My first car -'50 Austin Cambridge - had an oil leak from the timming cover at the front end of the crank shaft/starting crank dog clutch. Not familiar with the rope trick, I removed the oil pan with combination wrenches (on end, with a screwdriver through the closed end), for the bolts between the pan and the bell housing; and blocked the crank with a 2x4 in order to remove the nut/clutch. Needless to say, these hex heads developed screwdriver slots before reassembly. I may still have a few Whitworth wrenches but I have been in my present location for 30 years, so God knows where the might be, certainly not treadily available.