Help with an old box

[Ace Sprocket]

Hello Garage Journal !!!

Been lurking here for a while and have learned quite a bit. Now I need a little help identifying this old box. From searching the site it appears to be a mid 50's snap on KR53.

However there are no markings on the box anywhere - nothing spamped or engraved that shows a model # or manufacturer. So if its not a S/O, then does anyone know what company this box is from ?

Also the original color appears to be more orange than red. Is this an indication of what company may have made the box ?

Thanks Guys

 

[crewchief888]

i cant recall what year SO started date coding their boxes, older boxes werent marked with model or date.

maybe snapmom will chime in...

 

[Thumper]

Looks like a Snap-On KRA53. They had 3 drawers. The top one was divided into 4 sections like the one you show, the middle drawer had a divider in the middle going left to right and the bottom had no dividers. Neat *** boxes, I had one and regret ever selling it.

 

[Packard V8]

I've got a similar but larger S-O top box. Great old hunk with 50-60 years of patina. The dividers are a PITA if one is not using them as intended; for instance there is a little slanted divider for 3/8" dr sockets and so on.

At a guess, they were intended to keep tools in place as the box was moved around in the back of a truck and/or over rough shop floors.

jack vines

 

[rusty65]

Not to hijack but i think the dividers are for draw stiffness so they flex less under heavy load?

 

[crewchief888]

Not to hijack but i think the dividers are for draw stiffness so they flex less under heavy load?

every SO box i have prior to '94 has drawer dividers built in




edit: i think even my '94/'95 boxes have dividers in some drawers, i havent seen the bottom of the drawers in a long time

 

[Ace Sprocket]

Thanks guys.

I checked on the Collecting Snap On site and it appears to be a 1953 KR-53. The catalog page says it should have a baked on red enamel finish, but this box looks more orange.

From reading this site, I thought all "real" S/O boxes were stamped somewhere on them with a date code and/or model #. Theres also a nifty tool pouch under the lid.

I know it looks like S/O, but I would like to confirm it. Anyone know what the original color should be ?

Heres a few more pix

 

[Packard V8]

The catalog page says it should have a baked on red enamel finish, but this box looks more orange.

Most of my '40s-60s Snap-on boxes have faded to more orange than red.

jack vines

 

[snapmom]

SO started stamping the boxes in the mid 50s. Sometimes these boxes fade, like this one, just clean it up and use it. The black bag, is it a blue point?

 

[Gregger Rod & Custom]

I sold an similar box to yours and it was orange as well.

Even in hidden places that would have been out of the sun, etc, they still look orange to me. My guess is the original 'red' paint must have been a fairly 'orangy-red' color to begin with.

 

[Ace Sprocket]

The tool pouch doesn't have any identifying marks on it either.

So does anyone know where I could get a new nameplate for the front, and is there a paint out there that comes close to the the original color ?

 

[FJ 432]

Vintage nameplates are hard to find and usually expensive. You can not get a new one from Snap On.

I would suggest cleaning the cabinet first before stripping it. The color of an aged Snap On box will grow on you.

 

[Scooterfish]

with post 8 & 9. clean it with simple green & wd 40. Some of the red color will come back. Then use it. The old emblems are rare & not cheap. If you come across one reasonable great, if not you have a great box.