Need help Identifying this torque wrench

[Nick.Watson]

Yesterday I was looking at my grandfathers old torque wrench and I greased it up getting it back into working condition. He passed away so I can not ask him and my dad wanted me to have his tools. I took some pictures of it but I think it is a Proto with a 1980s MAC handle on it. The number on the drive is 5449 and it is a 1/2" drive. The model number on the handle is TW-150-R. Can anybody tell me if it is what I think it is or what it is?

 

[rusty65]

I wonder if that's from around the time period when Stanley bought Mac and proto which would be the late 80s?

 

[Nick.Watson]

Im not really sure, my dad seems to think it is from the 60s. I called Mac and they told me the model number came up as a 3/8" Torque wrench from the late 80s but the wrench I have here is a 1/2" drive

 

[hickmlg09]

Hmmm on the head it says proto and than on the bottom says mac allan. Necer seen anything like it, but it looks pretty cool

 

[Nick.Watson]

Thanks! I have been searching it on google, ebay, and just about everywhere else that I can but nobody seems to have anything that matches.

 

[hickmlg09]

Thanks! I have been searching it on google, ebay, and just about everywhere else that I can but nobody seems to have anything that matches.

I was thinking maybe he made it his self since their are 2 names?? Maybe someone will tell you?

 

[Nick.Watson]

Thats what I was thinking too because the ratchet head is still used on todays proto ratchets, so is the body of the wrench, the only thing that is different is the handle

 

[jmm]

The drive ends on torque wrenches are often interchangeable.

 

[hickmlg09]

Maybe your grandpa changed the end from the orginal??

 

[Nick.Watson]

The drive ends on torque wrenches are often interchangeable.

Yeah I think he must have changed something on it and the handle would probably way more complicated to change out and he probably wouldnt change something unless it had to be done...maybe the original drive on it broke some how.

 

[SMKS]

Does it say Mac Allied Tools Corp?

That's the company that became MATCO.

If it's original, Mac Allied was probably sourcing the torque wrenches, or at least the heads, from Proto.

EDIT - more info on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matco_Tools

According to Alloy Artifacts, Matco was formed in 1979 when Mac Allied split and became it's own company.

http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/tool-timeline.html

 

[Nick.Watson]

Yes it says Mac Allied Tools Corps on the handle