Best Tool You've Found in a Car?

DavidtheDuke · Apr 3, 2008

Yesterday I was doing a regular oil change and noticed something shiny stuck between some metal on the fenderwell edge.. So I pryed it out, and out popped a shiny Matco ratcheting wrench. It has a offset box about 15 degrees on one end and a ratchet straight 8mm box on the other end. It looks almost brand new, but I can't find it on the website. Made in USA and needless to say probably $20+.

Anyone found much better?

Chris Adams · Apr 3, 2008

Two Snap-On wrenches 12-14. Left in my Motorhome after some service work.
I took them back and they told me "Nobody here lost them".
I waited for the mechanic to come back he looked at them and told me they were not his.

OK, that makes them mine. I left my number, no one ever called. Still have them, two motorhomes later.

Weirdest was a new Chevy truck in 1974. He had a rattle in the front of his new truck, and was going to take it to the dealer.
We were talking about it and just from curiosity I took a look.

Inside the drivers fender someone at the factory had tossed about a dozen brand new emblems.
Heavy chrome '350' fender pieces.
They had never even had the clips put on them.
He thought they had been put in there for an employee to steal later but I suspect they were tossed in just to 'make a noise' as I've seen that before where line workers tossed stuff inside bodies to annoy the buyers.

He kept one of the emblems; I gave the others to a Chevy buddy. He sold them for a decent price years later.

Mike83 · Apr 3, 2008

I found a toothbrush and about 54 cents under the passenger seat of my car after I bought it. No tools, though.

Blacknwhitepit · Apr 3, 2008

Chris Adams said:
Weirdest was a new Chevy truck in 1974. He had a rattle in the front of his new truck, and was going to take it to the dealer.
We were talking about it and just from curiosity I took a look.

Inside the drivers fender someone at the factory had tossed about a dozen brand new emblems.
Heavy chrome '350' fender pieces.
They had never even had the clips put on them.
He thought they had been put in there for an employee to steal later but I suspect they were tossed in just to 'make a noise' as I've seen that before where line workers tossed stuff inside bodies to annoy the buyers.

He kept one of the emblems; I gave the others to a Chevy buddy. He sold them for a decent price years later.

I've heard that story before. I've been told of two similar stories like that by two different people.

I always thought it was one of those "URBAN LEGENDS" like
The factory screwing up and putting in a police interceptor motor (On a 60's era car) and The Spanish fly, the girl and gear shift.

Perhaps it was a little passive agressive behavior or clumsiness at the factory.....

OH, the best tools I've found: I was working on a Ford Focus and found a Snap on TH737 and a Mac 10mm deep well socket! :lol_hitti

-BWP

Jay H 237 · Apr 3, 2008

I found a pop rivet gun between the seat and the door sill on the passenger side in my 81 Citation. The car had been in for service weeks before and one of the things they did was fix the passenger inside door handle.

There was a rattle when I closed the driver's door of my 68 Mustang. After taking the inside panel off I found a 3/8" Matco combination wrench laying in the door. Who knows how long it was in there although it does look new.

I still have the pop rivet gun and Matco wrench.

journeyman_justin · Apr 3, 2008

Me and a friend found a performance camshaft in the trunk of his mustang and I've found numerous snap on, mac, matco, cornwell, etc wrenches and sockets at the local pick and pull. It's like buried treasure just waiting to be found.

NOMAD · Apr 3, 2008

Nothing but a S.K 19mm socket, but it's on my rail and completes my C-man set!

Joe B. · Apr 3, 2008

Back in high school (80s) I found a Snap~on cotter pin hook under the hood of my mom's Sable. I used it almost daily for 5 years to reset fire alarm pull stations. It was not an expensive tool to find but it was a great value considering the amount of use I got out of it.

If I found something like that today and I knew where it came from, I would take it back to the mechanic. Just because it shows up under my hood does not make it mine.

Elroy · Apr 3, 2008

Elroy can't say he has found any tools in junk cars that amounted to much. Maybe a rusty screw driver, but back in '68 a friend of Elroy's Grand Father ran a towing service. One day a Cadillac got towed in that was burnt to crisp front to back. Inside the glove box was a bunch of ashes. Could just make out an owners manuals and some maps. In the middle of this mess was an envelope. Elroy remembers "trying" to picking up the envelope and it fell apart revealing several black and crispy "bills". Put it all back real careful like and went to the owner.

Old man who ran the place said we could have it. He didn't think there was much there.

Mom helped us box up the bits and pieces and mail if off. Later that summer Elroy got a nice check from Uncle Sam for $452.00 :shocking:

Uncle Buck · Apr 3, 2008

I found my own socket in a junk yard! To explain I was in the same yard way out in the toolies 3-5 years prior pulling a trim part off of an old truck, some wasps come roaring out and in the process of me leggin it out of there I dropped a 1/4" socket into a deep recess of the fender that I did not want to retrieve after the wasp incident so I left and later replaced the lost socket, 3-5 years later in the fall of the year I wrecked the same truck and had to go back to the same junk yard to the very same truck and get the exact same fender where I left my socket years before so I ended up getting my own rusty socket back years later!

nissan_crawler · Apr 3, 2008

My Titan was in for new seatbelts. I carry a backpack with jumper cables, tow ropes, straps, etc. in it, along with a toolbag, and a big socket set on the floor in front of the back seat. It wasn't until a few weeks later when I was vacuuming that I found a few snap-on trim panel tools hiding under my stuff. I took them back to the dealer, they looked up the service order, and had the mechanic that worked on it come up, but he said the tools weren't his. I'm assuming he had already bought ones to replace it and didn't want to admit he left them in a customer's car.

Either way, I have some nice Snap-On trim tools now. :bounce:

fourfeathers · Apr 3, 2008

Had a 3-4' non-handled prybar slide out from under our straight truck on the way home from a shop.- returned it
Craftman LED battery op. light- returned
sweet pair of Mac auto strippers-several years ago, before I realized guys bought their own tools -kept
Cornwell 7/16 gearwrench-Kept it, since I was re-fixing yet another leak, that was supposedly fixed already by the shop.
Several others over the years, but I can't remember all. Returned most.

DavidtheDuke · Apr 3, 2008

fourfeathers said:
Had a 3-4' non-handled prybar slide out from under our straight truck on the way home from a shop.- returned it
Craftman LED battery op. light- returned
sweet pair of Mac auto strippers-several years ago, before I realized guys bought their own tools -kept
Cornwell 7/16 gearwrench-Kept it, since I was re-fixing yet another leak, that was supposedly fixed already by the shop.
Several others over the years, but I can't remember all. Returned most.

Yeah, I thought about that it could be the owner's, but I don't think so considering it was a lady who doesn't even know where the hood switch is (first under the dash)

swgray · Apr 3, 2008

I've found a few tools in my cars over the years, but since Snap-on tools are perceived as the best tools, the 14mm Snap-On combination wrench is obviously the best I've found.

I found it in the right hand fender well of my MG Midget when I was redoing the body and interior 2 years ago. As I've never bought any shiny Snap-On tools, I know I didn't lose it. I've owned the car since the fall of '89.

Oh, I'm willing to sell the wrench, make offers.

dxdexter · Apr 3, 2008

I haven't found anything other than a few cents, but my grandfather found a sporterized Krag rifle in a car back in the 1950's. I still have that rifle. Its a beauty even though its not in its original military form.

Uncle Buck · Apr 3, 2008

I found two old screwdrivers, one old Craftsman and an old SK and a cheap body dolly in a junk yars years ago.

caper · Apr 3, 2008

years ago we used to buy cars and scrap them so i've found quite a few tools over the years,never returned em cuz we paid for the cars so if the owners couldn't be bothered to clean them out we figured the tools were part of the deal.Vise grips and ball pein hammers seemed to be most common followed by screwdrivers and loose sockets rolling around the floor.

caper · Apr 3, 2008

best tool ive found NOT in a car was today.Leaving a gas station in the city today I was waiting for traffic to go and noticed a pry bar laying in the street.Grabbed it and threw it in the car but didn't check to see who made it.Felt fairly substantial 24" blue handle with stripes i think.I forgot about it now i'm going to have to go out to the car and check it out!

Mike83 · Apr 3, 2008

I was doing a bridge inspection on a bascule bridge and I was in the counterweight pit (the bascule pier is basically hollow and goes about 20' under water so that the bridge counterweight has somewhere to go when the span lifts). Anyway, I saw something shiny on the nasty *** wet, slimy floor and it was a Calvan spark plug gap tool.

T56 Impala · Apr 3, 2008

swgray said:
I've found a few tools in my cars over the years, but since Snap-on tools are perceived as the best tools, the 14mm Snap-On combination wrench is obviously the best I've found.

I found in the right hand fender well of my MG Midget when I redoing the body and interior 2 years ago. As I've never bought and shiny Snap-On tools, I know I didn't lose it. I've owned the car since the fall of '89.

Oh, I'm willing to sell the wrench, make offers.

That looks like every Snap-on tool I own! Maybe it fell out of my car and somehow ened up in yours?

eschoendorff · Apr 3, 2008

My FIL is known for buying cars our of police auctions. He bought a Grand Am for my wife once and apparently the officers hadn't done a very thorough job going through the car because when she went to clean it up, she found various contraband (think rock-type objects in sandwich baggies)!

Zeroek · Apr 3, 2008

OH, the best tools I've found: I was working on a Ford Focus and found a Snap on TH737 and a Mac 10mm deep well socket! Blacknwhitepit lmao. I kept thinking damn did that Ford focus make it all the way to North Carolina!!! Needless to say I bought my 10mm back but never bought the ratchet. So far the only tool I've ever found was a Snap on 10mm wrench that was on a bleeder screw on a brake caliper. Talk about wow because it was like loosely on the bleeder. I don't see how it didn't fall off.

blue302stang · Apr 3, 2008

We had a horrible rattle in one of our works trucks after it had come back from some warranty work, lift the hood and their was a Proto 3/4 drive ratchet and 1 1/2" socket. That one went straight to my toolbox.

optikal · Apr 3, 2008

had a 68 chevelle in the shop for paint work and the owner wanted me to also replace the carpet so when i pulled up the old carpet i found a 1/4 drive snap on ratchet. i still have it but it is broken and i have yet to have it replaced

bchee · Apr 4, 2008

hholmberg said:
3-5 years later in the fall of the year I wrecked the same truck and had to go back to the same junk yard to the very same truck and get the exact same fender where I left my socket years before so I ended up getting my own rusty socket back years later!

freaking awesome

DavidtheDuke · Apr 4, 2008

I forgot to mention I found some long-nose SO pliers in a truck I lost months ago, about 2 weeks ago. There was so minor surface wear, but pretty much no rust (phew). I had already replaced them so, I'll be able to sell these on ebay.

eschoendorff · Apr 4, 2008

DavidtheDuke said:
I forgot to mention I found some long-nose SO pliers in a truck I lost months ago, about 2 weeks ago. There was so minor surface wear, but pretty much no rust (phew). I had already replaced them so, I'll be able to sell these on ebay.

How much you want for them? :bounce:

Theo · Apr 4, 2008

I've never found tools, but I've found a few wallets and purses in cars when customers would bring their cars in for service. They'd be like, "Waah I left my wallet in the car and now my cash is gone. I'd be like, "Yeah dude, that's my service fee for finding your wallet. ***."

When I worked at the tire shop I'd take the car out back to do a burn out the break the new tires in I'd notice there'd a lot of change and stuff in the ashtray making noise. I'd always take it so the car wouldn't rattle after I serviced it. I only worked there for 2 weeks though.

Uncle Buck · Apr 4, 2008

Theo said:
I only worked there for 2 weeks though.

Gee, I wonder why! :headscrat

DavidtheDuke · Apr 4, 2008

Theo said:
When I worked at the tire shop I'd take the car out back to do a burn out the break the new tires in I'd notice there'd a lot of change and stuff in the ashtray making noise. I'd always take it so the car wouldn't rattle after I serviced it. I only worked there for 2 weeks though.

Dude, are you joking? :wtf:

DavidtheDuke · Apr 4, 2008

eschoendorff said:
How much you want for them?

I think I'll put a Buy it Now for around $15 and $2 shipping (USPS)

Scottz5 · Apr 4, 2008

i got a pannel remover from BMW forget the brand but very nice.

Kevin54 · Apr 4, 2008

In parting out a '64 Impala I found a WWI German bayonet in almost perfect shape. Blueing is still there with only one or two small (very small) rust pits.

Jononon · Apr 4, 2008

Snap-on trim remover, between the seat squab and the floorpan. I'd hazard a guess that that's the most lost automotive tool.

I also had a Ford with a full set of lock barrels and keys in the spare wheel well. Never did find out what that was about

kbs2244 · Apr 4, 2008

Back in high shool when going through the junk yard looking for seat belts I found an unopened pack of 10 rubbers.
I sold them to one of the guys on the football team.
They more then paid for the seat belts.

engnerdan · Apr 4, 2008

kbs2244 said:
Back in high shool when going through the junk yard looking for seat belts I found an unopened pack of 10 rubbers.
I sold them to one of the guys on the football team.
They more then paid for the seat belts.

Damn I was just going to say I found a dried crust (unopened) rubber under the back seat of my mustang, and a 1/2" snap-on line wrench under the radiator of my suburban.

-Dan

64merc · Apr 4, 2008

kbs2244 said:
Back in high shool when going through the junk yard looking for seat belts I found an unopened pack of 10 rubbers.
I sold them to one of the guys on the football team.
They more then paid for the seat belts.

I wonder how many kids were born as a result of using those? :wtf:

Uncle Buck · Apr 4, 2008

64merc said:
I wonder how many kids were born as a result of using those?

You stole my thoughts exactly! :bounce:

ImportTuner · Apr 4, 2008

Theo said:
I've never found tools, but I've found a few wallets and purses in cars when customers would bring their cars in for service. They'd be like, "Waah I left my wallet in the car and now my cash is gone. I'd be like, "Yeah dude, that's my service fee for finding your wallet. ***."

When I worked at the tire shop I'd take the car out back to do a burn out the break the new tires in I'd notice there'd a lot of change and stuff in the ashtray making noise. I'd always take it so the car wouldn't rattle after I serviced it. I only worked there for 2 weeks though.

Wow ... you lasted a whole 2 weeks ....

Theo · Apr 4, 2008

I was too busy to come up with anything on April Fools Day. Better late than never.

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