Grandfathers Snap On KR56 KR351

damon18 · Jul 29, 2018

Thought I'd share some pics of this, now three generation, roll cab and chest.

My grandfather was a mechanic during the 30's and 40's, and during the 50s' worked for GM. He did a lot of body work during those years and on into the 60's and 70's. In 1972 he fixed me up a 1967 Rebel Rambler (AMC version of the mustang and Camaro) with new paint and add-on air conditioning for my first car.

This was his personal box for many years and he used it until his death at 86, when it went to my dad, who passed last year.

Most of the tools inside are his from the early days, because of the body work there are a lot of big hammers and pry bars in the bottom compartment.

I've just built a new workbench in my garage and left a place the correct size for this to sit right next to it so I can continue using it working on my 1967 Camaro (that Rebel got totaled within months of my 16th birthday)

I haven't been able to find any dates or stamps and the emblems are a slightly different, square instead of slanted, than the
ones in the 1950 catalog. http://www.collectingsnapon.com/catalogs/catalogs.php?loggedin=0&catalogPage=1128

Bunch of detail pictures of the boxes.
https://linkpro.net/piwigo/index.php/category/10

I'd like to know exactly what model year these are, I don't know if they were bought new off the truck (they had trucks in the 50's right?) or not.

Also, do I have the models correct? Is it a Snap On KR56 on a KR351

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Oldtuleguy · Jul 29, 2018

Hard to say exact year. Those ran late 40s to 50s. I have one I use for a house box. I think yours is a bit earlier, based on the drawer handles, early fifties.

damon18 · Jul 29, 2018

Oldtuleguy said:
Hard to say exact year. Those ran late 40s to 50s. I have one I use for a house box. I think yours is a bit earlier, based on the drawer handles, early fifties.

Thanks, until I started looking up info I didn't realize how many versions of the Snap On emblem have been used.

Your box looks to have the same rectangle shaped cut-out emblem as mine. I wonder if there is a timeline somewhere to match the emblem style with the years it was used? I searched here and on the Collecting Snap On site and didn't find anything.

Your two-drawer middle piece is nice, I'll have to keep my eyes open for one of those, more drawers is always better.

Oldtuleguy · Jul 29, 2018

Catalog pics were not always accurate. Sometimes they showed older style emblem in catalog, maybe just did not want to pay for new artwork!

Oldtuleguy · Jul 29, 2018

I think the slanted tag ran up to 46 or so, then it squared up a bit. Here is an early one on a 41 k55 I am trying to clean some paint off of it.

thehorse13 · Jul 29, 2018

I have the exact same stack. The only difference is that the bottom box has a chrome body panel instead of a painted one. This is the panel where the Snap-On logo is attached.

My boxes were bought from the original owner's family. They told me that they were bought in the 40s for sure but they couldn't say anything other than it was after the war. If I had to guess, late 40s based on the logo and drawer pulls.

damon18 · Jul 29, 2018

Oldtuleguy said:
I think the slanted tag ran up to 46 or so, then it squared up a bit. Here is an early one on a 41 k55 I am trying to clean some paint off of it.

I was thinking the slanted tags might be the earlier ones, kind of like the Tennessee license plates were shaped like the state but then standardized later.

damon18 · Jul 29, 2018

thehorse13 said:
I have the exact same stack. The only difference is that the bottom box has a chrome body panel instead of a painted one. This is the panel where the Snap-On logo is attached.

The door panel that rotates and slides up into the box is chrome on yours?

The logo/emblem on this one is below that panel, on the bottom of the body. I suppose so the logo is still visible with the panel open.

Funny thing, even though this has been at her house for at least 30 years, and in the family decades before that, my Mom had never before seen the boxes closed up all the way.

joel63 · Jul 29, 2018

If that box set were mine, I would not try to use it as a working box.
In my opinion, it needs to be lightly cleaned and brought inside and used to keep special pieces. (I know, I Know. Kind of tool polisherish like)

Any way it's a great piece. Treasure it, lot of history and memories in that set. :beer:

Enjoy.

I have the half size set that some dealers had in the mid-nineties.

damon18 · Jul 29, 2018

joel63 said:
If that box set were mine, I would not try to use it as a working box.
In my opinion, it needs to be lightly cleaned and brought inside and used to keep special pieces.

Well it's been in service nearly 70 years and still all the drawers slide smoothly and even the casters are in great shape and roll easily under full load. To the point I was spinning it around to take the pictures and almost had it roll out of the garage into the driveway.

And it happens to be the perfect size for my small suburban garage. I really think Pop-Pop would be more pleased that I was using it, than if it was a display piece.

All I'm planning to do to the box is removing all the drawers and cleaning/lubing the slides, removing and inventorying all the tools, cleaning the insides of the drawers, and installing fresh drawer liners where needed.

I'll probably clean out the body tools from the bottom compartment and use that space for power/air tools that I use regularly.

Oldtuleguy · Jul 29, 2018

Looks good how it is. Nice user box. Would not survive a modern high volume shop but good for home box.

thehorse13 · Jul 29, 2018

damon18 said:
The door panel that rotates and slides up into the box is chrome on yours?

The logo/emblem on this one is below that panel, on the bottom of the body. I suppose so the logo is still visible with the panel open.

Funny thing, even though this has been at her house for at least 30 years, and in the family decades before that, my Mom had never before seen the boxes closed up all the way.

I guess I was not explaining clearly. The panel on mine is red just like yours. My bottom support is stainless. Have a look.

Oldtuleguy · Jul 29, 2018

Did someone remove the paint or did it come that way?

thehorse13 · Jul 29, 2018

Oldtuleguy said:
Did someone remove the paint or did it come that way?

It came that way from Snap-On. If you look in their catalogs, you'll see several models had this odd stainless kickplate.

Oldtuleguy · Jul 29, 2018

Nice. Makes sense as that is the spot that gets abused.

wtn1271 · Sep 29, 2021

Old thread, I know, but I have this exact setup an am also trying to pin down a date of manufacture. Any new info gents?

Oldtuleguy · Sep 29, 2021

Late 40s early fifties i would say. Nice old stack!

thehorse13 · Sep 30, 2021

wtn1271 said:
Old thread, I know, but I have this exact setup an am also trying to pin down a date of manufacture. Any new info gents?

I have the exact same boxes along with the middle box that I added later on. Late 40s/early 50s is the time period of production.

Packard V8 · Sep 30, 2021

Oldtuleguy said:
Looks good how it is. Nice user box. Would not survive a modern high volume shop but good for home box.

But they did. I have a survivor from a union machinist who worked in the mines. No worse environment and it's amazing how many of his tools are still in that box and I still use seventy years after he bought the box.

jack vines

Grandfathers Snap On KR56 KR351

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