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What tools,if any,were included with the purchase of a new Chevrolet in the 1930's? :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

As per the Chevrolet Tool book-
1929-32 had Hammer,pliers,screw driver,spark plug wrench,(" adjustable wrench,and a 9/16" X 5/8" open end wrench,jack with handle, oil can, crank, and tire pump.

1934-40 had Hammer, pliers, screw driver, spark plug wrench (more of a socket),9" adj. wrench, 9/16" X 5/8" open end wrench,.jack with handle,oil can (until 1936),crank/lugwrench,and tire pump.

Book with description of tools, etc. available from The tool tech. listed in the G&D.

Thanks for the info Gene Tinnocker

Was the grease gun included?

According to a "General Sales Department Service Division" letter "Issued - November 13,1931" titled "1932 CHEVROLET SERIES "BA" PASSENGER CAR S.U.P. SPECIFICATIONS" the "TOOLS" listed are: "Alemite Grease Gun, Hand Tire Pump, Jack and Handle, Hammer, Screw Driver, Spark Plug Wrench, Oil Can, Combination Starting Crank and Wheel Nut Wrench, Combination Pliers, Adjustable Auto Wrench, Open End Wrench"

Given the above the answer is YES! Now Alemite literature packed inside a Junior Compressor Model C-1033 (which is the model used in the early 30s Chevrolets) cautions: "Do Not Use Grease". So given that the answer is NO! it is an "High Pressure Lubricating System" and "Use a Fluid Lubricant in the Junior Compressor Model C-1033".

Now are you confused? So were Chevrolet and Alemite. One called it a grease gun and the other did not. The important point is to use "heavy oil" and not grease. The Chevy literature specifies "heavy oil" or "600W" but calls the applicator a grease gun. So who is confused now? Ok, all of us.

Lets just call it a lube gun,Then we can't be wrong.

If these grease guns were for 600W lube why does the 33 shop manual on page 254 show this "grease" gun lubing the king pins with 600W oil???? And in the explaination to be caeful to saturate the bearing asm. with grease. Why would they put the zerk fitting on the gun for 34 if the only places on the vehicle with zerk fittings were for real grease???

I don't have a '33 shop manual so can not comment on it. During 1933 the switch was made from the Alemite fittings which used "heavy oil" to the "Alemite hydraulic lubrication system" that used zerk type fittings and grease. In fact the lubricator was changed to a Model 55 (if my memory is correct. Don't have one in the house to look and be sure.)

The 1934 shop manual describes chassis lubricant as "a semi-fluid lubricant designed for application by commercial gun equipment.It is composed of mineral oil (300 to 500 seconds Saybolt Universal viscosity at 100 degrees F.) combined with approxamently 8 percent soap, or soaps which are insoluble in water."

The "new" grease gun supplied with the 1934 (late 1933) is described as "making possible the application of much higher pressures to all lubrication points"... The higher pressure would have been necessary to force the thicker, more viscous grease thru the fittings and and the "lubrication points".

The "new Alemite Hydralic Lubrication" system is described in the July 1933 Service News.The new high pressure system is described and encourages dealers to urge customers to change over the fittings on their older cars to "make them easier to lubricate and eleminate loss from leakage of lubricant".
The new guns furnished with the cars are described as having smaller pistons to achieve higher pressure.

Essentially the addition of soap to oil makes grease. Won't go into the chemistry but it thickens the oil.

I just found my copy of the '33 Repair manual. On page 254 under "Front Wheel Lubrication" the first paragraph starts "The front wheels run on New Departure ball bearings which are lubricated by packing the bearings with soft cup grease. Never over lubricate. In mounting the front wheels, be careful to thoroughly saturate the bearing assembly with grease." So the bearing assembly they are referring to is the wheel bearings and not the king pin bearings.

The second paragraph begins with: "By cramping the front wheels as indicated in Fig. 222, (the illustration showing two Model C-1033 Alemite Compressors attached to two fittings that lubricate the king pins.) the three Alemite Fittings are accessable for for easy lubrication with an Alemite Gun from the front of the car. After lubricating the steering knuckle on one side of the car, cramp wheels in the opposite direction and repeat the OILING (I capitalized for emphasis) operation at the three Alemite fittings on the opposite side."

My interpretation of the above reference is that grease was used on the front wheel bearings but oil (heavy or 600W) used with Alemite fittings. This is consistant with the instruction sheet included with the Model C-1033 Compressor.

The 33 shop manual lube charts (fig. 223) indicate all the chassis "grease" fittings take heavy or S.A.E. No. 160 oil (Shop manual March 15, 1933). The 1934 Owners & Shop manuals indiate the chassis Zerk fitting take lubricants ordinarily applied by means of a pressure gun and are made from mineral oils having a viscosity between 300 and 500 seconds Saybolt Universal at 100 degress F. and contail 8 to 11% calcium soap. Soad decreases the tendency of libricants to leak from the bearing in service. Is the the 34 lube considered a grease or is this the 600W oil??? I am totally confused? What is the model C-1033 compressor?

Heavy oil is 600W or SAE 160. The designation changed from 600W to SAE 160 about 1933-4. SAE 160 is still used today.

My post of Feb. 13 I don't understand why the confusion unless you don't believe what I posted. Addition of soap (and possibly some other additives) to oil turns it into grease.

The C-1033 Compressor is illustrated in fig. 222 on page 254 of the March 15, 1933 Shop Manual. There are two in the figure.

The lubrican specified for the late 1933 with "Alemite High Pressure Lubrication" and 1934 and up cars would be Chassis grease - the product that we can now purchase in the cartridge.

It is also used in previous models if the fitting are changed to the Alemite type.The older 600 gear oil type grease guns just didn't produce enough pressure to force the "chassis" grease thru the fittings

So all the guns with the tool kit from 33 up are correctly called grease guns and from 32 back should be called lube guns. I didn't know that 600W and SAE 160 were the same. Thanks.

Jim,
Sorta! Chevrolet called both the pre-late33 and post 33 lubricators "grease guns" even though the pre-late '33 used oil and the later ones real honest to goodness grease. When confusing terms are used in official Chevrolet literature it is reasonable for us mere mortals to get our thoughts scrambled.