As we all know, not all needs are answered by over-the-counter tools. As one example, my Z-friend Dieter Roth made his own special wrench for one particularly annoying Z job (halfshaft U-joint bolts, IIRC) by simply grinding off the excess metal from a standard open-end wrench so that it would fit inside the limited-clearance space.  For my own efforts, I've enjoyed constant use over the years from a 18" length of 1"-dia aluminum tubing (from a TV antenna mast) that I squashed one end of so that it would fit over the end of open-end and box-end wrenches to give extra leverage.

What's in your tool box?

CO's nubbie restoration service!!!

Haha!!! Yessir!! 

I think everyone can agree that a well formed nubbie is a thing of beauty!

Really?  Are we out of contributions already?  I think that the old Atlantic Z-Car site could deliver at least a dozen ideas all on its own.  CO should be able match that. ZKars and Grannyknot, too.

9 hours ago, Namerow said:

Are we out of contributions already?

But you were asking for our MOST valuable "made-it-myself" tool!  not all of them!  🙂 

More of your most.

I mentioned this a few weeks ago. I don't keep the components in my toolbox. To remove a pilot bushing, a slice of bread and a bolt slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the pilot bushing in the flywheel. A hammer and the bolt take the place of a grease gun and the bread acts like grease without the squeeze out.

There's one more big plus using the bread method. No grease to clean out of the center of the flywheel.

The reason I haven’t chimed in with my “favorite” is there are just too many to choose from. They are all my children, I don’t dare declare any particular one my favorite without risking the wrath of the others.

I should lay them all out on the floor and take a group photo.

At least I’ll try to contribute more to the thread I started called “Cool Tool of the Day”. One a week on Sundays perhaps.

22 minutes ago, Mark Maras said:

I mentioned this a few weeks ago. I don't keep the components in my toolbox. To remove a pilot bushing, a slice of bread and a bolt slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the pilot bushing in the flywheel. A hammer and the bolt take the place of a grease gun and the bread acts like grease without the squeeze out.

Doesn’t the pilot bushing go in the crankshaft hub?

2 hours ago, zKars said:

The reason I haven’t chimed in with my “favorite” is there are just too many to choose from. They are all my children, I don’t dare declare any particular one my favorite without risking the wrath of the others.

I should lay them all out on the floor and take a group photo.

At least I’ll try to contribute more to the thread I started called “Cool Tool of the Day”. One a week on Sundays perhaps.

There is no such thing as the best tool.  If I need to pound a nail in, a micrometer does me no good, yet for precision measuring, the hammer is just as useless.  Whenever I work on anything house or vehicle related, I tend to need every tool I own.  If I don't own the perfect tool for a job, I either make one, or I improvise and use what I have in the toolbox already.  If I have the time or think I'll ever need to do the same job again, I'll usually make a tool or jig.

 

Edited July 7, 20213 yr by Jeff G 78

3 hours ago, Racer X said:

Doesn’t the pilot bushing go in the crankshaft hub?

 Yes it does. Not enough coffee to fully engage my memory that early.

1 hour ago, Jeff G 78 said:

There is no such thing as the best tool.  If I need to pound a nail in, a micrometer does me no good, yet for precision measuring, the hammer is just as useless.  Whenever I work on anything house or vehicle related, I tend to need every tool I own.  If I don't own the perfect tool for a job, I either make one, or I improvise and use what I have in the toolbox already.  If I have the time or think I'll ever need to do the same job again, I'll usually make a tool or jig.

 

You "can" pound a nail with a micrometer! Would you want to ...............................................????????????????