MY FAVOURITE TOOL

Jim Turnbull’s ‘Pickle Fork’ ‘This is what we use to get the valves out of Flathead V8s,’ says Jim. ‘The fork hooks into a little groove at the bottom of each valve guide and by prising the fork against the engine block you can pull the guide down and remove a little locating horseshoe clip. With this out, you can then slide the whole assembly – valve, valve spring and guide – out through the top of the block. You have to reinstall a rubber O-ring to seal the inlet valves during reassembly, but nothing on the exhausts.’