Tool Recommendations for Vintage Truck Tool Roll

[lambo13]

All - turning to the best place I know of for this type of advice.

I'm working on a thank you gift for a buddy who helped me restore my '53 Chevy 1/2 ton (along with cash!). I came up with the idea of a tool roll that he could keep in his own '55 Ford F100 ratrod which he drives everywhere.

I found a local bag company that is going to make me a waxed canvas tool roll with leather strap to close it and a leather badge with my buddy's company name on it. Think it'll look awesome. But it needs some vintage metal inside, nothing new.

And although I've done a lot of vintage tool restoration, my mechanical abilities are still a work in progress... I want to be sure I'm including at least a few of the tools he might need.

So from the best and brightest here, what minimalist set of tools would you want with you at any given moment if you frequently drove a largely hand-built 62 year old truck?

I'm thinking two different sized flat head screwdrivers, pair of needle nose pliers, an adjustable crescent wrench, slip joint pliers, a set of combination wrenches (what sizes?), maybe a ball-peen hammer?

What else? Doesn't have to be a toolbox full, just the bare essentials.

 

[jakemac]

Ratrod ?
A tin with an assortment of appropriate fuses and a cheap multimeter.
A roll of electrical tape
Wire cutters

 

[altersaddle]

I wouldn't bother with the combination wrenches, unless there are lots of common sized fasteners. I kept a 7/16" wrench in the Triumph for the hard top bolts I used.

I'd add a money clip and a length of baling wire.

 

[Carla]

I'd think the best way to approach selecting a suitable kit of tools and spares would be to carefully reason out which malfunctions might be realistically repairable 'on the road' with the spares and tools kept in the truck. Rather obviously, one isn't likely to replace a broken axle or failed clutch driven plate at the side of the road. On the other hand, some of the more usual electrical and fuel system failures are easily diagnosed and corrected with a few basic tools and some basic spare parts (a fan belt, coil, condenser, or points, for example, and a carbie small parts kit, fuel pump, with some fuel hose and clamps)

A roll of tie/baling wire may be useful, some best quality electrical tape, and a couple lengths of #10 or $12 wire with crocodile clips may get one going by 'jumping' bad wiring.

When you carefully visualise what minor mishaps may happen, you can visualise which tools are needed to remedy them....for example, if a wheel cylinder fails badly enough to lose all your brake fluid, you can get home by driving carefully with 'three wheel brakes' if you've a vise-grips to pinch off the line to the failed cylinder, and a tin of brake fluid in your kit.

More to the point, possibly, would be to ask in some internet group of the fanciers of the particular make/model you are planning for, to tell you about the malfunctions they actually experienced on the road, and the way they did repairs, or improvisations, which got them moving again.

When you know which roadside repairs are realistically feasible, and find out which tools will be required to do those repairs, you will know which tools may be needed, and so should be in the kit.

(as a first-hand example from some years ago, my partner and i did some runs several hundred miles from home in the 140 model Jaguar we had, at that time......we carried spares of the fuel pump, one carbie, coil, all the distributor small parts, some wiring other misc oddments, and little rolls of all the tools needed to work on those....as there was zero chance of any spares being available outside of some large cities. Having to jump a bad wire in Seattle, and having to dissect out the carbies in a small town in the midst of Oregon, to clean out debris from bad fuel, were only petty nuisances, when we had the wiring bits and carbie small parts/gaskets on hand......most of the tools and spares we carried were never needed, of course, but having them was 'good for morale' or some such.

cheers

Carla

 

[lambo13]

I wouldn't bother with the combination wrenches, unless there are lots of common sized fasteners. I kept a 7/16" wrench in the Triumph for the hard top bolts I used.

I'd add a money clip and a length of baling wire.

I'd think the best way to approach selecting a suitable kit of tools and spares would be to carefully reason out which malfunctions might be realistically repairable 'on the road' with the spares and tools kept in the truck. Rather obviously, one isn't likely to replace a broken axle or failed clutch driven plate at the side of the road. On the other hand, some of the more usual electrical and fuel system failures are easily diagnosed and corrected with a few basic tools and some basic spare parts (a fan belt, coil, condenser, or points, for example, and a carbie small parts kit, fuel pump, with some fuel hose and clamps)

A roll of tie/baling wire may be useful, some best quality electrical tape, and a couple lengths of #10 or $12 wire with crocodile clips may get one going by 'jumping' bad wiring.

When you carefully visualise what minor mishaps may happen, you can visualise which tools are needed to remedy them....for example, if a wheel cylinder fails badly enough to lose all your brake fluid, you can get home by driving carefully with 'three wheel brakes' if you've a vise-grips to pinch off the line to the failed cylinder, and a tin of brake fluid in your kit.

More to the point, possibly, would be to ask in some internet group of the fanciers of the particular make/model you are planning for, to tell you about the malfunctions they actually experienced on the road, and the way they did repairs, or improvisations, which got them moving again.

When you know which roadside repairs are realistically feasible, and find out which tools will be required to do those repairs, you will know which tools may be needed, and so should be in the kit.

(as a first-hand example from some years ago, my partner and i did some runs several hundred miles from home in the 140 model Jaguar we had, at that time......we carried spares of the fuel pump, one carbie, coil, all the distributor small parts, some wiring other misc oddments, and little rolls of all the tools needed to work on those....as there was zero chance of any spares being available outside of some large cities. Having to jump a bad wire in Seattle, and having to dissect out the carbies in a small town in the midst of Oregon, to clean out debris from bad fuel, were only petty nuisances, when we had the wiring bits and carbie small parts/gaskets on hand......most of the tools and spares we carried were never needed, of course, but having them was 'good for morale' or some such.

cheers

Carla

Ratrod ?
A tin with an assortment of appropriate fuses and a cheap multimeter.
A roll of electrical tape
Wire cutters

Ha! Here I am trying to make something with a cool, vintage feel packed with old restored tools that would look really great but probably wouldn't do much good when stranded on the side of the road!

So perhaps I'll do the tool roll with just a couple basic tools and let him add the practical bits that he knows he occasionally needs or might need in the future.

Thanks for the insight folks - much appreciated!

 

[MShaw]

As for not changing an axle, I once replaced a broken rear axle shaft in my 62 chevy station wagon at the road side. It broke on my way to work!

 

[crackit]

I think your gift idea for your friend is a good one. Since you could often fix a vehicle from that era with very few tools, I would just include the basics (period-appropriate if possible):

A few wrenches (DOE or DBE), must include a 1/2" x 9/16"
Couple of flat-blade screwdrivers
Pliers, 8-inch slip-joint
Wire cutters, 6 inch

Maybe another tool or two, but much more and you're getting into the realm of tool boxes, not tool rolls.

 

[tym]

Great idea! Is you're friend's rat rod carbureted? If so, maybe a long standard screwdriver for doing some basic adjustments (e.g. getting at the adjustment screws).

 

[Farmer J.]

Great idea, sure your friend will be pleased with this.
I suggest:
Wheel lug nut wrench.
Spark plug wrench.
Adjustable Crescent wrench.
Combination pliers.
Water pump pliers.
A couple of small open end wrenches including a 1/2" x 9/16"
Standard screwdriver or better a reversible slot/phillips one.
Small screwdriver for carb adjustment.
Electrical tape and baling wire.


Along with a small selection of spares specific to the vehicle this is usually enough to get me mobile by the roadside..
Jump leads can also be handy to keep in the vehicle, and of course the ultimate solution, a tow rope!

 

[lambo13]

I think your gift idea for your friend is a good one. Since you could often fix a vehicle from that era with very few tools, I would just include the basics (period-appropriate if possible):

A few wrenches (DOE or DBE), must include a 1/2" x 9/16"
Couple of flat-blade screwdrivers
Pliers, 8-inch slip-joint
Wire cutters, 6 inch

Maybe another tool or two, but much more and you're getting into the realm of tool boxes, not tool rolls.

Great idea! Is you're friend's rat rod carbureted? If so, maybe a long standard screwdriver for doing some basic adjustments (e.g. getting at the adjustment screws).

Great idea, sure your friend will be pleased with this.
I suggest:
Wheel lug nut wrench.
Spark plug wrench.
Adjustable Crescent wrench.
Combination pliers.
Water pump pliers.
A couple of small open end wrenches including a 1/2" x 9/16"
Standard screwdriver or better a reversible slot/phillips one.
Small screwdriver for carb adjustment.
Electrical tape and baling wire.


Along with a small selection of spares specific to the vehicle this is usually enough to get me mobile by the roadside..
Jump leads can also be handy to keep in the vehicle, and of course the ultimate solution, a tow rope!

Awesome input guys, truly appreciate it!

I think I have some good vintage copies of all the tools you guys recommended. Will grab some electrical tape and baling wire to add to it as well and then leave him some space to add his own spares or other truck-specific tools he might need.

Many thanks!!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Many respondents above covered the basic contents of a classic onboard toolroll. The only thing I haven’t seen recommended (though I may have missed it) was a tire pressure gage. They were usually brass. Maybe a pocket clip type would be best if you’re going for a small tool roll.

I’m still not sure if you’re going for function or looks (or something in between). You'd think they'd be one and the same, but the vintage onboard toolkits were not exactly a travel version of an essential maintenance kit. Most guys with WWII Jeeps, for example, carry two kits - one with historically correct tools for display, and one with modern tools for utility.

Have you done any research?

Reason I ask is, some 1950's Chevys and Dodges actually still came with toolkits in the trunk, and both were supplied by Vlchek, and there are guys out there who try to collect them to historical accuracy. That can be expensive, and most guys don’t use them. They display them as accessories, in the open trunk or on a quarter panel over a shop rag with the hood open at a car show.

I don’t know anything about 1950’s era Ford toolkits (and I doubt the F100 came with one), but Henry Ford was as loyal as he was frugal, and I can tell you which tool mfgrs were in Ford’s stable of toolkit suppliers just before, during and after the war, and it’s possible they were still using them in the 50’s:

Moore Drop Forge: 12” auto wrench
Barcalo, Duro-Chrome, Bridgeport: DOE wrenches
Barcalo, JP Danielson, McKaig-Hatch: 6.5 inch slip-joint pliers
Heller: 16 oz ball-pein hammer
APCO-Mossberg: spark plug wrench
Alemite: 9 oz. push-type grease gun
Schrader: tire pressure gage

Lastly, this subject has come up before if you want to look through some old threads...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=341548&highlight=vintage+car+toolkits

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56274&highlight=vintage+car+toolkits

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264086&highlight=auto+toolkit

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175607&highlight=auto+toolkit

 

[Farmer J.]

That's the best list from Private Lugnutz, of course, great idea, put tools in the roll from the original period.
And, yes, "Doh!", I forgot the essential tyre pressure gauge and the grease gun, I carry both in my Land Rover but don't keep the grease gun in the tool roll as it leaks...

 

[lambo13]

Many respondents above covered the basic contents of a classic onboard toolroll. The only thing I haven’t seen recommended (though I may have missed it) was a tire pressure gage. They were usually brass. Maybe a pocket clip type would be best if you’re going for a small tool roll.

I’m still not sure if you’re going for function or looks (or something in between). You'd think they'd be one and the same, but the vintage onboard toolkits were not exactly a travel version of an essential maintenance kit. Most guys with WWII Jeeps, for example, carry two kits - one with historically correct tools for display, and one with modern tools for utility.

Have you done any research?

Reason I ask is, some 1950's Chevys and Dodges actually still came with toolkits in the trunk, and both were supplied by Vlchek, and there are guys out there who try to collect them to historical accuracy. That can be expensive, and most guys don’t use them. They display them as accessories, in the open trunk or on a quarter panel over a shop rag with the hood open at a car show.

I don’t know anything about 1950’s era Ford toolkits (and I doubt the F100 came with one), but Henry Ford was as loyal as he was frugal, and I can tell you which tool mfgrs were in Ford’s stable of toolkit suppliers just before, during and after the war, and it’s possible they were still using them in the 50’s:

Moore Drop Forge: 12” auto wrench
Barcalo, Duro-Chrome, Bridgeport: DOE wrenches
Barcalo, JP Danielson, McKaig-Hatch: 6.5 inch slip-joint pliers
Heller: 16 oz ball-pein hammer
APCO-Mossberg: spark plug wrench
Alemite: 9 oz. push-type grease gun
Schrader: tire pressure gage

Lastly, this subject has come up before if you want to look through some old threads...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=341548&highlight=vintage+car+toolkits

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56274&highlight=vintage+car+toolkits

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264086&highlight=auto+toolkit

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175607&highlight=auto+toolkit

Awesome list of tool makers! Vince isn't nostalgic like me, and his truck is about as far from stock as you can get while still being somewhat recognizable. Pic below for reference.

The tool roll was my attempt for something practical for him but with a vintage flair as that's my preference. So mostly functional... with some 'looks' thrown in. That said, no reason why I couldn't try to focus on tool makers that may have been used in Fords at the time - so thank you so much for the list! That'll give me some left/right limits of what to look out for.

Tire pressure gauge is a great idea and definitely a tool I don't have - will have to source one. One of those obvious tools that I totally spaced on, ha!

And thanks for the list of links as well - I swear I did a cursory search prior to posting!