Fozz's Winter Project, advice wanted

[senor fozz]

I bought a '72 KR533a in the summer with hopes of flipping it, but the market is down, I have 90 bucks in it. I'm thinking of turning it into a winter project.

Starting condition:
Very minimal rust, dremel use level of rust.
Sheet metal: 2 dents and I have 1 inch section of the bottom that needs to be bent back to straight.
Original paint. paint spilled on the back, light and deep scratches everywhere.
All slides and drawers dividers. drawers were lined with carpet and the foam residue from the ancient carpet stayed with the adhesive. (covered by drawer liners now).

Aesthetics
Final paint scheme, I have two favorite race team livery Gulf and Martini. I'm thinking of doing the martini box when I earn enough money to have an old Hazet shipped from Germany. So it leaves the Gulf.

For paint I'm thinking the enamel they paint fire engines with for its toughness and resistance to fading. Or if any other members have a better suggestion I'm listening.

Outside and inside will be light blue(I know its kind of sacrilege making it look like a Hazet but I'm not building this for purists). Drawer faces orange, I may paint he whole drawers depending if I ate my Wheaties(save money in sand blasting just doing the box and drawer fronts). The drawer fronts are plain jane with no accents. I saw the metallic ducting tape some one used and I wasn't overly impressed. I want to do something to break up the orange. Not super concerned with it just would like some input.

Currently the box has SS accents on the "side caps" and cover, completely stock. I'm thinking about trying to find stainless with similar grain and have a large gt40 lasered into it and cover the bottom drawer face with the stainless. If I can't find a similar grain I will likely not do this. There is also master engravers in town but I suspect I don't have the $$$ for their craftsmanship.

Mods:
I'm think about a mid to high quality veneer with a urethane coating on the bottom of the drawers and top compartment. The shadow on top of that with the blue foam bed rolls they sell at Wally world for the tools.

This one is up in the air, the support not the piano hinges need to be replaced. I'm thinking of gas shocks. But I'm worried about the shocks not being able to hold the weight.

I can remove the front face that covers the drawers. Move lock assembly to top lid. The top will be able to lock but not the drawers. This is done so I can put a peg board/socket organizer that raises up when you open the lid. I would likely cut out the inner dividers in the top so I can have room for the shocks and fit a larger peg board or socket organizer. I'm leaning to socket organizer This idea came from another SO box from years past can't remember the model #.

I'm also considering installing handles, but don't know if I want to go through the hassle of removing the existing folded sheet metal ones.

Switching the logo with an earlier version where it is just script and no background.

Budget is less than $500, I know it is high but I have spent money is worse ways. Any more ideas that fall within the vibe or are just too cool not to mention post them up.

People and things I Have access to:
Sand blaster
Ice Jet(paint removal just costs more $, less clean up)
Laser engraver
Carpenter
Sheet metal fabricator
upholster
sign and vinyl guy
All your lovely faces and ideas at GJ.

I live in a metropolitan area and can find almost anything besides a cool summer's day

 

[zkling]

If you intend to sell it, now is the time. You will NEVER get the $ back out of it all the time and effort you put into restoring it......properly. So if you plan on going through with the restore, I'd plan on keeping it or taking a huge hit on $.

IIRC those boxes are like a KR537/637 but without the side stack of drawers taking them from 33" to 27".


Talk to member Lookin', he is one of the resident experts for restoring a box.

 

[senor fozz]

Sorry if I confused you, I have decide not to sell. It is a 27" all drawers are full length. If you want pics they are just going to be of a stock box, still in the planning stage thought of it just today.

 

[zkling]

To be honest initially I just skimmed through the post. After reading it in entity I will give my 2¢

Paint--> The "best" IMHO would be a full on automotive paint job, primer color and clear, then cut and polish as needed. It would look fantastic in the end if proper steps were taken. I don't know how the fire engine enamel would compare, I'm sure one of the resident paint experts could answer that for you. I'm a rustoleum person.

Color--> I personally think that color of blue and orange would look freaking SWEET on a box. I love light blue color boxes. Maybe overall the blue with every other drawer being orange?

The GT40 is one of my top favorite cars, so I'd be a fan of it. Not sure how it would look on the bottom drawer though, maybe on the outside. Anyway the GT40 with that paint scheme would be awesome in my mind.

I would skip the wood drawer bottoms. Not only will it take up space I think it may be too much going on in the end. What about blue box with the orange drawer liners?

I wouldn't modify the handles on the drawers. If you are talking about adding side handles to the box like a trunk or chest. Yea, maybe, not sure how practical that would be in the end though.

I assume you are talking about the 60's later 70-80's logo. Yes I agree the 60's chrome logo is cooler, but I have a personal thing against putting off era logo's on boxes. To each their own though.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Wow...you've put some thought into this, huh?!

I owned a KR 533 last year and ended up selling it. I have mixed feelings about selling it. Bottom line is, I like collecting SO boxes and already owning a KR 537, this was the same thing, minus the smaller drawers as zkling mentioned, and I just couldn't justify the space it would take up.

I too like the color combo you're considering. I always feel the more a box that you're bringing back to life is beat up, the more it's okay to customize it. Just my opinion.

 

[zkling]

Couple things I guess I missed.

I would be very careful taking the dividers out. They are actually stiffeners that prevent the drawers and top sheet metal from bending and eventually warping. Yes SO may call them "dividers" but in reality they are a structural piece.

If you figure out a way to adapt gas shocks, please let me know. I have a KR637 which is very similar with a broken hind support. Can't really justify purchasing a new one from SO but I do have access to a bunch of used but working gas shocks. I've looked into it and I don't think you will be able to get a gas shock in there kinematically without heavy modification. I very well could be wrong on that, so if you figure it out, please let me know.

On the front cover, I would not remove it, then again I really like boxes that have a front cover like that does. Removing it would really be butchering the box IMHO. On the other hand I know what you mean on the inside lid pegboard those do look really handy. Even at that I wouldn't butcher the front cover.

 

[zkling]

Did you see this? I wonder if the guy ever completed it?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164506

 

[senor fozz]

The gt40 idea came from the rick mears, jaguar, harley, peterbuilt? boxes i have seen. but laser is all i can afford instead of engraving. If i do a simple clean gt40 for the laser i can hand engrave it my self just using the the laser as a template. I just feel if I go gulf paint it has to pay homage.

I have a solution for the drawers to break them up. If it falls through then I'm thinking orange on the drawers and where you grab them painted blue. I thought about alternating colors but i think it will look messy.

Lookin I searched my local craigs for 537s and found six. They are super common here. So having a moddded 533 just set me apart from the rest of the knuckle draggers.

The veneer stays, it just one of those things like a polished ****** I know it is there and every time pick a tool up i will get to enjoy it. it will add less than a 1/8" so i'm not worried, maybe on the top drawer because it is so thin we will see. I'm thinking birds eye maple or something similar stained in orange to pop with the blue mat.

Pull handles is what i was talking about, i'm not going to do it since i found out about the 533 and 537 drawers are the same sans trim. I have been considering either SS 12" long square with small radius edges for the sides. Or build a carry frame like the new road boxes.

If i did the point of no return mod with eliminating the front then it would get a carry frame.

 

[senor fozz]

Did you see this? I wonder if the guy ever completed it?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164506

Dude what are the chances same box same paint down to color placement, and then they also mention martini in a few posts down. I think I want to go martini now, because I love SO arctic white. Maybe I will flip a coin. It did give me the idea of putting Mcqueen in the SS etch though.

 

[senor fozz]

In terms of drawer dividers this box will be shadowed so weight per drawer will be low compared to my KR59. The top compartment's dividers are for total rigidity of the box. I think if I did the PONR mod then the peg board mech will add back to the rigidity.

To answer your questions about the shocks, Just from gandering at it for 10 minutes I think with the front on the shocks will hit the front when you open, and you will lose lots usable real estate in the top compartment. I'll try and figure how many inches you will lose.

PS I hope you didn't buy that 637 from me because I sold one this summer to a guy in MESA az this summer and I don't like to profit off GJ members.

 

[zkling]

What did you sell your 637 for? Was it just the top or the top/bottom combo? Condition? No, I guarantee it wasn't me.

 

[senor fozz]

I bought it for 425 with bent casters and a pair of bust slides, This was the combo. I don't remember the exact number I sold it for but I think it was between 800 -900. The condition I sold it in was a 8/10 sans broken hinges. What about yours? I'll post a pic if I can find it.

 

[senor fozz]

Trying to post but the manage attachments is getting hung up after i press upload will try later or post a link to a thread where they may already be.

bottom on dolly cleaned up
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208608

 

[senor fozz]

2 week update.

I modified the box so it can open and stay open with struts.

Notes: The position I choose compromises space a bit but it was done to guarantee function. You could mount them behind the lid and mounted towards the rear, so when the box is open the struts are vertical or near vertical.

If you only use one strut it will put a moment on the lid and it won't open or close without pushing against.

New SO struts are f-ing stiff. One strut is enough to open but as mentioned earlier it won't work.

If I was to do it again I would use a bar instead of tabs to mount to struts to the lid. There is room for it.

I included pics but the camera couldn't pick up the color well. Only rust I found was underneath the SS plate behind the emblem, was minor. Came to the realization the the box was going to take ten of hours of sheet metal work to get perfect and I would rather buy tools. So it got a primer, base, clear paint job.

Work remaining
Drawers need to be sand blasted to get all the **** out of them. painted
Veneer installed
Box shadowed
vinyl cutter for graphics
Still deciding on what to do with the lid art.

 

[zkling]

I bought it for 425 with bent casters and a pair of bust slides, This was the combo. I don't remember the exact number I sold it for but I think it was between 800 -900. The condition I sold it in was a 8/10 sans broken hinges. What about yours? I'll post a pic if I can find it.

That one looks really nice. Mine is nearly not that nice, it's straight and rust free, but has some paint spots, over spray on the drawer handles and a few of the slides were caked with saw dust, one set broken, one hinge lid support broken. I paid $50 for the combo, keys and chain included. I'm almost finished cleaning it up. I decided to take out the top right hinged lid, it just irritated me too much to access it.

Looking good on the box, can you post some detailed pics on how you got the gas struts mounted? I'm interested in doing that myself, just can't find a way to do it without butchering the box. I can't believe you used genuine SO lid supports, someone is fancy I was just thinking about car trunk supports or the like.

 

[senor fozz]

Looking good on the box, can you post some detailed pics on how you got the gas struts mounted? I'm interested in doing that myself, just can't find a way to do it without butchering the box. I can't believe you used genuine SO lid supports, someone is fancy I was just thinking about car trunk supports or the like. [/QUOTE]

I will post them up soon Just kind of embarassed by the craftsmanship. I just wanted to get it done and if it didn't work I wouldn't have a hour in making 4 angle brackets that were all the same. I would highly recommend the using a bar to push the lid instead of tabs you will see in the pics. I can take my struts out and all is left is 6 holes on the lids. I had the SO struts sitting around from the KR1200. I believe car ones will work, might buy some if they are lower force than the snappies. Off to go retrieve pics off dead ipod.

 

[senor fozz]

As much detail as I have now. if you want more detail tell me what you want pics of exactly.

 

[zkling]

Ah, I see. The low or close proximity to the hinge engagement point on the lid is kinematically killing you. If you look at the boxes that have gas struts most have the lid strut intersection at ~half way to get a better force on the lid. But with the hinged front cover, that is really a pain for boxes like that. I wonder...