I don't have the time now to really attack my truck much more than an occasional parts removal, cleaning, and frame painting.

Since I won't be spending too much money on the truck at this point, I would like to start building my tool inventory for the restoration.

What would you recommend for tools outside of the basics? This will be not quite as big a tear down as Earl, but more than your typical daily driver.

Thanks.

 

Besides the basic sockets and wrenches, I would say WD-40, a 4.5" angle grinder, WD-40, wire brush (or get a wire cup for the angle grinder), WD-40, drill/drill bits, WD-40, chisels, WD-40, good heavy sledge hammer....did I mention WD-40 yet? Vice grips, pliers, adjustable wrench, channel locks...

I would say that out of all of those, for my frame-off, I think the angle grinder is the tool that came in the most handy. Not all of the bolts will come right off with just "wrenching" on them. Depending on how much rust you have, it's faster to grind the heads off and use a hammer and punch to get the rest out.

 

You will need a good air compressor and depending on how much of the work you plan to do yourself; a mig welder, a gas welding outfit for cutting and heating, jack stands, floor jack, small sand blaster, air cut off tools (die grinders), etc, etc, etc. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MANY TOOLS! AND BUY THE BEST QUALITY YOU CAN AFFORD.

 

in addition to what was already mentioned, on a lesser expense scale. I'd start with a ratcheting magnetic bit screwdriver, flex head ratchets, a set of flare nut wrenches, and improve your lighting overhead and all around. These little things will make life a bit easier.

 

As far as specialized tools are concened, go to your local suppliers, Auto Zone, NAPA, and ask them what tools they have as loaners. You can save a bunch to use on other important items.

 

For the 4.5" grinder which during my teardown and modification stages was/is probably my single most used tool (on my second one already), get the thick wheels for grinding down bolt heads and such, the thinner one for grinding or cutting and the really thin ones for cutting.

You can get by without an air compressor of any kind (some of us are), but a good, big air compressor is a wonderful thing. Just don't expect it to run a sand blaster.....

Air tools are a heck of a lot cheaper than the same tool with electric power.

If you do get a MIG welder and I strongly second that you do - make sure that you get one that is gas adaptable or has the gas now. You DO NOT want one that cannot be run with gas.

Any tools, especially hand tools - buy quality. Cheap stuff wont fit the nuts/bolts right and will break with no guaranty behind them. When good do break (and it isn't often) they usually have a lifetime guaranty. Get 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4 drive sockets and rachets. (You never count the cost of tools in a project anyway, cause you'll have them forever, no matter how many more projects you do in your life.)

Plan out everything you do ahead of time and don't be afraid to ask any question. With extremely few exceptions , no one in here will call you stupid (at least not meaning it seriously anyway).

 

couldn't do without my 4" angle grinder and Mig welder. I also find my Makita 3/8" right angle drill very handy for drilling in tight spaces and doubles as driver for small twist loc sanding disks and scotchbrite pads. If you don't buy anything else, buy yourself a full face shield! A quality set of 1/16"-1/2" twist drills and if you don't know how to sharpen them by hand buy a Drill Doctor (NOT one of the cheapies that look like a pencil sharpener!) for resharpening. A table or floor drill press and drill press vise.
A heavy duty 6" or larger bench vise. Irwin step drill bit for drilling sheet metal, and a range of sizes of bimetal hole saws. A portable power shears and/or nibbler that will handle up to at least 16 ga mild steel. At least two quality body hammers, one with flat and pick ends, and one double flat ended with one face ground/polished to a shallow convex. A heel dolly, a spoon dolly and a slap hammer. a homemade denim or purchased leather sandbag, and a medium and large pearshape headed nylon or delrin hammers. Duckbill and deep reach locking pliers, and a couple triangular welders magnetic triangles. A good shop vaccuum, a heavy duty flourescent hangup worklight.
A 25 watt soldering pencil and/or a butane cordless soldering pencil. Good pair of wire strippers and solderless terminal crimpers. Aluminum racers style floor jack, and 4 quality jack stands. 4 wheel dollys if your truck isn't going to be running for a while so you can move it around the drive/garage. A "cherry picker" engine hoist. quality 1/2" impact wrench if you have enough air or a Millwaukee 18V cordless one if you don't.

Man I could go on for pages...

 

speaking of cordless impacts...which brand is most recommended? The local salvage yard uses a snap-on which I was impressed with, but that one's awfully spendy. Also Makita probably makes the best cordless drill.

 

Other than the 4" Mikata grinder, a handy power tool I like is an electric Milwaukee impact wrench.

 

Although not cheap @ ~ 300.00 I absolutely love my Milwaulkee 18V cordless impact wrench, it's a serious pro quality tool that will do anything an air powered one will do. We change a LOT of tires at our races (as may as 16 four tire changes in a weekend) and it doesn't even make it breathe hard. I'd buy another in an instant if anything ever happened to this one. HIGHLY recommended!
Note: this is the 3rd time I've written a reply to this post. Each previous time FTE's server crashed the moment I hit the submit button and took my message with it to cyberspace.

 

I've just gotten a new "tool" (x3) that's a must for anyone doing their own panel forming, a 30" long section of a 12-14" diameter hardwood log. I had them cut for me out of the trees they took down clearing for my garage. I'll concave the top of one for forming dished shapes, the second I'll use for my sandbag, and the third to mount my anvil on. I picked up a 10" drawknife on ebay to debark the logs with.

 

Maybe this is a matter of semantics, but I actually use a pneumatic cut-off tool more than the angle grinder. They can cut muffler pipe, sheet metal, grind off heads on bolts, etc. They're only $20 at Harbor Freight and I would not spend any more than that for a "quality" one - just no benefit on these.

I would say the thing I have found most essential isn't really a "tool", but a workspace. By that I mean a heavy duty work table, about 3' x 4' minimum, well-lit, power outlets around it, a 6" or larger USA-made vise (if you can find one), and anchored so that you can really do some pulling/banging/twisting on stuff in the vise without the whole thing falling down or shaking. An 1/8"-thick steel plate on top, or heavy sheet metal over 3/4" plywood, so you can heat or weld without fear of fire. (You of course have a fire extinguisher, right?!) Working on the floor, or on saw-horses, just isn't any good. I did it for most of my life and one day I just got sick of it!!

 

I had a buddy put together a heavyduty bench made of wood. Uprights were 4x4's boxed in with Lp wood sliding doors, and a laminated top using 2x4's glued together(24 of'em making a 36" top) it has a powerstrip mounted on the front and a big vise on top in the corner. The wood top isn't very loud when you beat on it as opposed to a metal top. It's lasted me several years. All I told him was I wanted to be able to rebuild a tranny on it. It's proven capable. Oh, and thanx Ax, the milwaukee sounds about $200 less than the snap-on. I've been in the market for one. Easier than carrying hose all around the back forty for pulling parts.

 

I thought MIG welding was Metal Inert Gas how could you have a MIG unit that did not have gas already? Unless you are talking about that hollow core flux crap which technically wouldn't be MIG would it?

 

Nice thing about the Milwaulkee is that there are a number of tools available that take the same battery pack, and replacement packs are available at Home Depot. That was a lifesaver when the only pack we had with us out of town suddenly would not take a charge. Two packs and quick charger (2 hrs) come with the gun. I think I saw it in Northern Tool sale catalog for 289.
Chris2 you're right, but the manufacturers insist on calling their low end fluxcore only machines MIG as well. Some allow the use of gas if you buy an add on kit, but that ends up costing more than the next model up with it included, and may still not handle std 8# spools or the smaller wire diameters, limiting your wire choice and source. I'm real pleased with my Hobart 140 115V machine. Luggable and I can weld almost anyplace theres a std outlet, yet it will handle most metal I need to weld on the truck.