Technical GM Headlight Bucket Tool

Dis***embling a 41 Chevy Coupe and wondering what the bucket tool is. Looks similar to a Holley metering plate tool which I can’t find. Please steer me in the right direction. Thanks, Carl

 

Are you talking about a clutch head screwdriver?


they make different sizes, but they're available.

 

I found a bunch of these fasteners on my '47 , I removed them (with a suitable flat-blade driver), and replaced with "normal headed" screws. I have always wondered why they used these, they weren't used on anything special ( trans cover, etc).

 

And why are they called Clutch heads? Named after the inventor, Fred Clutch? On because in a clutch situation you can use a flat blade?

 

No Fred Head!

 

Interesting?https://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2016/01/clutch-head-screwdrivers.html

 

Didn’t know what they were called. Thanks for your help

 

You can do a search for Clutch head screw driver on Ebay or Amazon. lots of regular style clutch head screw drivers and lots of them to use with a ratchet.

 

Read that article which was somewhat interesting. And thankfully in the second last paragraph it mentioned the perfect screw/screwdriver...the Robertson. Positive engagement period! Old Henry wanted to licence the Robertson and produce and use them in his automobiles. Old man Robertson said, “no, but we don’t mind selling them to you...”. That’s why they didn’t catch on and that is a real shame!

 

Only some places reproducing some screw sizes, keep them or sell them......lots of people want them. Ask me how I know .

 

I would remove them and place them in my s**** pile

 

I would put them in my little drawer of Old Chevy Screws.

 

Yes, I would have saved them too years ago. I have fought with them enough times, and really, no longer play with old chevys so in the junk they would go. Now high head real ford bolts...thats a different matter !!

 

My 53 Ford had them on the door latch striker plates, ( that were always unlatching ).

 

I may be the only one who liked them. They either came out nice or I twisted the heads off the screws. But I never stripped one out.

 

Back in the the day my dad had no idea where to buy the actual tool. My dad had made one (driver) in the 60’s out of a big screw driver.
Still have that thing in the tool box. Used to use a flat blade on the smaller ones though. Then sometime in the 90’s I stumbled upon a set of them, couldn’t wait to show him. Lol

 

I still have a couple clutch head screwdrivers that my dad bought, in the 60s...for working on a washing machine! Yes, I paid attention to stuff like that.

 

Try a swap meet where they have a lot of tool vendors,some of the sets of screwdriver bits have them,i got a set years ago at a flea market like that.Have had them for 20 years,never used them,didnt know what type of screw it would fit,always thought it was for the bathroom stall doors so they souldnt be taken off?. Learn something every day i guess. harvey

 

I learned them as peanut head screwdrivers. When I was the truck mechanic's helper, there was one stepvan body maker who used them to fasten on any removeable piece of sheetmetal. Their basic use is to keep a power driver centered in the screw and/or not let the screw fold sideways when driving it. (Also Phillps, Torx, square drive, etc.) One size was the perfect tool for reinstalling the timing cover on a SBC after a cam change.

 

I had an Avion slide in camper from the late 60s that was full of clutch head screws.

 

I like them, they're all over my '60 Elco and '56 Panel (plus other long gone GM cars). I've been collecting drivers and sockets over the years as well as taking the screws off cars at the junkyard......when they used have some 60s cars in the 90s.

 

Avion trailers, Benton Harbor, Michigan.
I have a shop desk from their closeout sale years ago.

 

Today, I got my 5/32" clutch head screwdriver from Amazon to use on my Holley carb and it don't fit. Online, I find information that that is the one that fits. I've ordered a replacement but I don't have high hopes for it either.

 

Check at ACE hardware...I found a set with 3 of the most common sizes. Saved my **** many times on all
of my old Chevy stuff.

 

I seem to recall buying some at Ace a while back...

 

Clutch head screws (1/4 NC I believe) were also used to hold the camshaft retainer plate on early Ford small blocks, for some reason.