• Early cars came with elaborate tool kits.vintage ford image by charles taylor from Fotolia.com
  
  The Ford Motor company made a lot of cars in the first half of the twentieth century, but the famous ones were the model A and the model T. In those days you had to be a mechanic --- or have a chauffeur who was a mechanic --- to own a car. The cars broke down a lot and there were few professional mechanics. All of these early cars came with elaborate tool kits.
  
  

Early Fords

• Ford model numbers are confusing. The first model A is followed by model C, and the second model A was followed by the model T. There was a model B --- much favored by hot rod enthusiasts --- but it followed the model T. There was also models Y, CX, 7W, 7Y and 18. The model 18 introduced the first V-8 engine. All of these models had elaborate tool kits for removing engines, taking off the real axle and making repairs that are definitely beyond the abilities of modern drivers. The lack of mechanics, the lack of paved roads and the untested designs of the early cars meant that you could expect to repair the car almost every time you drove it.
  
  

Model A Tools

• The first model A was manufactured in 1903 and 1904. The famous model A was manufactured from 1927 to 1931. All the tools had part numbers that started with an A. The tool bags were part number A-1705. For a few dollars more you could get a tool box (A-1706) that mounted in front of the radiator. Some of the tools in the tool kit were tire irons (A-17019), the crank that was used to start the engine (A-17036), the jack handle (A-17081) and the "engine lift" (A-17022). The engine lift was a device with a large hook that screwed into the hole where the spark plug screwed into the engine block. It was used to lift the engine out of the car so you could work on it.
  
  

Model T Tools

• The model T was manufactured from 1908 until 1927. It was the first car produced by the assembly line technique that Henry Ford introduced. The early model T's had tool rolls with pockets --- the tool box was introduced in 1925. The tool roll fit behind the gas tank. All the model T tools had part numbers that started with a T --- the tool box was T-1368. The T-1349 hubcap wrench appeared in 1910. The T-1389 adjustable wrench, the T-1902 screwdriver, the T-1903 pliers, the T-1904 spark plug wrench, the T-2337 oil can, the T-2338 tire pump and the T-2340 tire iron all appeared in 1913. The T-2335 cylinder head wrench appeared in 1915, and several minor modifications --- mostly to the jack --- appeared until 1927 when the model T was discontinued.