Model A - toolkit

Updated: First published May 2021

As you well know I'm very keen to have a toolkit with me on a bike trip. I'm not one of those guys that uses a mobile phone and an RAC card - I like to be able to deal with roadside breakdowns and adjustments myself. It gives me a great sense of security.

In making up a tool kit, I like to start with the tools originally supplied by the works and add to them through experience with the machine as I have done for the Square Four tool kit. The starting point for the bike's original kit is the parts list, which, prewar, carried pictures of all the tools. The parts list for many Ariels are available for download at the AOMCC website. In addition to the parts book, club member Ray Tolman has prepared a booklet illustrating the tools for the singles and a second volume specifically for the W/NG. This excellent volume shows some key pieces of information:

• a photograph of each tool, and the tool roll
• the works drawing for the tool
• identification of the vendor of some bought in tools
• the part numbers for the tool

Using the information available, you can piece together a tool kit - or at least, you can for most of the tools. Some of them are as rare as a rare thing, and have to be made...

Here is the basis of the tool kit illustrated in the 1930 parts book:

Tools part numbers:

Here is the list shown above, retyped so that I can edit it and with some extra notes:

1.	E8/1071		Tool Box with fixing strips, Models A., B., F.	Make at home
2.	*G1/28	6600-26	Double-ended Spanner (fits 3/16 in. x ¼ in. bolts)	Found in stock; these come up on eBay from time to time
3.	*G1/60		Double-ended Spanner (fits ¼ in. x 5/16 in. bolts)	Lucky find on eBay
4.	*G1/59	6603-28	Double-ended Spanner (fits 5/16 in. x 3/8 in. bolts)	Bought on eBay - regularly available
5.	*G1/66	6605-28	Double-ended Spanner (fits 7/16 in. x ½ in. bolts)	Bought on eBay - regularly available
6.	*G1/55	6606-27	Double-ended Spanner (head nut and wheel cone nut, 5/8” & 7/8” BSW)	Bought on eBay - regularly available
7.	G1/55a	6606-30	Single End Spanner (engine sprocket nuts)	Buy/Make. Part number later used for a double ended spanner.
8.	G1/94	6614-29	Abingdon Spanner (3/8 in. x 7/16 in. nuts)	Lucky find on eBay
9.	*G1/58		Tube Spanner (hub spindle nut)	Buy/Make at home
10.	*G1/57	6612-27	Tommy Bar	Make at home
11.	G1/48		Valve Cap Spanner	Bought from AOMCC Singles Spares
12.	*G1/33	6616-26	Screw Driver	Bought on eBay
13.	G1/91		Spanner for Cylinder Base Nuts	Lucky find on eBay
14.	*G1/87c		Valve Spring Compressor (complete), S.V.	Make at home.
15.	*G1/87		Arm for Valve Spring Compressor	Make at home.
16.	*G1/88		Screw for Valve Spring Compressor	Make at home. Ariel drawing available.
17.	*Z/20	6617-26	Magneto Spanner	Bought on eBay
18.	G1/83		Pinion Extractor and Set Pin	Make at home. Ariel drawing available.
19.	G1/81	6621-29	Sprocket Extractor and Set Pin	Make at home.  Ariel drawing available.
20.	G1/81c	6621C-29	Sprocket Extractor, Set Pin and Adaptor	Make at home. Ariel drawing available.
21.	G1/82	6622-29	Adaptor for Sprocket Extractor	Make at home. Ariel drawing available.
22.	*G1/85		Set Pin only, for Extractors	Make at home. Ariel drawing available.
23.	*Z/34	6625-26	Tyre Lever	Buy - eBay
24.	Z/71		Tyre Inflator, 16in. x 7/8 in.	Buy - eBay
25.	*Z/21		Grease Gun	Bought on eBay
26.	*Z/23	6640-26	Canvas Tool Roll	Make at home
27.	Z/98		Set of Tools only, in tool roll, S.V.

What has always puzzled me with these kits is why is there no spark plug spanner?

This was my starting point, a not-so jumbled collection of tools, some Ariel & some unknown...

This is the story so far:

And here we go, collecting tools. This post is likely to evolve over a number of months if not years...

Starting with a genuine Ariel part, these older pressed spanners are a little different from the forged G1/28 spanners that appear in later, post war tool kits:

Item 2, G1/28 Double-ended Spanner (fits 3/16 in. x ¼ in. bolts)

A very lucky eBay find:

Item 3, G1/60 Double-ended Spanner (fits 5/16 in. x ¼ in. bolts)

The forged G1/59 spanner is quite commonly available on eBay:

Item 4, G1/59 Double-ended Spanner (fits 5/16 in. x 3/8 in. bolts)

Here's one that is commonly available on the world's favourite auction site:

Item 5, G1/66 Double-ended Spanner (fits 7/16 in. x ½ in. bolts)

Another genuine part, the common head nut and wheel cone spanner. I have 'adjusted' this one as it had been stretched by someone:

Item 6, G1/55 Double-ended Spanner (head nut and wheel cone nut, 5/8” & 7/8” BSW)

This was an eBay find:

Item 8, G1/94 Abingdon Spanner (3/8 in. x 7/16 in. nuts)

I happened upon these next two - they look very like the illustration in the parts book and they fit the wheel nuts, so they are good to go as far as I am concerned:

Item 9, G1/58 Tube Spanner (hub spindle nut)

It came with a tommy bar:

Item 10, G1/57 Tommy Bar

The valve cap spanner comes from AOMCC spares:

Item 11, G1/48 Valve Cap Spanner

This one is a bought out item. It's a nice Terry's example I bought from eBay:

Item 12, G1/33 Screw driver

I think this is probably repro, but it came from eBay at a good price which saves me making one:

Item 13, G1/91 Spanner for Cylinder Base Nuts

Here's my offering for the valve spring compressor. Not genuine, but approximately the right size if a little over complicated. I might make one eventually:

Items 14, 15 and 16, Valve Spring Compressor

Another eBay find, a common magneto spanner - but this is a BTH one to suit the KC1:

Item 17, Z/20 Magneto spanner

eBay again, and a very lucky find - though it is missing the little adapter cup:

Item 19, G1/81 Sprocket Extractor and Set Pin

And another - the Tecalemit grease gun:

Item 25, Z/21 Grease Gun

There's always little bits you need to carry - cigarette papers, solderless cable nipples, a spare plug or a main jet - and of course, you may need some laxatives but I think it unlikely on a hand change vintage bike with period brakes and 3" tyres:

Period Tin for small things