The Halfords Toolbox

[apriliadriver]

Winter is drawing in, racing is almost over, and on the HSCC Championship Finals thread we had a quick digression about toolboxes with GrantP, Delta and Zef all chipping in.

So as a requiem to both Halfords (as it used to be) and toolboxes, I attach an article I wrote a few years ago ...
Nick

[MagnetON]

Love it!

[Peter Mallett]

Very good, thanks for that.

[deley]

[simon drabble]

from back in the day when a historic club racer had a spanner in his tool box rather than on the payroll...

[grantp]

Superb. Loved the accents.

I wonder if today's plastic versions of the boxes will still be active 50 years on?

[delta]

Happy days . Back in the 70, s I came of the spaners and worked at a motor factors sat morning the que for n9 y spark plugs would be a 1/4 mile long

[Colin McKay]

In the mid 70's my early morning routine went something like this:

Walk to layby over the back where I parked the truck because I couldn't afford a yard.

Open locker, take out Halfords toolbox (mine was a Ferarri red one, otherwise identical to the Hammerite blue version, but considerably faster)

Put toolbox under wheel as the handbrake didn't work

Climb in truck, knock out of gear, start engine and build up air

Stop engine, put back into gear, retrieve toolbox, start engine, drive off

There was only once that I forgot to retrieve the toolbox, the catastrophic damage that resulted was beyond the best panelbeater and I had to grind it in half to get my tools out. If they issued HTP's for historic toolboxes I could have 2 now, both the genuine article

[Robert Farrell]

Our paddock toolbox for 2010 Coppa Inter-Europa. We were particularly proud of the Lightweight Plastic Fox`s tin.
Homologated of course

[Adam43]

Nice article, a good read, thanks

I once went into Halfords for a radiator thermostat for an MGB. I asked at the counter. 'Do you have the registration number?' I didn't, so I apologised, but said that it was a 1973 MGB GT anyway. 'Who is the manufacturer?' was the next question. I patiently told them. They knew not of this model. This went on for a bit. I explained the B-Series engine was in many cars and an engine that was quite common, especially for DIYers. We tried to look up many similar vehicles, but no it was impossible to get one. I wasn't allowed to simply go behind the counter look in a couple of boxes and find one either.

Annoyed I left the counter, but still wanted to purchase some oil. At the till there was a problem, it was malfunctioning and acting very slow (the till not the check out guy), a huge queue had built up. A tannoy announcement went out for a manager to come and help. Who should turn up, but the person who served me at the parts counter. A senior person, the manager.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

In the mid 70's my early morning routine went something like this:

Walk to layby over the back where I parked the truck because I couldn't afford a yard.

Open locker, take out Halfords toolbox (mine was a Ferarri red one, otherwise identical to the Hammerite blue version, but considerably faster)

Put toolbox under wheel as the handbrake didn't work

Climb in truck, knock out of gear, start engine and build up air

Stop engine, put back into gear, retrieve toolbox, start engine, drive off

There was only once that I forgot to retrieve the toolbox, the catastrophic damage that resulted was beyond the best panelbeater and I had to grind it in half to get my tools out. If they issued HTP's for historic toolboxes I could have 2 now, both the genuine article

So. Colin, sounds almost legendary. What went wrong?

[delta]

Great story Colin sometimes in the morning my dad would get me up and get me to give him a snatch tow to start his truck that was when I had a Morris 1000 van

[GORDON STREETER]

One of my mates had a York diesel engined Tranny van and had to leave it on a hill a mile from where he lived as it was (as all were) bad at starting.
He used to bike there and put the bike in the van !

[zefarelly]

great stuff . . . .mines not a Halfords box, probably a replica, or a continuation.

[Tim Falce]

This thread sounds like we've stepped into the four Yorshiremen sketch. I rememba when me oud dad used kick ma aRs outa bed at three oclock in't mornin half our befuwa a went ta bed ant mek meh shuvle snow fromt inside of cab of wagin.

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by grantp

Superb. Loved the accents.

I wonder if today's plastic versions of the boxes will still be active 50 years on?

No they won't be. we've caused mayhem to Alex's after just three seasons of karting.

Loved the story, had to read it two or three times to fully understand the dialect - and that's from someone whose mother came from Brum, so I have to go there regularly for coven meetings - er, sorry - "family gatherings".

Speak of the York Transit - I had one of those. Ran on neat EasyStart, even had an Easystart pump in the cab. It would never go well until I'd gone up Plough Hill from J15 M4 to Membury if you konw it, fully laden with a racing car, it kind of cleared its tubes and it flew (figuratively speaking) after that!

[Colin McKay]

Your dad did that too Tim? I thought it was only mine!

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

This thread sounds like we've stepped into the four Yorshiremen sketch. I rememba when me oud dad used kick ma aRs outa bed at three oclock in't mornin half our befuwa a went ta bed ant mek meh shuvle snow fromt inside of cab of wagin.

Actually, it's "...................of t'cab of t'wagin'."

If you're going to take the p**s out of us Yorkies at least quote us proper like!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Actually, it's "...................of t'cab of t'wagin'."

If you're going to take the p**s out of us Yorkies at least quote us proper like!

Sorry, my own native Lanc accent bled through.

[delta]

Is it true those York engines could run backwards and if it did was hell of a job to turn it of

[grantp]

Originally Posted by midgetman

No they won't be. we've caused mayhem to Alex's after just three seasons of karting.

You should get him to buy you a new one ...

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by delta

Is it true those York engines could run backwards and if it did was hell of a job to turn it of

It is possible to run an older mechanical pump diesel engine backwards but not for long before it siezed up through lack of oil pressure, I believe that some ship engines run the other way for reverse.

I would have thought it's not possible with a modern common rail as it's electronic controlled.

[105 Mad]

An almost relevant comment.

Some years ago when I drove artics my Volvo FL10 was in the shop for repairs.

The unit I was given in replacement didn't have a working night heater for nights out. I remember complaining to my shift manager who was a semi retired very ex lorry driver. He hit the roof saying how 'effing lucky we were to have nice cabs nowadays. In his day they had to light a fire on the floor of the cab to keep warm. Obviously, my response was "didn't it set fire to the carpet"

His response was, "effing carpets, in my day etc etc.

Those were the days eh?

[Colin McKay]

Paul, my drivers have been complaining because their night COOLERS don't work properly and they find it hard to sleep when it's too warm. When it was too hot, I used to sleep on the back under the stars. They weren't impressed with that remedy.

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by delta

Is it true those York engines could run backwards and if it did was hell of a job to turn it of

The venerable Foden engine certainly did...quite often! You had to listen out for the odd note or you'd stick it in first and hit the wall behind