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What do you always carry in your car?


Brass is Best

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For me, depends on the car and how far from home.  Generally....in addition to the Traveling Tool Bag....

Gorilla Tape; ~6 ft of mechanics wire; electrical tape; Rain-X, half-left rolls of white and blue paper towels; Leatherman tool or similar; 3 or 4 red shop rags; distributor cap box containing cap, rotor, points, condenser (but see below); spare fuel filter; fan belt; PROVEN jacking equipment including 15" square of plywood; ground cloth if not coveralls; gallon jug of coolant; wheel chock or something to serve as one; one spare tube; plastic film canister (remember those?) full of water pump grease; JB Weld and waterproof epoxy for radiator leaks.

 

ALWAYS, even just around the block:  Halon or Halonite fire extinguisher, readily accessible

 

Cars with wiping-design rotors (my 1918 & 1925):  small container of Vaseline

 

Vacuum tank cars: small funnel, 2 metal 16 oz cans (Chemtool, etc) of gasoline

 

Dual point cars (1930, 1934, 1936): A spare distributor head with bench-synchronized points (can change the head in 5 minutes on side of road, but it's nearly impossible to adjust points without removing distributor head from engine, for clearance/visibility reasons)

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We carry a fire extinguisher in our 1931 DB coupe. Had a couple of "under the dash" wiring fires. Luckily, I got the fires out before major damage was done to the car. Never again will I be without fire prevention in that car.

Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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 Enlightening to say the least

My list:-

not very mechanical , so only basic tools , screwdriver and pliers

Ruby essentials, easystart and gallon of gas

as others mentioned, cell phone and credit card

pretty boring really apart from an  AK47, only Kidding!

cheers

pilgrim

Edited by Pilgrim65 (see edit history)
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I once read an old list of motoring supplies pre 1910. I wish I could find the list again. It included a lot of interesting items. Here is what I remember.

 

Tool kit. Rope. Tent. Blankets. Several day supply of food and water. Pots and pans. Coffee. Block and tackle. Spare Gasoline and Oils. Spare tires. Tire patches. Compass. Maps. Matches. Lantern. Guns (Not just one). Shovel. Ax.

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Edited by Brass is Best (see edit history)
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Modern cars. Triple A card, Cell phone if I remember it, Credit Cards.

 

Antique 1915 Buick, Screw driver, Adjustable wrench, Pair of Pliers, Water Pump Pliers, Water pump packing. Extra spark plugs, Spark Plug Wrench, Spare Inner Tube. Extra water. Extra Oil. Rags, Length of copper tubing to syphon full out of the gas tank and fill the vacuum fuel pump if there is a problem. Several tin cans and a small funnel. Best of all, a woman for company most of the time.

 

Chevy Suburban tow and service vehicle. A complete arsenal of tools. Oils and elixirs for repair of most anything mechanical and electrical. Dandy Dave!

Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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One simple think I carry, aside from the required tools, are three or four large garbage bags. They fold absolutely flat and come in handy if you need to get under your car for some reason. A lot cleaner laying on a plastic bag than the road. 

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What do I always carry?   Fire Extinguisher, Small tools, AAA Card, Cell Phone, Windex, Quick detailer

When on National Tours like the Glidden, Sentimental or Founder's Tours,  I take spare parts that await my return to the motor home or trailer.  My theory is that when I get back there with AAA or the sweep trailer, I can change cloths and fix my cars and offer help to others.

Another suggestion is the cell #'s of a few others on the tour and pre-read the tour instructions that are usually full of HELP numbers.

Happy Motoring.,

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Guest BillP

Not to hijack, but "modern" people today cannot understand the pervasiveness of firearms in American life not so long ago.

 

When I was 16 and looking for my first car, my dad and I drove a couple small towns away to look at a 12 cylinder Packard coupe. It was the first car I had seen with two glove compartments. The left one had a dozen or so .38 spl. shell casings in it, along with the usual flotsam.

 

Coulda bought that car on that summer day in 1964 for one thousand dollars.

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12 hours ago, BillP said:

Not to hijack, but "modern" people today cannot understand the pervasiveness of firearms in American life not so long ago.

 

When I was 16 and looking for my first car, my dad and I drove a couple small towns away to look at a 12 cylinder Packard coupe. It was the first car I had seen with two glove compartments. The left one had a dozen or so .38 spl. shell casings in it, along with the usual flotsam.

 

Coulda bought that car on that summer day in 1964 for one thousand dollars.

 

Time, Place and Value...

Yes BillP, wouldn't we all love a second chance now?

I remember my father relating a story many times when I was a kid, of how he'd just rotated out of the navy after WWII in late '45 and at the end of our street was a Shell service station. On the lot sat a Duesenberg for sale, he couldn't recall the year but said it was a dual cowl phaeton. Asking price was $600. It sat there a long time at that price. Just old enough to be a big old tub and not old enough to be considered a real collectible in 1945. Years later I met another fellow who, independently, confirmed the same story.

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12 hours ago, edinmass said:

My kit is very simple.......NOTHING! A properly prepared car is sorted and reliable. Ed

Not even air in the spare tires, which might inhibit in the proper fit of the sidemount covers.

 

Eddie, you're tempting Fate with that overconfidence, especially considering your lead foot!  :-)  I will say your cars are always very well prepared. 

 

My philosophy is that if I have it, I won't need it--and vice versa. 

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10 hours ago, Grimy said:

you're tempting Fate with that overconfidence

 

In 1948 a doctor slapped my bare ass and installed the overconfidence app, been running on it ever since. Fate ain't bad, I could never have planned the last six decades.

 

And it is amazing how many mistake over confidence as arrogance. Well, how would they know. :)

 

Fix my own car, check it, and go anywhere. I don't even run a bulb in my trunk light!

 

Bernie

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