Special Tools for Classic Cars?

Let's not forget an occasionally useful one.

I tend to not need this on my newer cars.

You will when they get older

Dual-coil distributor synchronizer. For bringing both sets of points in a dual-coil V8, V12 or V16 distributor into phase.

Cylinder balance tester. A hand held tach with 8 buttons which lets you drop each cylinder, one at a time, out of the firing order to observe the RPM drop. No drop = bad cylinder.

How many of you guys still use a battery hydrometer or antifreeze tester?

Disassembly tools for Delco-Lovejoy lever shocks.

Leaf spring spreader, used to spread transverse leaf springs (like Model A Ford and such) so that the shackles can be installed.

Ingition condenser with a set of alligator clips installed on it. I use to test for bad ignition condensers because so many of the new condensers come from offshore and burn out after a couple months. Just clip one end to ground and one end to the stud on the distributor. If the engine smooths out, the condenser is junk.

Trim tools and lock strip tools for windshield installs.

The list just keeps getting longer, All I work with is old cars and tools.

Oh, yeah, the best ones of all for vintage cars:

Lathe

Mill

Welder

Torch

Ever pull a hub off a Spitfire? Not possible without a Churchill #S109C or replica.

I don't have photos handy, but I haven't used a brake spoon in a loooong time, not my tool for brake drum springs, forgot even what that is called.

Brake shoe grinder. Used for arcing brake shoes to fit the drums properly.

Anyone who says drum brakes suck has no idea how to use one or why.

Trans_Maro.........drum brakes do suck and I have had the shoes in my vintage motocross bike properly fitted. The same for the rear shoes in my Datsun. On my modern dirt bike I can literally change the brake pads in 3-4 minutes, pull the two pins pop in new pads. On the vintage bike I have to pull the front wheel just to get at them. On the Datsun you have to pull the wheel regardless but with discs you can slide the pads out very quickly as opposed to the drums where you need to do up the various springs, also calipers seldom leak where as wheel cylinders commonly leak.......all this doesn't even take into account the numersous performance advantages of disc brakes......... Drum brakes suck, yes most people do not take the time to make sure they are the best they can be but they still suck..........you'd never guess I would be happy to never have to touch them ever again. As for special tools; I have brake spoons, the tools for brake springs, two styles of jets wrenches for keihin and Mikuni carbs. Cylinder head holding tool for triump twins. That little tool that pops of the clips for window winders and some electrical testing tools that only are usefull for 70s cars

   Tom

Trans_Maro wrote: How many of you guys still use a battery hydrometer or antifreeze tester?

Never used a battery hydrometer. However, every fall I check my antifreeze and put the toaster tester on the battery.

Agreed on the good ole fashioned shop manual. When you get grease on a paper manual you wipe it off. If you get grease on the laptop you're using to view the CD of the shop manual, the touch pad will never work again.

Trans_Maro wrote: How many of you guys still use a ..... or antifreeze tester?

What kind of anti freeze do you want to test????

Tire mounting spoons.

Plastigauge.

It obviously doesn't work on modern cars since no one stocks it let alone knows what it is.

Talcum powder...

Anyone know where you use it?

In reply to Trans_Maro:

Installing inner tubes?

You got it.

I've also used it to find the source of oil leaks.

Clearly, about half the contents of my toolbox are obsolete.

Tim Baxter wrote: Clearly, about half the contents of my toolbox are obsolete.

Only half?? You're clearly more up to date than I!

atm92484 wrote: Plastigauge. It obviously doesn't work on modern cars since no one stocks it let alone knows what it is.

heh... I "stock" Plastigage PL-X....

I use one of these every once in a while.

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:

I'm not sure if I miss window cranks or not...

Kenny_McCormic wrote: In reply to Trans_Maro: Installing inner tubes?

I don't use it on cars, but there's a can of it in the garage for the mountain bikes

For removing window cranks, some of them you can get off with a cute trick using a rag. Wrap it around the shaft and give a little twist. The clips pop right off. No special tool required.

"Wrap it around the shaft and give a little twist. "

Heh heh.... Seriously, remember those stupid tools to rock a GM V6 forward so you could get to the rear bank of spark plugs. I saw an MGB with knock-offs that had the brass hammer. Should have snagged the whole set up.

Woody wrote:

What a damn shame we're losing our keys! I'd much rather pay $3-$5 to have a key remade than $250 for one with a chip or even worse for a keyless fob. How hard is it to turn a key rather than push a button? And besides the stupid fobs don't even comfortably fit in your pocket.