The MGB is running and is being painted. Soon I’ll be driving it again. One time when I drove it to Seattle, the fan belt broke because the pulleys were mis-aligned. When I drove it a couple of weeks ago, the fan belt I’d had replaced back then broke. I thought I’d better have some tools (along with the spare fan belts – yes, plural) so I can fix it. So I’ve just put together a tool kit.
Here it is. I’ll be adding a flashlight, and maybe some wire and small bits. But I think this is a good start. Right now it contains: Four Craftsman Philips-head screwdrivers, four Craftsman straight-blade screwdrivers, eight Craftsman combination wrenches, three Craftsman Evolv crescent wrenches, one AmazonBasics pliers, and one AmazonBasics long-nose pliers. (I left out the wire cutters and the lineman’s pliers that were in the AmazonBasics set.) I put everything into a Bucket Boss tool roll.
Not that I actually know how to fix a car, but at least I now have the means to make an attempt in the event.
Oil and coolant.
Jumper cables.
Basic toolkit (pliers, 1 philips, 1 straight, 1 multi-tool to rule them all)
LED “flare” type lights
First responder’s bag (in the big car - gets moved to smaller car for longer trips)
I think there’s more that we add for longer trips. I’ll take a look.
ETA: jasg reminded me, we also carry, duct tape, WD-40, electrical tape, tie downs, and a tow rope
ETA2: we used to carry a fuel can, but haven’t bothered in a while
I always start with a cheap tool kit from Harbor freight (Hammer, crappy vice-grip knock-offs, sockets, etc.), then add things like crescent wrenches, DMM, flashlight, breaker bar, Leatherman Wave, electrical tape, aluminum tape, duct tape, and zip ties.
Considering it’s an MG, I need to figure out a way to carry a spare MGB.
It has a Pertronix ignition, so the distributor parts and feeler gauge aren’t needed. I have socket sets and spark plug sockets at home. I see the tool roll as something to be used in emergencies.
But I do intend to have a pry bar in the boot (though not in the tool roll).
In the mid-'80s I had my original '66 and two '77s. Usually two were running.
I have a box with the spare fan belts, oil, oil filter (canister type), and some other stuff. I should add jumper cables, though a push will do. Since I rarely drive the Jeep, I was thinking of taking the first aid kit out of it. I could put it in the car.
When a Pertronix fails, it is sudden and unrecoverable. I carry points etc. as a cheap backup (the cause of failure might cause a spare module to fail as well.)
All the BMW’s have a built-in kit in the trunk lid. Just the basics. In the Jeep, I carry enough stuff to be dangerous. Full-sized Craftsman box full of stuff, all shoved into thick foam to keep from driving myself insane with the rattling. Three spares, a couple belts, and extra yolk to lock the front axle, 3 or 4 jack of different types. Of course, when it breaks, I’ll set fire to it and walk away most likely.
I carry a tool bag in the RV, but not in the car. It has the usual screwdrivers, a 3/8 ratchet set, a special large socket to remove the water heater anode, channel locks, needle nose, lineman’s pliers, diagonal cutters, vise grips, tape measure, craftsman knife, small Maglite, battery terminal cleaning tool, a set of vehicle fuses, and a hammer.
Back when I would drive across country in a '76 Chevy 4x4 C-10, I took my whole box of tools. Only about 70 pounds but could pretty much rebuild the thing with it.
It helped me many a time. Once in ~1978 when I found myself in the middle of Kansas. The Gas station I limped to allowed me to take over a bay late when they where closing up. Lost a u-joint on the rear drive shaft.
So, I pulled the rear drive shaft, locked in 4x4 and continued the next 500 miles on the front axle.
Times sure have changed.
I now keep a basic muti-tool, flash light extra blanket a coat and a small 600amp portable jump starter. It has all the plugs to charge phones, laptops and can jump start dam near anything. It’s smaller than a shoe box and the charge keeps. It weighs 1.1 pounds. Heh.
I have my wife carry one too. Saved our ass when we discovered that her car had a parasitic battery drain. My wife has rescued a couple of coworkers with hers. It’s especially good when you can’t get a car close enough for jumper cables.
Fact is, IMHO, there isn’t much you can do to wrench on a newer car to get it going if it fails. Best hope it only needs a jump start, and/or you have a tent, a bottle opener, beers and a charged cell phone.
My best friend and I drove up to… someplace in the northern part of California, probably for a science fiction convention in one of the '77 MGBs. The battery kept dying overnight. The '77s had an electric fan for the radiator, and the one in this car would turn on for no apparent reason after the car was shut down and keep running until the battery was dead. Fortunately, the car was easy to push start.
Heh, heh. Yeah. Hard to push start a car today. Done it too much.
Had a 1950’s ish Massey Ferguson tractor that I would mow the law with that my mom would tow with a rope with her 1972 Chrysler Town and Country wagon to bump start it.
I was 12 yeas old. I look back fondly at that accident waiting to happen.
Experience has made me more cautious (this could kill you, you know), and taught me many, many hard earned lessons.
When you don’t get what you want, you get experience. Heh.
