• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...parts?

Share this page

Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Scott - Unless that fuel pump in the baggie is an all electronic type, it probably wil not work when you need it (not to mention the joy of trying to replace the bad one along side the road with trafic flyin past at 70MPH). The points in the older SU fuel pumps will develope a film over the contacts when they sit unused for long periods of time. A better back up fuel pump arrangement is to permanently install one of the little, aftermarket electronic pumps such as the Facet, Carter or Airtex and supply power to the primary and back up pumps via a single pole double throw switch. See my article on how to do the installation at: https://www.custompistols.com/cars/dave/BackUpFuelPump.htm
Cheers,
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Good Grief! Don't you guys trust your cars? What do I take?

Cell phone & credit card! Just like in my Mercedes or truck!
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Oh, forgot the windex and paper towels. lol
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Spare set of hoses, spare belt, full spare ignition(distributor, coil, wires plugs condenser and points) and a basic tool kit, quart of oil and a repair manual. All fits inside a double headset bag and stores neatly in the spare in the trunk.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

I trust my car as much as any other car, modern or classic... about 95%. It's one reason I drive an older car. I can't be late for work and if a modern car breaks down, I'll be late.

Funy how most people don't understand my logic and wonder how many times I've been late driving these "old cars" to work.

Never. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

(probably just jinxed myself for tomrrow's commute. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Well, I do all the proper & required maintenance & then have fun...in 2004, I took a long trip across the Pacific Northwest, Canada, & Alaska in my motorhome - with my '79 MGB on a trailer....it was my only transportation for 6 months & was off the trailer every day & sometimes a couple hundred miles from the RV on lonely roads (can you spell Alaska Highway?)....all in all, 15,000 miles on RV, 5,000 on MG....no spare parts in trunk & only a basic set of tools so I could change oil, etc., as mileage dictated....if I had to stuff my trunk with every little part that might break or every tool I might need, I'd not have room for me! And, invariably, the part that breaks isn't in the trunk! So why try to second guess failure?

A cell phone & a credit card can get a part from Moss to anywhere overnight!

Oh, there were no breakdowns on the entire 6-month trip other than a frozen air pump (& it was my fault - I forgot to spray white lithium grease up inside it before I left home.)...I just removed the belt & continued on my trip!

I'm always amazed when people start listing all the things they need in their LBC but wouldn't think about putting those same things in their modern car....sorry, just my humble opinion but, if I can't trust a car, I shouldn't drive it more than a block from the garage!
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

hah... isn't that the way it always is? heheh
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

[ QUOTE ]
The Bentley's manual includes the original handbook within its pages. And it's by far the best reapir manual out there.

[/ QUOTE ]

This isn't a handbook, it is a glovebox version of the Bentley manual, albiet condensed to fit.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

do you need to add a can of water before you can use it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

[ QUOTE ]
I'm always amazed when people start listing all the things they need in their LBC but wouldn't think about putting those same things in their modern car.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, Tony. But the difference is that new cars have new parts. Old cars have old parts and are therefore more likely to develope an unexpected problem. And while I feel my MGB is a very reliable vehicle, I still acknowledge that a brand new modern car will be more reliable. That's why I carry the most common basic parts I might need in case of a roadside problem. I'd rather fix it and continue on my way than find a hotel for the night and hope UPS is on time.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Cell phone, road assistance card. Anything else will be whatever Chuck packs.

As far as essentials...shoes, clothes, shoes, makeup, shoes, blowdryer, shoes, jacket, shoes, umbrella, shoes, book, shoes, map, shoes, bottled water, shoes...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

You get that luggage rack yet?
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

NO. And I have 4 bags piled in the kitchen, another one to go, 2 chairs, my little folding table, a fold up cooler and my food to get in the car.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Just proves my point: MGBarge

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Probably less intrusive (to the bootlid and bodywork) would be a trailer hitch and a small uhaul-style/box trailer.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Janel - its time to learn to pack "light"...buy the $5 lawn chairs when you get there & leave them for some homeless guy when you leave - same with cooler...forget the table & food 'cause you can also get all that there.

How long you gonna be gone versus how many outfits you loading? I had Jerri pack for a month in Hawaii in 1 bag plus a carry-on!
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

We will be really short on space in the TC for our trip to GoF West later this month. So I'm planning to ship most of our clothes and other items to the hotel by UPS. When we leave, we'll just ship them back. $10 each way is nothing compared to the space we will save in the car! And for the drive up we only need the basic survival items... jackets, toiletries, sunscreen, camera, etc.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

I told my daughter she gets one soft bag, and I'm giving her the bag so she doesn't buy a monster. At gatlinburg, if I can't do it in shorts and a tshirt I am not doing it. I will take a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt in case it gets cold at night.
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

chuck - how's the LE running with its new carb setup?
 
Re: What to take ...tools...parts? .. tools...part

Just fine Tony, I spent the morning changing the clutch slave cylinder and am in the middle of changing the oil in the tranny and the engine. a good cleaning and I'm ready to go. Leaving at o'dark thirty Wednesday. Haven't sprung that on my kid either
 
Back
Top