So, yesterday my car nearly burnt to the ground when a short happened in my day. It got me thinking of what are the must have tools one should have in the tool bag,roll,or box we all keep. Fortunately I had the tools I needed and my car lives but is in the shop now. So guys cough it up what are the told we carry and must carry.
In the glovebox, a wrench that fits the battery terminals. And in the car, a fire extinguisher. Plus more stuff if I'm going further than the 10 miles into town. I like to keep a fan belt, normal small tool box, a little compressor, some extra water, maybe a spare tire, etc.
Extinguisher and a 4" adjustable wrench in my pocket. Use the wrench to disconnect battery cables. It opens to 9/16" and can use in a lot of places. Electrical tape, fuses, spare elect. fuel pump, small floor jack and a piece of stranded wire as long as the car and a toggle switch. You'd be suprised what you can rig up in an emergency with wire and a switch. Also when you build your car make everything as accessable as possible. Hidden stuff is cool but along a highway......
Vintage fire extinguisher (Hope it works if & when required), can of foam tyre filler (Finnileak) in case of a flat, fuses, wrench, mobile (cell) phone & auto club membership. Card covers any car I drive.
after more and more electrical fires I am hearing , I will not be carrying a wrench , but a pair of these. and I always have 2-5 pounder fire extinguishers on board , and a regular tool kit , if its bad enough I have to cut the cables its going home on a flatbed to get fixed .
Multi-Screwdriver, with Socket Heads - Have used it more times than I can remember, tightening hoses, etc. Purell Hand Sanitizer - Cuts the crud, after working under the hood. Paper Towel Roll - Aside from the obvious, it makes a great pillow, when taking a nap waiting for AAA. Mend-All Tape - I'm sure there's a real name for it, but I can't remember. Great for wrapping hoses. Band-Aids - Don't want to bleed-out all over the nice interior. Zip Ties - Buy real ones, not the Harbor Freight crap, and you can hang pipes for a temp fix.
@MalloMike carries his old scooby-doo lunch box full of hardware. it has the same magic abilities as Mary Poppins carpet bag, it has just about any piece that's needed.
I carry the same small Craftsman box that went with me stock car racing. I have everything I need to do an engine swap in the pits if I had to. Also a plastic milk box of supplies, rags, baling wire, fire extinguisher, duct tape, funnel, etc.
Jumper cables, fire extinguisher in all my cars. In the winter I keep a duffel with plastic rain suit, snow boots, gloves, stocking cap, socks.
A list to refresh my memory of items like fan belt and hose numbers and other information of modified items.
Fire extinguisher, Small tool box full of assorted crap that has everything except for the one tool you need to fix your car. Roll of duct tape, tie straps and 1/2 pt. of your favorite poison..........and a spare lighter.
As above---FIRE EXTINGUISHER-always on the floor up against pass seat-not too handy in the trunk. Tools,fuses long wire and jumper, and tape etc.-More stuff on longer trip
I made up an assortment of tools,wiring odds & ends,fuses,tow strap and jumper cables years ago. When we travel I put my assortment of tools in whatever car we are driving,I also have my AAA card handy. HRP
Fire extinguisher, enough tools to change a belt, hose or fuel pump. Spares of said items. Roll of wire, zip ties, fuses and some relays. Nothing much. Cell phone takes care of the rest
Couple of things I have not seen mentioned. A roll of large plastic garbage bags, pull one out spread it on the ground and you can crawl around without getting filthy. Some paper towels and some hand cleaner or windex.
Back in 69 when I had my 29 A coupe, I usually carried a full tool box in the trunk. The one day I didn't, I dropped a pin inside the gearbox. Had to remove the tower with a pair of pliers, pulled a nail out of a nearby utility pole, put that in to secure the gear throw, buttoned it back up. I'll bet that nail is still in there, doing its job to this day. Last week I had to change out an alternator at the auto parts store (borrowed their tools) on my daily driver. Four days later, my son, who is away at college, had a battery go dead, but left his tools at home in our garage. How many times do we need to be reminded to have some tools in our vehicles, just in case someday we need them?
i have had a swiss army knife in my pocket since i was 14, i went to a technical high school and at that time it was ok to carry as long as it was in a pouch in view. i have made many road repairs using it.
Besides tools,tape,wire,fuel line,fasteners,etc. etc. that have been mentioned I always have my multi-meter and electrical connectors with me also. AAA card is invaluable,I've used it twice while riding with others,once heading to Knoxville & got my friends car towed right to the fairgrounds where we repaired it.
Usually my tool kit contains what I need to change what can reasonably be changed on the side of the road or in a parts house parking lot. If it gets too far beyond a generator/alternator, starter, water pump, wheel bearing or belt it's going to take a tow to a shop anyhow or get hauled to home base. That said, on the first road trip as an event participant in the 48 in 1973 we ended up rebuilding the trans in a wrecking yard in Marietta Oklahoma on the way to the 73 Street Rod Nationals in Tulsa from McGregor Tx. Not much choice that day though and the yard had a core trans that we (Bob Davis of Waco the F100 guy) and I pulled the tail section off and installed in my trans. That was after the coil that had worked fine for 3 months of daily driving to work crapped out in the middle of the Red River crossing From Texas to Oklahoma.
6' length of insulated electrical wire with alligator clips each end. Same size wire with a momentary push-button switch in the middle. Instant "hot wire" kit, it will at least get you home if the motor runs but you have electrical gremlins elsewhere.
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