Tool kits for vintage cars

[Buick35]

Just curious.I have a 35 Buick and was wondering if it came with a tool kit from the factory or dealer.I just bought an antique"monkey wrench" and thought it would be appropriate for it. If so what else would be added.Thanks.

[Dave39MD]

Tools would have been with the car when delivered. There would have been a jack and tools to change a tire and a wrench for removing the hub cap if required and a hub puller. In most GM cars of the era there  would of been assorted open end wrenches, a long (for Buick)spark plug socket type tool, flat wooden handled screw drive, pliers, adjustable wrench and a small ball peen hammer. I found most of the tools on my 31 coupe under the front seat. There was also a rim jack for changing the tire on the rim. The problem is I am sure in 90 years some have been lost and others added so I don't know what is original. I will attach a picture of the tool roll that was used for the smaller tools and if I get a chance take a picture of the others. The parts catalog may have a listing for the tools but I have not found many.

 

Dave

Edited November 29, 2020 by Dave39MD (see edit history)

[Dave39MD]

Look in or around section 8.816 there is a tool list in the 16-32 parts book. I see I forgot grease gun and tire pump!

 

Dave

Edited November 29, 2020 by Dave39MD (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

Here are a few tool kits from my collection. The first photo is a 1931 Ford. The next is 1929 Packard. Then Another Model A. Then 1941 Chevrolet. Finally 1936 Ford and 1936 Chevrolet.

Edited November 29, 2020 by Brass is Best (see edit history)

[Dave Henderson]

The Model A Ford Judging Standards has a section on tools, carefully researched over the years and updated when new facts are uncovered.  It may surprise some to learn that now NON-script tools are correct for the majority of Model A year/month dates.  

[Str8-8-Dave]

Dave Dunton and I have been collaborating on tool kits.  We have the exact same model 31 Buick Special Coupe and since Dave's car is original I have been able to get a lot of information from him as I try to make my car as authentic as possible.  My car was a partial restoration that I found on E-Bay.  the essence of the story is the previous owner was having a pretty complete original car restored when he passed away.  The restorer eventually bought the car out of the estate then sold it to me to try to get some of his money back.  My car had the dust cap wrench but not much else, not even an original hand crank.  I copied the tool pouch in the pictures below from a picture Dave sent me of his original pouch and gathered period correct tools, but not original Buick tools.  I got a little fancy with items like the hub puller, feeler gauges, miniature ignition plier and valve adjustment tool.  Buick spark plugs are buried deep below the surface of the head casting in some pressed in thin wall tubes that seal from an outer wall on the head casting to the top of the combustion chamber where the plugs actually thread into the head casting.  There is not enough clearance in the tubes to accommodate a standard plug socket or even a thin wall deep socket.  No one had a stamped tubular steel socket in just the right size so I wound up re-sizing a metric wrench from a snowmobile tool kit to fit the 18mm spark plugs.   It appears in the lower right corner of the first picture below between a mandrel used to turn the plug wrench below the socket and the valve adjustment tool above the socket.  It fits well and works fine.  The second picture is a shot of the under-seat tool storage compartment which now includes a period correct duo-lift screw jack, handle, hand starting crank and a lug wrench that also serves to unlock the split rims.  I don't have a tire pump or rim spreader.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by Str8-8-Dave
Arrange pictures (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

37 minutes ago, Str8-8-Dave said:

Dave Dunton and I have been collaborating on tool kits.  We have the exact same model 31 Buick Special Coupe and since Dave's car is original I have been able to get a lot of information from him as I try to make my car as authentic as possible.  My car was a partial restoration that I found on E-Bay.  the essence of the story is the previous owner was having a pretty complete original car restored when he passed away.  The restorer eventually bought the car out of the estate then sold it to me to try to get some of his money back.  My car had the dust cap wrench but not much else, not even an original hand crank.  I copied the tool pouch in the pictures below from a picture Dave sent me of his original pouch and gathered period correct tools, but not original Buick tools.  I got a little fancy with items like the hub puller, feeler gauges, miniature ignition plier and valve adjustment tool.  Buick spark plugs are buried deep below the surface of the head casting in some pressed in thin wall tubes that seal from an outer wall on the head casting to the top of the combustion chamber where the plugs actually thread into the head casting.  There is not enough clearance in the tubes to accommodate a standard plug socket or even a thin wall deep socket.  No one had a stamped tubular steel socket in just the right size so I wound up re-sizing a metric wrench from a snowmobile tool kit to fit the 18mm spark plugs.   It appears in the lower right corner of the first picture below between a mandrel used to turn the plug wrench below the socket and the valve adjustment tool above the socket.  It fits well and works fine.  The second picture is a shot of the under-seat tool storage compartment which now includes a period correct duo-lift screw jack, handle, hand starting crank and a lug wrench that also serves to unlock the split rims.  I don't have a tire pump or rim spreader.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

Thank air gauge is a killer piece! 

[JamesR]

6 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

Here are a few tool kits from my collection. The first photo is a 1931 Ford. The next is 1929 Packard. Then Another Model A. Then 1941 Chevrolet. Finally 1936 Ford and 1936 Chevrolet.

 

 

 

Thanks for the photos of your tool kits, Brass is Best.  It actually is a help because I decided to add a small tool kit under the hood of my '65 Thunderbird. There's a lot of open space in front of the driver side inner fender well by the windshield washer fluid bag. A small clip can be mounted there with little alteration to the car. Don't have it mounted yet. I found a canvas tool wrap on eBay that seems well made - like on your Packard - but I was a little surprised that they aren't more common.  Found a heavy leather strap and buckle that will slide nicely on a small holster clip that I'll mount on the front of the fender well.

 

Interesting that your Packard kit includes a hammer! (For those times when no other tool will work, 😄) Also interesting that the Model A tool bag seems to be made of the common Ford cobra grain material. I should've considered too because my T-Bird has an original black cobra grain vinyl top. It would've matched...but I'm not sure I could've fabbed a bag that would've looked good.

[Brass is Best]

17 hours ago, JamesR said:

 

 

Thanks for the photos of your tool kits, Brass is Best.  It actually is a help because I decided to add a small tool kit under the hood of my '65 Thunderbird. There's a lot of open space in front of the driver side inner fender well by the windshield washer fluid bag. A small clip can be mounted there with little alteration to the car. Don't have it mounted yet. I found a canvas tool wrap on eBay that seems well made - like on your Packard - but I was a little surprised that they aren't more common.  Found a heavy leather strap and buckle that will slide nicely on a small holster clip that I'll mount on the front of the fender well.

 

Interesting that your Packard kit includes a hammer! (For those times when no other tool will work, 😄) Also interesting that the Model A tool bag seems to be made of the common Ford cobra grain material. I should've considered too because my T-Bird has an original black cobra grain vinyl top. It would've matched...but I'm not sure I could've fabbed a bag that would've looked good.

 

The Ford bags can be purchased through Snyder's Auto Parts. The Model A Ford people. The canvas bags take some more digging but Willys Jeep parts suppliers carry those.

[cricket-ny]

 Here is my Model A display case I made up using the judging standards. All tools are original and correct for late 31. I added some accessories but all are original. The oak case with finger jointed corners was made by a very skilled craftsman friend.

[John_Mereness]

Auburn had a basic tool kit for 34, 35, and 36 (and Cord too for 1936 & 1937) - hammer, screw driver, pliers, wheel calk, and ... - just basics. 

[Dave39MD]

From under my seat; The tools to the right of the hammer are most likely later replacements. I left the jack and tire iron under the seat, they are later replacements. If your Buick is like mine the long metal tool at the bottom left will be important to find or come up with a substitute like Str 8 Dave did in the post above. I tried all my  spark plug tools and it was the only one that would go into the head and fit the plug. There probably should be an oil can included and a hub puller (mine is one of George's).

 

Good luck

 

Dave

[padgett]

BTW ball pein hammer like that is used to make gaskets from cork sheets or gasket material. Wonder if still taught.

 

Tire irons look too short for an automobile tire. Bicycle maybe ?

 

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by padgett (see edit history)

[KRK Sr.]

I try to stay out of tool discussions because some people find tools under the seat and will argue until the cows come home that they have to be the original tools for many reasons.

I will agree with the following tool kits as being correct:

Brass is Best photos:

#3 100% correct as shown for 28 Model A (not 29 and up)

#4 100% for 41 Chev

#5 100% 29 and up A Ford, note no script spark plug wrench

#6 !00% correct 36 Chevrolet, this has one of two correct jacks used in 1936

#1 &2 photos need help to be correct!

 

Cricket NY's kit is correct as shown for a 1931 A Ford

 

Str8-8-Dave 

Needs some help:

screwdrivers and Pliers top photo need help, hard to tell from under seat photo but Jack car mounting shoe on top looks Studebaker and not Buick. Speed handle looks aftermarket due to shape of 3/4 inch hex end. 

 

Dave39M: your kit contains many Model A Ford tools not found in a Buick.

 

Please don't shoot the messenger!

 

KRK Sr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave39MD]

No shooting here, which ones are Model A? I agree on the tools being swapped around, lost and added and I think I said so in my first post.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[Walt G]

To all reading this Karl (KRK Sr.) is the tool guru as far as I am concerned. I have visited his spaces at Hershey for many years and he has always been very helpful and knowledgeable as to what is correct and authentic. It has been some years since we have talked but since my special interest in automotive history is coach builders aka body builders some years ago at Hershey we had conversation about the Philips Body Co. since he has a Wills St. Claire with one of their bodies on it.

Straying off topic I know - anyway as far as I am concerned about tools if Karl says it is then it is!  He is Da Man!!!  ( no Karl did not pay me to submit this here 😇)

I was able to purchase some of the wrenches for my 1930 Packard from him some years ago.  Would really like to visit his spaces at Hershey again - How far away is October 2021?

[Dave39MD]

Walt, Thanks for the info on Karl's expertise, sounds like I need to make a trip to Hershey and get the right tools!

 

Dave

[edinmass]

I have known Karl for twenty five years. I agree with Walt, he is the go to guy on tools, jacks, and jack handles. 

[Str8-8-Dave]

KRK- There won't be any shooting the messenger here either.  I'm greatly appreciative of the constructive criticism, authenticity is always welcomed here.  I knew when I put my kit together it was not either totally original nor confined to original only.  Part of my selection process was thinking about what, at minimum, I would want to have with me on the road if I had a breakdown. 

 

I'm also of an age and in poor enough health that I may never get to Hershey to meet you and refine my tool set in person so I hope you will accept my hearty thanks for your input and welcome such other comments or pictures you care to contribute. 

 

Dave

[Mark Wetherbee]

On 11/29/2020 at 3:57 PM, Brass is Best said:

 

Thank air gauge is a killer piece! 

Take a look half way down the pictures here:

 

 

5 hours ago, padgett said:

Tire irons look too short for an automobile tire. Bicycle maybe ?

 

 

Those are what every Model A Ford came with, some had a square hole for adjusting the brakes and some didn’t 

[Laura S]

5 hours ago, KRK Sr. said:

I try to stay out of tool discussions because some people find tools under the seat and will argue until the cows come home that they have to be the original tools for many reasons.

I will agree with the following tool kits as being correct:

Brass is Best photos:

#3 100% correct as shown for 28 Model A (not 29 and up)

#4 100% for 41 Chev

#5 100% 29 and up A Ford, note no script spark plug wrench

#6 !00% correct 36 Chevrolet, this has one of two correct jacks used in 1936

#1 &2 photos need help to be correct!

 

Cricket NY's kit is correct as shown for a 1931 A Ford

 

Str8-8-Dave 

Needs some help:

screwdrivers and Pliers top photo need help, hard to tell from under seat photo but Jack car mounting shoe on top looks Studebaker and not Buick. Speed handle looks aftermarket due to shape of 3/4 inch hex end. 

 

Dave39M: your kit contains many Model A Ford tools not found in a Buick.

 

Please don't shoot the messenger!

 

KRK Sr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karl, I have a 1929 and a 1931 Franklin. I have no tools for either car . Do you have any tools or know where to find something like that ? I am restoring the 29 and would like to show it when I am done . Any and all help appreciated . Thank you Jim 

[Oregon Desert model 45]

Here is an original Buick Tool Equipment checklist dated 7-14-19.  I would assume the "Tool Kit" listed is the pouch that contained a set of end wrenches

[KRK Sr.]

✔

from left to right: Model A tools

#2 screwdriver,  #5 &6 tire irons, #11 Spark plug wrench, 

#1 wrench, #4 pliers & #10 wrench if ford script or small M on one side. (not all open end wrenches have script) 

Long sparkplug socket on the bottom: Franklin

 

When broken down on the side of the road they all work!!! Some work better that what came with the car.

 

  We were walking around at the 2020 AACA Fall Special Meet and my wife always asks if the tool kit is correct if on display at someone's car.

 

We were looking at a Chevrolet 490 touring and I said it was all correct, the owner overheard me and quickly said they better be because he bought them all from me! We had a quick laugh, then discussion about a needed jack for his other car and continued down the row and found a few tools that were not correct at other vehicles.

 

No I do not tell the owners, 

 

KRK Sr

[SC38dls]

KRM Sr you mentioned “Don’t shoot the messenger “ earlier. I wouldn’t worry too much I’m sure most of the guys on the forum would consider the “Gang that couldn’t shoot straight “ expert marksmen. 
 

No one should get upset about getting good information! 
dave s 

[Dave39MD]

Thanks Karl, good information.

 

Dave

[50jetback]

 

[50jetback]

50jetback

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Posted 24 minutes ago

While searching for appropriate tools for a 1936 Buick Century Convertible Coupe I came across this kit.

I have dated it to the mid 1930's ( by the TALON zipper ). There is no visible brand on any of the tools but comparison to VLCHEK tools indicates they are manufactured by that company.

 

Unfortunately the kit is incomplete. Can anyone suggest what the missing tools may be?

 

Could this kit have been supplied with a particular make of vehicle or would it have more likely been sold by a Department Store as an accessory? 

 

 

 

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Stuart Syme
BCA#37072
Buick Owners Club of Western Australia

1936 Century 66C X Convertible Coupe
1950 Super 56S Jetback Sedanet
1955 Super 56C Convertible
1942 UL-74 Special Sport Solo Harley Davidson

[edinmass]

Sure looks like Fairmount rebranded tools to me......1933 to 1938. It’s probably a purpose built kit for some obscure machine or vehicle. Do an eBay search on Fairmount Tools.......they made kits for Pierce, Stude, Duesenberg, and many others. Matt’s favorite home town.

 

 

Thr tire spoons are so small, I’m thinking’s motorcycle.

Edited December 15, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[padgett]

Is that a Stillson wrench or is it a trunk monkey wrench ? I have a small one like that with a smooth jaw, always thought it was not good.

[50jetback]

2 hours ago, edinmass said:

Sure looks like Fairmount rebranded tools to me......1933 to 1938. It’s probably a purpose built kit for some obscure machine or vehicle. Do an eBay search on Fairmount Tools.......they made kits for Pierce, Stude, Duesenberg, and many others. Matt’s favorite home town.

 

 

Thr tire spoons are so small, I’m thinking’s motorcycle.

 

The kit is way too large to be carried on a motorcycle and I am confident the tools are all of VLCHEK manufacture. I cannot find ANY brand name but the tools are absolutely the same as those I have stamped with the  VLCHEK logo.

 

 

[edinmass]

Velcheck was made in Cleveland, as was Fairmount. The question........did Velcheck manufacture tool, or buy and resell? They sure look exactly like Fairmount. Interesting question to ponder.

 

Looked it up........both companies made and sold under different names. It’s a case of the same thing but different. 👍

Edited December 15, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Larry Schramm]

I think Velcheck was the manufacturer and sold tools to the original car manufacturers.  Here is a Wilkepedia link.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlchek_Tool_Company