Poll: what do you take with you?

[JohnG]

Hypothetical scenario: you're headed off on a trip in your Squarebird (or other TBird) with your wife. 100 miles or more each way. Weekend.

What have you got with you in the trunk? No matter how hard you have worked on the car, it's still 50+ years old

Just curious.

John

[LuckyJay]

We are doing that very thing tomorrow.
My answer... 2 lawn chairs, a golf umbrella, a fire extinquisher (just because it is an AACA requirement and I have a spare), multi-purpose screwdriver, channel locks, vise grips, 2 old towels, 2 grease rags, a box including 1 quart of oil, 1/2 quart ATF, 1/2 gallon of pre-mixed coolant, jumper cables and back-up battery pack for the satellite radio. And of course the spare tire and jack.

[bird 60]

Good question John. Even though I check my Bird regularly, I would double check all the Fluids plus Tire pressure including the Spare that a lot of us tend to neglect. However, even though I have my Jack set I would get in touch with the Roadside emergency service to change a flat as my Bird is show quality. I pay for the priverlidge so why not. If circustances don't permit I carry a piece of carpet to place on the inner part of the Jack so I don't scratch or damage the Bumper. A bottle of Water, Fan belt, Upper & Lower Water Hoses,Pliers, Screwdrivers, adjustable Spanner, a couple of popular size round & open end spanners 1/2'' & 5/8", Duct Tape, Cloth or Towels, aTorch, my Cell Phone, & a good Book for my wife to read in case (( not that we would, after all it is a Ford)) we break down.

Chris....From the Land of OZ.

[Dan Leavens]

John that's a very good question and one that will be good for many of our members. I always have in the trunk(s) :

1) Small bag of tools
2) Jumper Cables
3) Fire Extinguisher
4) Two (2) Litres of oil
5) Flashlight
6) Extra fan belt
7) Double lawn chair, umbrella and water/juices.

Prior to any trip, I top up the fluids and also check the tire pressure along with a visual on the moving parts. Looked at the 60 last year before heading out,was sitting on an angle( drivers side down ) and found that the shock bolts had one fell out and one was loose

[simplyconnected]

These are all very good suggestions. I like to carry a small plastic tool 'kit' with basic tools (Channellocks, medium-sized screw driver, cutters), and 18" of #16AWG copper wire. For the spare wheel, I carry a scissors jack and cross-iron. (The jack folds down to nothing and the handle hinges in the middle. I like lifting my car from a spring perch whenever possible.)

Fluids are a 'must have', especially a gallon of plain water, and a gallon of gasoline. (One time when my gas gauge lied.) A qt of oil can't hurt.

I keep all the liquids in a cardboard box where they fit perfectly. If you're worried, line the box with a plastic garbage bag. I've never had a problem except the one time I ran out of gas.

[Anders]

A little bag with some tools, extra fuel ( approx. 5 liters ), a flashlight and some money

[Dakota Boy]

jumper cables.
various fuses.
small crescent wrench.
multi-bit screwdriver.

cell phone.

and GAS MONEY.

the 460 is a gas-aholic

[LuckyJay]

Just now returned... 195 mile round trip used 3/4 tank of gas and only needed the lawn chairs from the trunk. Yipee!

[SandyBoy]

An umbrella, a cell phone with charger, a gallon of drinking water, a couple of ice cold sodas, in cans *usually RC Cola), change, money credit card, and a cooler chest with perhaps a big oversized corned beef & pastrami on rye sandwich, some fruit. Oh, and a battery Booster Jump Start.
You were thinking tools? The "tool" I need is that cell phone & the C.C.
(Credit Card.)

[scumdog]

Me?
A fistful of needed spanner sizes (wrenches for USA types) wrapped in a rag.
Spare fuses
Jumper leads
My 'special tool' for tightening power-steering belt.
Electrical tape & some cable-ties.
A couple of screw-drivers
Car-care products

To add to the above a.s.a.p.:
Fire Extinguisher
Spare fan-belt

I've gone from "Oh gosh I better take a spare of anything I might ever need" to "take enough to keep me going in the most likely events"

[Dan Leavens]

Sandy only you would come up with corn beef & pastrami on rye as a survival item. But then again that doesn't sound like a bad idea, as a man has to eat That just made me hungry so I am off for breakfast

[JohnG]

I am never going out without a quality sandwich again.

Now I take the view that a) I never want to get towed/trailered b) I dont want to be stuck for want of something that I could have easily had with me.

So I have an oak tool box in the trunk. Not very big - about 2' x 1' by 6" high with a lid to hide the stuff.

Also I have, up in front of the spare and behind the back seat a compact floor jack. No intention of using the bumper jack on those expensively rechromed bumpers - die first!!

The car needs three things to run: gas, spark and compression. The motor has 9,000 miles on it since rebuild so I am counting on it to not fall apart.

Gas: mechanical fuel pumps do fail. Been there. So I have a Carter electric pump in the trunk with wires ready to hook in near the ballast resistor in case the mechnical pump fails.

Spark: I still have points (Accel) so I carry an extra set and a condensor. Also a coil. All this takes up less space than a good Reuben sandwich. Further I carry a ballast resistor and I would really encourage you guys to think of this because a) it can go b) anyone can replace it in under a minute

Other: a cheap multimeter, some small jumper cables, but long, a tube of RTV, fuses and a spare spark plug.

Why the plug? If I want to know if I have spark, just pull a wire off, plug the extra one in, take a jumper and crank the motor over and watch.

Chemicals: a quart of oil, one of tranny fluid, a can of brake fluid. Little room used up.

Tools: a small set of sockets, 15/16" offset wrench for the crank, screwdrivers etc

Gauges: can help you see trouble coming in advance. I have an installed ammeter and oil pressure. Under the hood is fuel pressure.

The trunk still has a ton of room and looks neat with stuff tucked into the oak tool box.

Sometimes I have a 12V drop light that hooks up to the battery.

Have never needed any of this stuff to be honest. It "keeps the demons away". Have helped other guys along the road though.

[SandyBoy]

Here's How:

Take man that is not mechanical (me)
Add to that Man has no tools (me)
Man does know how to jump dead battery
(man takes jumper and very very very long
extention cord) I have these 2 items
Man might have to wait many moons
for pay-help. Man gets thirsty, H2O & RC Cola
fixes that.
Man gets hungry, takes along husky sandwich,
meat for energy...
Man takes cell phone to call for help (or to call
wife for help in bringing another sandwich!!
Credit Card to pay

1.) Calls wife, complains
2.) Calls AAA or local Serv. Station
3.) Drinks some H2O to ward off dehydration
4.) Eats Sandwich & drinks soda.
5.) Help Arrives.

Really very simple BUT WAIT....
Help does not arrive !!!!!

Man uses CELL PHONE to call wife to for rescue mission !!