Bonney Mack Truck "S" wrench

[Wingnutt]

Should arrive just in time to be put inside my boot on the porch on St Nicholas Day! The other boot will be filled with coal and onions for sure! (One of the only "old country" traditions from my childhood that my children actually enjoyed as kids!)

Three down, one to go!

Edit: And before a resident tone-deaf inappropriate nitpicker points it out, I see the interwar B-triangle logo where the BONNEY name is typically found on wartime wrenches. I am, in this case, happily choosing to conveniently ignore it. For now. If these grew on trees, it might be different. Also, I'm not sure about this one. I'm going to inspect for a date code and compare construction.

[mudbox]

Edit: And before a resident tone-deaf inappropriate nitpicker points it out, I see the interwar B-triangle logo where the BONNEY name is typically found on wartime wrenches. I am, in this case, happily choosing to conveniently ignore it. For now. If these grew on trees, it might be different. Also, I'm not sure about this one. I'm going to inspect for a date code and compare construction.

B triangle is Billings and spencer, no?
I think it would be good for wartime. Though, now you're stuck trying to find the fourth one in an all together different brand! I think it should be a Vlchek.
-Jason

[Wingnutt]

B triangle is Billings and spencer, no?

Yup. Todd caught the same brainfart and PM'd me.

Though, now you're stuck trying to find the fourth one in an all together different brand!

No kidding - I had the same exact thought and I am considering it challenge now! Three wartime Mack wrenches, three different suppliers - Bonney, Williams, and Billings! If only Willys had been so pluralistic!

[Tin Medic]

What manufacturer are we missing?


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[Hartofoak]

What a very enjoyable and interesting story! I know nothing of Mack trucks and their toolkits, but it's funny how a wrench can get guys enthusing from all corners of the globe which demonstrates another of the great things about this forum.

[ng19delta]

Great. Now I have tio go look through my small stash of S wrenches- I'm pretty sure I have a few "Mack"... Wonder what the value is...

Scott

[Wingnutt]

So true, Cliff!

What manufacturer are we missing?

Unknown. I didn't know Bonney was a supplier until the first S wrench popped up. Ditto Williams or Billings. The manual Dave posted doesn't say, and I don't know any other source for Mack truck toolkit info. We're in pure heuristic mode on this one, so far, backing into it the hard (empirical) way!

[Wingnutt]

Great. Now I have tio go look through my small stash of S wrenches- I'm pretty sure I have a few "Mack"... Wonder what the value is...

Please report back after you check your stash. I'm curious what you have. As for value, there are a few Williams (75J, 79S, 81A) and Bonney's (79S, 81A) on fleaBay right now. Can't see the date codes on the Bonney, but they're the wartime markings, as are the Williams. They range between $10 and $20 a piece.

No Billings versions in any size, and no 15/16" x 1-1/16" wrench (which, given the industry sizing nomenclature, has to be 83-something) in any brand.

The 1949 Billings catalog, which offers standard 22-1/2* angle carbon steel DOE "S" wrenches in nineteen (19) different size combinations, doesn't include any of the Mack NR series sizes, yet we know they made the 81A (see wrench Tin medic found above).

The pre-war Bonney catalogs offered them in thirty-three (33) different sizes, but only includes two (79S and 81A) of the four wrenches specified by Mack. No 1/2 x 7/16 (which we know is 75J) and no 15/16 x 1-1/16. Yet we know they made the 75J (see the wrench that kicked off this thread). Not included in the wartime catalogs.

The pre-war and wartime Williams catalogs offered them in twenty-eight (28) different sizes, but, like Bonney, only covered the 79S and 81A for the Mack kit sizes. Again, no 75J and no 15/16 x 1-1/16. All marked "DISCONTINUED" in the wartime catalogs.

75J (1/2 x 7/16) and whatever the part number was for 1-1/16 x 15/16 were obviously special orders.

[ng19delta]

Great. Now I have tio go look through my small stash of S wrenches- I'm pretty sure I have a few "Mack"... Wonder what the value is...

Please report back after you check your stash. I'm curious what you have. As for value, there are a few Williams (75J, 79S, 81A) and Bonney's (79S, 81A) on fleaBay right now. Can't see the date codes on the Bonney, but they're the wartime markings, as are the Williams. They range between $10 and $20 a piece.

No Billings versions in any size, and no 15/16" x 1-1/16" wrench (which, given the industry sizing nomenclature, has to be 83-something) in any brand.

The 1949 Billings catalog, which offers standard 22-1/2* angle carbon steel DOE "S" wrenches in nineteen (19) different size combinations, doesn't include any of the Mack NR series sizes, yet we know they made the 81A (see wrench Tin medic found above).

The pre-war Bonney catalogs offered them in thirty-three (33) different sizes, but only includes two (79S and 81A) of the four wrenches specified by Mack. No 1/2 x 7/16 (which we know is 75J) and no 15/16 x 1-1/16. Yet we know they made the 75J (see the wrench that kicked off this thread). Not included in the wartime catalogs.

The pre-war and wartime Williams catalogs offered them in twenty-eight (28) different sizes, but, like Bonney, only covered the 79S and 81A for the Mack kit sizes. Again, no 75J and no 15/16 x 1-1/16. All marked "DISCONTINUED" in the wartime catalogs.

75J (1/2 x 7/16) and whatever the part number was for 1-1/16 x 15/16 were obviously special orders.

I'll have to check my straight wrenches next for more Mack stuff- I have a bunch I got a few years back... But I found ONE Mack marked "S" wrench in my pile o's wrenches- it is a Williams (with the underline, and a MADE <W> USA marking) #75... The rest of my s wrenches are not Mack marked...

Scott

[Wingnutt]

I found ONE Mack marked "S" wrench in my pile o's wrenches- it is a Williams (with the underline, and a MADE <W> USA marking) #75... The rest of my s wrenches are not Mack marked...

Thanks, Scott. The Williams 75 wrench is the same wrench as the Bonney 75J. 1/2 x 7/16. Not sure why they used different model numbers. Machts nichts though. Neither one made an S wrench with that size combination until the war and I am positive it was specified by the Army for the Mack NR series at a minimum.