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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - New Whitworth tools

I have a set of metric/SAE ratcheting wrenches which I find very handy for hard to get spots (pulley bolts, the rear engine plate, etc). I was surprised to see on ebay while looking for a single tool that you can now buy Whitworth ratcheting wrenches. Expensive, naturally, but for the guy who had the pockets, these would be handy!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/King-Dick-British-Whitworth-ratcheting-wrench-set-BSW-English-tools-UK-made-/311492682027?hash=item488669212b:g:fQgAAOxy83JRHpOS&item=311492682027&vxp=mtr
Geoffrey M Baker

nice
mog

Pricey indeed at £165.72 / $250.00.

If you buy from one of King Dick's official resellers they can beat the that price by a good bit... check out the sale on them here (£122.57 / $184.90):

http://www.abbotstools.co.uk/King-Dick-Whitworth-7-Piece-Ratchet-Combination-Wrench-Set?search=KGW2228

Yeah, still pricey, but have you looked at Snap-On prices lately? Yikes.

BTW, Craftsman is having a heck of a sale on tools here in the US... check it out..

http://www.sears.com/tools-craftsman-tools-craftsman-tool-sets-hand-tools/b-1324447302?sortOption=UNITS_HIGH_TO_LOW&viewItems=50
Kevin McLemore

Just curious - other than for us crazies working on T-series MGs, is there any use for Whitworth tools? Jud
J. K. Chapin

Well, for me they also work on my 1949 Triumph. But yes, if you work on any other LBCs they may still be of use... for example, many S.U. carburettor and Lucas components continued to employ Whitworth and British Standard (BS/BA) fasteners well into the 1970's.
Kevin McLemore

Oh, and BTW, many of you may not know this but Sears Craftsman used to make BS/BA/W wrenches, too... I have several in my box, and here's a couple for sale on fleaBay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Craftsman-British-Standard-Whitworth-Open-End-Wrench-2-PIECES-/252187978113

Other US mfg's also made them... I also have a couple of Proto wrenches in BA/BS/W.
Kevin McLemore

That was my thought Jud, I was surprised to find someone decided to make ratcheting wrenches in Whitworth size!
Geoffrey M Baker

If you have a T series MG, you need a set of Whitworth (or British Standard Fine wrenches), although it is not necessary to break the bank getting them. I have four sets of Whitworth wrenches. The first set are Shefield wrenches that I got fro Moss Motors many years ago at a reasonable price, I later got a set from British Tools and Fasteners. They are the Everest brand (made in in India I believe), they are adequate but not well finished. I also came into ownership of a set made in West Germany (remember that). My biggest coup was a nearly brand new King Dick set from a local advert. I also have a set of BA wrenches (think ignition wrenches).

Between working on our TD over the years and my restoration of SU fuel pumps, I keep all of them in use.
Cheers,
DW DuBois

Years ago I bought a set of Metrinch tools. They fit Metric, SAE and BSF/Whitworth. They have their drawbacks, but they are quality tools and, even though I have some Whitworth stuff, they will do the job.

There are lots of Whitworth/BSF/BA tools for sale on eBay.
David Littlefield

I also have a set of metrinch spanners, they stay in the tool bag that gets put in car, that way I dont have to think what to carry, very handy and inexpensive.
mog

I have a set of old whitworth wrenches and two sets of whitworth sockets, I use them all the time. It annoys me when I have to go to metric (ex, I have two replacement fan bolts and two original, the Moss heads are 11mm and much bigger than the originals), but you don't always have much of a choice with new parts.
But I love ratcheting wrenches, they make easy work of fiddly bolts in tight places. Pity these Whitworth ratcheting wrenches are so expensive.
I thought about metrinch, but have just never gotten around to them. Handy esp for travelling to have one wrench that fits every head type!
Geoffrey M Baker

Good for hammering - they grip the middle so if the nut/bolt is slightly rounded or damaged will still grip.
mog

I just bought from Home Depot a new wrench by Crescent. One end is a regular crescent wrench with a reversible jaw that makes it a pipe wrench. At the handle end is a ratchet that holds 10 included pass through sockets that are marked SAE/Metric. Looks like it will also work on some Whitworth fastners for light duty work.
Bob McLeod TD 5618

When I first got the TD, if the bolt head did not fit an SAE or a Metric it did not come off. I knbew nothing about Whitworth/BSF.
About 2 years later,circ 1968, I was working for ITT in Florida and they sent me to the UK, to an STS (long gone) facility in Paignton in the UK. On a Saturday off, one of the British engineers took me to the local Ironmonger's and I loaded up on BSF box wrenches and sockets, (Made in India.)( By then I had, and still do most of a set of Snap-On open end wrenches).
Not to loose them I carried them back in my briefcase. There was a bit of explaining to do, when coming through customs in Miami.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Be aware that ratchet type ring spanners are usually too bulky to fit into the confined spaces that are the norm for our T Types. The better the quality of your tools the narrower the wall thickness of the ring and open ended profile.

G Evans

I have a set of new whitworth double end wrenches from Moss. There are six in a plastic bag. They are still held together by the wrapping tape as received from Moss. The part number on package is 383-618.KING DICK is maker
They have never been opened and the the largest one is 7/8 x 3/4W. The sizes on the rest are hidden by the way they are wrapped but the smallest one of the six appears to be 8.43mm on small end with 11.69 on large.These measurements are with a dial caliper through a small incision in plastic wrap as I do not wish to open packaging.

Make is KING DICK.
I am certain that I purchased them at least 15 years ago and they were approximately $150.00 then.
I am open to reasonable offers. I can supply photos.
Sandy Sanders

Sandy

I still have the original plastic pouch my Craftsman Whitworth wrenches had when I bought them in the late 50’s. I also have a set of Dunlap Whitworth sockets from the same era. Dunlap tools were sold by Sears but were of much lower quality than Craftsman.

Joe



Joe Olson

This thread was discussed between 01/12/2015 and 03/12/2015

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