Kit Wrenches, Auto Kit and others

[d42jeep]

I figured since I only ever found one Ronson wrench, when four.cycle posted this set on the eBay hot deal thread I should throw a bid at it. I guess nobody else had the same thought since there didn’t seem to be much competition for it. It arrived today and it’s pretty nice. It included the odd original screw.
-Don

They are so odd that I was unable to resist getting a set.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’m not actually trying to put together a set.

I am! But I have that one. Still hoping to find the 3/8" x 11/16" wrench in the wild to complete it.

 

[dchawk81]

I find it intriguing how manufacturers don't include basic toolkits in vehicles anymore besides a tire iron and scissor jack.

Well they're more reliable now for the most part.

 

[Outlawmws]

No, they are just cheap and have engineered them so Joe average driver cannot do much if anything. Not to mention the specialized tools needed

 

[RTM]

Well they're more reliable now for the most part.

No, they are just cheap and have engineered them so Joe average driver cannot do much if anything. Not to mention the specialized tools needed

I agree with dchawk.

I'm currently driving a 17 year old truck, and it's way more reliable than the 7 year old car, the 6 year old car, my parent's 4 year old cars were back in the 1970's. Current one has never broken down, never been towed, never had to have an emergency visit to the mechanic, (or me in the driveway)

Just as a panacea, I carry a small tool kit when I go on longer than 1 day trips, but they usually get used fixing other things like people's houses when I get there. Changing a tail light was the only on the road fix.

 

[Outlawmws]

My comment was that the car makers are just cheap, It had nothing to to with reialbility. generally more reliable? yes, but a heck of a lot more to go wrong too.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Mean-time-between-failure/repair on almost every major component has gone drastically up in the past 30 years. While greater reliability has probably contributed to the decrease in mechanical aptitude of Average Joe, in general, I think shade tree mechanics was already on the wane anyway. In general, though, let's remember that kits provided in trunks weren't intended for major repairs. Emergencies and light preventive maintenance only. This topic intersects with my original collecting niche - on-board military vehicle toolkits. The Ordnance Dept introduced the maintenance approach during WWII. 1st Echelon preventive maintenance was to be done by the driver using the on-board toolkit. 2nd Echelon maintenance was repair done in make-shift or mobile depots. 3rd, 4th and 5th Echelon is where the overhauls were done, in fixed site depots, with serious tools and equipment. But most 1st Echelon toolkits were lost or stolen and drivers weren't doing any maintenance.

 

[RTM]

Here is another single wrench grab, if someone needs it. Grabbed it at a GS for passing on.

Auto Kit No. 100 7/8 OE and 3/4" box Forged Vanadium Steel 7,5W forge mark?

 

[d42jeep]

I have one of those in my Danielson set.
-Don

 

[Flathead_Fred]

Got my complete Crown wrench kit today. After cleanup and polish they look pretty good. I only bought them because they were complete with the stepped screw and the retainer (nut). Still haven't figured out what the nut was designed to do. Like everyone else I can find nothing about the Crown brand.[

 

[four.cycle]

Crown / Crown / wrench / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...uto-kit-and-others.354478/page-4#post-9313422 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...uto-kit-and-others.354478/page-6#post-9830078 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...uto-kit-and-others.354478/page-4#post-9314170 / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/aetna-tool-co.515118/ /

several examples of "Crown" posted here, but the source of them remains something of a mystery. Indestro made a similar wrench, but I've never found a link connecting them to "Crown".

 

[d42jeep]

I feel like I’ve seen some similar to those. I posted this one upthread.
-Don

 

[LesserSon]

A recent acquisition and the impending NY90 50mile yard sale this weekend (where I may see more) caused me to inventory my stamped steel kit wrenches.

DBEs

1”x15/16 - Indestro(No145x3)
7/8x13/16 - Indestro(No144)
25/32x3/4 - Indestro(No143)
?x? - none
9/16x1/2 - Indestro(No141x2)

DOEs

SQUARE hole
5-pc set - Indestro(w/bolt)

Singles
1”x7/8 - Indestro, NB, Wizard(No36), unbranded(No185)
3/4x5/8 - Indestro, Aenta
9/16x1/2 - Indestro(x2), Wizard(No34)
7/16x3/8 - Indestro(x3)
5/16x1/4 - Wizard(No32)

9/32x7/32 - unreadable



THREADED hole
5-pc set - Indestro(slotted)

Singles (trefoil)
1”x7/8(7/16-20) - Wizard(No105), Crown(x2), Aetna
3/4x5/8(3/8-24) - Crown
9/16x1/2(5/16-24) - Aetna(x3)
7/16x3/8(1/4-28) - Crown, Aetna(bent)
5/16x1/4(3/16-32)- Aetna(cracked)


HEX hole
23/32x9/16 - Vulcan(x2)

 

[four.cycle]

Vulcan?

and 23/32", no less?

 

[RTM]

Here is a find from a partial Indestro "Select Steel" set from ~1961. It shows up in the 1961 catalog, p24


Of course, no screw, wingnut, or clip. This was found at a neighborhood Garage Sale, bought it along with a handful of others from a women selling off her last few tools from her late husband. These got buried as I've had no energy to research them for quite some time.

The sizes are marked on the face with DROP FORGED SELECT STEEL, and the flip side says MADE IN U.S.A.

Seems to be the 0900-6A set

This set really had me baffled, as the smallest wrench did not seem to exist until the 1961 catalog, a box 3/8" and a 7/16" open end. I have the following wrenches

Box / Open
3/8 / 7/16
1/2 / 9/16
5/8 / 3/4
3/4 / 7/8

I seem to be missing these two
7/16 / 1/2
9/16 / 5/8

The set seems especially cheaply finished, and I suspect the 2nd from left is a replacement, as the finish is very different, and it has a 5 on the back side between the open end and the M of Made. And bonus cheap, the depth of the "panel" seems to have a different depth and shape on each side, and the right two seem reversed on the face and obverse sides. I swear I have a few more of these in the garage, but they don't show up in my inventory (or they are different Mfgrs), so some digging will be in order.

 

[four.cycle]

This set really had me baffled, as the smallest wrench did not seem to exist until the 1961 catalog,

^ Are you looking only at the 1961 "Select" catalog? or the main catalogs?

 

[RTM]

^ Are you looking only at the 1961 "Select" catalog? or the main catalogs?

I swore all the older catalogs didn't have the 3/8 box 7/16 open end, except for the Select Steel one. Your redacted one has the list of sizes, which didn't have mine. Looks like the 1955 did, but I missed it in the 6 piece set.

Too hard to do on the phone, dang print isn't blowing up well.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Those sets appear in every catalog, but they're scattered all over.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I swore all the older catalogs didn't have the 3/8 box 7/16 open end,

You're not wrong or going crazy. I remember looking before, equally confused, and I just looked again to double-check myself and you. It doesn't exist in the 1935, 1937, 1948, 1952, or 1956 catalogs. It looks to me like they introduced it in 1959. Before 1959, this is what they made...

Box x Open
5/16 x 7/16 (901)
7/16 x 1/2 (902)
1/2 x 9/16 (903)
9/16 x 5/8 (904)
5/8 x 3/4 (905)
3/4 x 7/8 (906)

Box x Open
5/16 x 3/8 (150)
7/16 x 1/2 (151)
9/16 x 11/16 (152)
5/8 x 25/32 (153)
3/4 x 13/16 (154)
7/8 x 15/16 (155)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found an Aetna nut-and-tap wrench this morning at the flea. It's a No. 24, which is the 9/16" (x 5/16") x 1/2". It's a dupe, but the one I already had was missing half of a jaw, shown when I found it back in 2021 here. For some reason I forgot to take a photo if it by itself, but it's the dark one in the middle, and I did snap both ends. The other two are a No. 28, which is 3/8" (x 1/4") x 7/16", and a No. 20, which is 1" (x 7/16") x 7/8".

 

[LesserSon]

I am! But I have that one. Still hoping to find the 3/8" x 11/16" wrench in the wild to complete it.

Are you still looking for one of these?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Are you still looking for one of these?

I believe so. I can't seem to locate them at the moment. The place where I kept all my kit wrench sets is in disarray. I'll get back to you. Thanks.

 

[LesserSon]

Picked up a near set of SK box wrenches today at the flea. The iron wingnust seems too old for these and the straight-shanked carriage bolt is an obvious substitute, because the holes are graduated and the smallest wrench doesn’t fit on it (it was through one of the broachings as found).

1x15/16 Sherman Klove
7/8x13/16 Sherman Klove
25/32x3/4 Sherman Klove
11/16x5/8 Sherman Klove
missing the 9/16x1/2
7/16x3/8 Sherman Klove

For some dumb reason I didn’t check my “buy it” list, and passed up some Indestro DBEs, which may have included a no142 or no140. Maybe next time.
My existing near set (posted previously) for comparison:

1”x15/16 - Indestro(145x3)
7/8x13/16 - Indestro(144)
25/32x3/4 - Indestro(143)
missing the 11/16x5/8 (142)
9/16x1/2 - Indestro(141x2)
missing the 7/16x3/8(140)

 

[Outlawmws]

missing the 9/16x1/2

Of course it is. both common Ford/GM sizes for 50's 60's 70's till metric got going..

 

[four.cycle]

@LesserSon -
Images below from previous ebay listings show a stepped screw and a forged wing nut on the early Sherman-Klove set.
The Indestro 147 set also uses a stepped screw and a forged wing nut.

 

[Outlawmws]

I wonder who made them for whom?

 

[RTM]

Images below from previous ebay listings show a stepped screw and a forged wing nut on the early Sherman-Klove set.
The Indestro 147 set also uses a stepped screw and a forged wing nut

That could be a fun repro project for someone new to machining, and wanting to practice.

I know someone paid a pretty penny for a complete set I had

 

[four.cycle]

^ believe it or not, somebody over on papawswrench did exactly that: machined a mess of those stepped screws.
go figure.

I don't think it was for the S-K or Indestro... I seem to recall they did it for the J.P. Danielson sets - tapered screw, no "steps". round knurled knob.

 

[leg17]

^ believe it or not, somebody over on papawswrench did exactly that: machined a mess of those stepped screws.
go figure.

I don't think it was for the S-K or Indestro... I seem to recall they did it for the J.P. Danielson sets - tapered screw, no "steps". round knurled knob.

Correct. I have one (somewhere)

 

[Ayrhead]

I bought these more as a novelty item. An 18 piece combination wrench set. I’m thinking stamped steel. I wouldn’t want to have to put a lot of torque using one of these…

 

[Outlawmws]

I bought these more as a novelty item. An 18 piece combination wrench set. I’m thinking stamped steel. I wouldn’t want to have to put a lot of torque using one of these…

Looks like the same outfit that made the import ignition wrenches for Oxwall

 

[four.cycle]

An 18 piece combination wrench set.

^ Imported by ? Royal ? PO box 5331 ? Montreal, Quebec, Canada ?
did I get that right?
any other information on the package that might offer a clue as to manufacturer/distributor?

There was another Japanese company that made a similar kit: 1/8" - 1/2" - came in a red roll-up. That's the first "Royal" I've seen with that size mix.

 

[Ayrhead]

^ Imported by ? Royal ? PO box 5331 ? Montreal, Quebec, Canada ?
did I get that right?
any other information on the package that might offer a clue as to manufacturer/distributor?

There was another Japanese company that made a similar kit: 1/8" - 1/2" - came in a red roll-up. That's the first "Royal" I've seen with that size mix.

I’m not home right now but I’ll confirm the information when I get there

 

[Ayrhead]

Here’s a couple of pictures…
Royal 18 piece, stock # 603,
Imported by Royal P. O. Box 5361, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4L4Z9
On the bottom right it says: Japan

 

[Beerhippie]

Here is a find from a partial Indestro "Select Steel" set from ~1961. It shows up in the 1961 catalog, p24


Of course, no screw, wingnut, or clip. This was found at a neighborhood Garage Sale, bought it along with a handful of others from a women selling off her last few tools from her late husband. These got buried as I've had no energy to research them for quite some time.

The sizes are marked on the face with DROP FORGED SELECT STEEL, and the flip side says MADE IN U.S.A.

Seems to be the 0900-6A set

This set really had me baffled, as the smallest wrench did not seem to exist until the 1961 catalog, a box 3/8" and a 7/16" open end. I have the following wrenches

Box / Open
3/8 / 7/16
1/2 / 9/16
5/8 / 3/4
3/4 / 7/8

I seem to be missing these two
7/16 / 1/2
9/16 / 5/8

The set seems especially cheaply finished, and I suspect the 2nd from left is a replacement, as the finish is very different, and it has a 5 on the back side between the open end and the M of Made. And bonus cheap, the depth of the "panel" seems to have a different depth and shape on each side, and the right two seem reversed on the face and obverse sides. I swear I have a few more of these in the garage, but they don't show up in my inventory (or they are different Mfgrs), so some digging will be in order.

Showed up in the shop yesterday:





Not just any old steel.

Looks like I'm just missing the sheet metal retainer and the proper bolt for them.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Brass kit wrench with an alligator jaw on one end. Not branded.