MTFCA Forum

Quickly, let me say that last Wednesday, my wife and I, plus 2 adult passengers went for a rather long, rough, backroad ride in my '27 Tudor. Needless to say, 4 modern adults in a Tudor doesn't leave much room for extras, such as life saving essentials like tools, tow strap, first aid kit, etc.
So, to save space, I put my tool bag on the running board, held in place with bungees. It's been riding there for years. Somewhere along the rough ride, the bungees lost their grip and the bag unknowingly hit the road. So, its tool replacement time.

Has anyone compiled a list of necessary tools? If so can you post it?

Cell phone, AAA card, Bottle of good bourbon.

These are not all you should carry, but they're important when your good luck runs out. Your '27 won't need all the items shown here, but you should have most of them.:
http://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG115.html

I never leave home without these. They have saved me an unscheduled long walk more than once.

This is a previous discussion that might be helpful.

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1506380001

As a Police Officer, please put your name with current phone number, a busniss card or some identifiable info.
Amazing they are returned with names!
Brian

On cars with de-mountable rims, carry: A spare tire and rim, a jack, a wrench suitable for removing the lug nuts on the particular type wheels you have. A few spare working coils and a spare timer. A couple good spark plugs. A short piece of electrical wire with alligator clips on each end, a trouble light.Wrench and screwdriver to work on timer if needed. Pliars, vice grip, long nose pliers, wire cutters a roll of safety wire, some assorted cotter pins some electrical tape and or friction tape With non de-mountable rims, two spare tires in sizes to fit front or back, a spare tube and tire patch kit. At least two tire irons. Any other tools you think you might need. At least one quart of oil for engine and spare coolant for radiator. For open cars a few bungee cords to hold top if it starts flapping. A top boot in case you need to lower the top.
And of course, when you break down, you will probably need the tool you didn't take1
Norm

Listed these, in the link below, in an older tech article; Tools and Spares recommended to carry with the T for runs, tours, and more for longer distance trips. Helpful guide gathered from experience of others.


https://nebula.wsimg.com/4acac91e982637 ... 31FDB20580

There should be plenty of room under the rear seat for much of what would be needed which should include the basic tool kit that would have come with the car.

Extra assorted cotter pins
small roll of mechanics wire
3/4", 5/8", 2 X 9/16" and 1/2" wrenches
medium size screwdriver
side cutter for pulling out cotter pins and cutting wire
1 qt oil
oil can
water
coil & plug
piece of automotive wire
good spare tire with lug wrench or depending on your wheels, tubes to fit (couple of good irons, talc and valve core tool)
wheel chocks
tire pump
spare bulbs and fuse
If rear wheels have been off recently, socket/breaker bar to fit rear nut
paper towels and hand cleaner
folding safety triangle
if using a roller type timer, maybe an extra roller, if distributor, extra condenser and points file
depending on the age of your fan belt, one of them
maybe some 3/8" bolts and nuts

Looks like a lot, but much of it should fit in a small flat tool box that would fit under the seat. The time to check, lube and air the tires is before not during. Unless you are going on cross country, don't need to carry the whole shop. Tube repair kits are nice to have, but most don't stick to modern tubes unless you get the better ones that use contact cement. In the years of touring, some up to around 130 miles round trip, mostly I have only needed the 9/16, 5/8" and band adjusting wrenches and a screwdriver. I did have one flat tire (knock on wood!), but it was on a borrowed car.

So far, with your suggestions, I have come up with the following parts. I did not put hand cleaner, parts cleaner, major parts, etc on the list, mainly because I carry a tool bag and not a tub. Personally, I can drive pretty good with dirty hands. Been there- done that.
My goal is to get You & Me back home or to the trailer where the spare parts are kept.

What else do I need to add? My goal is to place a printable copy on the internet. You old-timers know what to bring and you don't leave the shop without the tools. We are trying to help the folks that are new to our great hobby.

Tool Bag Essentials (tools to get you back to your shop or trailer- where your spare parts are)
• A card inside the bag with your name and contact info.
• Model T jack- tire tools in some cases
• Ford front wheel hub and cap wrench
• Combination wrenches: 15/16”, 3/4", 5/8", 2ea 9/16", 1/2", 7/16”
• Ratcheting 11/16” combination for adjusting bands
• Sockets: ½’ & 3/8” drive ratchets with extensions, 15/16”, 3/4", 5/8", 2ea 9/16", 1/2", 7/16”
• Screwdrivers
• Air pump or battery powered compressor
• Valve stems that will fit your tubes
• Valve stem removal tool
• In some cases a tire patch kit
• Spare coil or two
• Spare spark plug or two
• Rags
• Assortment of cotter keys (pins), baling wire
• Adjustable wrenches- 1 small, 1 large
• Hammer
• Electric wire with alligator clips on each end for testing. Use the wire if necessary to get you going.
• Electric current tester
• Spare bulbs and fuse

A Vulture Wagon.

Good idea wire with alligator clips. Maybe just a medium size adjustable wrench.Too many ratchets and sockets. Pick one or the other, 3/8" or 1/2". Don't know why you would need a hammer?

Don't know why you would need a hammer?

I don't recall the details of the situation, but I do remember there has been at least one time when I wished I had a hammer, so I carry one now.

I carry a pack nut wrench in my tool box. Have had many people use it on tours.

My small plastic toolbox carried on the running board behind a expandable luggage rack has : set of 1/2 drive sockets 7/16-15/16, a rachet and pull handle, one 6" ext, combination wrench set 7/16-15/16, large creasent wrench, large ball pein hammer, small screwdriver and a long shank medium screwdriver, 19/32 socket and a something else 32 socket for wire wheel nuts, ztool for square main bearing bolts, wire cutter, ignition plyers and a 3/8 pull handle for the grease plug. I carry a pack nut wrench and a hubcap/wheel bearing tool under the seat. This sounds like a lot but it all fits in a small tool box with tray.

Having grown up on a farm in Iowa, we happened to have an old John Deere wire tie baler. So obviously, we had plenty of baling wire around the farm. Many times, when people use a saying, such as "held together with baling wire", I wonder how many people have even seen baling wire, let alone, used it. I am guessing that today you would be hard pressed to find a store where you could buy baling wire. Bubble gum, yes... Baling wire, no.
Mike

Mike,....A few years ago, I bought a pretty good sized roll of some sort of aluminum wire at a yard sale for five bucks! One of the best "fivers" I've ever spent,....use it quite often for all kinds of stuff!

And Mark,...not tryn' to be a "wise-guy", but I guess I carry a hammer so that I don't have to abuse a crescent wrench by using it for a hammer!

If you have breakdown on your way to Oz you'll need tools, likely parts, a dry place to work and time - "there's no place like home" Travel light.
Replace the radiator cap with old one (for sticky fingers): keep the good one under wraps. The tape is for passengers and the rest needs no explanation

What a question. Considering that the "T" has survived for over 100 years, traveled bout every where. Now I would suggest that the best thing to do is take a full trailer of repair parts.

I agree with the majority of items mentioned in other posts. The space under my back seat is full and I have a toolbox mounted to the left running board. When I've been on tour, people have been very willing to share tools and parts and that is my attitude too. A few things I carry in addition to what others have suggested:
1. stainless steel aircraft safety wire along with a small pair of twist pliers.
2. A rubber stopper (bought at a hardware) sized to fit into the hole in the top of the radiator where the neck is soldered on (yes - my neck came loose once). Drill a hole in the stopper to allow for the vent tube. It also serves to plug the radiator should your cap go missing.
3. A spare bendix if you have an original-style starter. Don't forget a gasket for the bendix cover and a long screwdriver to access the cover screws.
4. A small tube of Ultra Black sealant
5. A spare fan belt (smoked one once - changed the fan hub to a ball bearing unit but carry a belt just in case.)
6. Spare wheel lug bolts and nuts for demountable rims
7. "Rescue Tape" - self-fusing silicone tape - can be used on radiator hoses, fittings, electrical, etc.
8. Extra hose clamps
9. Breaker bar

If you are going on a multi-day progressive tour a vulture wagon is a good idea. 5 gallons of gas, a gallon of oil and a gallon of mixed antifreeze. I carry a SCUBA tank (3500 psi) with a tire filler made from an old SCUBA regulator first stage (100 psi) - I'd also carry an extra spare tire on a rim - Extra wheels for front and rear (don't forget a hub puller) - a floor jack with a spreader bar that lets you lift the whole front or rear end of a car - Grease gun - trailer hitch mounted vise (Brian Dowell Big piece of cardboard to lie on -

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 06, 2020 1:06 pm

... The Achilles heel of the phone and card approach is that you don't have phone coverage everywhere, especially way out in the sticks. Even if you do climb to high ground and find a signal, it may take hours for help to reach you. BTDT. I'd rather change the flat and be on my way.[/size]

I agree with the phone coverage and you do make a few points to consider. What one takes along all depends on where you going, how long you'll be gone, one's fix-it ability and if other T's traveling with you. There is no question that your "On the Road Again" experiences highlight both the enjoyment of the adventure and being prepared for getting it back on the road again. While you have posted many of your adventurous trips on the forum none was more classic than your trip to OCF in 2019. And for those who may have missed it (or want o re-live t he journey) here is: Jeff's trip from Parkerfield KS to OCF in Michigan. Interesting is some of the repairs needed there and on the way back.
https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php? ... &hilit=OCF

Almost forgot - If traveling alone you must take along an extra starter

I didn't see it in the list, but a cheap analog Volt-Ohm meter (like the kind you used to get at Radio Shack for $9.95) to chase down the electrical gremlin that bites you 30 miles from home... a roll of electrical tape, some 12 ga wire, and (believe it or not) some wire nuts for a temp fix.

Also carry a healthy length of rubber fuel hose and a pair of hose clamps... for when he copper one cracks, also 30 miles from home. I also have a tubing flare kit and some extra copper fuel line... (Betcha can't guess that both of these came from the same "Adventure"... )

Frank --- where can I get one of those? I'll make room

We pack our wool fleeces for customers in 75um clear plastic bags which are approx 2' x 3'. I carry a bag in each of my cars. They fold down into next to nothing. They are use as battle mats under the car, work surfaces on the ground, as ponchos in wet weather, luggage protectors and wet clothes storage if needed. Handy little buggers that take up nil room.

Allan from down under.