I have a VS. What is everyone using to hold their tools and spare equipment in the front trunk? I saw some mention of medic bags. With the limited height of the space, I am think a couple of the overnight bags similar to this.
I have a VS. What is everyone using to hold their tools and spare equipment in the front trunk? I saw some mention of medic bags. With the limited height of the space, I am think a couple of the overnight bags similar to this.
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Since we're on this topic what tools should be in a tool roll for our Speedsters.
Cory D did these for Carlisle few years ago ('14) - might be an x Speedster owner willing to part with theirs? They were just the right size for spare fan belt, plugs and a few tools. Try to find the old VW combo lug/spark plug wrench, pliers and combo screw driver.
I think these are like the bags that Cory had embroidered-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/11-ca...0:g:39cAAOSwj0NUi3xT
I have this GRiots bag that works pretty well but I also keep a few tools in my spare tire
I use a Carhartt roll - works pretty well for basic hand tools.
Tool roll and a couple of Harbor Freight canvas tool bags. The more tools the better weight distribution.
Robert M posted:Since we're on this topic what tools should be in a tool roll for our Speedsters.
I meant to include a link earlier but the link was no good. Walmart has a reasonably priced tool roll:
Divide and conquer that cramped space next to the battery that's so hard to get into.
I found that once I had all the tools Terry Nuckels said I needed, that no one bag would squeeze in there.
So I split them into these three little canvas bags from Sears. Voila!
And twelve bucks for the set - such a deal!
Thanks all! Getting close to being “done” for now with the projects so it’s time to put some miles on it and need to load up the frunk for just in case.
I carry "more", but after 15 years I'm still learning what is needed. Tools are fine, but it's the small spares that come in even handier. Bits of wire, a hose clamp or two, etc. I carry stuff I probably shouldn't, and some stuff I wish for at times is just too heavy and bulky (a hammer, etc.)
A man can get carried away, but there's nothing quite as satisfying as having what you need on the road to keep going.
Godspeed in your travels.
Stan Galat posted:Bits of wire, a hose clamp or two, etc. I carry stuff I probably shouldn't, and some stuff I wish for at times is just too heavy and bulky (a hammer, etc.)
I can attest to the hose clamps, thanks agin @Stan Galat.
This $9 roll kit would fit above the gas tank - comes in solid black too.
I carry too much, but my bag also serves as ballast. It's 13"x8"x7" and fits up front perfectly.
I pack like it's going to be an adventure. I especially do it when I'm Mtn biking or hiking.
I just tow this ....
@James Garrett this is what I carry in the trunk of my VS. The assorted tools wrapped in an old t-shirt (which I wear when doing on-road repair) includes 10-17mm ratchet-box end wrenches, extending magnet (to retrieve the 10mm wrench or nut I invariably drop in the engine bay), zip ties, medium crescent wrench, medium vise grip, medium channel lock pliers, needle nose pliers, plus other assortment of wire, hose clamps, etc. click on pic to enlarge.
This $9 roll kit would fit above the gas tank - comes in solid black too.
Great find, just ordered a blue one to go with the car color
Hey Jim, what size wheel and tire are you using? Do you have a little jack? I wanted to put a spare in but didn’t think anything would fit.
Duh, I didn’t read the captions. I see the jack in the spare. I have the 4 wheels that came on the car after I bought the alloys but I think it’s a 5.5” and didn’t think it would clear.
I bought a 3" drag wheel and space-saver spare. It's pretty light and tiny. I'd like a lightweight and more compact jack. We'll see.
Here's the spare wheel and tire VS installs as an option for four-bolt cars. I think they have something similar for wide-5's, but I'm not sure - give Kirk a call.
This is a narrow rim and Chinese 135x15 tire, which will probably get you home in a pinch (don't try running Auto-X with it, though).
If I recall, it was $125 for rim and tire. You could probably do better at a junkyard, but there's a day out of your life and maybe a skinned knuckle or two as well.
Once I installed my heater, a lot of stuff in the Frunk had to go: Bigger battery, spare tire, etc.
So I took stock of what I was carrying and tried to reduce it to mostly unique stuff for MY car, plus the usual tools and things and what I ended up with seems to be working, so far, but as yet without any incident that would test it (other than helping out others on the road with spares from my kit).
So here's what's in my Frunk (sorry for the slightly distorted photos - Powerpoint does that):
This is the overall layout, with captions:
I have two tool bags; one behind the passenger seat with my snail gauge, 2 walkie talkies and charger, remote for the stereo (I found it!), stop light prism, LED flashlight, and a few micro-fiber cloths.
In the Frunk, the top left is the fender cover for when I put gas in, then the first aid kit is from West Marine - pretty complete for a small kit and I re-stock the degradeables every Spring because the Coast Guard told me to when I had boats.
The blue box at the top, far right, is the fuse/relay box - it has its' own set of fuse spares and one spare DPDT relay.
The bag at the top, middle of the Frunk ("Hood Tool Kit") has:
Multi-tip screwdriver (Phillips and "-"), tire gauge, spare wheel bolt/nut set, Leatherman Utility Tool (pliers, knife, wire stripper, etc), medium water pump pliers (good for electrical crimps), 36mm Pulley wrench, Metric wrenches in a roll (8-9-10-11-12-14-17-19), Pre-gapped W8AP Platinum spark plug, 3/8" ratchet + 2" wobbly extension + magnetic Plug socket, set of metric Allen Wrenches in a holder, 17mm Allen wrench (for Tranny), roll of blue tape and probably a few more things I've forgotten.
Behind the driver's seat is a scissors jack with lug wrench/crank attached plus a Gortex windbreaker and a few microfiber cloths.
Inside of the round, white spares carrier (it used to neatly fit inside of my Spare Tire...sigh):
More fuses (the fuse box has a full set of spares, too), Fan belt, Valve cover gasket, spare relays, front directional bulbs (unique), Throttle Cable + end barrel terminator for the linkage arm, Clutch Cable, Sump gaskets for VW sump, 12 ga wire roll, Misc hose clamps, Misc. Cotter Pins, Misc hardware nuts/bolts/screws), Misc. VW engine gaskets, spare long plug wire, spare coli wire (unique), Mechanics wire roll, Electrical Tape roll, Points/Condenser, Misc 1/4" "Faston" tabs, misc inline crimp connectors, 2 pairs of Nytrile Gloves, 1 large trash bag (for removed wheel), Plastic fuel filter + hoses + clamps.
When the spare tire got deleted I added a 12V air compressor and a tire plug kit:
I used to have room in the Frunk for a spritzer of detailing spray and a California Duster. The spritzer only gets added in warm weather when the heater isn't used as it fits in the space to the right of the heater body. There is still a little room out there for small stuff (really small stuff), but I have several places around the car where I can fit stuff totally out of sight. I can even fit a decent sized cooler on the back seat!
Gordon has more stuff in his frunk than I have in my shop...
Yeah, but you've got a lift!
Dang, I just need to follow gord around . But seriously thanks for the info good list to get packed
There's one of Cory's bags in Gordon's frunk! We need an embroidered patch like is used on those bags - would be great for a hat or jacket too.
Both of my bags are "Cory Drake Originals", the "Michael Kors" of the SOC. When I had two Speedsters I bought Carlisle bags that year for both, then sold the red Speedster (wonder where that is, now, Alan?)
As I've said before, yes it's a lot of stuff and the spares have been almost always for someone else's car that broke down, but it all fits and nothing is cramped. I would also recommend that you look at the list and decide what you need to be comfortable going farther distances with your car and pack that stuff. Just pack your unique or hard to find parts.
Any of the box stores have tool bags that will fit your stuff, but collect the "stuff" first to know what you have and then go out and get a bag. Don't scrimp and buy a cheaper vinyl bag, either - get a good, preferably canvass one that will hold up to the weight of what's in there AND last. That's important.
One last thing; Rather than carting around a set of points and condenser (which I can't even use in my car!), think about getting another distributor set up exactly the same as your normal one, complete with rotor, cap and timing clamp. Run it in the car to set the timing and make sure everything is OK, then remove it by removing the nut that holds the timing clamp on so the clamp goes with the Disti. Then put your original back in and carry the spare disti complete with everything. If the ignition fails you can quickly pull the dead Disti and pop in the spare and everything is pre-set to go. BIG time saver on the road!
Any one thinking of getting one of our cars should look at this page and guage the comfort one has with driving when we are mortly carrying the complete garage and spare parts with us .... now that might bring them a reality check and prevent some from jumping in uninformed.
It isn't really different from most of the "sport cars" during that era...They all offered road tool kits. I just happen to carry some spare parts along with the tool kit.
BTW: Below is an original 356 tool kit (now worth around $1,500). My kit is about the same, just made up differently, but if all you wanted to carry was a minimum, then this is it. The Phillips screwdriver doubles as the handle for the spark plug wrench as the "spark plug wrench pin" is pretty much useless.
And trust me - - I have a heck of a lot more tools than this in the garage/shop. Two six foot tall roll-arounds plus several counter drawers. That's why I don't buy big tools anymore - no place to put em!
Gordon, all you're missing is the kitchen sink....
I've got two Cory Speedster bags, and they go in the RF of my frunk. I use them for ballast like Carlos. They help to balance my front corner weights to even.
One bag is all tools, the other has carb cleaner, snail, small digital mutimeter, test light, and a bunch of spares(plugs, VC gaskets, contact cement, bits of wire, tape, ty-raps, springs, hose, clamps, bolts, nuts, and idle jets).
Waiting on my roll up toolkit but got some stuff packed in
I bought the red and black roll up one too from link I provided - it's on a slow boat from China! Funny how some Chinese stuff comes in a few days and other takes months.
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