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MG MGA - tools and jack

I am starting to study some of the tools and related items that belong in the boot of my MGA but are conspicuous by their absence. Can some of you share your experience and wisdom?

1. Is the Moss jack an adequate replacement for the original jack? Can originals be found? Also is either of these jacks adequate for their original purpose of a beside the road tire (tyre?) change?

2. Tools. Original vs reproduction? Where have y'all located original tools in the US? Do they show up at swap meets?

3. Reproduction tools. I see a website for an outfit in New Zealand that makes reproduction toolkits. I think they might be a bit pricey? Does anyone have experience with these? I used to see a website for a guy in the US that made reproduction kits. (Ohio? I can't remember.) He seems to have disappeared. What is recommended?

Thanks for any help I get.

Safety Fast!

JMG

John Greenlee

You need to have Gordon answer this. He's the tools man just as Steve's the Jack junkie.

My weakness is the models.....
dominic clancy

John

What is your chassis number? Three known jack types were issued with the MGA.

Barney has good information on all the tools and jacks: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/tools/tools3.htm

I used his Shelley Jack data in my Shelley Jack database: http://www.mgaroadster.co.uk/shelley_jacks.htm

However, I do not cover the King Dick jack which was issued to the majority of MGAs.

I understand, but do not quote me, that the Moss King Dick jack is identical to the original.

As Dominic said, Gordon Pugh (regular scribe to this site) is also well informed on tools and I am sure will post a response.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hi John, as steve and Dominic have already said Barneys site is the one to have a look at, it is quite difficult to spot the repro as against originals, what tends to happen more is people selling either individual tools or complete sets claiming them to be from MGA's probably through ignorance rather than deliberate deception, ebay is quite a good source a lot of my tools have come from the USA, just to confuse matters MG tended to use whatever they had supplies of at the time but generaly all spanners tended to be King Dick, I'll post of photo of one of my kits including the moss King Dick jack, it will cost a lot of money to put a kit together the small King Dick feeler guage will probaly cost around £60 sterling, unmarked ones a little cheaper

g c pugh

one more showing probably the rarest item a genuine King Dick wooden handle screwdriver this cost about £80 sterling which probably explains why I no longer have the damn car but just the toolkits lol, sorry pic not very clear.

gordon

g c pugh

If you are concerned with originallity for shows you can spend a lot on tools that you probably will never use. On the other hand, if you just want some tools for emergency roadside use, make a list of tools you think you would use and shop garage sales, or even buy a few new tools to make up your own kit. As for the jack, a sissors jack is the most practical one to carry for use.
Ed Bell

Hi John I agree totaly with Ed the tools themselves are useless and one would never actualy use them, purely for shows only lol

Gordon
g c pugh

Hi guys. I looked at the Moss web site and they seem to offer a King Dick jack only for some Austin Healey variants. Is one available for the MGA from Moss?
Thanks, George
G Goeppner

Steve,

My chassis number is GHNL/85525.

Does anybody have any experience with the reproduction tools available?

I own ordinary tools for routine maintenance. I just find the original toolkits interesting, and something that ought to be in the boot of the car. I have always assumed they were useful for occasional emergency type use.

Safety fast!

JMG
John Greenlee

I don't suppose anyone on this site would have information on what went into the Australian assembled MGAs' toolkits?
I've recently discovered the jacks were different to the UK items. (Australian built APAC jacks; same as supplied for Holdens). I've fortunately just bought a nice appropriate jack on Australian eBay for just $21. (That made me pleased our cars didn't come with the Shelley items supplied ex-Abingdon).
T Aczel

Moss Europe lists a Vintage Screw Jack something like the King Dick; I can't find it listed by Moss here in the States.

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=14430

Ken
k v morton

John

As you may have already discovered, with that chassis number you need the King Dick jack.

I think it was on this forum, probably last year, that someone commented that the Moss King Dick was indistinguishable from the original.

Steve
Steve Gyles

The King Dick is listed in Moss USA, part number 386-900. Moss list it for the Healey, with no mention of the MGA. Perhaps someone should tell them.

http://is.gd/i3ikh

I would have thought that the egg timer base King Dick would be as plentiful (or rare) in the States as in the UK as the bulk of MGAs that used them were exported to the States.

Steve
Steve Gyles

OK, the reproduction kits I mentioned from NZ are actually from Australia. The other outfit is British Tool from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I guess I missed on both locations.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these vendors? (factors for some of you).

Safety Fast

JMG
John Greenlee

I did contact Moss about their listed Austin Healey jack 386-900. They referred to it as a BMC jack, also suitable for the MGA. I don't know how to confirm this, its pricey at $175 to not work for the MGA. It would seem that a jack for the A-H 100 should work for the MGA, any opinions from anyone?
G Goeppner

George

The Healey went down a parallel production line to the MGA at Abingdon. Odds on they shared as many parts and 'extras' as possible.

Although I 'specialise' in the Shelley jacks, I keep an eye on the King Dick variant, mainly because I also need one. The Healey and MGA versions have always looked the same to me. I am not aware of another variant during the Healey/MGA production period.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hi, T Aczzel,
it would be interesting to see a picture of the APAC jack and can you give us the model number?

thanks, Mark
M Wellard

Mark, I haven't received the jack yet, but hopefully this link to aBay "completed" listings will work:http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HOLDEN-FX-HG-2-STAGE-MECHANICAL-JACK-V-G-C-LQQK-/320620842113?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4aa67dcc81#ht_935wt_1015
All I can say is that Gary Kemm in Melbourne, who's pretty knowledgable about MGA's, especially the Australian assembled models, thought that this jack looked correct.
Tom Aczel
T Aczel

The repro Jack Moss #386-900 used to be marketed by them as for the MGA. I bought one. Fortunately, I never had to use it so I can't report on its suitability.

Just checked my old Moss printed catalog. It is on the MGA-21 issue.
Chuck Schaefer

Steve -- thanks for your input.

John -- back to your original question about tools. The US source for reproduction tool kits was/is British Tool Company. I'm not sure if they are still in business, the website seems to be down. I purchased a complete MGA tool kit from him in 2006. At the time, I was told it was the last complete kit he had, and he was relocating from Michigan to Wyoming. I seem to remember a discussion on this board a couple years ago where someone was trying to locate British Tool Company, without success. I think Barney made contact with him, but I don't remember the outcome. The kit I received is very high quality, and I am pleased with it. Not to be used for road side repair IMO. As others have suggested, put a proper set of tools together for that road trip!
George
G Goeppner

Chuck, if you still have the jack you bought for your MGA I would be interested in buying it from you if don't have a need for it now.
George
G Goeppner

When I searched the Moss US web site previously for "mga jack" or for the Moss Europe part#, I got nothing.

This morning, I searched for the 386-900 part #, and it lists the jack for both MGA and Healey. It seems you have to have the part # to find it.

Ken
k v morton

I see British Tool offering a few things on e-bay. I have been unable to access the website. Has anyone had contact with them?

JMG
John Greenlee

George,

I don't have it, it went with the car on the flat bed last Monday. The 2000 Moss catalog listed the jack at $114.95 so I guess at $175, it is not too much of an increase over 10 years.

Cheers,
Chuck
Chuck Schaefer

As I understand it, Australian-assembled MGA (roadsters except twin-cams) only had a jack, wheel hammer and spark plug spanner. Don't know what sort of toolbag they had but it might have been the wide one (like Abingdon cars) as it probably held the long square jack handle "extensions". Coupes, assembled at Abingdon, had the full complement of English tools in a "pouch" which was in a wide bag (not unlike an MGB one) strapped on to the cockpit bulkhead.
Barry Bahnisch

There's an Oz company offering reproduction MGA toolkits at this link: http://members.optushome.com.au/inpoint/index.html .
I don't know whether or not they're still in business, but they give a phone number and address. I assume their kit is modeled for the Australian-assembled cars, but perhaps not.
Ken Korey

For the Australians on this site, here's a photo of the jack I bought. I think (and hope!) that this is the correct jack for the Australian assembled MGA's.

T Aczel

From 90 degrees around, another view.

T Aczel

The orange coloured jack pictured was supplied with Australian Holden cars, I know from personal experience. I was not aware that they were supplied with MGA's. The Apac, also mentioned, was much smaller and lighter and seems more suited to MGA's. Both are (or used to be) plentiful and relatively cheap at Swapmeets, in fact I am using both types to lift my veteran cars off their (expensive) tyres.
Barry Bahnisch

Now that you point it out Barry, it makes perfect sense that the jack supplied with the MGA would be smaller and lighter than that for a Holden. Trouble is, I had nothing to go on, (till now, anyway), other than hearsay.
Anyone interested in a very nice Apac jack for a Holden?
T Aczel

How about hammers?

I understand the cars came with a copper faced hammer. Is the Moss hammer a duplicate or just a generic hammer?

Safety fast!

JMG
John Greenlee

Hi Tom...an old thread, but between Garry Kemm and myself, no-one seems to have any knowledge of the Australian tool kits and the jacks supplied. I've just bought an Aussie build 1500, owned by the second owner since 1960, and he says that it never had a tool kit (no straps above the tyre). There probably was a wheel hammer at some stage, but this was not found. However it had what appears to be an APAC jack (no name on the jack, but assume it was the original). Have you or anyone else attempted to find what was actually supplied for the range of MGA's (Aussie built).
Gary Lock

This thread was discussed between 30/11/2010 and 12/10/2021

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