by Jeff Shade

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree… that’s how the traditional tune goes. As a kid, it just didn’t make sense. I mean, how could you give Danny Bonaduce in a pear tree? He’s the only “Partridge” I knew of, and a pear tree?… I’d never even considered it. Obviously, I watched too much TV. Now I sort of get it, but then again don’t. Keep your little bird and the tree, I’ll take metal shears and a buffer thank you!

Tools are what car-guys want. You can never have too many. Never mind that you’ll never use some of them, you’ve just got to have them in case. There are some things however, that are necessities if you’re planning to restore any part of a collector or classic car - socket sets, open-end wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. These are the staples. But there are plenty of more specialized tools that are sure handy to have. Media blast cabinets, metal shears, buffers, car skates, and body hammers fall into this category. Hence, the theme of the cover story for this first edition of Classic Car Garage Online. These are ten tools that I personally own and endorse. I couldn’t work without them.

You don’t need all these to restore a car, but they make the various jobs go faster and easier. If nothing else, consider this a “wish list”. Buy (or receive as a gift) the best tools you can acquire. They’ll likely serve you well for many years to come. Some may never need to be replaced. So if you’ve been a good boy, didn’t keep any secrets about cars you bought from your wife, and taken out the trash, you may find one or more of these under your Christmas tree. Happy Holidays and good luck with your restoration!

Media Blast Cabinet

I don’t know what I’d do without my media blast cabinet. When restoring a car, you really need one of these to remove rust and clean up metal parts. A blast cabinet uses compressed air to shoot grains of sand, or less abrasive media, at a rusty part to strip it to bare metal. With crushed walnut shells or other soft media, it will efficiently strip paint from any metal part you can fit into it. This is the 780-TL model from TP Tools. The work area inside is 34” wide, 22” deep, and 20 ½ inches high. The top-opening door makes fitting large items in easily. It’s easy to use – just open the door, pour in the abrasive, put your hands in the gloves, pull the trigger, and clean up most any metal part right down to pristine, clean metal. It comes fully assembled, with the exception of the legs and funnel. The only thing you need is a source of compressed air and a shop vac to clear dust inside the work area. This unit normally sells for $369, but is sale priced for $299. It’s available from TP Tools at 800-321-9260 or online at www.tptools.com.

Bulls Eye Pick

Anyone who’s ever tried to use the pick end of a body hammer to raise a ding and missed, only to create a raised ding next to the original one, will appreciate this tool. It’s Eastwood’s 15-inch Bulls Eye Pick. With this tool hitting the right spot is foolproof. Just place the metal ding in the tool’s site, pull the handle, and the pick end hits the ding in just the right spot. It really makes repairing dings in blind areas, as well as around braces and hard-to-reach places, a breeze. It’s spring loaded to return to the open position when the handle is released. It really makes faster and more precise work of dimpled sheet metal. It’s also powder-coated so it’s durable. These picks also come in 20 and 30 inch reaches. The 15-inch model is $74.99. Eastwoood can be reached at 800-345-1178 or online at www.eastwood.com.

Drive-On Car Skates

Want to utilize every square inch of garage space? These Drive-On car skates are just the ticket for moving your vehicle around. The difference between these skates and most others is that you can just drive on them with out the need for jacking up the vehicle first. Amazingly, they stay in place when you drive up on them. It takes me about three minutes to put my car on or take it off. I have the Classic Guides, which are rated for 1250 pounds each, but they also have an XL version that’s a bit wider to accommodate bigger tires and has extra casters to handle up to 1900 pounds each. They’re not cheap, but their durable construction will make them last a long time and make moving any vehicle around so much easier. They’re sold in pairs. One pair is $259 plus S&H. A discount is given when buying 2 pair - (4 skates total) is $499 plus S&H. The phone number is Toll Free 877-834-9665. The web site is www.driveonskates.com

Powder Coating Kit

It’s hard to beat the durability that powder coating offers. This setup from the Eastwood Company makes it easy for anyone to achieve pro results at a fraction of the cost of going to a powder shop. It’s is one of the most useful tools I have. Compared to paints, powder is easier to apply because there are no drips or runs, no need for a booth, and the part can be put back into use in an hour. Just clean the part to bare metal, shoot it with powder, then bake it in an old electric oven or toaster oven that’s not going to be used for anything else, and you’re done. The gun uses a self-contained powder cartridge for storage and quick color changes. This version of the tool does not need compressed air. The kit comes with a gun with it’s own air source, power unit, high temp masking tape, silicone plugs, hooks, and instructions. You’ll get years of use from this tool and produce durable parts that’ll stand up to a beating without a chip. The kit is normally $149.99, but for a limited time it’s $119.99. Contact the Eastwood Company at 800-345-1178 or look them up on the web at www.eastwood.com.

Airbrush Kit

Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience creating graphics or flames, this is my recommendation and tool of choice – The Eastwood Pro Airbrush Kit. This kit has everything you need – air compressor, filter/regulator, airbrush with a .3mm nozzle, and a sampler pack of water based colors. I use mine for striping and flame graphics. My artistic skills are just average, but with some traced graphics, I’ve been able to create some really nice work. Eastwood also sells a reusable one-sided motorcycle gas tank made of ABS plastic that’s great for practicing on. It even has mounting tabs to hang on the wall in case you want to show off your handy work. The Pro Airbrush kit is $274.99 and the motorcycle practice tank is $39.99. Contact the Eastwood Company at 800-345-1178 or www.eastwood.com.

Body Repair Tools

The basic tools of the restoration shop are the various hammers and dollys used for repairing damaged sheet metal. Here’s the perfect set to get you started practicing and repairing your car’s metal skin. It’s a 7 piece professional hammer and dolly set. This kit comes with cross-chisel, shrinking, and utility pick hammers, as well as 4 common dollys to back your work. Balance and a good feel are important in choosing body hammers, and these tools have both. The handles are fiberglass and are securely attached to the heads with a round wedge. The set comes in a handy plastic case and should last a lifetime. This is the only set I need to do any basic sheet metal repair. Adding these tools to your collection is the foundation to your auto body toolbox. The kit goes for $89.99 and can be purchased from The Eastwood Company by calling 800-345-1178 or shopping online at www.eastwood.com.

Polishing Kit

Want to polish up your car’s stainless, aluminum, or even plastic, but don’t want the hassle of sending them out for polishing? The answer for you is the Enkay Deluxe Polishing kit. You don’t need a buffer motor for this, just an electric drill. Just put a bit, bob, or buffing wheel on your drill, lightly coat it with compound, and spin the polishing tool along the surface of the part, and let the coated buff do the work for you. You’ll see residue coming off the part as you polish. Continue with finer and finer compounds till you’ve achieved a shiny, scratch-free surface. The final step is to clean up the polished part and apply a protective coating, such as wax. I’ve been able to achieve a mirror-like finish to my car’s bright work in no time at all with this kit. I highly recommend it. The deluxe kit includes, felt cones, a variety of buffs, and compounds. Enkay also has a free downloadable booklet online called “How To Polish Like A Pro”. The kit pictured retails for $44.95. You can get it from Enkay Polishing Systems by calling 718-272-5570 or on the web at www.enkaypolishing.com.

Vibratory Tumbler

When restoring a vehicle for show, it’s always best to try to use the original fasteners if possible. That’s where this vibratory tumbler comes in handy. It’s perfect for returning nuts, bolts, screws, or any small part to a clean, rust free state. It actually vibrates an abrasive media against the parts similar to the principal your wife’s jewelry cleaner works on. It’s really simple and clean to use. Just pour in the desired media, drop in the parts to be cleaned, and just turn it on. Depending on the type and condition of the parts to be cleaned, it takes from 1 to 4 hours. This is the economy model that’ll handle parts up to 3” long. They have three other units that will accommodate parts up to 4”, 6”, and 10” long. The kit comes with an 8” bowl, 2.5 pounds of rust-cutting media, and 2 pounds of polishing media. It sells for $99.99 and is from Eastwood at 800-345-1178 or www.eastwood.com.

Metal Cutting Shears

There are many ways to cut sheet metal, but this is my favorite and personal recommendation – sheet metal sheers. Mine are from TP Tools as is my media blast cabinet. The reason I prefer these shears is because they give a nice, clean cut without warping or deforming the sheet metal. These pistol-grip shears cut through metal up to 20 gauge with ease. It uses a moving blade in the middle with two fixed ones on either side. The blades are replaceable when they wear out. In my opinion, this is the best way to cut out rusted sheet metal and for cutting or trimming replacement panels. It cuts at 2,600 stokes per minute and is air powered.

The price is $69 and is available from TP Tools at 800-321-9260 or by going to www.tptools.com.

Backyard Buddy

The folks at Backyard Buddy know safety is the first priority in a 4 post freestanding lift. This is a well-engineered, quality, easy-to-use tool. It employs electric over hydraulic power, so it has plenty of power to lift any automobile, standard pickup truck or sport utility vehicle. It uses structural 4X4 steel tubing with a closed steel leg surrounded by an exterior steel support jacket to prevent it from ever collapsing. The tread plates have angle iron reinforcement under them for an added level of support and to prevent them from bowing. There are also 12 locking positions that give a reassuring “click” to let you know you’re safe underneathThey come in several 7,000 pound capacity and 9,000 pound models, along with accessories. Get more info at www.backyardbuddy.com or call (800) 837-9353.

If you’ve been a good boy throughout the year – taken out the trash, walked the dog, and didn’t “forget” to tell your wife about the ’57 Pontiac Chieftain you bought, some of these tools just may find their way under your tree. Happy Holidays, and good luck with your restoration!

Cool Automotive Tip for December

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