"What to Carry" revisited

[Steve Jelf]

What to have in the car when you travel has been a recurring forum subject over the years. The suggestions have ranged from just a phone and a credit card to practically a full shop and parts department. In anticipation of the coming travel season, I've been looking over some of the lists I've saved. I'm wondering just how equipped I should be. One list includes a spare piston, conrod, rear axle shaft, bearing scraper, Prussian blue, and other major repair parts and supplies. Do I want to do that kind of work by the side of the road, or plan to have the car transported to a shop in the case of a major breakdown? How fully equipped are you when you travel? Just timer, carb, coil, and other small stuff, or engine and rear axle guts too?

[Don D]

Steve,

Great topic to encourage the exchange of ideas and experiences. My suggestions are small parts, a cell phone and a AAA card.

Hopefully the flood gate of inspiration will aid hobbyists.

Dom

[Roverdriver]

When I drove extra long distances such as 5,000 miles etc. in my Model A (sorry I haven't had a more recent T) I carried a spare piston, a piston rod, a couple of valves and other spares. I used a trailer that I had built as a camping trailer, so had some space. I had two spare wheels because the trailer also had Model A wheels, but added to that a couple of tyres and tubes. In other words quite a lot of stuff, but then I was planning trips over country with few settlements. I also carried 2 Jerry cans of petrol and a couple of gallons of oil.
I used the fuel because of the distance between places to purchase same, and did a roadside oil change when needed. I finished the journeys with the spare pats undisturbed.
On one trip, I needed to borrow a welder to repair the exhaust pipe and on another needed four set-screws to repair the radiator fan. so from those experiences the thing that you want, you have left behind, and the things that you carried were not needed.
Having said that I still make sure I have a fan belt, points, rotor and a few other small bits in my cars- mainly the 1950 model and 1959 model.

[TWrenn]

First, pray you make it back alive and okay! Then, I carry just the basics. Only broke down on the road once, and no amount of tools could've saved the day, the engine had to be pulled to fix it! Don't bog urself down with all the unnecessary crap, short of replacing a spark plug, a tire-and then only if demountable!-- maybe the timer, and a quart of oil and a coil. The tools that were provided with the car should basically be enough. Beyond that, you need a vulture trailer!!

[Dropacent]

I agree with #1 Tim. I have a full toolbox but a AAA premier card is the best thing to have. That will get you home from Timbuckthree

[John Heaman]

In case it rains, for early open cars I carry a shower cap to put over the coil box.
If the coils get wet then the triple 'A' card and a charged cell phone come in handy.

[ThreePedalTapDancer]

A modern smart phone with all bells and whistles is first on the list.

[walber]

I often drive a few hundred or more miles on my own so I try to be prepared. a few quarts of oil, gallon of water and a fair complement of hand tools and a 3/8 drive socket set. A set of points, condenser, spare spark plug, fuses, voltmeter, a little electrical wire and mechanics wire, Ultra-Black, a small packet of 3/8 and smaller nuts and bolts, spare tire, jack and fire extinguisher. A few rags and hand cleaner get thrown in too. A cell phone and AAA card. In 28 years, I have not needed the fire extinguisher or spare points but have made use of the other bits on occasion. A map and GPS come in handy too.

[J1MGOLDEN]

The top of my list includes a fire extinguisher or two, road flares, spare gas, oil, and water.

A rain suit has been very useful in my open roadster at times.

Tire changing tools and a jack have been useful in the past.

A spare coil and spark plug were often useful.

Some soft rags and hand cleaner has often been great!

I also like a compass to know which roads to take for home.

A tarp and bungee cords to hold it on at night was often very useful.

Several time the wrench to tighten the exhaust pipe to manifold nut came in useful.

My floor boards were a ll blacked with burn marks when I bought my first T and later I found out why.

[Henry K. Lee]

If you restore and/or recondition properly, carrier a spare tire with appropriate hand tools, fire extinguisher, battery quick disconnect/fuse, and tire pump and drive it! It is all about the experience and not about the worries and what if's encountered! If you need all the extra dead weight in the car, bring the in laws, or better yet, buy a new vehicle and have a support vehicle behind ya!

Hank

[TRDxB2]

I agree with #1 Tim. I have a full toolbox but a AAA premier card is the best thing to have. That will get you home from Timbuckthree

You'd better read the fine print of you AAA Premier Card with respect to towing service. Genrally speaking they will get you to the nearest service center not Timbuckthree. I know I had the issue with a modern car - nearest dealer was 100 miles and they paid $12.95 to a local gas station.
TOWING SERVICE
Our 24-hour, 365 days-a-year dispatch center is available with one toll-free call.
There are no pre-set mileage or dollar limits. When you call for service, Good
Sam Platinum Complete Auto Roadside Assistance pays 100% of the towing fees
for the delivery of your vehicle to the nearest independent professional service
center capable and willing to repair your vehicle. However, you must request
disablement assistance through our telephone dispatch center within 24 hours of
the disablement. If you make any request for your vehicle to be taken to a location
other than the nearest professional service center, including your home, the
mileage fee (for the distance in excess of the nearest licensed repair center)) will
be at your expense.

[Norman Kling]

The above mentioned are good ideas. However, some of the big items are not possible or very hard to repair on the road. Such things as a spare axle or piston would be very hard to replace and you would also need some gaskets and oil to go along with them. So I would limit it to things such as plugs coils timer. I would also carry spare tires and an air pump and tire tools. or points , rotor and cap if you have a distributor. If traveling in a group, help is with you, but if alone, a good cell phone and tow insurance. I would also recommend rosters of members in the areas through which you will travel. Also in some more remote areas, cell service is not available.
Norm

[Dropacent]

Unless they have changed, Frank, AAA hauled me off one of the Lake Erie islands to about an hour and a half away. With the ferry fees, it had to cost them 3 or 4 hundred dollars. Cost me nothing.

[Steve Jelf]

If you restore and/or recondition properly, carrier a spare tire with appropriate hand tools, fire extinguisher, battery quick disconnect/fuse, and tire pump and drive it!

Before my first interstate drive to Detroit I was a bit apprehensive about going off on my own. Mike Bender reminded me that wherever you go in the USA there is likely to be Model T help not too far away. It turned out he was right.

[Art M]

In addition to timer and rotor, include the cam nut, locator pin and retainer. You might drop them in the grass. I also carry a spare coil. I cannot over emphasizing hand cleaner and towels. I learn the hard way.
I also carry thermometer.

Art Mirtes

[TRDxB2]

Unless they have changed, Frank, AAA hauled me off one of the Lake Erie islands to about an hour and a half away. With the ferry fees, it had to cost them 3 or 4 hundred dollars. Cost me nothing.

The fine print "the nearest independent professional service center capable and willing to repair your vehicle" was there any on the island or just a gas station?

[Rich Eagle]

I believe an axiom of "Murphy's Law" states that what ever you carry with you won't be the part you need. I carried a spare axle with me for several years after breaking one. It takes up space and was never needed. This is a good thread to ponder but taking time to make sure the car is roadworthy is equally important.
Timers, coils and plenty of tools have been the most help for me to carry.
Rich

[Jonah D'Avella]

I am probably overprepared, but my list is as follows:

standard socket set

2 modern crescent wrenches

2 antique large adjustable wrenches

10 feet of coper wire

medium flat head screw driver
small flat head screw driver

medium Philips head screw driver

a phone charging brick and phone

some standard size wrenches

some safety glasses

and in my case, and extra pair of glasses if my contacts tear

[Dropacent]

Frank, I believe you would debate a signpost.

[aDave]

AAA has different "levels" of benefits. Lower level limits distance.
Higher levels do not:TOWING SERVICE
Our 24-hour, 365-days-a-year dispatch center is available with one toll-free
call. There are no pre-set mileage or dollar limits. When a Member, Associate,
or Extended Family Member calls for service, Good Sam Platinum+ Roadside
Assistance pays 100% of the towing fees for the delivery of the vehicle to the
nearest professional service center capable and willing to repair the vehicle
OR we’ll pay for the towing fees for the delivery of your vehicle to any other
destination of choice within 100 miles of the disablement location. However,
disablement assistance must be requested through our telephone dispatch center
within 24 hours of the disablement. If a Member, Associate or Extended Family
Member makes any request for the vehicle to be taken to a location other than
the nearest professional service center, the mileage fee (for the distance in excess
of 100 miles) will be at the Member’s, Associate’s or Extended Family Member’s
expense.
If there is a request to be towed to a location other than the nearest professional
service center, as described above, the vehicle will not be entitled to any
additional towing services for the same disablement. If a request is made to tow
the vehicle home, Member will be required to pay the excess mileage fee if that
distance exceeds 100 miles from the disablement location.
The mileage fees for any excess mileage and other fees for additional towing
services will be determined and billed directly by the independent service provider
at the time of the disablement, and all payment of that additional mileage fee
or additional towing service will be paid directly to the service provider by the
Member, Associate, or Extended Family Member.

Even is someone has a lower level, how many service stations are there that meet the requirement:

....nearest professional service center capable and willing to repair the vehicle...

[JTT3]

Rich, while I hear you about Murphy’s Law but for me it’s O’Riley’s Corollary which states: “Murphy was an optimist”

[Rich Eagle]

By all means be an optimist John. We always overcome the problems no matter how well we prepare or not. I have never been on a tour I failed to come home from.
Rich