(I didn't want to hijack the American made tools thread.)

I have hardly any tools, and the cheap ones I have are awkward to fit into the spaces I'd want to use them on my 914. I'm thinking I should at least have a complete set of metric spanners, and maybe a 1/4" drive socket set might be useful? 6-point better than 12?

Are there tools you use now that you'd wished you'd known about when you were at my stage?

Hi, can you please define small car work?

You can get alot of stuff done with a decent 1/4 & 3/8 socket set along with the combo metric wrenches. Add some metric Allen keys and a quality multiple bit scewdriver and you have a nice travel tool kit.

A must have tool is the tripple square 8 mm bit for the CV bolts if they are the correct ones.

When I first starting playing with cars when I was 16 I got one of those Craftsman briefcase looking kits. Hard plastic, folded into two halves, held a lot of really good tools. I added a bag that I put other tools that I picked up along the way. Why was were the tools mobile? Because driving a ragged out VW with a bunch of friends in the same boat meant you or somebody was on the side of the road somewhere.

But don't lend it out, I did, and my friend's girlfriend drove over the briefcase while he was doing a brake job, it never closed right after that.

https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsma...t?taxon_id=1874

$100 money well spent and can handle most normal car jobs. You'll eventually pick up some bigger breaker bars and sockets, and maybe more allan wrenches, but you'll pick them up as needed, which is better than spending $500 on tools and not using 2/3 of the kit.

Have a craftsman 365 piece kit that i first started out with they're usually on sale for about $150. This kit should be more than enough to do what you need. You'll piece other tool kits as you go.

That's a great set to start things off with!

I'd add a good selection of screwdrivers:
https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsma...screwdriver-set

And a selection of vice grips:
https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsma...king-pliers-set

Also, an absolute must is a multi-tester to check voltages and continuity.

One of my favorite tools is a short handle, dual 3/8" & 1/4" ratchet. Really easy to get into tight spaces.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/powertor...677169?q=GM6222

I'm thinking about stuff like pulling carbs off the manifolds quickly, reassembling the interior, CV bolts as you mentioned, valve adjustments, other repairs I may not have anticipated yet...


Thanks. I currently have a cheap 3/8 socket set from somewhere that doesn't seem to fit many places (maybe a wobble extension would help?) and skips sizes I've come across.


Ordered -- thank you!

With the type of tool kits others have recommended and some extra extensions, you'll do well.

6 point is preferred as rusty or stuck bolts need the full grip.

These are simple cars to work on you just have to try different tools in your kit or combine them to get the job done.

If you want to change the transmission oil, you'll need a 17 mm Allen bit or key.

And it's always good to have a BFH

6pt is better than 12pt.

Those big kits are a good start, specially if you work on your other cars as needed. Can't beat the bulk price discount.

Harbor Freight tools I've added: pliers set, wobble extension set, breaker bar, test light, and I'm sure there is more.

The tools you would actually use on a 914 will fit in a bag, nice for road trips.

Ratcheting box/open end are probably my most loved tool, but only in 10 11 12 13 14mm (Nissan sizes)

Is there any special tool for getting the valve cover bales off? I've never found this pleasant.


I wound up using spanners for these. A 13mm socket would fit over the carb base, but the ratchet wouldn't fit without tilting the socket. (The other side was worse I think.) I'm curious whether the ratcheting box would fit.
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Like you, I started with very little. I had a basic set of tools: 3/8" ratchet set, screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, hammer, etc. I've added tools as I've needed them. I've bought mostly Craftsman, but have started buying Proto tools from zoro.com. Proto is American-made and reasonably priced. They are not Harbor Freight cheap, but they aren't crazy Snap-On prices, either.
I prefer to get all the same brand, but sometimes auto parts stores are the only easy place to get what you need. For example, I had to remove the CV joints, which require a star bit (NOT a Torx). Napa had a set.

I agree with the other posters about getting a big mechanic's set.

I would suggest you get a quality American-made set if you can. The Craftsman ones used to be made in the USA, but I'm not sure they are anymore. With Sears going into the toilet, warranty work might be hard to get. In that case, go with Kobalt, Husky or Stanley, which are available at most big box and local hardware stores. They have sales on tool sets all the time.

I would avoid the really cheap stuff at Harbor Freight. I've bought tools there, but only to try them (I just got a ratcheting screwdriver there to try it out. If I like it, I'll buy a better one.), use once, or if I don't care if I break/ruin it. They do have kits that have almost everything you need, but I'm not sure of the quality. Some auto sites review them, and say they are good "for the money" (not good at any price, but good for what little you pay).
They have some seemingly higher end tools, but I'm just not sure about them. read the reviews and just be careful.
However, they are so cheap, you could try them, but if you get hurt when they break, you'll wish you paid more fior a higher quality one. For that reason, I'd avoid any hand tools that require large amounts of force to use (i.e., breaker bars, big wrenches, etc).

Another thing to consider is to get high quality where it's essential/safer (the aforementioned breaker bar--I broke a HF breaker bar and pieces went flying all over. I had glasses on, but I'm luck no pieces flew in my face). That would be Snap-On, SK, Proto. Get the slightly less expensive stuff for general work. The Husky/Craftsman/Kobalt/Stanley quality stuff will serve you well.

You'll get good advice on this site, as well as Garage Journal and toolguyd. Good luck!

I have very few Harbor Freight hand tools but one did I'm glad I did buy was the big two handed impact gun, the one that looks like a machine gun. We use it like 2-3 times a year, for things like Axle Nuts, or Flywheel Nuts, but when you need it you need it. And it's about $350, compared to over $1000 for a Snap-on or other such brand.

An impact gun is a must have tool.

I was just at a mechanic who used this Snap On tool with a ratchet to remove the carburetors. It was much faster than me with my wrench.

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A multi-piece tool set will have a ratchet, extension, universal and socket. You DON'T need to buy THAT tool. It's a kind of specialty tool that makes things go faster, but not necessary to have. Nice to buy when you have a pretty complete tool set and you are browsing the Snap-On (candy store) truck.

At the shop, time is money.

A shop rag, hand towel tied in a loop over a bale makes it easy to pop the bale off.

All great suggestions above. The majority of fasteners on these cars are 13mm and 10mm, with a few 17mm, 19mm and 14mm. You can go a long way with just wrenches and sockets for those. But here's my list...

Early phases of the 914 addiction:

– Amazon prime membership and bookmarks for 914rubber, pelican parts, belmetric, Auto Atlanta. Also a large recycle bin for all the cardboard boxes .
– Good 3/8 & 1/4 ratchet kit with medium and long extensions. Also deep sockets.
– Regular length metric spanner set
– Short (stubby) metric spanner set
– 3/8 M8 triple-square
– Rotating jaw-type 3/8 oil filter wrench
– T handle hex assortment
– 3/8 hex sockets in 4, 5 and 6 sizes
– Assorted length and size screwdrivers
– Assorted metric nuts and bolts
– 3/8 torque wrench accurate between 8 ft-lbs and 35 ft-lbs.
– Crimping tool and box of assorted spade, bullet and eye terminals
– A quality hydraulic jack and pin-type jack stands (stay away from the ratcheting style)
– Dremel with grinding and cutting discs
– Power drill with assorted bits and wire wheels
– Vice-grips
– Pry bar

Advanced disease:

–3HP Compressor and 1/2" impact wrench
–1/2 Impact socket set
–1/2" breaker bar
–1/2" torque wrench and sockets
–Quickjack or mid-rise lift
–Seal puller
–Bearing separator
–Multimeter for testing electrical circuits
–Tangerine Racing engine jack plate
–Mig welder
–Micrometer
–Shop press
–Shop crane with lifting straps
–Engine stand with type IV yoke

I'm sure there's more, but this should get you well on the road to addiction!

Sometimes you can find a good used set on craigslist, auctions, yard sales, pawn shops, friends, family, etc.
At least 20% of my tools are used deals, biggest one is my car lift.

Your at the top a a VERY slippery slope. EVERY tool becomes essential, once you have it, and use it. Then you see more that you need. Its endless!

Credit card, cell phone and AAA ? Those are all pretty small tools

Yes on AAA, anyone driving a classic car should have it. Even the best vintage machine will break at strange times. Like when you're at the dentist and the car backfires and blows all the lines. I did have to show the AAA guy how to load it. He was saying, "It's gonna scrape, there's nothing I can do!"
I asked if he had any blocks, he did, put those under the front wheels, he was amazed!!!!

A couple of flare nut wrenches, for brake line work. You don't need to buy a whole set, 11, 12, 13 and maybe a 14. Also a long 8 mm to bleed the brakes.
I bought all of my tools one at a time.
4 tool boxes and 2 tool cabinets later.

Like many others, I also started with a Craftsman mechanics set. Also stated earlier, tools are a disease and the more work you do, the more you'll find justification for the specialty tools. But I'll also say that there is a great reward and pride in understanding the machine you're driving and being able to do the work yourself.

One tool not mentioned that I've found worthwhile, especially in those tight spots is a 13mm swivel socket. Sometimes having the swivel built directly into the socket gives you that extra bit of clearance that you need. I've only ever needed it in 13mm though.

I'd like to order one of these. My time is more expensive than my mechanic's time. Does it matter whether it's 1/4 or 3/8 drive? I mean, would 1/4 drive improve accessibility?

1/4 drive will not produce the torque needed for most fasteners.