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Tool kit for the trunk


jframe

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After our little escapade Thanksgiving night, with my '65 stranding us in the middle of nowhere, I am rethinking carrying some basic tools with me. Thought about getting a small plastic box from Harbor Freight or somewhere, and loading it up with some basic weapons to fight roadside demons. Any suggestions on what to pack it with? Don't really want to take a whole Snap On truck, just enough to get us home, or at least, be able to try. 

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44 minutes ago, 1965rivgs said:

  A test light and a jumper wire which stretches from the battery to the coil...at least for awhile!

Tom

Lol, ain't THAT the truth! Started up a half dozen times last night in the garage, no issues, just too nasty of weather to get out and drive.

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Zip ties, side cuts, screwdrivers, pliers, black tape, kneeling blanket, blue paper towels, 1/4 inch drive socket set, hand full of basic wrenches, crescent wrench, liquid wrench, small electrical terminal end kit, crimping tool, spare set of belts, booster pack for longer trips, small assortment of fuses and hose clamps,rubber gloves,tube of waterless hand cleaner, And what Tom said. Maybe a small trailer to haul it all as well? Seriously it will all fit in a small box. I use a small trunk organizer 

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40 minutes ago, RivNut said:

Cell phone and a AAA card, a bottle of wine, and a blanket for spreading on the ground while you wait.

Maybe duct tape.  Duct tape always works.

 

Adding to Ed's comment:  "blanket for spreading on the ground while you wait" " sipping your wine".😁

 

Art

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  I spent years running road calls as part of my employment responsibilities (which proved to be a great motivator to do the job well in the heat, and light, when next to a fully equipped tool box) and with some common sense and the tool combinations available one can put together an effective setup. Think consolidation and universal application. Use a screwdriver with changeable bits, combination wrenches, adjustable wrenchs, slip joint pliers, socket size adapters so one 3/8ths ratchet with extensions can accomodate 1/4" up to 1/2" sockets. I`d also add a decent size prybar and a small and medium size hammer. I carry a handful of Makita 18V tools in a floppy bag, LED flashlight, impact gun/driver, drill with a chuckable cutoff wheel arbor with extra batteries.

 I have an older full size SUV with a bench top machinist`s chest accessible at the passeger`s rear door which I call my "work truck". I tow all over the country with it, cars and boats, and it regularly serves me when servicing the landscaping on several properties, carpentry and remodeling projects, etc....it`s overkill for a collector car but you`d be surprised how little space it occupies because I have fine tuned my tool choices using the above ideas. I love it and cant imagine not having the tools for my immediate use.

  One strategy you might consider is a "breakdown only" or what is "most likely" given your circumstances. A flat tire is very likely on almost any trip so an aluminum lightweight "racing jack" and a good size, cross style lug nut wrench may come in handy. Or, if on a long trip to an ROA meet specific tools to do a waterpump or fuel pump might be a good idea....jumper cables are a no brainer...just some random thoughts...good luck!

Tom

 

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The few times my Rivi broke down it ALWAYS the fuel pump. So I carry an electric fuel pump with enough fuel line to go from the inside bottom of gas tank to carborator and about 5 foot wire leads on the fuel pump with clamps on the end and the few hand tools needed to do the installation I.e. pliers , small adjustable crescent wrench, Phillips and straight screw drivers , knife and zip ties

Edited by arnulfo de l.a. (see edit history)
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On 12/5/2020 at 6:34 PM, arnulfo de l.a. said:

The few times my Rivi broke down it ALWAYS the fuel pump. So I carry an electric fuel pump with enough fuel line to go from the inside bottom of gas tank to carborator and about 5 foot wire leads on the fuel pump with clamps on the end and the few hand tools needed to do the installation I.e. pliers , small adjustable crescent wrench, Phillips and straight screw drivers , knife and zip ties

Sir, I have a spare fuel pump that looks like the original. Does the electronic fuel pump perform measurably better than stock? I’m no hot rod but I’m all for increasing reliability of the engine. I want to take long trips. Thank you for your contribution 

Turbinator

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On 12/4/2020 at 2:00 PM, 1965rivgs said:

good luck!

Tom, I’m with you and The Boy Scouts, “ Bring everything “. Your suggestion for combination tools makes all good sense. Consolidation truly sums up the logic for roadside repair tools. Appreciate your contribution.

Turbinator

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6 hours ago, Turbinator said:

Sir, I have a spare fuel pump that looks like the original. Does the electronic fuel pump perform measurably better than stock? I’m no hot rod but I’m all for increasing reliability of the engine. I want to take long trips. Thank you for your contribution 

Turbinator

I have only used the electric fuel pump to get me home when the mechanical dies. Longest distance was 35 miles and it did perform well. I too now have an oem mechanical fuel pump on my car. They are rebuildable. So far it’s holding up well. I tore into the last mechanical that died on me. It was from NAPA AUTO PARTS. Very cheaply made. Clarified why they kept breaking. I posted pictures of the internals and the weak point. If I knew how to search for them I would re post so you could see what I’m talking about. I think I figured it out ;

image.thumb.jpeg.1b80a7bc2173bf4e067acfe0f6ce8900.jpegimage.thumb.jpeg.d4da464a911c67a197aa4e75693cb477.jpeg

Edited by arnulfo de l.a. (see edit history)
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22 minutes ago, arnulfo de l.a. said:

think I figured it out

Sir, you are ahead of me on diagnostic skill and experience. NAPA in my area, central Maryland is hit or miss. I bought a Ekrige or Elk Ridge heavy duty starter Selinoid. Put Selinoid on started right up. No problems.

Other parts from NAPA are so so. A friend of mine knew the former owner of NAPA in this area and I got stuff! Newly manufactured A6 compressor and ball joints for my 63. A little pricey, but I got what I wanted in days.

so the electronic fuel pump was only temporary?

I have study to do as I do not want to trouble you with something I can do with my time. After research if I have a question I’ll write you.

thank you

Bob Burnopp

 

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7 hours ago, Turbinator said:

Sir, you are ahead of me on diagnostic skill and experience. NAPA in my area, central Maryland is hit or miss. I bought a Ekrige or Elk Ridge heavy duty starter Selinoid. Put Selinoid on started right up. No problems.

Other parts from NAPA are so so. A friend of mine knew the former owner of NAPA in this area and I got stuff! Newly manufactured A6 compressor and ball joints for my 63. A little pricey, but I got what I wanted in days.

so the electronic fuel pump was only temporary?

I have study to do as I do not want to trouble you with something I can do with my time. After research if I have a question I’ll write you.

thank you

Bob Burnopp

 

Happy to help in ANY way i can Bob. No trouble what so ever. 

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I know I'll nix myself, BUT I still have the original take apart pump on my '64 Riv. I bought new.  I bought a rebuild kit for it years ago & at the drag strip I had oil leaking out of the weep holes.  Removed the pump & was going to rebuild it, BUT the diaphram supplied was no where near the quality of the original so all I changed was  the rubber bellows that keeps the oil inside as the original was torn. It's been on the car for over 100K now & it has over 300K on it. So the ORIGINALS ARE THE BEST.  IF you can find a rebuild kit for it purchase one.  Probably all you'll ever have to do is replace the bellows like I did on mine.

AND I have to use the same fuel everyone else has to use & it has not as of yet deteriorated the diaphram.

 

Tom T.

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