The Top 5 MUST Have Tools Needed To Start Your Hot Rod Project

6 essentials you need to build a project car that are not tools. 1. Spare Time 2. Extra Money 3. Understanding Wife 4. Place to work on and store car. 5. Luck finding difficult to get parts. 6. Friends that can help.

Probably my #1 is a good quality set of drill bits.

A good Air Compressor , Floor jack and Quality jack stands, And the NUMBER ONE THE REFRIGERAITOR .

The number one requirement is a good mentor. The best tools in the world are worthless if you don't know how to use them properly.

From a "What tools do I use most often when I go work in the ship" approach; 1- A good mechanics tool set including screw drivers (Klein being "un-touchable"), punches, pliers, rulers, square, CLAMPS (can never have too many sizes or types). Your basic mechanics tools keep growing with every project. Whenever you need a tool, buy a good one and "be done". 2- A good drill motor and drill bits. Used most every time I enter the garage. 3-The other tool that gets used almost every time work happens in the garage is the "AIR COMPRESSOR". Obviously, another of those "investment" additions to your shop. Depending on "available funds", either "scale up as needed" or buy a "permanent" one right off. 4- Any amount of "fab" work almost always involves the drill press. Mine happens to be a older, cheaper "Japanese" version. I almost never change the speed. It's more about getting the holes in the exact place, perfectly square with the material, and controlling the drill pressure. I think a good drill press vise is very important. 5- Like Matt said, a tap and dye set gets used more than you would think. Obviously, the more sizes, the better including pipe thread sizes. These frequently develop over time. A good quality kit is a good investment. With proper use and care, they last quite a long time. Don't forget to invest in "bottom" taps for threaded holes that don't go through the material. All this from a lifelong "tradesman" history from a kid watching/helping my Dad to entering the trades in 1960. Thanks for the great channel guys. Lots of great input here. Even for "Dinosaur's" like myself !!!

Torch Wrench! Old Term, Old school Lingo!😁😉

My father was a body man in the 40s and 50s. I have his dollies and hammers. I also have a nice selection of body files.

Top 5: a hammer, a bigger hammer, a really bigger hammer, the biggest hammer available and a crying towel, preferably an Irontrap Garage xxl black t shirt! As always Matt good job, hard to limit any work area to 5 tools, that's why we never own a garage that's big enough!

Just wanted to comment that every fuse box has 220v input and it is split into 110v for household use. Any electrician can wire you a 220v output for very little money. Good video Matt.

Great video Matt. Just a word on Taps and Dies. ALWAYS buy High Speed Steel taps and dies. That is what is meant by a "Quality" set. It doesn't matter as much who makes them, but make sure they say HSS on them. They should be shiny, almost polished looking on the cutting edges and may be black or grey in the flutes. If they are a mat grey or silver on the cutting edges, pass on them, they are at best High Carbon Steel. You may get by with cleaning out previously threaded parts with carbon steel, but they won't last long enough to tap 3 holes and then they will break and you will be trying to dig a broken tap out, and it will be too hard to drill. Skip the Erwin and Harbor Fright when it comes to metal cutting tools. The same goes for drill bits. And for god sakes, use SOME kind of oil any time you use thread cutting tools. Take it from a machinist of 40+ years. Don't skimp on Drills, Taps, and Dies.

Moon is trying to be noticed in the background ! love that dog. Fortunately, I got my Dads old hammers. Great information Matt, I would also recommend a drill press and a band saw

Good too, see you Matt!

Good advice, your dead on with the taps & dies, I always chase old thread before reassembly, along with never seize.

Whoever said torches have no place in a shop can come be my apprentice for a week. I’m in Ottawa,Ontario, Canada. Where the salt gods try ever winter to reclaim our cars. I use torches everyday!!! To do many different jobs.

All those things and lap top for schematics, how-tos and ordering parts and supplies it has become indispensable.

Number six would be a good air compressor. Maybe you could do a video on the top five air tools.

been using my oxy acceletine torch since 1970 in Vietnam. Started restoring a car this year and learned how essential the MIG setup was. You can do so much with the little heat and it is so much quicker. My neighbor had a small Mig that I would use in a tough spot. Example welding a corner on the lower quarter panel of the car with the torch when the heat made a 6 inch diameter chunk of body puddy over braising (that I was unaware of) fall off the car. I was sick and ordered a Mig that day. It seems a 57 yr old old car may of had a lot of repairs done to it thru the years that you may not notice till your up to your ass in alligators.

Moon is looking great 👍

Very good point on the angle grinder. 20 years ago, I bought a HF angle grinder. Got home with it and went to work on my wife's 1953 Chevy 5 window pickup. The grinder lasted 15 minutes and the brushes burned out along with the switch. Threw it in the trash and went down to Ace Hardware and bought a Makita. Still have the corded Makita and it still handles what I throw at it. I have my dad's ball peen hammers, assorted sockets and a few other tools that go back to the late 40s. A lot of his tools came up missing just before he passed.

A decent vise would be in my top 5. It’s where 75% of everything happens in my garage.