Which tools

[MAF]

Hi all,
Can someone shed some light on which spanner’s and sockets I need to buy for a resto and future maintenance on a 54 A10,
Whitworth, AF etc
Many thanks

[Rex]

You'll need Imperial spanners etc. Whitworth is a threadform not a spanner range.
No Unified or metric.

[CheeserBeezer]

The vast majority of nuts and bolts are referred to as 'Whitworth'. The spanners are also normally referred to as Whitworth or BSW. Typically, the sizes on the spanners are marked 1/4W or 1/4 BSW for example. I'd advise a set of sockets and a set of combination spanners. In some cases you'll need two spanners of the same size, e.g. engine bolts where there isn't room for a socket. Have a look at these....
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185214162605?_skw=whitworth+spanner+set&itmmeta=01JCKR3CH8SQJ57C1B31BW8CJM&hash=item2b1f9fd6ad:g:8ocAAOSwUXFbP4Vy&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA0HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKlxUn8P4js3rybfHP26943h966Db7Gfj2KzRIatgRfZ8lLFCtko0DMEwP7AgPT83Hywlyr0Fvv6hvMyZxX34wXxgmPAWgoyHFVnSjBkr02TSdhMyE0Pz91qEhM0t1ks2I1u7RE0AKP58kmjLVSPWfptzzOnmnqVUn2lYvZJi0U9ecnUpEYry4PcluaIkRV2WIE6Kzn0gWKjpcJJ490jlc%2FGfTGKrIaIQpcOihIkOIRtwzexH7R2LY5VGtDEo9JDX2I%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-DIjfjkZA

[limeyrob]

The wonderful thing about Whitworth spanners is that there are a lot less in a set. At the least you need 3/16, 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8. That will do about 90%.  There are some larger sizes - 3/4, 11/16, 7/8 that cover things like the rear wheel nut, the fork top nuts and oil strainer (I may be wrong about the exact sizes of these 3).
Since Whitworth spanners are hardly used now days you can get them very cheap, e-bay is good and old British spanners (Brittool, KingDick, Williams Superslim) are fantastic quality and last forever so 2nd hand is fine.  Brittool Whit sockets turn up at autojumbles, I got 6 for £4 a few weeks ago.  A few sockets are useful - big end nuts, but beware, some aftermarket parts use AF nuts with Whit and BSF threads to save money so there are (for example) 1/2" AF 5/16 BSC nuts around, very annoying.
All the Whitworth spanners do 2 sizes as the nuts are smaller on the fine threads BSF and BSC.  So a 1/4 Whit spanner does 5/16 BSF and BSC. This is very handy because you can look at the bolt or stud dia, if its coarse it will be the marked size, if its fine use one size smaller.  This sounds odd but it soon makes sense.
Every once in a while BSA will bowl you a googlie such as the 25/32 AF nut on the crank. Bizarrely they seem to have made far more 25/32 AF spanners than the world could ever need so there are loads on e-bay.  An added bonus is that Whit spanners fit BSP fittings so they will fit the petrol and oil pipe unions too.

[MAF]

Thanks all

[jhg1958]

I am not so sure about combination spanner’s, although I have a set.  I found an old set of open ended Whitworth spanners and these have been most useful. The set contains 2 of each size and having different sizes at each end of the spanner has been great saving loads of time just because I picked up the wrong size for the nut/bolt.

I suspect that most experienced people will always get the right size, but that is not me.

There are a few special tools needed depending on the scope of the restoration. Worth asking here before running off and buying any. There are loads about and many have worked arounds.

John

[Rex]

The vast majority of nuts and bolts are referred to as 'Whitworth'.

Usually by Americans. When I were t'lad about 200 years ago asking the stores for a "Whitworth spanner" would be the equivalent of asking for a bucket of steam, pair of sky hooks or a new bubble for the spirit level.
As the old wise ones used to say, ask specifically for what you need and there's a chance you might get what you require.

[Sakura]

The vast majority of nuts and bolts are referred to as 'Whitworth'.

Usually by Americans. When I were t'lad about 200 years ago asking the stores for a "Whitworth spanner" would be the equivalent of asking for a bucket of steam, pair of sky hooks or a new bubble for the spirit level.
As the old wise ones used to say, ask specifically for what you need and there's a chance you might get what you require.

Not so in my neck of the woods. Always known as Whitworth in garages and industry. Imperial was very rarely used.

[sean]

In Canada whitworth related tools are available new but not as good quality as the old original, I found a lot on different market place sites on fb and was given a lots of taps and dies from a friend whos father was a tool maker in UK .
in many cases you can measure a nut or bolt and find a metric or imperial close enough to use  but a good set of the proper tools are best.

[fffcycles]

Yes, good tools can be found. A lot of mine came from one of my uncles who inherited them from his Dad who worked for the Westinghouse Shops in Montreal. He started there in 1926 and that shop was electromechanical producing large motors, railway equipment and rebuilding steam locomotives including new boilers. Wow what a place it was when I visited in the early 60’s.
Frank