Tappet Wrenches Only: History, Use, and Examples!

[Private Lugnutz]

Bonney 412 set in metal box

Fabulous!!

Nice Duro tappets!

Already spoken for, so don't get any ideas! I missed them in the trunk of his van during our mini trading post in the parking lot on Sunday.

 

[humber2]

These Lectrolite wrenches may not have appeared here, perhaps their most recent production.

I have flipped matching examples to achieve 1 image.

 

[d42jeep]

Humber,
I only have one of that more modern style

I found a couple of Thorsen tappet wrenches. One has a very dark finish. I’m not sure why.
-Don

 

[Debcrow]

NONE BETTER 1090-G. New Britain. 17/32 x 7/16. 10 inches long.
.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

ONE BETTER 1090-G. New Britain. 17/32 x 7/16. 10 inches long

Are there any markings on the back of that wrench, Debcrow? I have one, too. It's my only NONE BETTER. A 3279 (11/16" x 5/8"). The markings on the flip side are more interesting. CHROME VANADIUM on the major jaw face and FORGED IN U.S.A. on the minor.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's some tappet wrench related eye candy to break up the wrench-only monotony!

 

[Debcrow]

Are there any markings on the back of that wrench, Debcrow? I have one, too. It's my only NONE BETTER. A 3279 (11/16" x 5/8"). The markings on the flip side are more interesting. CHROME VANADIUM on the major jaw face and FORGED IN U.S.A. on the minor.

The only markings on the back are "MADE IN USA" in small letters in the very center of the wrench.

 

[JjKk40]

Here's some of my Bonney's. In particular the #3- 9/16 Is marked "alloy steel" on one side and "Chrome vanadium" on the other with no "CV". I need a few more to try and complete a set tho!

 

[outofbounds]

I offer these 4 "kissing cousins" from Vlchek (marked Vlchek or Chrome-X) spanning across a couple of forging platforms, but related nonetheless.

 

[Shelbylex]

Some of mine: the first picture is Cornwall. The second is Superrench and Bonney

 

[Shelbylex]

Found one more I forgot to post: Upland

 

[four.cycle]

Vlchek 90 92 93 94 wrenches (one ea.)
used
$27.00 incl. shipping OBO "buy now"

Four Vintage Vlchek double Open End Wrenches. Chrome Molybdenum # 90, 92, 93, 94 | eBay

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Four Vintage Vlchek double Open End Wrenches. Chrome Molybdenum (7/8 X 3/4), (11/16x5/8), (9/16x1/2) and (1/2x7/16)</p> <p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Numbers 90, 92, 93, 94. </p>

www.ebay.com

(* I put them on my "watch list" about two hours ago. seller just shot me an offer of $23.00 *)

 

[Joe Huld]

Here's some tappet wrench related eye candy to break up the wrench-only monotony!

Just to keep this ostentatious display of Willys/Jeep **** in perspective; the MB Go Devil 4 Lugz is showing us is the third generation of the 1927 Willys Whippet motor, The 1938 redesign improved cooling and raised the HP from 30 to about 48, but Willys chief engineer Barney Roos pulled another rabbit out of his hat in 1941 and upped it to 60 for the Willys Quad. That version which was copied for the Ford GPW, won the war, and soldiered on until 1950 when Willys management demanded even more horses for the post war civilian market. Barney whipped up a Hurricane, designed a new head with a large intake valve, but left the exhaust in the block, and realized a whopping 72 HP. The Hurricane 4 was used until 1971 in the CJ5. Attached are pictures of the Hurricane 4 in my 53 truck, note the somewhat greater valve lash specified. Just to keep up the pretense of staying on topic, the last picture is the 3 Blue Point Supreme tappet wrenches I picked up this week.

 

[snapmom]

Blue Point and Snap on British standard / Whitworth tappet wrenches.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this Bonney at an estate sale yesterday.
-Don

 

[RustyBuckets]

But the coolest part about it is the marking on the flip side. "S BCAT." I hope we have some Cat cats here who can decipher that into perhaps a vehicle type.

I'm guessing SB Cat was a Cat dealer.

 

[Username already in use]

With the generous help of @LesserSon I’m now just one wrench #405 away from filling up this tappet wrench roll.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

With the generous help of @LesserSon I’m now just one wrench #405 away from filling up this tappet wrench roll.

That was a quick turnaround!

 

[Mintgrun]

With the generous help of @LesserSon I’m now just one wrench #405 away from filling up this tappet wrench roll.

I have one of those I can send your way. It'll leave my #404 feeling lonely, but it can hang out with the other brands in my tappet wrench box; unless you want both of them. Send me a PM if you're interested. Tom

 

[JjKk40]

With the generous help of @LesserSon I’m now just one wrench #405 away from filling up this tappet wrench roll.

I think I might have an extra #405 that I can send your way if it doesn't work out with Mintgrun. I'll dbl check when I get home later on.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's a funny one that I only have one of. If you think the mfgr is obvious at first glance...



... look again and look closer this time!

 

[four.cycle]

what?

 

[d42jeep]

It’s not her brand it’s Hy****’s brand. I found these two in with my Craftsman wrenches when I went through them today. -v- code tappet wrenches.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

what?

Haha. I know. That was my first reaction. We've talked about it before on the Herbrand thread. One of the theories is bold offshore lookalike branding. It remains a mystery.

 

[Username already in use]

I wonder if it’s a Bridgeport wrench? They had a HYBAR line of DOEs.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think the Hy-Bar name alludes to the offset (high bar/beam) shanks, and they don't show up in any Bridgeport catalogs I know of. But I think the similarity to the Herbrand branding (not just the script logo, but the rest of the marking, too) is just too unmistakable to ignore.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this today at an estate sale. I assume it’s Vlchek.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

While doing my Snap-on survey yesterday, I found these two Blue Point tappet wrenches. They are different from one another and have quite different part numbers.
-Don

 

[Ricky Joe]

.

 

[four.cycle]

1618 = 1/2" x 9/16"
2220 = 11/16" x 5/8"

 

[d42jeep]

Old ones just had a “T”, for tappet. LT is long tappet, ST is short tappet.

Thanks. I was wondering.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The totality of my Plomb tappets. Works to about 1&3/4 wrenches.

I can get you to 2&3/4 wrenches with this 3425 U.S.A. orphan I just picked up last Sunday!

 

[Username already in use]

I can get you to 2&3/4 wrenches with this 3425 U.S.A. orphan I just picked up last Sunday!

Ha! Nice. Yeah, but that over in the trade pile for me. I've got a few things sitting here with your name on them.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Done.

 

[Username already in use]

Shout out to @JjKk40 for the final #405 Bonney tappet to complete this set! Thanks!
A motley crew, but they’re all there!

 

[JjKk40]

One of your 402 and 403 have the greatest manufacturing date!!!! "FU" hahahahaaaa! Love it! Sweet set Username!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

A motley crew, but they’re all there!

The feeling older parents get when they look around the table on Thanksgiving day.

 

[MShaw]

Here's two more Snap on ones.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Enablers! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

A few weeks ago I got a PM from 4.c with a link to his *eBay Hot Deals* thread where he regularly drops links to sales and auctions that catch his eye.

My reply: "There's a reason I don't follow that thread, dammit!"

A few days later I get an email from Don, telling me about an auction that BK posted on his eBay hot deals thread, and pointing out that it covers two of my collecting interests in one sale.

My reply: "Yeah, he PM'd me. I told him there was a reason I did not follow the eBay hot deals thread!"

But I'm sure you all know where this is going!

These were a steal at $20. I would easily pay that and more if I ran into this set at one of my flea markets, so in this case, it wasn't so bad. Funny thing is - I forgot to bid! Luckily, nobody else bid either! I contacted the seller, asked her if she would re-list it as a BIN, she did, and they arrived this morning.

Mossberg Tappet Wrench Set No. 200

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's a funny, interesting set. Leave it to Mossberg to do something unusual.

The wrenches are in customary pairs, for the adjuster and locknut, but on the largest pair (207 & 208), they swapped out one of the 7/8" openings for a 13/16" opening, and they turned that marking sideways, in parallel with the shank.



The next two pairs (205 & 206 - providing 5/8" x 11/16" openings, and 203 & 204 - providing 1/2" x 9/16" openings) are uneventful.





The smallest pair provides the 3/8" x 7/16" openings (these were made in the 1920's well before the vehicles that started using adjusters and locknuts with 17/32" AF diameter), but instead of following the pattern, which would be 202 & 201, they numbered both wrenches the same! They are both 201's!