The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Original Tool Kit Photo's

I have ordered the bag from (JC) and have started assembling my own originals and thought these may help others. I don't remember where I got them but they are pretty good photo's.
So far I have found the pliers and all three of the open ends locally.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2697839410102454676kaNtpr
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2915384260102454676KpegNs

Do you know what year trucks these photos apply? Would it be specifically 1950, 47 thru 54 or possibly some others?

John

In 1949 a tool kit became a GM accessory (only a jack and lug wrench were standard). The tool kit shown at the link above is the accessory tool kit that became available in 1949. In 1949, the spark plug size changed.

The 47-48 tool kit was quite similar but it had a spark plug socket that was smaller. Prior to 1947-2nd the standard equipment tool kit included an adjustable wrench.

Say Brad, where did you find the plug wrench, I've been looking for one of those for more than a year now. Been to swap meets, garage sales and antique shops galore but no luck.
Those used to be avalable at all of the hardware and lawn equipment stores.
I'm about at the point that I'm gonna make my own just to complete the kit. In fact in desperation I just picked up some hex stock to use as a die.
And Timothy, we see discussions of the jacks for the AD's often but what did the lug wrenches look like for them??? And, did the accesory come in the wooden box that Brad had in his picture??? Ya know guys, ya can't get a discussion like this any other place on the internet. Loads of information and I just appreciate this bunch here more than I can express in words. (and I'm usually not short on words!)
Thanks for posting the pics Brad.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,

I am still gathering tools also and have only collected the end wrenches, pliers and the repo bag so far. I have probably been doing the same thing as you every time I go to the swap meet or an antique store I look through the old boxes of tools that they usually have. One of the dealers I went to said he remembers similar sockets sold for old Mercury/Johnson outboard motors so that may be worth looking for. If you order the bag from (JC) they send you photocopies and sizes for all the tools and the detailed descriptions. I printed these photos and took those copies and now keep them in my car so if I see a yard sale or antique store I can match the up. Good hunting! I knew you would pick up on this post Denny since I know you love the details.

Yeah, I was thinkin' that was your tool kit in the picture Brad. Before the holidays I hit up a bunch of the marinas and lawn mower repair shops around here, in the hopes that maybe they had some of the old plug wrenches taking up space in their parts bens. Only thing they have on the shelves now are the forged, chrome, Snap-On knock offs from China. I guess it’s a lot cheaper to make them than the pressed steel ones now days.

Looks like I'm gonna have to get out to the machine shop fire up the wood burner and get going on that die!

I bought one of the repro bags last summer, with the picture card, and I've found all the tools at least ones that look fairly original to the untrained eye. Anyway, they display nicely when laid out in the bed. I would like to see an original bag to see if it was as poorly made as the ones the vendors sell. The canvas and edge binding tape seem way to thin and stiff and the quality is just poor over all. I can't believe that GM sold anything as poorly made as that back in the 50's. Seems to me that I remember seeing these in some of the trucks but they were made out of a heavier, softer canvas material.
As far as the detail thing goes, I’m finding out that there are two ways to arrive at an absolutely original restoration, or at least as close to original as possible. 1) Spend many, many years in the effort or 2) throw LOTs O’ money at it in a short time. Being a retired blue-collar worker, I fall in the first category.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Denny,
I know you are a person of detail and can or would make an original. Would a tub and faucet stem socket be a reasonable facsmile of the spark plug socket? You can buy them at a hardware/plumbing supply store. Leave it outside in the weather a couple days, get a little rust.....Wow a original tool to the untrained eye! What size is it? I may have one(already rusty).
Dan

And, did the accesory come in the wooden box that Brad had in his picture???

Denny,

That "wooden" box is the cardboard shipping box for the kit.

A spark-plug wrench sold recently on eBay for under $25 (I missed it).

There were two styles of bags.

And, there were two manufacturers of the tools, McKaig-Hatch and Vlchek.

Tim

I was suprised how many of the Vlchek tools there were around, I found all my end wrenches in the appropriate sizes with the correct logo's in a couple weeks. I have also found several of the adjustable wrenches but not quite the right size yet on those. The ballpeen hammer looks to be a fairly common item has anybody found a suitable match(new)for that somewhere?

A copy of weeks ago I saw a NOS tool kit on Ebay. I stopped looking when the bidding went over $200.00.

OH, never mind!! Sure looked like wood to me, tks Tim. And Brad, again, where you finding all this stuff???
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL