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british wentworth tools

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UncleJoe

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Dec 2, 2008
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908
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New Bern NC
Do you have an MGTD? My dad and I restored a 1953 MGTD back in 1970 and if I remember right that is the tools we had to have. Sold the tools with the car. Wish I still had that car.
 

snapmom

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Sep 4, 2008
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Florida
There are some British Standard (whitworth) snap on and Blue Point tools for sale on Ebay right now.
 

dfndr

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Jul 8, 2008
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Fresno, CA
The Koken Japanese sockets are good quality and reasonably priced. Google them for best price.
 

Sick Puppy

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Jan 3, 2010
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Sydney
There are a few sets of Koken whitworth sockets on ebay at the mo, and there is a Koken set here in NZ on Trademe with metric and whitworth (auction finishes tomorrow).

One day I will have my 3/8" koken set... one day!
 

Skin

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Feb 24, 2010
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Boston
I wouldnt spend a lot if its just for your Triumph. Just get what you need, basic set of combos and sockets. You'll never use them again unless you make old brit bikes a habbit.

Tons of stuff on ebay.

Hope you'll post pics if you're restoring it.
 

Skin

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hard to give a uniform answer for every manufacturer but the transition began in the 60s for Triumph around the time when the UK urged the industry to adopt ISO metric. Triumph specifically used a mix of Whitworth and standard for quite awhile as they were feeding off existing stocks. By the mid 70s the entire chassis was STD and the only Whitworth to be found, if any, would of been on the engine.

Certainly a good investment if you were going to start fixing old BSA, Triumph, MGs, Jags and what not though.


by the way probably should of posted this earlier but these tools may interest you Jay

http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/whitworth-tools.aspx
 
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MikesTTGt

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Feb 17, 2010
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Missouri
Ive worked on only a couple British cars, ive never ran into a bolt that couldnt be removed using normal SAE based tools, just my experience so far tho!!
 
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UK Steve

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Mar 13, 2009
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171
There are a few sets of Koken whitworth sockets on ebay at the mo, and there is a Koken set here in NZ on Trademe with metric and whitworth (auction finishes tomorrow).

One day I will have my 3/8" koken set... one day!

Hi Sick puppy don't go rushing into buying a new 3/8" Ko-ken set, because in a couple of months (or less now) Ko-ken will launch a brand new 3/8" set with with many new features (patented) not seen on any sockets/ratchets/extensions before...........
 

Sick Puppy

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Hi Sick puppy don't go rushing into buying a new 3/8" Ko-ken set, because in a couple of months (or less now) Ko-ken will launch a brand new 3/8" set with with many new features (patented) not seen on any sockets/ratchets/extensions before...........

Excellent, thanks for the heads up! :drool: To be fair though, I don't have the cash yet anyway... yet!

Do you know what the new features are yet, or are they keeping it hush hush?
 

Monte

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Dec 23, 2008
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Germany
The new Ko-ken set will contain a new ratchet with smaller head, new pawl design with very smooth movement, new "ball retainer grooves" in the sockets for a better wobble free fitment, extra short sockets and a unique universal joint with "flats" inside the joint so the universal joint stays in place where you want it when a socket is attached.
Retail price will be about 150.- € net.
 
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AndrewHR

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Jul 1, 2006
Messages
159
Ive worked on only a couple British cars, Mg's And Austin Healy's ive never ran into a bolt that couldnt be removed using normal SAE based tools, just my experience so far tho!!

You can usually get close by using SAE or Metric sizes
This table shows a size comparison
 

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vbnash

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Feb 6, 2010
Messages
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Most of the time metric or sae wrenches will do the job.

Got my parents when they were traveling to England to look for a garage sale and pick me up some. Brought me home a nice set.
 

Sick Puppy

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Most of the time metric or sae wrenches will do the job.

Maybe, but you'll still risk damaging the fasteners, and if you're working on old cars, you probably can't afford to do that long term... whitworth is pretty much no longer used, so I imagine the fasteners are not made as much, harder to find/buy and probably more expensive.

I wouldn't use metric/SAE on whitworth any more than I'd use SAE on Metric.
 

Vinko

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Jul 7, 2008
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Los Angeles
Did any Sunbeam Alpines or Tigers use any whitworth? I know Tiger's had the Ford V8...

I forget now if Whitworth and British Standard are the same. Or were there two British standards competing with one another for a while?
 

Kurn

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Aug 15, 2007
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Ravenna, Oh
I've had several 71-73 Trumpets and BSAs and they all had a mixture of Whitworth and standard.Of course the Meridian factory was having labor troubles and I think they just used what they had on hand.
 

SLOCOBRAR

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Mar 3, 2008
Messages
136
i,ve got a set of old proto , probably 8 combination wrenches i,d sell for $35
 

Skin

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Feb 24, 2010
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Boston
I've had several 71-73 Trumpets and BSAs and they all had a mixture of Whitworth and standard.Of course the Meridian factory was having labor troubles and I think they just used what they had on hand.

Triumph used a mix of everything for many years because they had already purchased large amounts of fasteners. Only when the supply was used up did they replace it with SAE.
 

coldfusion21

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Jul 7, 2005
Messages
404
Location
portland, oregon
so whitworth threads are a separate standard too? so if you stripped a bolt you would have a hard time replacing it?

This is very interesting, im glad i have no plans to mess with old british stuff!
 
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