Vintage Ads.

[Muddy]

Great tools by Millers Falls. Still have a mid-1960's electric 1/2" impact that my dad used before he was able to afford shop air.

Many of us don't remember how expensive good tools were back in the day. Adjusting for inflation, that $24.95 drill back in 1959 would now cost around $279.00. At that time the average yearly FAMILY income in 1959 was $5400, while the median individual yearly income was $2600. Buying such tools was a fairly big expense back then. That was also one of the reasons Sears Craftsman tools became so popular -- the same size 1/4" Craftsman drill sold for under $20.00. Quite a big savings over the big name brands (such a Millers Falls) at the time.

I'm sure it was the same back in the day. But I'm tired of hearing the younger generation saying how cheap things were back in the day. "Must be nice to buy a house for $50,000. They forget that income was also much lower.

[Muddy]

[Muddy]

[Muddy]

[Uncle Buck]

Almost positive the jacks shown in the picture were Blackhawk brand manufactured for NAPA.

After a second glance I think the three largest jacks shown in the image were Weaver jacks. You rarely hear discussion of Weaver brand jacks but they are exceptional quality and a very old brand. Weaver is still in business,  not cheap and still USA made. I have one in my rebuild pile and last I knew kits were still available for the one I have.

Weaver jacks have a few distinct design elements  two of which show in the image Muddy posted. First is the lift plate. It is an unusual and different design. Second is the handle. Weaver jack handles look crude compared to other brands. Weaver handles appear to be simple box steel and square in appearance unlike the round pipe appearance of virtually all other brands.

Great choice mudman!

[Uncle Buck]

madman!

I have the little circle saw and square steel box shown in the bottom picture. Left to me by an uncle who was a very good fellow as well as an exceptionally smart man. That said he was not a real hands on kind of guy.

That was a benefit for me as the saw a d box are both in like new condition due to lack of use.

[Muddy]

[goodfellow]

I mailed my coupon. Hope my training manuals show up soon; I'm ready to fix cars in my neighborhood. --- 

[Uncle Buck]

I mailed my coupon. Hope my training manuals show up soon; I'm ready to fix cars in my neighborhood. --- 

You just might be the right kind of citizen for work like that. Best of luck in your endeavors and adventures in auto repair GF! 🤣

[Muddy]

[goodfellow]

I mailed my coupon. Hope my training manuals show up soon; I'm ready to fix cars in my neighborhood. --- 

You just might be the right kind of citizen for work like that. Best of luck in your endeavors and adventures in auto repair GF! 🤣

If only those old mechanics could see what we're up against these days with regard to auto repair. They'd be shaking their heads wondering where the entire car industry went totally off the rails.

MY FIL was one of these old time mechanics post WWII. He warned us decades ago that car repair and hot rodding would eventually become too complex and expensive for the average enthusiast to accomplish.

[Muddy]

[1965 Comet Caliente]

Not exactly an ad, but a page from the 1954 Snap On catalog

[Muddy]

Shows what money used to get you. The closest thing I could find today was 105 price set but it's mostly sockets.

[Hickory n Steel]

They offer bigger sets in the multi drawer blow mold case which does include some wrenches I believe ( I'm pretty sure my cousin has one, and a similar set from Kobalt ).

That 40's to early 50's set is kind of better, but more sockets are needed these days.
Both sets kind of have some filler, but some of the filler in the vintage set is of far more value like the punch & chisel set and hammers.
You also get a larger variety of drive handles, plus you're getting 1/4 3/8 & 1/2.

Without the hex keys driver & bits you're really looking at a 79pc set, add a 1/4 universal for an even 80pc then knock the price down and it's not that bad.
27 pieces of unnecessary filler when the vintage set has really only 12 pieces of unnecessary yet still more valuable filler.
Leave out the punch & chisel set, hacksaw, screwdrivers, & hammers for an 87pc set.
44 sockets vs 72, add the 28 missing sockets to the vintage set for a 115pc set and you've massively blown the new set out of the water.


You definitely got more for your money back then, not necessarily just due to inflation but also because of the small low value filler they use to boost piece counts these days.