You know, now that I think about this, it's all a bit of a genius plan.
He wants new electronic gizmos, including the boroscope. How to get that one past the wife?
Hrm, start maintenance, leave hole open. Need proof that something went down that hole, but it needs to be a hole she can't see down into.
Cut tool in half, come up with some cockamamie story about how you are making a custom tool rather than go buy one (They are expensive, you are saving money)
Hide half of the tool, then start freaking out that the hidden half is down in the engine.
Start talking shop costs of what it's going to cost the local shop to disassemble the engine to get this part out that is lost somewhere in a sensitive, expensive and scary location (Transmission)
Start thread on website so she can see you are doing research and asking knowledgeable folks out about this.
Recruit a friend to come over and "Help" you with the issue.
Run to store to buy the tools you originally wanted.
Friend uses tools to help you retrieve your "Missing tool."
Celebrations, beer, hugs, happiness.
Offer friend tool for gratitude but he rejects this as planned.
Wife is happy it only cost the cost of new tools and not a complete transmission tear down at the local shop, her honey saved money.
Enjoy the use of new tools you couldn't have bought otherwise.
*There's no telling what he's been exploring with that little camera since then!*