Tool Boxes On The Road

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This one was originally posted on <a href="http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=1360">The Jalopy Journal</a> and isn't entirely on-topic, but I tho...<P><P><a href="http://www.garagejournal.com/?p=89">To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jockey Journal, click here.</a>

I think half the fixable road problems I've ever seen are fixed with a crescent wrench, a screwdriver, and a battery terminal cleaner. Add some jumper cables and you've covered most of the other half.

An interesting take on field repairs (as opposed to a toolbox to take to a self service junkyard or something) would be to actually take a poll on real life failures people have actually had.

I read this thread with great interest on the Hamb; I was amazed to see the number of Plomb finatics that posted. I too am a Plomb junkie. The only thing that would make that tool assortment look more period correct would be used oldie but perfectly functional goodies from Plomb, Indestro, Williams, Bonney, SK, Craftsman, Utica, Snap-On, Mac, Thorsen, and the like. I like the ammo box idea and employed it myself years ago.

Can't forget duct tape and bailing wire for your on the road tool box. Back in HS I fixed the ****** linkage on my 60 Chevy with a bobby pin.

Hi - I'm new around here so be gentle with me! Not a pro-wrencher or tech, just a hobbyist track-car enthusiast.

One tool for the travelling kit I like to have is a Facom lock-grip wrench (cat no. was 114.8 when I got mine). Haven't seen anything similar in other manufacturers ranges readily available here in the UK, although I don't doubt there are similar devices around.

It's like an adjustable wrench with smooth parallel jaws, slim and compact, a fine adjustment screw and an over-centre lock, a little like a vice-grip or mole wrench but less fierce. Turns the oft-despised adjustable spanner into a fairly respectable tool. With the clamping action and the smooth jaws it'd be ok to use on Aeroquip stuff if you really had to and took care. Less than 8 inches long, opens up to almost an inch. Works ok as a gripping tool too and great around the home for plumbing and the like. Quite a neat little stand-by tool for the small-scale stuff I encounter.

http://www.hdtools.co.uk/cart/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=634

(I've seen mention of "HD" on this forum - I don't think the HD in my link here is anything to do with that - he's an independent tool merchant here in the UK)

We have a similar tool bag that we keep in the old cars.

It's funny how these sets can "expand" when you actually have to use them... example: last year we took the Volvo 1800ES to the Vintage Grand Prix for the w/e... Friday night as we were leaving after the renactment, we were sitting in traffic and all of a sudden the car started to sound like a Trans Am car idling... quite a feat for a 2L I4... Pull over, pop the hood, and discover the manifold to down-pipe flange bolts had worked loose and 2 of the three had vacated the car... We (loudly) returned to the hotel down in Horseheads...

The next day, we're off to the local NAPA to get bolts. I remember from experience (car assembled only a couple of months prior) that these bolts are an SOB to get to, so I also pick up a 12" long 3/8" extension and a 9/16" universal socket...

...which, of course, now permenantly reside in the tool bag...

tony p said:

(I've seen mention of "HD" on this forum - I don't think the HD in my link here is anything to do with that - he's an independent tool merchant here in the UK)

Click to expand...

"HD" here in the US usually refers to [The] Home Depot and their "Husky" store brand.

Ah - ok. I guess that's roughly equivalent to a B&Q Warehouse or B&Q Superstore over here. Thanks Ian.

Old Volvos have quite a following in the US don't they? They're considered slightly oddball by many over here, but I believe they make fine classic rally cars.
Do you race yours?

Nope. Not a race car. Just a nice "driver" that goes out for drives on nice days. The Vintage Grand Prix is fun because the whole town sort of turns into a car show as cars and clubs from all over show up. This past year was rough as it rained for a good bit of the w/e... U.S. classic owners tend to avoid rain if they can...

Aside from the weather, that sounds like a wonderful event.

I don't race - I did have a few goes at sprinting (that's like racing against the clock, one car at time, but on fairly short but fast courses, not so complex and twisty as what I think you call Solo II) - that was fun but the bug didn't bite (I'm not a fiercely competitive sort of guy) - miles-per-buck it wasn't great vlaue (the social side id good) and even that is no longer what I'd call grassroots sports: even in closed-to-club events people throw silly money at their machines, fitting loads of exotic kit, carbonfiber parts and data-logging. Kind of spoils it a bit.
Trackday driving (supposedly non-competitive) is a big scene over, which I partake in and you can get to drive on some famous and spectacular venues around Britain and Europe.

I do have a passion for old racecars and interesting older, characterful machines such as yours.

I have a Caterham Seven which is currently undergoing a ground-up winter refurb after fifteen or more years of flogging around circuits and touring holidays in my own sometimes hamfisted way!