it had was the magneto puller tool which is impossible to find...(later motors used a different size).

I remember there being confusion over which magneto puller tool was needed, iirc it happened when Honda switched from the OHV to OHC engine?

There used to be aftermarket mag. puller tools available. Maybe a tool sold for use on another Japanese make might fit. Idk which models were sold in the US in the '60's but in Europe, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki sold small 2 stroke motorcycles/scooterettes which had very similar magneto ignition systems.

You could always measure the thread pitch and make one yourself/have one made. Or check out www.pitposse.com or www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk if you know the thread size.

Al.

gungatim · Oct 13, 2016

F124C said:
I remember there being confusion over which magneto puller tool was needed, iirc it happened when Honda switched from the OHV to OHC engine?

There used to be aftermarket mag. puller tools available. Maybe a tool sold for use on another Japanese make might fit. Idk which models were sold in the US in the '60's but in Europe, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki sold small 2 stroke motorcycles/scooterettes which had very similar magneto ignition systems.

You could always measure the thread pitch and make one yourself/have one made. Or check out www.pitposse.com or www.motorcycleproducts.co.uk if you know the thread size.

Al.

no, it actually happened between the smaller OHV motor versions.

For pushrod OHV motors, there were 49cc, 49.5cc, 54cc, and the more common 86.7cc. I believe it is the difference between C100/102/105 engine class and the C200/C50/C90 pushrod engines but it's hard to be positive. It may coincide with the switch from an AC magneto to the DC battery/coil ignition setup which is around the same time. the Trail 55 I have is pretty rare, only made 1 year, so I am pretty hot on trying to rebuild it as-is, it retains a lot of the Cub features but also has the Trail features as it was kind of a 2nd version transition from the original Cub to Trail bike in '61.

the later 86.7cc OHV pushrod motors (somewhere around '64 on) use the same larger magneto puller as the OHC motors (which seem to have appeared around '65 or '67 but there is a lot of overlap. I have that tool, and they can be easily found. the earlier one is smaller and has a smaller completely different nut, that is the part you can't find. I tried making one from a socket but just couldn't get it ground just right to get enough torque...

twertsy · Oct 13, 2016

brooksdr said:
Thanks d42jeep I will keep a eye out.

You can also go to my site and select GMTK Management. On that page you can find lists of everything belonging in those WWII kits, as well as many examples of every tool/item (thanks to Don and others). Toolarchives.com

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

Jazz1 · Oct 13, 2016

Lada had a good tool kit. Included wrenches, tire irons,pliers,screwdriver, points gap and file. There was even a 1/2 litre tin of touch up paint. My kit was my only metric tools until 15 years ago..

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