They were used on English cars and motorcycles.
The "size" of the wrench was based on the diameter of the
stud size that the nut fit. (Typical bass-awkwards English
idea.) A 1/4" Whitworth was about 9/16" or a little larger
in true OD measurement of the flats on the nut. They had
fine and coarse thread as well.

Biggest PITA was BSA motorcycle cylinder nuts. They were
8pt 1/4 or 3/8 Whitworth. You had to have the correct wrench
or they rounded like butter. Most Whitworth wrenches I saw
were only open jaw, not box ends, but maybe that's all that
made it to the U.S.

I'm not a old fart either. My parents owned a British,
Italian, German motorcycle shop. (We worked on ANYTHING!)
Lots of "what the heck is this", but it was interesting.

Scariest part was when MG's had American, Metric and
Whitworth. Nothing sucks more than trying to figure out what
wrench to use on what parts when your fiddleing in the dark
(remember they used Lucas electics!!!) I'd love to punch the
engineer that said "but my part of the car is (fill in the
blank with Metric, SAE, or Whitworth.)

Then to top it off, depending on what year the MG was, it
was positive or negative ground. Look at the alt wiring
BEFORE you connect those cables.

Just give me a standard and STICK WITH IT!

Rant off

Bart D. Hull

Tempe, Arizona

Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html
for my Subaru Engine Conversion
Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html
for Tango II I'm building.

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Morgans wrote:
"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
ink.net...

It is a different size standard. There is SAE, Metric and Whitworth.

Mike
MU-2


*That* is one little fact that I could have gone my whole life without
knowing. g On the otherhand.... Another whole set of tools to buy! :-)
or :-( Hummm.

What is the basis of the sizes? (if you know what I mean)

What kind of beasts are (or were) they used on?