What's the two-word name of the tool maker that provided specialized Buick service tools?

[Pete Phillips]

I am having a mental block. What is the name of the company that made and sold tools to dealership mechanics--specific, unusual tools, year after year? Two-word, hyphenated name. Someone help, please!

Edited December 8, 2022 by Pete Phillips
misspelling (see edit history)

[Bloo]

Hinckley-Myers (early), Kent-Moore (later on).

 

[Pete Phillips]

Kent-Moore. That's it! Thanks so much, Bloo.

[MrEarl]

Man @Pete Phillips, I'm glad to see somebody else who has these mental blocks, mine are coming much to frequently these days.

[NTX5467]

Kent-Moore is now known by a more modern name, IIRC.

[B Jake Moran]

Kent Moore as others have noted.  Worked at a multi branded dealership that included Pontiac from 1946 to its demise.  Older Kent Moore tools mysteriously disappeared after about 10 years.  

[NTX5467]

There were some GM Special Tools which were needed, back then, to work on the vehicle's "major assemblies".  There was an "automatic ship" program where the dealer got points in their GM evaluations for participating in, over the years.  Which usually ended up with lots of $$$$ collecting dust in plastic carrying cases and such, by observation.  So most dealers got the bare minimum of these things, then ordering others as needed.  Then, in more recent times, with the advent of "tool trucks" (SnapOn, Matco, etc.) coming around, not a real need for the dealership ordering these things when the tech could buy their OWN special tools from the tool trucks.

 

In some cases, the K-M Special Tools got broken from mechanics not knowing how to use them, some parts of them got broken or lost, or they simply "aged-out" of what was needed.  End result, "archived" in a dusty remote location until that area was cleaned out years later.  And, very possibly, a disgruntled tech might take a more-popular special took with them should they leave the dealership for another place of employment . . . as they were allowed to keep it/them in their personal toolbox.  Several possibilities.

 

Another issue was that the Haynes Manuals had "common tool" work-arounds to not need the specific OEM special tool.  From what I saw, many of those work-arounds seemed to work pretty well.  Which became a reason to buy that brand of service manual for your car, as they were oriented toward the DIY person rather than a repair shop (as the MOTOR and Chilton manuals were), on specific groups of vehicle brands.  Chilton also had some smaller manuals/books for specific groups of vehicles (body styles and model years), but did not have the DIY work-arounds in them . . . being more generic than specific in many areas, by observations.

 

On the other hand, Chilton published yearly repair manuals for use by repair shops.  In addition to the normal vehicle identification items, specifications for common service work (tune-up, wheel alignment, etc.), and labor times for popular repairs, they ALSO had OEM part numbers and pricing (which MOTOR did not put in their similar publications).

 

Happy Holidays!

NTX5467