British vintage tool kit, is it Lotus compatible?

PostPost by: skelteanema » Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:29 pm

I managed to pick up this tool kit of our local New Zealand auction site (Trademe). The sellar didn't know what car/motorbike it came from. To me it looks similar to, or the same as, the Lotus Elan tool kit. Never expected to see a complete one for sale in New Zealand!

The contents are described as:
AN ORIGINAL RARE 6" BENT WIRE SCREWDRIVER ( NOT SHORTENED)
SNAIL BRAND 7" ADJUSTABLE SPANNER
PLUG SPANNER. TOMMY BAR
WILKINSON PLIERS.
3 TW SPANNERS: 7/16 X 1/2. 3/8 X 5/16 AF, 2BA X 4BA

I assume other cars of the era had similar tool kits, so this may not be Lotus original. Not sure if the stowage bag is an original or replica.

Can't wait for it to turn up, now I can start my body-off restoration (or at least get the spark plugs upgraded)!

Skittle
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tool-kit-02.jpg and
tool-kit-01.jpg and
Last edited by skelteanema on Tue Feb 07, 2017 2:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPost by: elanfan1 » Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:14 am

Just my twopenneth...

The pliers should be TW
The plug spanner should be 6" X 14mm - yours looks a little short - is it long enough to allow you to turn the spanner in the plug well using the Tommy bar?
The adjustable should be unbranded and marked Made in England
The spanners should all be TW 2BA x 4BA, 9/16 x 1/2 AF and 7/16 x 3/8AF or all Snail Brand which is I think the less common option and same sizes.
The tool roll is a modern reproduction.

So not much correct in that lot sorry. If you have a parts manual there is a drawing and description on the back page.
Steve

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PostPost by: Hawksfield » Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:02 pm

HI

For info here is my toolkit which I was led to believe is original.

Snail Brand as marked on all spanners
4BAx2BA, 3/8"x7/16"AF, 9/16"x1/2"AF
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dsc03398.jpg and
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PostPost by: Orsom Weels » Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:31 pm

There's quite a good bit of info on tool kits here http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-elan-f19/elan-toolkit-t38256.html

I suspect in reality, it's another case of more than one answer may well be correct :D eg, some adjustables seem to be Snail brand, some unbranded.

I have a period 60's Ford 'Quality accessories' brochure for the Escort, Cortina, Corsair, Zephyr & Zodiac range which shows an identical set of tools, but without spanner sizes listed, & in a red tool roll instead of black. There's no date on the brochure, but I'm guessing it's late sixties, the list price for the tool kit is ?1, 19 shillings & 6pence :!: Bet you wish you could buy em for that now :shock:

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PostPost by: skelteanema » Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:17 am

Well I got the tools and I am pretty happy with them. From my research since, it appears that Tim is right in that there is more than one supplier of the tools.
The three spanners I received are the corrects sizes and brands, so all good there.

Some adjustables had Snail brand written on them and others did not and both seem to have made their way into tool kits, mine appears correct in size and brand so all good there as well.

The pliers I have are Wilkinson, and it appears both Wilkinson and TW were supplied. The Wilkinson ones I have look identical to the ones Hawksfield has shown, and shown here: lotus-elan-f19/elan-toolkit-t25927.html. They look a bit different to the TW ones as the ends of the handles curve more of the Wilkinsons ones. So I think these may be correct as well. (I have a TW one elsewhere so could exchange).

The wire screwdriver, there seems to be some kits with longer and others with shorter, so it appears both are correct. so this appears OK as well. I have a longer one elsewhere as well.

The box spanner is about 6" long, but is shorter than some have shown at about 8". However others have shown similarly short ones in supposedly correct tool kits. I will look out for a longer one. The tommy bar is about right so good there.

I was not expecting to find a correct tool roll, but it does appear to be quite old so may be from some other car. It is a different shape to the Lotus one but will serve the purpose.

So overall I think all but (possibly) box spanner and roll are correct so not too bad.
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