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What to have in the boot?

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100DashSix

Jedi Trainee
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There's no question that it's a good idea to take some parts with you on your Healey sorties, but my question is: what makes the cut? Basically, what's in that bag of parts in your trunk? ..Remember, in a Healey, space is worth its cubic volume in gold.
 
On a more serious note i'd say open end wrenches small socket set ,brake fluid (make sure it don't leak mines dot 4 harder to find than dot 3) vise grips, Tire changing stuff, points, feeler gauge ,ohm meter ,tape,screwdrivers,hammer....wire strippers etc, dist cap ,repair manuel ,reading glasses and a flash light!That otta get ya home,
 
We did this a few years ago and the most popular stuff was:
one qt oil, spare roter, fan belt, dist. cap, jumper cable,length of 12 gauge wire, assorted fuses, good jack that will raise a flat, shop manual and wrenches. Some carry the Dunlap tire rods to remove the tire form the rim. I carry a cheap circuit tester. Also a 6 inch 2x4. The AAA card, credit card and the cel phone are a must. There is a Healey club book that list all the members and location for their assistance.
Everyone can expand on my list. This should be interesting.
 
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Remember, in a Healey, space is worth its cubic volume in gold.

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I just carry a cubic foot of gold. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Jeff
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Remember, in a Healey, space is worth its cubic volume in gold.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just carry a cubic foot of gold. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Jeff

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And what does that do for ground clearance??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif
 
This applies to all LBCs so I'll add to what's already been said: a new set of points, a new condenser, GoJo, and a towel to lie on and clean your hands with.

FWIW, I carry a set of "disposable" tools in a plastic case. I strap these underneath the front seats so they don't use up boot space. I wrap the tool kit in the towel.
 
...flashlights are so 20th century. got me a nifty LED headlight that clips onto the brim of my cap...very handy. plus I always carry rags and a bunch of latex gloves...can't arrive at the pub looking like a mess (those cheap tyvek overalls aren't a bad idea either). another thing I've thought about is some kind of soft, padded material to protect the undercarriage of my car from those horrible chains on flatbed tow trucks.
 
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Visa card and a cell phone should cover it.

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Agreed! What ever happened to common sense "preventive maintenance"- The concept of repairing & or replacing things as needed, before they fail.

There are restored cars & there are RESTORED cars. A true restoration means that ALL mechanical & electrical systems are brought up to new condition. Not just the shiny parts that show. Preventive maintenance should take care of subsequent wear problems. For example, why not replace old or questionable hoses & belts BEFORE they fail, rather than carrying spares for roadside failures. This applies to all other parts also.

It's been 20 years since I have had a flat tire. Good, well maintained tires just don't go flat anymore. In the rare event that a flat might occur, the cell phone should cover the problem.

If you don't carry all this junk in your daily driver, why not? If your daily driver is more reliable than your LBC, why so? Granted, old car designs do require more maintainanace to keep them reliable, but it's not impossible, just more bother. You can repair it on the road or at home before going on the road. One is far more convenient than the other.
D
 
Maybe I'm a pessimist Dave. I carry shop towels, disposable tools, rags, a tow rope, jumper cables and extra oil in my late model daily driver. I'd carry points if my car had them! However, I don't carry the cell phone... I think I'm the last person in my state who doesn't own one.
 
I knew a guy who carried 1000 pounds of spare parts & tools in his daily driver. To my knowledge, he never used any of it, but it made him feel more confident. He worried a lot about the stuff getting stolen. To each his own.
D
 
Carrying these parts is cheap insurance, and I've not had to make a "claim" on it. I do preventative maintenance, and the old but still viable parts provide the "spares" along with a select set of new items. That way, if I do get stuck with a dodgy rotor (for example) I'd have one known to have worked as well as the next in line waiting. The space and investment is minimal for "tune up" parts- and I've seen people unencumbered by spares greatly helped by others with them....

As for the cell phone and visa... it works, but it isn't always as fast or convenient as being able to do it yourself...

Of course, Murphy's Law applies: the breakdown will always involve the one spare you decided wasn't necessary because it was so new, or reliable... or when the phone battery was dying.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
While I try to keep my car in gojd roadworthy condition I always travel with tools and parts that I think I might likely need (and the longer the trip the more likely I will be to need them!) As Jim Cox says "Every drive is a test drive".

BTW Tupperware makes a cake container that fits very nicely into the recessed underside of the spare wheel and it is quite amazing how many parts you can pack into it.
 
I bought my Healey in '60 and drove it as my only car for four years and another 12 years as a daily driver backup. In all thouse years I was only left on the side of the road once because my wife had a flat and had the tire changed by a country service station attendant who didn't know anthing about knock-off hubs, so he cross threaded it and the wheel came off after about 100 miles. The point of this is if you maintain them, LBC's are about as reliable as any other any other car. They have gotten a bad rap because people neglect the routine stuff.
 
dklawson, have you ever seen under the front seat of a big Healey? There's no room for dust.
I like the tupperware under the spare idea.
I also carry a wheel chock but a good size rock can always be found.
I have a Denver boot type wheel lock and light weight water proof car cover for over nighters.
So any luggage goes on the back tray (BJ8) and on the luggage rack.
 
I agree with you Dave, there is no substitute for proper and timely maintenance, but even new modern cars (with new modern parts) will sometimes fail. Granted a broken down car on the side of the road is a less common sight these days, but as they say "poop happens".
 
Hi Nevets,
The last roadside breakdown that I had was in 1984. A new 84 Ford Ranger pickup with the old design German V6. It had an electronic module inside the distributor which failed. Absolutely dead in the water. A tow, & a module replacement lasted about a year. Same thing again. I started carrying a spare module & the problem has never happened again. Still have the car. About 16 years later Ford issued a bulletin acknowledging the problem & offered to replace the module IF I was an original owner & IF I could document ALL previous problems. Ha!

That was the last American design car that I bought. Everything since has been V6 Toyotas. Not a single problem since, maybe just lucky?

I do carry an extra Pertronix ingition module, a known good (tested) Lucas type rotor & a generic universal fuel pump in the Healey. The fuel pump has been loaned to a couple of other LBC owners for roadside emergencies, but I don't expect to need it. I haven't needed the ignition parts & don't really expect to need them either. Fuel filters are replaced on a routine basis, BEFORE they plug up.
D
 
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