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hama61

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Hello,

I have just started to dismantle a BN 7. As we are metric I wonder, if someone can tell the most common wrenches and or socket sizes to be used for the Healey in able to buy these tools. Maybe someone is aware of a list, and if so where can it be found ?

Many thanks in advance

Harry
 
To get you started, many of the fasteners are US. Some early cars are Brit Whitworth. None are actually metric.

Aside from the US sizes, you can frequently find a metric wrench that is close to some of the needed sizes.

I have a large assortment of the three types but on my earlier car it's kind of a try the fit approach most of the time. I think by the time of the BN7, most if not all fasteners were US compatible sizes. Many times original fasteners have been replaced with something more convenient along the way.
D
 
Dave's right, almost every fastener is a US size.

The most common are 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", 11/16", 3/4" and a few larger sizes on the front suspension, like 7/8" and 15/16" (I think, haven't had to do anything there lately).

But I think you get the idea; purchase a full set of standard and deep sockets (personal preference is 6-point) and a nice set of combination wrenches. The ratcheting "Gearwrenches" are nice, and getting pretty popular, but don't use the ratcheting end until you break the fastener loose with the fixed end of the wrench. I'm already down a 13mm that the ratchet part broke before the fastener was loosened.
 
Why did you leave out:1/4" and 1 11/16"--Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
Don't forget the Pozi-drive screwdriver(s), too....
 
Hello Harry,

there are not many Metric sizes that correspond to the Imperial sizes, 11mm fits 7\16" and I think 14mm fits 9\16". There may be one or two more in the larger sizes but making do with Metric spanners will do no good long term to the fastner hexagons.
Surely there must be tool suppliers in the Netherlands who have Imperial sized tools?

Alec
 
Hello Alec,

With 11 mm I noticed that it tends to slid over,if you put force as this is appearantly for the first time in 50 years, that they will be loosend. On the otherhand I noticed that to remove for example the dash i noticed small nuts with metric it is either to small or slides over as I don't want to demolish them the same goes for example with the rear fender. Now I know some sizes already I will seek
to buy a range of the toolsizes but it is always convient if you know the common sizes


Harry
 
Hello Harry, Anderson & Moment in their Austin Healey Restoration Guide have a rather comprehensive section on Fasteners in the appendix. A small capsule of what they say goes like this: "In 1954, a new 'Unified' system was introduced that used Unified National Coarse (UNC) and Unified National Fine(UNF)standard threads on bolts. UNF bolts were gradually introduced to replace BSF (british standard fine) bolts and the changeover was largely completed before the six-cylinder Healeys went into production. UNF and UNC threads are respectively compatible with American Society of Engineers (SAE) and the United States Standard (USS) hardware."
Kind of a nice explaination. Thought you might be interested.
Dave C.
 
man all you really need is vice grips, a hack saw, a hammer, and a bucket of cuss words...only joking, listen to the others they know what they're talking about.
 
nevets said:
man all you really need is vice grips, a hack saw, a hammer, and a bucket of cuss words.
Click to expand...

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif------------------------------------------Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/lol.gif
 
Personally, I need a barrel, but I may suffer from Tourette’s /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif
 
But even with the standards changeover largely completed before the introduction of the 6 cylinder Healeys, I still find the occasional nut or bolt on my BJ8 that requires Whitworth tools to avoid messing it up.

Mark
 
As I recall 15mm and 18mm match up very will with the British sizes on early cars, don't know about the later ones.

"man all you really need is vice grips, a hack saw, a hammer, and a bucket of cuss words."

Actually when I first owned and drove Sprites as a teenager that was pretty much my tool kit, except I had a crescent wrench instead of the much better vice grips, the crescent wrench has probably rounded off more nuts and bolts than any other device known to man.

A Sears Craftsman mechanics kit, on sale of course, is always a good start, decent quality (maybe not mechanics grade, but better than the discount store made in china stuff) and of course guranteed forever.

There are perhaps few greater simple joys than walking into a store with a screwdriver bought 12 years ago which you have used for many years for its intended purpose as well as a pry bar, chisel and general purpose scraper, and returning it for a new one without a receipt--no questions asked.
 
MarkA said:
But even with the standards changeover largely completed before the introduction of the 6 cylinder Healeys, I still find the occasional nut or bolt on my BJ8 that requires Whitworth tools to avoid messing it up.

Mark
Click to expand...
Seems to me, that those oddball fasteners are generally confined to outsourced components, like Armstrong shocks (the filler plug), Laycock de Normanville overdrives, some of the "plugs" on the engine block, and some Smith's, and Lucas components.

By and large, all the body/chassis fasteners I've come across are "American" sizes.
 
Harry

If you are stuck for a supplier, SC Parts are in Germany and they stock AF socket sets or even just the sockets, look them up on the web under Healey accessories, they maybe a pleasant drive away or mail order.

Bob
 
Randy Forbes said:
MarkA said:
But even with the standards changeover largely completed before the introduction of the 6 cylinder Healeys, I still find the occasional nut or bolt on my BJ8 that requires Whitworth tools to avoid messing it up.

Mark
Click to expand...
Seems to me, that those oddball fasteners are generally confined to outsourced components, like Armstrong shocks (the filler plug), Laycock de Normanville overdrives, some of the "plugs" on the engine block, and some Smith's, and Lucas components.

By and large, all the body/chassis fasteners I've come across are "American" sizes.
Click to expand...

Yep .... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif
 
piman said:
Hello Randy,

you forgot S.U. carburettors, float and fuel banjo bolts are often Whitworth sizes.

Alec
Click to expand...
And is it any wonder...

... these have been on the car since 1985 /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

IMG_6657.jpg
 
Oops, sorry Harry, didn't notice you were in the Netherlands, probably not a Sears store down the street.
 
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