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Making your own tools [Sometimes]

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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For those of you who has a T series MG, you know where I'm coming from, especially TF owners. I still believe the manufacture of TFs threw a bolt on the floor and built a car around it! This is evident when you have to remove half a dozen things to get at one item. But then, that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. Like removing and replacing the front air cleaner, your hands are too big, the wrenches are too long, etc, etc! So, reluctant to cut down an expensive Whitworth wrench, T series have a bunch of these bolts and nuts, I modified an old metric wrench to fit, opened the jaws and cut it in half. The lanyard goes around the wrist to keep it from falling on the floor, which happens with me to many times! Ever try crawling under one of our little cars to retrieve something, not fun! Here's the wrench and it works a treat! :encouragement: I just made another wrench but have no picture of it. PJ
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I have a drawer in my tool chest reserved for "custom" tools like that, and it's mostly full.

For example, the overdrive solenoid on a Stag requires a wrench that is 1" AF, but only 3/16" thick and about 5" long.

Recently, I bought some old parts bins that I believe once belonged to Douglas Aircraft or one of their successors, and found some very strange tools in them. For example, steel handles made of barstock 1/2" thick and 3/4" wide bent to a tight "S" shape and welded to a heavy socket. Dunno what any of them fit, but someone sure put a lot of work into creating them. Must've been important, once upon a time.

So it's not just MG-T with issues like that.
 
I've got quite a collection of scary looking contraptions that have been lifesavers over the years. From very long and peculiarly angled extensions to get those those (one or two) hard to reach bell housing bolts, to cheap wrenches I can cut up and re-angle for whatever reason. Sometimes I look at them a few years later and think "what the **** is this".

It's whatever works at that particular moment, often I don't use them again:D
 
Cut and bent many wrenches to reach impossible areas and all sorts to make it easier. The only problem as Bob said is you may never use them again and they take up space in the toolbox.
 
Over the decades many of those "specialty" tools have been made from re-purposing others. My box has a section dedicated to them as well. Along with some purchased rather than using the "Yankee ingenuity" route. Those, mostly Porsche specific tools.

Had to make some MGB, Lotus and Alfa ones, used the drawings or photos of those from workshop manuals to fab or machine 'em.

I finally cried "UNCLE" last year when needing to R&R the oi cooler lines on the Benz, sent off for the wrench set provided by an outfit in AZ, cost less than me buying cheap wrenches and doing the mods myself.

Must be gettin' old or lazy! Likely both. :smirk:
 
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