I read a recent post on the Jalopy Journal about using a 39 Ford as a daily driver, and it got me thinking. The author talked about return on investment vs. the ever-present fear of breakdown when taking a 70-year-old automobile on the road every day; ultimately he found the satisfaction outweighed the worry and determined to press onward. Among the thoughtful and well-considered responses to the post, I found, among other things, an excellent quote from Kerouac’s On the Road, lots of support and admiration, and some good advice for the inevitable breakdown. And a list of helpful items to have in a toolkit:
- Radiator hoses, both upper and lower
- Pipe clamps for same
- A rotor
- A fresh coil
- A starter (heh)
- Fan belt
- Fuel filter
- Fuel pump
- Fuses
This list is something I intend to work on in the next month as the weather gets warmer.
Mr. Scout says:
I’m putting together a breakdown list of tools and parts to carry as well. Just don’t know if I want to carry around a starter.
bill says:
I know, right? I’m thinking I might as well just tow a junk Scout behind me.
Mr. Scout says:
One of the nice things about a manual tranny is that you don’t always *need* a starter.
bill says:
Right! Provided your two-ton pile of Indiana pig iron isn’t parked on a flat surface, or (shudder) facing up a hill…
Evil Mr. Clean says:
starter, phooey. Don’t bother. It’s usually the solenoid that will fail and you can usually just jump it with a pair of pliers or a screwdriver. Or you can get one of them thar ree-mote starter push button thingies. They work pretty well in a pinch. Of course, two gator clips, a length of wire and a push button or toggle switch will get you there too. Speaking of which, put a small spool of wire, a few splices and a crimper on your list. You never know when you’ll let the smoke out.
Also, in a pinch, a pair of old panty hose will work as a temprary fan belt. Good for filtering paint too. Doesn’t every man carry a pair?
Forget the rotor, put a peice of sandpaper in there instead to clean the contact points. Unless you mean a brake rotor – in which case you are going to need a lot more tools.
bill says:
I need to read up more on the jumping the solenoid thing; I didn’t quite understand it before and I only made pretty sparks when I tried it.
And yeah–I’ll leave all the heavy brake bits at home, thankyouverymuch!