What tools and or supplies would you suggest to own b/c our cars are so old. Aslo what else would you need to do a t2 swap and rebuild/streetport the engine??
Any tools that would be helpful with anything you can think of working on your car.

 

you can pretty much take apart the whole car with a 1/2 inch drive ratchet, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, (17mm?) sockets and wrenches, and a all in one screw driver.

 

Just go out and buy yourself a 100-250pc. metric tool set and you should be fine. A 52mm/2 1/8th" socket for the flywheel and other normal tools.


Santiago

 

Just buy a craftsman master set (yes this includes standard, cause you never know). A few different sized C-Wrenches, a set of metric wrenches for your brake hard-lines (I forget the actual name of these). And last but not least a 2.25 inch (I think, though it may be 2 1/8 inch) or 52mm (again, this is off the top of my head) socket and adaptor for the flywheel. Thats about all you'll need.

-David Guy

P.S. Buy lots of penetrating lubricant, a torch and a length of pipe for stubborn bolts :P.

P.P.S. Looks like somebody already beat me too this.

 

Concrete floor & a roof, electric power. Rent (or buy) a hoist.
Floor jack & 4 jackstands, a bench or table & stool.
Drain pan, fluid disposal jugs.
A cheap multimeter (analog or digital).
Basic metric sockets, end wrenches, 6-point deep wells, extensions, swivel, extension handle (tube).
Bent tip long nose pliers (to handle hoses without breaking fragile nipples)
Vise grips, channel locks, phillips & straight screwdrivers.
Misc wood scraps for proping, blocking, wedging.
Clean up stuff for you & for parts, (nitrile gloves optional)

 

thanks
I got all those but the 52mm sockets
Keep it coming

 

extenion cord and some kind of portable light.

 

BFH



-Ted

 

buy some extra 10mm sockets. I have lost every single one I own

 

Yeah the tool set is definitely something that's built as you go.

You might get the catalogs from northern tool, jcwhitney, eatwood, and several other tool/car restore places.

A small-medium impact gun and a medium sized air compressor to run it is a must. You can't remove the strut-shocks, rear axel half bolts, etc.. without an impact gun, or you'll end up damaging it. I just keep borrowing mine or taking stuff over to a friends house when I need the air

Diddo on the penetrating oil, carb cleaner to clean out those recessed screw holes, and WD40. I've found sticking with a 1/2 ratchet & using a 3/4" adapter is best in NOT breaking/stripping bolts. A breaker bar wrench is good too

Don't forget to buy a torque wrench, the old school style. I also picked up a starter tap & die set plus a thread pitch measuring stick to help clean out & re-thread those rustly screw holes. The thread pitch measuring stick makes sure you don't mix thread pitches in similar sized bolts, which will goof up your threads if you tighten down on the bolt/nut

I actually have ~12 jack stands which is VERY helpful when dropping a transmission or working on the rear axes & subframes. You can get a transmission adapter for your el-chepo jacks, but I haven't found a rear diff adapter yet I use 2 jacks & a plank to drop that.

Besides the metric starter set mentioned above, some ratcheting wrenches is a lifesaver. I also find some bolts should ONLY be removed using an adjustable wrench where you can lock down on the bolt. The brake line bolts/nuts are an example. A deep socket or non-adjustable wrench can be 1/2mm off sometimes and you can't torque down on those nuts with that much slack without stripping them.

Finally if you're going to cleanup any parts or plan on re-painting anything, you'll need a powered drill (no battery powered, they suck), wire-wheel brush for your power drill, and a Dremmel with the 4' extension & dremmel wire wheel brush. Some stuff you can clean in the sink with water & dish soap before sanding, other stuff is power-blast washing only.

 

19.2v cordless drills rock. (9.6v suck)

 

something like 25$CDN at sears...it's a 12 point socket, but craftsman make some good ****...btw, its a 3/4" drive.

 

agreed

 

Big f'in hammer?

 

Oh, **** Eastwood Co. - they are a rip!
They have some speciality stuff that might come in handy, but they are by no means needed for a "basic" tool set.  Some of it does come in handy, but it'll be cheaper locally.


-Ted

 

19.2v cordless drills rock, the 2 year batteries suck I've had my fill of re-charge-me-for-another-f'n-battery Lifetime warentee... except on the batteries & charger which may go out in 1-2 years.

Eastwood's great for their selection, but then find it cheaper somewhere else. They've got LOTS of speciality paints & powerder coatings that's VERY hard to get anywhere else.

Yeah I need to buy several different grades of hammers. You just can't wack a impact wrench with a 2.5lb hammer