Sunbeam Alpine: Making 'Special ' Tools

In this video I make my version of the Churchill RG225 (cylinder head bolt tightening tool) and feature a couple of the other' Special 'tools that I've made over the years. With a few bits of scrap and for very little money it is possible to make alternatives to some of the Churchill 'Special' tools that are hard to find and usually very expensive to buy.

[@RSB333]

A good job and a serviceable tool....I started as an apprentice mechanic for International Harvester in 1971, and we did stuff like this. We used bending, at a cherry red heat from an oxy-acetylene torch. Then, as now, working with the resources at hand was the key.

[@TheSunbeamAlpineChannel]

Necessity is the mother of invention!

[@keithgarland3404]

Older Sykes pickavant and Churchill tools do tend to be expensive, because most automotive type people know they are top quality British made tools. I used them from the early 70s onwards, as an apprentice and skilled auto technician, but as you say, they are not plentiful. You have made a tool that is well capable of doing the job.👍

[@TheSunbeamAlpineChannel]

What we try and do on The Sunbeam Alpine Channel is help people who own Alpines today. The reality is that if you buy an Alpine, perhaps it is your very first classic, you will probably have minimal tools and often minimal knowledge. We try and spread our experience and help with things like this because a new owner would be very unlikely to have any of the ‘special’ tools. Thank you for watching the video, I hope that you enjoyed it.

[@TheSunbeamAlpineChannel]

Thank you Keith. It works well.

[@m3cvfm]

I remember using the crows foot to tighten down the head.

[@TheSunbeamAlpineChannel]

Yes we’ve done that but because of the offset it can be difficult to fit and to use properly with the torque wrench. This tool is much easier.