Interior - Tools

There as been a bit of information gathered but not so much as the amount of time might suggest. We will need photos, and should clean up the prose.

Some thoughts:

Finishes: still the same black (with  or without an oily black paint overwash), or clear cadmium or zinc. A mix of finishes should be allowed although the cadmium shold predominate the middle years of production.

There is still no absolute rule on kits for pre-1958 cars as to whether a kit should be considered standard. Evidence suggests that kits were included in US spec. cars far earlier than '58, but we can't say definately at what point this commenced. We should require kits on 1958 cars on, and consider them accessories before. The requirements of wheel changing equipment (including the combo tool on disc wheels) should remain.  

Greaseguns: The Enots #1 And 1D seem to be the standard for the early cars, and the Tecalemit 2801 the later standard. There is some evidence that Enots guns were 'home market' as so few of them turn up over here unless acquired from specialists; but that is in the wind. At least four different types of the 2801 are known; we should have photos of them when examples show up. Some variants were likely never issued with our cars, but that should not be an issue. I had a microwave box full of them; they ae all but gone.

Screwdrivers: The most common type seems to have been Shelley at this point; but just about any 'standard' cabinet pattern screwdriver in 7" or 8" lengths should be allowed for wire wheeled cars or pre 1958 cars of either type. Disc wheeled cars before 1958 ostensibly carried only the combo tool, but evidence (as well as the Spares Catalogue) suggests that cars with full kits would have had both as one would have been provided as standard and the screwdriver in the kit.   

Tool rolls: Pretty much the same - the most commomn being one of several patterns of black plastic with variations in construction detail. TR3Bs are likely to have had the peach colored roll. Darrell should have one to photo. We still don't know for certain that the early jute roll supplied for years actually existed as sold. THe pre-production S-T photo showed a canvas roll of the familiar 5-pocket pattern which differs rom the pattern used to make the repro jute rolls. The latter pattern was drawn from a roll supposedly removed from a 2 and was copied for years. A photo from an old road test shows a TR2 with a black fabric roll having light (possibly red) piping of the type used by Aston Martin. We should allow the plastic rolls from the onset.

Some of the early tyre valve extractors might have 'Dunlop' stamped on them. Good luck finding one; the Healey people pay stupid money for them and they're aren't many out there. 

Lucas distributor 'keys'. There wewre sevevariation of these. The earliest types, which pre-date our cars has small closed brass pivit posts (rivets) and lckd the familiar '.014' and '.016" markings. When Lucas changed their distributor designs, a latter key was issued which had the above markings and an open brass pivot rivet. Sometime in 1959-60 the key with a closed aluminum rivet was produced. Since the open rivet was available in stores well into the 1960s, the open should be allowed throughout. The open rivet type is currently beyond reproduced too...

There are actually variations in Thor hammer maekings...I'll put this in the manual but we shouldn't require anything beyond the copper/copper #1.

I'll think of oher stuff most likely.The tool section just needs a face-lift.

After reading this many times, I agree with John.  There is really nothing requiring dramatic changes.  One issue that we can amplify though, is the fact that not all cars were equipped with the tool roll.  Yes, cars always had a wheel brace, jack and jack ratchet, but there is anecdotal evidence that dealers would chuck these, they would be lost or stolen but otherwise didn't make it to the owner.  Accumulating a complete and authentic set of tools and a decent tool roll can take years and cost hundreds. So, I suggest that we include a statement regarding this and assurance that cars without a complete tool roll or none at all are to receive no deduction.  We should IMO, insist on the wheel brace, jack and jack ratchet.  Just my $.02.

Until recently I could provide a kit on demand. Now the source of feeler gauges has dried up. Box spanners, screwdrivers, Lucas tools, tyre valve extractors, rolls and tommy bars are available as reproductions. Quality varies but is generally acceptable in a pinch. Superslim spanners, pliers and adjustables can still be found although not as easily as a few years ago. Tecalemit 2801s were everywhere - I had a microwave box full of them at one point. Now they are out there but on an ad hoc basis. I can get some from the UK, but shipping has become prohiitive for large batches to be brought in. Enots are less common but available. Fortunately we don't need many of those. Combination tools are out there also, but be careful that you don't buy the latter type of smaller diameter. Repros might have a tommy bar head on the 'hooked' end, which is glaringly incorrect.

Even the blue Hammerite for the 2801s is no longer available at Homer (Home Depot).; It has to be purchased elsewhere or online - or mixed up from scratch like the old days..

I've sold well over a hundred kits over the years. Tags is right, it's more difficult to find or buy a kit than it was just a few years ago but not impossible. Once I find another source for feelers we'll be back in the swing, albeit on a reduced scale.

A few hundred bucks is about right for a really good original or restored kit. Compared to a correct XK120 kit (which is required fo concours), it's a pittance.

Tragic point - a few years ago a baggie full of freshly completed feelers fell out of a box at Carlisle and was lost. We could have made good use of those.

The number of cars entering Concours is not great, but the amount of effort required to score well is. Let's not mitigate the efforts of those that have assembled or purchased a kit by reducing requirements. Let'[s stay with the Spares Catalogue. The fact that dealers might have removed the kits from cars or previous owners tossed them is really of no consequence beyond making our search for them mroe difficult after fifty years. It's still not an impossible task to assemble a kit if you are patient.