Outlawmws
Well-known member
Good news you found it!
Wondering about its provenance - Where was this located? with "Smokey" stenciled on, and all the vintage decals, I'm wondering it it is connected to Smokey Yunick in any way.
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The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!
- Thread starter mjozefow
- Start date
Good news you found it!
Wondering about its provenance - Where was this located? with "Smokey" stenciled on, and all the vintage decals, I'm wondering it it is connected to Smokey Yunick in any way.
wfopete
Well-known member
I've owned a mid 70's Craftsman chest and top box since new and it has served me well. However, I found the layout limited and it's time to expand and it hard to ignore the new offerings in a large roller work bench around the 41"+ size. The drawer capacity and features of the newer offerings are just what I need, heck even a China made HF US General is looking good 
. That said I would like to good with something vintage but I'm not well schooled in the subject. Is there anything old school out there to compare to the features you see today in a older roller/work bench?
. That said I would like to good with something vintage but I'm not well schooled in the subject. Is there anything old school out there to compare to the features you see today in a older roller/work bench?
All I can add is that it was bought from a FB Marketplace seller in Tappe, PA for $100 (full of punches, chisels, files, etc.; I could barely lift it) and he was selling it as a "DeeZee Toolbox", LOL.
Wow...I had never heard of Smokey Yunick before, but damned if he wasn't born in Neshaminy Falls, PA, which is less than an hour away from Trappe.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Smokey's career was garage mechanic/owner and race car driver/owner mostly in Fl. before his racing took him nationwide. and as that is where his Garage was.
That box appears to be an MB82. First catalog I've found referencing that model is 1950. He moved to FL in 47, so it's close. Maybe he picked up a full Bonney set in that box straight out of the service and it stayed at the family place in PA?
Genius at engine balancing with no. 1 cylinder purposely undersized. Bulletin board on his workshop door to list any and all mistakes ( seldom if ever used). And most famous for brevity quotes. “Nuf said?” Cheers and RIP Smokey! Jim Don
2001ZR2
Well-known member
The rodent infestation of the new to my craftsman boxes was way worse and recent than I thought. 3 residents were still inside the box but expired. The debris and some of the liners were still wet from them....today pulled out the liners and as much debris as I could.
Tomorrow will be washing it out...pull all the drawers and wash with car wash type soap. Should be in the 50's.
Did find the date stamp on the bottom and it's 12-74...now how to date the 10 drawer top.
Edit:
Found the dates the rodent boxes are 12-74:& 5-72 and the other stack is 4-69 for the bottom and 5-69 for the top.
Tomorrow will be washing it out...pull all the drawers and wash with car wash type soap. Should be in the 50's.
Did find the date stamp on the bottom and it's 12-74...now how to date the 10 drawer top.
Edit:
Found the dates the rodent boxes are 12-74:& 5-72 and the other stack is 4-69 for the bottom and 5-69 for the top.
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Nice find, 1982 fxr
Please add it to the following thread (and look at other Blackhawk/Caterpillar boxes + catalog information)
Blackhawk Tool Chests and Tool Rollers (Caterpillar by Blackhawk are welcomed as well!)
Bonney,as OTG suggested: You did good with the box/roller!!
www.garagejournal.com
alinc100
Well-known member
Well surfing FBM and found another. Happens to be much closer to a co-worker so we've made some arrangements to pick up tomorrow am. This one has the front cover and the key. Fingers crossed it all works out.
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Beerhippie
Well-known member
SIPCO?
alinc100
Well-known member
I'm thinking Green-Line based on the logo shape. 1st pic is the December one,2nd pic is today's. I'm thinking it's the same oval size/shape/location.
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RTM
Well-known member
I was thinking the “not SIPCO” that I have, which is a Green Line.
alinc100
Well-known member
The ironic part about my latest acquisition is Tim lives about an hour North of me, the box was 10-15 minutes further North from him. Due to some scheduling I may not get the box until March 1st-2nd ,and IN South Carolina. I'm scheduled for a vacation to Dallas next week, Tim is leaving for SC on Sunday I believe, I will be driving down the following Sunday. This Green -Line could have an 1800 mile journey to make a 60 mile trip.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
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alinc100
Well-known member
It sure looks that way.You guys talking lessons from the USPS?
RTM
Well-known member
Or DHL, FEDEX etc to "post office" deliveries I get.
JD Miller
Well-known member
Anyone own a vintage tool box once owned by a past notable mechanic?
555
Well-known member
I have a MB Century box from Big D Cycles in Dallas, TX. It belonged to the late Jack Wilson. https://bigdcycle.com/history/
JD Miller
Well-known member
My old retired neighbor worked for Dean Moon Equipment as head mechanic, his son gave me his old snap on bottom and top boxes when he died and they sold the property. Alot of stuff went to the scarp metal guy or trash dumpster
Funny many of his combination wrenches were made in China though they seemed higher quality
Funny many of his combination wrenches were made in China though they seemed higher quality
genog
Well-known member
A Seller that I know put this little portable chest aside for me.
Snap On 2580 doesn't come up in any searches...
It's going on my workbench and is certainly going to be a handy little ******
Snap On 2580 doesn't come up in any searches...
It's going on my workbench and is certainly going to be a handy little ******
alinc100
Well-known member
Well The Green Line didn't make it to SC after all. It's now home. Won't be much done/updated as I leave for Dallas TX on Tuesday, come home from that trip and head to SC for a month or so.
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bmwrd0
Well-known member
There is some stuff here on the forum about those chests. They were made for a SOCAL aerospace company, in that color, and predate the more common K-225 (I think that is the model). I found one at an estate sale, as people kept passing it over thinking it was a repaint. Flipped it on eBay for 10x what I paid.A Seller that I know put this little portable chest aside for me.
Snap On 2580 doesn't come up in any searches...
It's going on my workbench and is certainly going to be a handy little ******
CommanderCarry
Member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2012
- Messages
- 24
y'sguy
Well-known member
If they are slides, you can make a tool out of an old hacksaw blade or something similar. See my link below.
four.cycle
Well-known member
The blue one looks like an old Huot.
The red one .... I don't know, but most of them you simply use a broken hacksaw blade to depress the little "tang" to get the drawer to release.
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Mintgrun
Well-known member
I'd bet a dollar the blue one is a Williams box.
It looks the same as the ones in the links below, aside from the added coat of blue paint.
www.garagejournal.com
www.garagejournal.com
It looks the same as the ones in the links below, aside from the added coat of blue paint.
Vintage Williams Rolling Tool Chest
Hello Folks, I recently acquired a vintage (early 1960s?) Williams rolling tool chest, identical to the one pictured below: Its a solid well-made unit and I am looking forward to cleaning it up (but leaving the patina) and putting it to use in my garage. The key is long gone, and under...
www.garagejournal.com
Vintage Williams Orange Tool Box
Hello, Can anyone date and give an approximate value for a vintage Williams Orange tool box. The drawers have some sort of sticky fabric lining the bottom. When pulled off and the sticky cleaned they should be scratch free and in good painted condition. The outside has some rust pitting but...
www.garagejournal.com
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I'd bet a dollar the blue one is a Williams box.
It looks the same as the ones in the links below, aside from the added coat of blue paint.
Vintage Williams Rolling Tool Chest
Hello Folks, I recently acquired a vintage (early 1960s?) Williams rolling tool chest, identical to the one pictured below: Its a solid well-made unit and I am looking forward to cleaning it up (but leaving the patina) and putting it to use in my garage. The key is long gone, and under...
Vintage Williams Orange Tool Box
Hello, Can anyone date and give an approximate value for a vintage Williams Orange tool box. The drawers have some sort of sticky fabric lining the bottom. When pulled off and the sticky cleaned they should be scratch free and in good painted condition. The outside has some rust pitting but...
I agree, it does not have the extra embossing you see on Huots.
CommanderCarry
Member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2012
- Messages
- 24
Thanks for the replies folks. The are slides, no ball bearings. I have lots of old hacksaw blades, I'll grind one down some.
The "blue" box was orange painted over. I agree, looks like a Williams. The Mac box has plenty of "patina" but I prefer the worn-in look so it will stay as is. Every mark on it was well earned.
The "blue" box was orange painted over. I agree, looks like a Williams. The Mac box has plenty of "patina" but I prefer the worn-in look so it will stay as is. Every mark on it was well earned.
Amen, brother!
I was finished with them as much as possible after they moved the vise grip production from DeWitt Nebraska overseas. FSBD!
Either way, I've just bought another packaged Dewitt Vise grip-from 1973-the newer Irwin **** is just that.
Used your Oven settings on a smaller box to experiment on.
Was planning on just a wipe over and paint, as the can says spray straight over the rust and I wanted to see how that came up,
Couldn't do it thou, my quick do-over ended up being thrown in the mollasses to de rust it, which ended up being left a bit longer so I could scrape the paint off easier, to wire brushing with a Dremel brass wire to stop flash rusting on the unpainted surfaces and leaving a slight brass cover.
Did no panel beating as it just looked **** and covered in rust,no dings at all. A very quick sand to leave some roughness for the paint to stick to and smooth over a small deeper corroded area.
Painted it the same as factory in one piece,and it ended up really nice, with a factory paint finish.
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Forgot to take before photos as usual, was just going to be a trial and error box, so didn't feel the need.Used your Oven settings on a smaller box to experiment on.
Was planning on just a wipe over and paint, as the can says spray straight over the rust and I wanted to see how that came up,
Couldn't do it thou, my quick do-over ended up being thrown in the mollasses to de rust it, which ended up being left a bit longer so I could scrape the paint off easier, to wire brushing with a Dremel brass wire to stop flash rusting on the unpainted surfaces and leaving a slight brass cover.
Did no panel beating as it just looked **** and covered in rust,no dings at all. A very quick sand to leave some roughness for the paint to stick to and smooth over a small deeper corroded area.
Painted it the same as factory in one piece,and it ended up really nice, with a factory paint finish.
But I did find some photos a friend sent me to sell me on it, wasn't really interested but he left it while I wasn't home and the price was right on reflection - $0
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ nice work on that unit.
Gebirgekind
Well-known member
Just picked up this decent condition Utica/Bonney roller to join into a miter station I’m building. I searched here and elsewhere on these boxes but couldn’t come up with any catalog info - anybody know much about who made these and when?
Red Tractors
Member
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
In the all-things-are-relative category, I wouldn't consider either the roller or the top box to be even lightly abused in my experience. As for mish-mash, I see what you're saying with the Heritage and Crowntop badges, but with the finishes matching in color and condition and the drawer pulls matching in style, the two different eras are barely noticeable, and it's actually kind of neat that the whole set-up probably highlights a period of transition consistency moving from one to the other.