I'm presently carrying a Wal-Mart quality tool kit with 78 tools in it,
75 of which appear to be snap-on tips for the screwdriver handle,
including Torx as well as an impressive collection of other fairly
useless tips. The handle counts as the 76th tool, which leaves a small
pair of slip-joint pliers and a 5'' crescent wrench to make up the
remainder of the kit. All this neatly-fitted into a blow-mold case with
places for everything and no possibility of adding another tool or
swapping one out for a better one.

It's an embarrassment, frankly.

Knowing there are very mechanically-inclined individuals on this list
who likely carry full socket sets in 6 and 12-point flavors, a spare 17
mm hex drive just in case the differential needs looking into, and more
tools in their vans than I have in my garage, I nevertheless would like
to ask for suggestions here for a *basic* kit that won't require getting
stiffer springs to carry.

Just the standard sizes of wrenches and sockets for bolts and nuts found
on the Vanagon, useful screwdriver sizes, and other useful items like
pliers.

--
Rocky J Squirrel
'84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
'74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Bend, OR
KG6RCR