diff --git a/pre_commit/make_archives.py b/pre_commit/make_archives.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e989750b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pre_commit/make_archives.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import os.path
+import shutil
+from plumbum import local
+
+from pre_commit.util import tarfile_open
+from pre_commit.util import tmpdir
+
+
+# This is a script for generating the tarred resources for git repo
+# dependencies.  Currently it's just for "vendoring" ruby support packages.
+
+
+REPOS = (
+    ('rbenv', 'git://github.com/sstephenson/rbenv', '13a474c'),
+    ('ruby-build', 'git://github.com/sstephenson/ruby-build', 'd3d5fe0'),
+    (
+        'ruby-download',
+        'git://github.com/garnieretienne/rvm-download',
+        'f2e9f1e',
+    ),
+)
+
+
+RESOURCES_DIR = os.path.abspath(
+    os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'resources')
+)
+
+
+def make_archive(name, repo, ref, destdir):
+    """Makes an archive of a repository in the given destdir.
+
+    :param text name: Name to give the archive.  For instance foo.  The file
+    that is created will be called foo.tar.gz.
+    :param text repo: Repository to clone.
+    :param text ref: Tag/SHA/branch to check out.
+    :param text destdir: Directory to place archives in.
+    """
+    output_path = os.path.join(destdir, name + '.tar.gz')
+    with tmpdir() as tempdir:
+        # Clone the repository to the temporary directory
+        local['git']('clone', repo, tempdir)
+        with local.cwd(tempdir):
+            local['git']('checkout', ref)
+
+        # We don't want the '.git' directory
+        shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(tempdir, '.git'))
+
+        with tarfile_open(output_path, 'w|gz') as tf:
+            tf.add(tempdir, name)
+
+    return output_path
+
+
+def main():
+    for archive_name, repo, ref in REPOS:
+        print('Making {0}.tar.gz for {1}@{2}'.format(archive_name, repo, ref))
+        make_archive(archive_name, repo, ref, RESOURCES_DIR)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    exit(main())
diff --git a/pre_commit/util.py b/pre_commit/util.py
index 4b625c27..03bd4a28 100644
--- a/pre_commit/util.py
+++ b/pre_commit/util.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import os
 import os.path
 import shutil
 import sys
+import tarfile
+import tempfile
 
 
 def memoize_by_cwd(func):
@@ -65,3 +67,25 @@ def hex_md5(s):
     :param text s:
     """
     return hashlib.md5(s.encode('utf-8')).hexdigest()
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def tarfile_open(*args, **kwargs):
+    """Compatibility layer because python2.6"""
+    tf = tarfile.open(*args, **kwargs)
+    try:
+        yield tf
+    finally:
+        tf.close()
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def tmpdir():
+    """Contextmanager to create a temporary directory.  It will be cleaned up
+    afterwards.
+    """
+    tempdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+    try:
+        yield tempdir
+    finally:
+        shutil.rmtree(tempdir)
diff --git a/tests/make_archives_test.py b/tests/make_archives_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..290a0caf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/make_archives_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import mock
+import os.path
+import pytest
+from plumbum import local
+
+from pre_commit import make_archives
+from pre_commit.util import tarfile_open
+from testing.fixtures import git_dir
+from testing.util import get_head_sha
+from testing.util import skipif_slowtests_false
+
+
+def test_make_archive(tmpdir_factory):
+    output_dir = tmpdir_factory.get()
+    git_path = git_dir(tmpdir_factory)
+    # Add a files to the git directory
+    with local.cwd(git_path):
+        local['touch']('foo')
+        local['git']('add', '.')
+        local['git']('commit', '-m', 'foo')
+        # We'll use this sha
+        head_sha = get_head_sha('.')
+        # And check that this file doesn't exist
+        local['touch']('bar')
+        local['git']('add', '.')
+        local['git']('commit', '-m', 'bar')
+
+    # Do the thing
+    archive_path = make_archives.make_archive(
+        'foo', git_path, head_sha, output_dir,
+    )
+
+    assert archive_path == os.path.join(output_dir, 'foo.tar.gz')
+    assert os.path.exists(archive_path)
+
+    extract_dir = tmpdir_factory.get()
+
+    # Extract the tar
+    with tarfile_open(archive_path) as tf:
+        tf.extractall(extract_dir)
+
+    # Verify the contents of the tar
+    assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(extract_dir, 'foo'))
+    assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(extract_dir, 'foo', 'foo'))
+    assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(extract_dir, 'foo', '.git'))
+    assert not os.path.exists(os.path.join(extract_dir, 'foo', 'bar'))
+
+
+@skipif_slowtests_false
+@pytest.mark.integration
+def test_main(tmpdir_factory):
+    path = tmpdir_factory.get()
+
+    # Don't actually want to make these in the current repo
+    with mock.patch.object(make_archives, 'RESOURCES_DIR', path):
+        make_archives.main()
+
+    for archive, _, _ in make_archives.REPOS:
+        assert os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, archive + '.tar.gz'))
diff --git a/tests/util_test.py b/tests/util_test.py
index e406d604..b34b47ab 100644
--- a/tests/util_test.py
+++ b/tests/util_test.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from pre_commit.util import clean_path_on_failure
 from pre_commit.util import entry
 from pre_commit.util import memoize_by_cwd
 from pre_commit.util import shell_escape
+from pre_commit.util import tmpdir
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -112,3 +113,9 @@ def test_clean_path_on_failure_cleans_for_system_exit(in_tmpdir):
 )
 def test_shell_escape(input_str, expected):
     assert shell_escape(input_str) == expected
+
+
+def test_tmpdir():
+    with tmpdir() as tempdir:
+        assert os.path.exists(tempdir)
+    assert not os.path.exists(tempdir)