The Hyatt Regency Downtown was the host for the 2018 MATCO Tool Expo and attendance was strong! Perhaps it was the escape from colder weather or the proximity to Disney that attracted some, but I’m thinking it was the display of product that drew most of the franchisees to the event.
Approaching the entry to the show floor, you’re first greeted by row after row of toolboxes, and those in all shapes, sizes and colors. These professional storage units come wired with a power strip and USB outlets, making it easy to keep all those batteries charged! Here’s where I saw the first little gem of the day – an LED, motion activated light that is used to illuminate your drawers, making it easier to see what’s in there and find that little 1/8” open end you’re hunting for. The assembly attached to the upper side of the box, then plugs into an available USB port for power. If you’re like me, you have two sets of drawers – one set long, and one set short. Not a problem, there is an option for those too. Ask your MATCO rep for LEDDRW2 or LEDDRW3, as needed.
Walking into the center of the hall brings you to “Power Alley”. Among the row after row of goodies, I found the MATCO MCL1614HPIDK 16V impact gun there. This impact uses a brushless motor capable of producing 150 ft.lb. torque! Pretty impressive for a smaller gun. Also on display, was the MDMAX2A MAXIMUS 2.0 tablet scan tool. This is an expandable, wireless, Android-based scan tool tablet that offers OE-level coverage for Domestic, Asian and European applications. It features ultra-fast graphing with the ability to display 15 graphs at once on the full-color 10.1" 1920x1200 IPS capacitive touchscreen.
Hiding over in the corner was a MATCO exclusive, the CSPTK universal cooling system tester. Yeah, I know, we haven’t had much luck with “universal” anythings, but this tool is different. It taps into the overflow line (or another hose, like the coolant recovery tank line) rather than depend on having the right adaptor cap for the vehicle. And if you’ve seen the Ford TSB on cooling system testing, you know this method could save you a lot of headache!
Another exclusive is the interior creeper. This product allows you to work comfortably under the dash by placing one end of the “creeper” into the car and then leveling the platform with the T-stand on the other side. When not in use, it folds easily for convenient storage.
Judging from the comments overheard, I think your MATCO rep is going to be excited when he comes to your shop next. But you can always tell him you aren’t surprised by all the new goodies he’s got – you heard it first from Pete at Motor Age!
