1st Post; need help with Snap On toolbox!

[darkey]

Hey guys,
I discovered this GREAT group doing research on jacks last month; since then I've lost track of the hours I've spent lurking on here. I thought for sure I'd be breaking the ice with a {bunch of} jack questions, but of more immediate concern is a toolbox I ran across to replace my old, but shot CM base unit. I now realize, since joining even though space is So tight, I'll probably keep the CM
This is the box I'm looking at. He says the top unit is a KRA-61D. I don't need the top as I have 10 drawer SO top, and 2 drawer center unit. Not sure of the model #'s of mine, but they are 26" wide. I believe them to be about the same vintage; I'm guessing his is 32". Am I correct?


Can someone Please advise me as to what would be a good price? He's asking $900 for both units with the tools which he said are all SO, CM and SK, but is willing to break it up. $900 seems like a steal to me, but I can't afford it, otherwise I'd buy the whole lot and sell off what I don't "need" {= want!}. Ideally I'd like something larger, which realistically for my finances would be the HF 44", but overall I'd much prefer a SO to match the pieces I have, not to mention I'm not very fond of HF in general. In fact I never would have even considered it were it not for the reviews I saw about it here.

My questions are, what would be a fair - or "steal it" price for the box? Based on his asking price for the lot, would $200 be good?
Can anyone Please ID the box and besides the obvious differences in dimensions, would the HF box offer that much more space? I really need a lot more drawer space and am trying to get the most bang for my limited $. I'd really appreciate anyone's experience with and/or observations on the SO box. If I were to {somehow} be able to get the whole lot, how much could I realistically get for the top box on here/CL/ebay? Don't have a list of the tools included yet so as of now I can't factor them in as a means to help recover my purchase.

Any and All input is Greatly appreciated, as are opinions!!!
Many Thanks!
darkey

 

[bobcatdan]

The top box is nicknamed the super chest. As much as I want one. That is a $500 combo tops. A good price is $350 for the combo. Personally I would pay up to $200 of a super chest in good to great shape. To me, the box would have to be bursting with great tools to get anywhere close to $900.

 

[crewchief888]

hard to tell from the pics,
but my guess would be they are 26" wide.

both are pre mid 80's from the emblem.
only way to really know is check the back of the boxes for the model and date codes.


i'd ask what he wants for the boxes alone, and see what he says...


i think $400 would be my upper limit, and i'd have to want them REALLY bad

 

[darkey]

The top box is nicknamed the super chest. As much as I want one. That is a $500 combo tops. A good price is $350 for the combo. Personally I would pay up to $200 of a super chest in good to great shape. To me, the box would have to be bursting with great tools to get anywhere close to $900.

Hi bob,
Well, I stand corrected! I guess my thought of $900 being a steal is a little off base, unless indeed they are mainly SO tools - which I doubt. Maybe thats why he's been unable to sell it. Appreciate your input; gives me a little better perspective.

 

[rsanter]

Can't tell without seeing all the tools
The box is $500 tops is you really want it
The top box I would ask $300 and take $250 if I was selling it
The bottom I would ask $350 and take 300 if I was selling

Tools is another story, got to see what's there

Bob

 

[trout]

Hi bob,
Well, I stand corrected! I guess my thought of $900 being a steal is a little off base, unless indeed they are mainly SO tools - which I doubt. Maybe thats why he's been unable to sell it. Appreciate your input; gives me a little better perspective.

Doubt there are many SO tools. Most people would send the best pic, and his best pic includes some craftsman "universal" wrenches.

that's about all I need to know to not bother looking into the tools more.

 

[zkling]

Welcome to GJ

The boxes you currently have are 26" wide, 12" deep. Top is a KRA-58 (~1250in^2), the middle (pretty rare), is a KRA-428 26" wide, 15" deep --> 750in^2 storage.

The ones you are looking at purchasing.
KRA-61 Top, 31" wide, 15" deep, 17" tall nick named "super chest" --> (2250in^2)
KR-557 Bottom, 32" wide, 18" deep, 38" tall --> (~3300in^2) a little less storage than a HF 44" bottom (3800 in^2)

Technically they are not a proper matching set. Total --> ~5550 in^2 storage

Look to be from the late 70's to early 80's.

They are good boxes, and built really well. Just realize they are ~30+ year old friction slide boxes. Granted it does look like they were taken care of well. The HF44" is a brand new, clean, ball bearing box, that is ready to use. Those used boxes will probably need some minor work/cleaning to be fully functional.


As for price. IMHO of course Where are you located? Price is heavily dependent on local market.

<$200 would be a steal.
~$350 would be a fair price
$450-$550 would be tops to pay for the combo, empty of tools. Definitaly no more than $600 and for that is better be really nice, new liners, both keys, etc.

The "tools included" is a **** shoot. He shows one drawer out of 7. What do the other 6 contain? Maybe they each contain a $100 bill. Also what all is in the top. It could be a gold mine (rare, but never know) or a seller thinking their item is worth more than it is (more likely).

As for selling the top box. Well, that is going to be pretty difficult IMHO. Most home owners only want to purchase a 27" wide top box to fit their current stack. Most people that have 33" wide boxes, would prefer the high models of 33" boxes (ex KR537 which is the proper top box for that bottom box). That version of the super chest is not exactly rare or extremely sought after. At the end of the day figure ~$200 avg to sell it. May go as high as $250 (really doubt any more) or as low as $150 for a quick sell, again depending on the local market, and how long you want to wait for the "right buyer".

 

[darkey]

hard to tell from the pics,
but my guess would be they are 26" wide.

both are pre mid 80's from the emblem.
only way to really know is check the back of the boxes for the model and date codes.


i'd ask what he wants for the boxes alone, and see what he says...


i think $400 would be my upper limit, and i'd have to want them REALLY bad

Hi Chief,

Just spoke to the guy; got him to $300 for the lower; he's firm at that. Said they "look better in person" Two hour round trip to find out. What do you {or anyone!} think of $300 vs. the HF for $359 + NYS TAX = $391??? SO boxes aren't that cheap here in NY; been looking on CL for a while. Wants $650 for both empty!
FWIW he claims to have paid $3200 for them used

 

[Packard V8]

The top and bottom being from different design eras would be the problem for me. As an Old guy liking older boxes, the bright trim era of the bottom box isn't my fave.

I'd go for the top any time I saw it at a reasonable ($250) price. The bottom is personal taste. Lots of folks love 'em.

Buying the lot and parting it out is work, but back in the years when I mistakenly thought I had more time than money, I traded up that way.

jack vines

 

[trout]

Just because he got ripped off doesn't mean you have to be. Maybe you can get him to throw in some tools to make it worth $300 to you.

 

[rsanter]

I would be more interested in the tools that he has in there. Ask for pix of all the drawers to see if there are any gems.
Otherwise a 2 hr trip is a deal breaker for me

Bob

 

[crewchief888]

Hi Chief,

Just spoke to the guy; got him to $300 for the lower; he's firm at that. Said they "look better in person" Two hour round trip to find out. What do you {or anyone!} think of $300 vs. the HF for $359 + NYS TAX = $391??? SO boxes aren't that cheap here in NY; been looking on CL for a while. Wants $650 for both empty!


personally i think thats a little steep on price.

but it always depends on the area you're in.


FWIW he claims to have paid $3200 for them used

i'd have trouble believing that they cost that much even new.

the NEW kr550/555b set i bought in '86 were only $2250.

 

[bobcatdan]

The top and bottom being from different design eras would be the problem for me. As an Old guy liking older boxes, the bright trim era of the bottom box isn't my fave.

I'd go for the top any time I saw it at a reasonable ($250) price. The bottom is personal taste. Lots of folks love 'em.

Buying the lot and parting it out is work, but back in the years when I mistakenly thought I had more time than money, I traded up that way.

jack vines

The boxes could very easily be the same age. The super chest stayed in the lineup in to the early 80's which would be about the age of the bottom. Although not combo normally associated with each other, I would say size wise the two pair together well.

 

[zkling]

They are from the same era, even the same year; just different "grades"/series/lines of boxes shall we say.

The bottom is a KR-557 which was intended to be the top of the line series of boxes. The proper top box would be the iconic 12 drawer KR-537. That top box for sale (KRA-61) was the best/largest box from the KRA series (step below the KR series) of boxes. Their flagship / standard line from the 60's-80's. The proper bottom box for that top, would have been a KRA3XX box.

http://collectingsnapon.com/catalogs/catalogs.php?catalog=49

OP, I hope you don't mind me posting this. Another one of those, no price listed morons. As my father use to say about price "If you have to ask, you know it is going to be too much"

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/tls/3978422647.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/tls/4007731088.html

FWIW he claims to have paid $3200 for them used

So what, just because someone paid something for the box, doest change the markets value. BTW I HIGHLY doubt he paid that much. UNLESS if was full of tools that he has since stripped out. Just ask the basic questions: Where, when, from who, did he buy them for $3200. I bet you won't get a straight (honest) answer from him.

 

[CWP1616L]

I see two areas of concern:

1. No drawer trim on the drawer pulls to make it easier on your finger tips. Probably due to being an older generation box.

2. Friction slides which are not replaceable. Some guys have had the spot welds give way on those older boxes with friction slides.