tools for the LBC

[58morty]

Where is a good place to get a bargain on some tools for the Morris? Interested in a set of Whitworth wrenches and sockets, a colortune, and a unisyn...
If anybody has some used, I love tools of great experience...

 

[Roger]

Your Minor is a '58, so you shouldn't need Whitworth spanners or sockets (sorry, I can't call them wrenches, it just doesn't seem right with Whitworth!) for the great majority of nuts and bolts. British cars were almost all UN threads by that time, and UN sizes are the same as American Standard.
There are a few exceptions, electrical and carburation, in small sizes of BA and BSF (under 1/4" thread size). Even though I have sets of BA and BSF tools that I've had in some cases for 50 years or more since I was a teenager in England, I've also found that those small-size combination AS/Metric sets you find in hardware stores work very well, particularly the 6-point hex sockets.

Note also that, unless your Minor is non-standard, you won't need a Unisyn, which is good for synchronising twin carbs. You should have a single 1.25" SU.

With all the money you've saved by not buying stuff you don't need, you can afford to buy a new Gunson Colortune. Get the 14mm one, around $50 - $60 or so.

Have fun!

 

[DrEntropy]

:lol:

Time was, Sears had BS/BA tools. Haven't seen those in years, tho. I've a few of Snap-On's in my box, haven't used 'em in decades. Last time was a TC resto back in the '80's.

 

[TR3driver]

I'll admit I'm not at all familiar with a Morris, but my 59 Triumph had enough British-sized fasteners on it that I feel the Whitworth spanners were a worthwhile investment. Certainly more so than a Colortune (which I don't own). Using the proper tool reduces the chances of damaging those 50+ year old flats.

Here's a partial list of sizes for the SU carbs:

throttle coupling clamp 1/16W
fast idle cam bolt 1/8W
float bowl mount bolt 1/4W
float bowl cap nut 1/4W
FB mount stud/nut 5/16W
mixture nut 5/16W
Damper cap 7/16W

Whitworth sizes are also found on the original starter motor & solenoid terminals. It's very common to find these damaged by using the wrong wrench on them.

I had a Whitworth socket out a few weeks ago, but I've forgotten just why at the moment. Might have been the fill plugs on the Armstrong lever shocks.

Sorry, I'm not willing to part with any of my old Whitworth tools. I've got a couple of NORS spanner sets stashed somewhere that I might be persuaded to part with, though. Probably 20 years old, but never used.

 

[DrEntropy]

Damper plugs are about the only Whitty fittings on anything out of England after '62, methinks. from about '55 thru the early '60's it was a case of what Standard and BMC designed around.

I too would never let go of the BS tools I've amassed over the years, they were very useful on a number of resto projects. Did a DB2/4 DHC about a decade back, there were PLENTY of BS fasteners on that beastie.

 

[Grantura_MKI]

You could look on e'bay. I do see some bits on offer now and again. Britool makes decent spanners and socket sets. Would purchase a set of Pozi-drive screw drivers. Depending on how much work you are planning, a top quality brake pipe flaring tool.
Cheers,
D.

 

[Brosky]

This site has them and a lot more: https://www.triple-c.com/Products_and_Accessories.cfm?pn=WHITWORTH&pID=711

 

[martx-5]

British Fasteners has a wide range of Whitworth and other British stuff. I've bought taps and dies from them, but not any wrenches or sockets.

 

[Banjo]

Ordered my BS spanners off Ebay from England. shipping was as much as the tools. Fell into my BS sockets when the lady my brother rented a house from offered them to me. She and her husband used to live in South Africa, and he used to work on Land Rovers.
I'd sell some of mine, but my 54 TR2 is put together with BS fasteners.

 

[DrEntropy]

Snappy has BS tools, too, Ben. Tho you KNOW they're pricey. :wink:

 

[PAUL161]

This site has them and a lot more: https://www.triple-c.com/Products_and_Accessories.cfm?pn=WHITWORTH&pID=711

Paul, Where are they located? I like some of their prices. The prices on their Whitworth tools is reasonable. PJ

 

[Guest]

Hey Paul. Check out britishfasteners.com Lots of good stuff.

 

[PAUL161]

Seems that The British stopped using the Whitworth bolt heads after 1955, at least it seems that way. Funny thing about the Whitworth tool sizes is, what measurement scale did they use as a reference to size their wrenches? A 7/16 Whitworth is a far reach from our 7/16th and so is their other sizes. PJ

 

[JPSmit]

Seems that The British stopped using the Whitworth bolt heads after 1955, at least it seems that way. Funny thing about the Whitworth tool sizes is, what measurement scale did they use as a reference to size their wrenches? A 7/16 Whitworth is a far reach from our 7/16th and so is their other sizes. PJ

From Wikipedia

Whitworth spanner (wrench) markings refer to the bolt diameter rather than the distance across the flats of the hexagon (A/F) as in other standards. Confusion also arises because BSF hexagon sizes can be one size smaller than the corresponding Whitworth hexagon. This leads to instances where a spanner marked 7/16BSF is the same size as one marked 3/8W. In both cases the spanner jaw width of 0.710 in, the width across the hexagon flat, is the same. However, in World War II the size of the Whitworth hexagon was reduced to the same size as the equivalent BSF hexagon purely to save metal during the war, and they never went back to the old sizes afterwards.

Fun Fact

British Morris and MG engines from 1919 to 1955 were built in a factory that used metric threads but with bolts and nuts for Whitworth spanners (wrenches) and sockets

 

[TR3driver]

This site has them and a lot more: https://www.triple-c.com/Products_and_Accessories.cfm?pn=WHITWORTH&pID=711

Paul, Where are they located?

Triple-C Motor Accessories, 1900 Orange St. York, PA 17404-5228 USA

 

[TR3driver]

Funny thing about the Whitworth tool sizes is, what measurement scale did they use as a reference to size their wrenches? A 7/16 Whitworth is a far reach from our 7/16th and so is their other sizes. PJ

Here's a chart that might be useful:

https://www.samstagsales.com/whitworth_table.htm

 

[Mychael]

Wondering how much overlap you'd get with metric to Whitworth. I know BA size spanners don't seem to have a metric equivilent.

 

[PAUL161]

Oh well, as I see it, it all started toward the later 1700s, you know, the American war of independence. The British said they would get even and they did! By making cars that none of out wrenches would fit and putting the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car. Terrible, just terrible.

 

[TR3driver]

Wondering how much overlap you'd get with metric to Whitworth.

About like SAE and Whitworth. A couple are reasonably close, but most aren't. The chart I linked to above has the information.

Eg, 4 BA is pretty close to 1/4"
1/16W is pretty close to 7mm
3/8W is pretty close to 18mm

There are a few more that are close enough to work usually, but in general you are better off reaching for that Whitworth Crescent wrench :laugh:

 

[Don_R]

There are a few more that are close enough to work usually, but in general you are better off reaching for that Whitworth Crescent wrench :laugh:

Randall,

Do they come with Metric cresent wrenches to complete the set?