C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

For those who obsess about exactly how their 356 left the factory!
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Jim Breazeale
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C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#1 Post by Jim Breazeale »

Guys and gals. Lets use this forum to expand C tool kit knowlege. How many colors can we come up with? How many wrenches are in your kit? What kind of clasps are on your bag? What kind of screw drivers do you have? Any info is good info.
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Anybody have the same set of wrenches?
Anybody have the same set of wrenches?
5 wrenches, mixed manufacturers, no 13MM!
5 wrenches, mixed manufacturers, no 13MM!
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Charlie White
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#2 Post by Charlie White »

I like Jim's idea. As a starter, below are three different toolkits as shown in the owner's manuals. These pictures are not definitive, and lack detail, and there are probably lots of differences in reality. They represent a starting point. I would post the insides of the five toolkits I have, but I'm not 100% certain they are all 100% original. The photos shown below are:

1. 356-A toolkit from 9/57 owner's manual.
2. 356-B toolkit from 4/62 owner's manual.
3. 356-C toolkit from 6/64 owner's manual.

CW
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#3 Post by Jim Breazeale »

Charlie

Please post pictures of all of your kits. Nobody knows for sure what is correct or not. If we get enough pictures of kits we may be able to come to some conclusions, but probably just more confusion!

Regards
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Eric Cherneff
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#4 Post by Eric Cherneff »

I will summarize the results on my website, and with the contributors' permission, I will use good photos. C kits is an area that is lacking on my site.

I caution anyone from making conclusions about tool kits based on the factory photos. There are LOTS of reasons why this is a bad idea! Quoting from my article that appeared a number of years ago in the Registry magazine:

The first manual I know of with a picture and description of the toolkit is October 1956 edition (my January 1956 has neither a photo nor description). It shows the first of the A kits, with a Jörg 1661 long screwdriver as well as the teardrop handled stubby. Since this is a new photo for the manual, it may be reasonably accurate in terms of what the 1956 kit looked like. The next version appears in 1957 editions, and has one small change – it now includes a Philips screwdriver. This is not a new picture – the Philips screwdriver has been added to the October 1956 photo. The wrinkles in the bag tell the story, as they are identical to the earlier photo. In September 1959 (the first T5 manual), a third variety appears. This one is identical the October 1956 photo, but with the Philips screwdriver and now a sparkplug added. Subsequent manuals with this style kit (up to early 1962) revert to the 1957 style photo (without the sparkplug).
I believe the manuals are an unreliable guide to authenticity. Up to early 1962, the photo is unchanged except for the addition of the Philips screwdriver and the sparkplug. However, during this time some significant changes to the kit took place. The jack underwent at least two changes. The handle of the stubby screwdriver changed significantly. The tip of the long screwdriver was changed from a standard keystone variety to the elongated type that can be used to assist holding the pulley. The cutting surface of the pliers changed from raised to flush. The handle release button on the lug wrench changed location. Other subtle changes occurred, but I mention the ones above particularly because they could easily be seen by looking at the photos in the Driver’s Manual.
The next variety of kit shown in the manual can first be found in the April 1962 Driver’s Manual. I’m not sure that it is a “production” tool kit, as it shows neither the tie string nor the belt used to secure tool bags during this time, and while it has a pocket for the Messko gauge, it doesn’t actually have a gauge! The tools most closely resemble those found in the “tie string” kit of 1963, but still differ in some respects, such as the painted screwdriver handles and plated sparkplug socket. The “1962-only” kit with Porsche script wrenches is omitted from the Driver’s Manuals. For these reasons, I don’t think these photos are a reliable indicator of toolkits in 1962/63. Porsche also warns against relying on the photo and description: sometime in the same period, the warning “subject to change” was added to the list of contents.
The 356 C/SC appeared along with a new type of tool kit. It first appeared in the September 1963 Driver’s Manual. The photo is consistent with C kits I have seen, but the description may be in error – it appears to have been copied directly from the previous T6B manual. It describes a jack and wheel nut wrench with jack handle “at top”, and a spare fan belt “coiled at the bottom”. While this description was true for the T6B photo, the C photo has the jack to the left, the handle to the right, the fan belt near the middle and not coiled! Also in the list (but not in the photo) is a hubcap puller, which was unnecessary for the new type of hubcaps on disc brake wheels. One other thing I noticed is that the sparkplug socket might be the earlier type which had a different shape from the Klein 21 which should have been in the C kit. This is a subjective opinion, since the socket is in a pocket (apologies to Dr. Suess), and cannot be clearly seen.
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#5 Post by Jim Breazeale »

There are no right or wrong answers on this thread. I just want to see pictures of your tool bags and their contents. The more pictures we get, the more info Eric can use for his website that benefits all of us. The dirtier the better! I'm going to repost the 2 C bags that I have. One is ivory colored and the other one is blue/green. The 5 wrench set that I posted previously came out of the ivory bag.

Regards
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Richard Milstead
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#6 Post by Richard Milstead »

Jim,
Any discussion of "C" tool kits first of all needs to recognize Jim Perrin's landmark articles documenting original kits defining the generally considered compliment of authentic components that appeared in the in the Registry Magazine (Vol 15 #6 and Vol 16 #1). These and a number of other excellent articles done on other 356 tool kits are referenced on Eric's very comprehensive web site. That being said, OK i'll bite! Below are three shots of my (last) "C" tool kit. The most unique element is the tool bag itself which if not unique is certainly a very rare variant. Obtained from someone I consider to be a individual recognized to be very knowlegable in tool kits. we both are quite sure that it is a real "C" tool bag. Personally, I speculate that it is actually an early "C" bag based upon the weight of the vinyl but, of course, that is just that, pure speculation. The remaining components are pretty much the standard items as discussed by Perrin and shown on Eric's web site. The only other notable item is the pliers which are marked "Klein". In my experience marked pliers are somewhat rare but were definitely correct as documented by Jim in his article (three of the four kits Jim studied were in fact marked "Klien").
After 15 years of collecting and also selling "C" tool kits , This one is my "keeper"
Dick Milstead
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#7 Post by Emil Wojcik »

The original bag in my '64C looks exactly like the first bag in Jim's photos. I never saw an ivory bag before.
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#8 Post by Dan Schaefer »

Here's the tool original kit that came with my '64 C Coupe, #218470, purchased on Sept. '64. I'm the original owner and with the years, it's gotten pretty beat looking so I bought a replacement and stored this one away for the last decade or more because I couldn't figure out how to restore the rusty clasps.

Interestingly, my kit came with 5 wrenches - 8/9 mm, 10/11 mm, 12/13 mm, 14/15 mm and 17/19 mm instead of the four shown in the manual. They are all the drop forged wrenches with the "Germany" logo. There was no tire pressure gauge (back then I didn't know I was supposed to get one) and the two red plastic handled Klein screwdrivers (missing the Phillips driver - got away from me somwhere over the years).

Dan Schaefer
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#9 Post by Charlie White »

Here is the first of the tool kits I previously posted. This is the one I think is a "C" tool kit. The red screw drivers say KLEIN. The open wrenches say DROP FORGED STEEL Germany, and the spark plug tool says KLEIN. I have to say that I acquired this tool kit from a well known source, and don't know it's history.

CW
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#10 Post by Charlie White »

Here is the second tool kit. Bag is different, with the bar on the clasp and the leather pull tab. The wrenches say DROP FORGED STEEL Germany like the previous set, but aside from being color marked by someone, are somewhat rough. The red screw drivers say KLEIN, but one has been shortened and modified somewhat. I purchased this on on Ebay many years ago for $175. Not sure what it is.

CW
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#11 Post by Charlie White »

Third toolkit. Red Screw drivers say 10,000 volts Germany, Open ends say DROP FORGED STEEL Germany, Spark Plug Tool says KLEIN, and lug wrench is different. Not sure what this is.

CW
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#12 Post by George Barstow »

Here is original tool kit from my 65 "C" cpe, owned since 2002. First time I have really looked at tool kit. It was in car with books, repair bills etc. when I got it. Sat in original owners drive-way 12 years with old car cover. Tires had adhered to the asphalt had to inflate and rock it back and forth to tear it loose so we could put it on trailer! Car restored, it is a good "driver" now!

George
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#13 Post by Dick Douglass »

I recommend that all 356 tool kits owners interested in cleaning their tool kit bag follow the article written by Eric Cherneff for the 356 Registry . It can be found in the Porsche 356 Magazine, Vol 30 No 6. It is titled "Restoration of 356 Tool Kit Bags". Allow your self some time and be patient and you will be rewarded with a very nice clean tool kit bag.

Our Concours season has begun in California and I share this process with many 356 owners. 8)

Thanks Eric for another informative article.


Dick Douglass
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#14 Post by Paul Hatfield »

Ok, I'll jump in here.
I took some new pictures to try and answer Jim's question about the clasp.
If more are needed, please let me know.
I have enough pictures I think this will require a couple of postings.
Paul
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Tool Kit 0411 004 (Large).jpg
Tool Kit 0411 002 (Large).jpg
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Re: C tool kits/bags. I'll show you mine, you show me yours

#15 Post by Paul Hatfield »

Continuing with pictures. My kit has the 4 wrench set with the seemingly rare 12 x 14 wrench.
I have included some pictures of my good condition screwdrivers and Messko.
I often show the kit with the shop towel, Lackstift, and fuses- just because....
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Tool Kit 0411 005 (Large).jpg
KLEIN Handles 2 (Large).JPG
Tool Kit 0411 006 (Large).jpg
Tool Kit 0411 008 (Large).jpg
Tool Kit 0411 007 (Large).jpg
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