After spending years either borrowing a friend or neighbor's jack, or using a China freebie on it's last legs, I finally decided to purchase a quality one of my own. Ok, two. I happen to luck upon these on the same day from two different CL sellers.

Blackhawk S-23 (USA circa early 50's)
$30
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/tls/1830246999.html




Walker 782 Series D ( USA - Sold via Snap-On - circa mid/late 40's)
Talked this one down to $35!
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/tls/1825842662.html

 

sweet! i would love to get soem vintage hardware and tools.

 

Shes a bute. A little cleaning and paint, and you can keep it in the house

 

Thanks.

I was actually pretty stunned at how clean they were considering they are floor jacks. Really dusty but nothing leaked across the carpet when I rolled them through the house. I guess the difference between units owned for personal use, rather than a busy old school gas station or shop.

More pics of the Walker, which after coming across garagejournal.com (http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45278&highlight=show+jacks) and bumping into a few floor jack gurus, collectors, and enthusiasts, come to find that it's still pretty much the same design used by the Hein Werner badged Long frame 2 tons of today!

 

sweet find joe!!

 

The question here should be, how much can they really handle? I wouldn't like being smushed because they couldn't handle my cars weight... Just something to think about my friend.

 

I would never trust any floor jack. ALWAYS use jack stands.

 

truth!!!

i saw a guy at the jag dealership get his skull crushed cause he only used a floor jack...the thing went down when he was under there and smacked his head between the sub frame and the ground...nasty.

 

Really? I don't know too many guys who don't use jack stands, regardless of the era of their jack. Just doesn't seem all that smart.

As for what they can handle, I think you have to see one in person to understand and appreciate the craftsmanship. But to entertain your question, both jacks had no problems raising the HiLux. I immediately used a couple of jackstands, so sorry, I didn't really test to see how long either one could hold the truck up all on it's own.

Anyhow, the question here should be, how many jack stands do you own my friend?

 

2, lol... but you never know, i know a couple guys who don't use jackstands... i know how you guys feel, i also feel pissed off but wtvr, and yeah, using jackstands is always your safest bet...

 

Nice find.


Also you are lucky, if I brought a jack through my house

 

Thanks. They are way too freaking cool.

The same reason why I love these old Toyotas! Built well, full of character, probably the only one on my block, and not all that difficult to maintain. They still sell complete rebuild kits for almost any of the early USA made floor jacks!

When the time comes to where my Walker would need to be rebuilt the kit (50 different hard and soft parts) would run me $40. Add that to the $35 I spent for the jack itself it's still way more bang for my buck than any $75 jack on the market.

Check this link out...this guy is using an even older (mechanical) jack! Which I think is actually pretty bada**.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/mboard/showthread.php?13184-Antique-floor-jack

 

i'd trust the old jacks more then new ones..

my work ordered several 20ton china jacks from napa, a couple wouldn't lift even when they were brand new..

i use 6 jackstands in the garage. i could use about 6 more

 

Exactly. Thank you.

 

1940's Blackhawk S18

Came across another old school jack I just couldn't pass up.

A pretty cherry conditioned 1940s Blackhawk S18. The hump near the base of the handle was a lil' headlight so you could see where you were positioning the jack, I guess. Although it's probably been years since it last lit up.

 

damn thats sweet!

 

Cool! You should see if you can get the light working!

 

get the light working and use LED's as a retrofit

 

as for the age vs lifting, keep in mind in there era when new they where expected to lift the car of the day. old buicks, caddies, fords, these where 4000-5000lb cars not the more common 3000lbs today, it seems people always think of old cars as small tin cans with weak 4cyl motors, that you could push start with ease, and i guess that makes since most the people today rember those and don't rember before the gas crunch when cars where huge heavy and built like tanks.

BTW awesome find on the jacks, they look good with that old desk.