MAC Tool Box - 4 Piece - Craigslist Find

[jbibler]

Hey guys,
I've been looking for a tool box the last month or so, just browsing Craigslist and stopping in & out of salvage shops when I can.

I almost drove 2 hours to buy one Saturday morning, but got busy and couldn't make it. Later that evening I found a new ad that had just been posted about an hour before. It was for this 4 piece Mac set. When I saw the price I called immediately, he was asking $250. He was only about 20 minutes from my house and when I got there he said another guy had called... and then a 3rd guy called while I was there loaded it up.

It's pretty dirty, but in great shape otherwise. No dents and all drawers are in good working order. He couldn't believe it, but he found the keys also.

The guy was a mechanic for 40 years and had purchased all the pieces new.
When I got there the entire thing was full of tools. He said that he was retiring out of state and just didn't want to mess with it that he never used it anymore. At first he said "you can just have all the tools that are in it"... I was thrilled. But then we figured out we had to empty it because we couldn't pick them up with the weight of all the tools. He dumped out all the tools into big rubbermaid bins except the one smallest cabinet and we loaded them up. After we loaded everything he said "well, I guess I better hang on to the tools..." so that was a bummer, but I did get the top chest of tools which has various Craftsman & Mac wrenches and pliers. Some specialty tools I definitely don't have.

Anyways, I'm thrilled with my find. For $250 to get all 4 pieces and some tools. I'm going to clean it up and lube everything nicely, but don't plan to repaint it or anything... but i may polish up the handles.

Did I do good?
He said they are at least 30 years old, but I don't have an exact date. Where will I find any model or serial numbers?

Thanks,
Josh B.

 

[LXCam]

Hell ya, you done good bubba. How bout some pics of the tools, who knows you might be teetering on a you **** deal

 

[bluebolt]

With that folding shelf you actually got 5 pieces plus tools, YOU ****!

 

[Tonellin]

Nice! Should have offered him another couple hundred for all the tools..still would have been a good deal for everything

 

[CNGsaves]

Jbibler . . . once the Pics of tools are posted, you might indeed get YS award.

In the meantime, great score. Those Mac boxes will clean up nice.

 

[jbibler]

I'll snap a few pictures of the tools when I'm home from work this evening... it's not much, probably two dozen wrenches and a dozen pliers or misc pieces. Some craftsman and Mac branded wrenches. I did tell him that I would come back and pickup whatever other "tool related stuff" he didn't feel like messing with. His garage (aka enclosed barn) has stuff stacked everywhere and you can barely move through the small paths. He has a lot of work to do before he can move. I'm going to keep in touch with him and see if I can "help him out" along the way.

Josh B.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Nice boxes. 35+ years ago, i bought a Mac top box from a guy who was a retired mechanic, Still using it, and the tools.

Old boxes are great

 

[vettex2]

a good deal
the guy selling it wan't on the ball

 

[crewchief888]

mac (as well as matco) changed the drawer handles sometime in the late 80's/ early 90's
the top and mid are earlier versions....

 

[Cope]

mac (as well as matco) changed the drawer handles sometime in the late 80's/ early 90's
the top and mid are earlier versions....

Around 1988-89. That's when I traded my older Matco boxes on new ones with BB slides and full length handles.

 

[crewchief888]

Around 1988-89. That's when I traded my older Matco boxes on new ones with BB slides and full length handles.

i figured it was around that timeframe, but i cant remember, i used to drink a lot back then......

i had a couple mac and matco boxes back in the mid 80's, kinda got turned off by the paint fading issue. i had a co-worker that had 2 sets of matco 900's replaced due to the paint problems. i still have an old mac side box from that era in my service truck.. and yea, it's orange

 

[Cope]

i figured it was around that timeframe, but i cant remember, i used to drink a lot back then......

i had a couple mac and matco boxes back in the mid 80's, kinda got turned off by the paint fading issue. i had a co-worker that had 2 sets of matco 900's replaced due to the paint problems. i still have an old mac side box from that era in my service truck.. and yea, it's orange

I had a set of 1200 boxes with plain slides that I bought new in 1986. I traded them back to my dealer for the same boxes with bearing slides. I too saw a lot of faded boxes, but mine are as red as the day I got them.

 

[cgrutt]

Nice! I've got two of those bottom cabs and the side cabinet. They're from mid 1980s and still work as good as the day I got them. Congrats.

 

[jbibler]

When I first got these, I didn't plan on restoring them... I was just going to clean up a little and use as-is. After further inspection, the bottom box has a good amount of rust with a lot of it under the paint bubbling up. The larger bottom drawer on the side cabinet was nearest to the opening of this guys barn and must have got rained on because the one side of it was pretty rusty and unfortunately the slide rails on that side are falling apart.

So I just started the process of emptying them completely and removing all the hardware/drawers, etc.

I first washed them all and scrubbed them down with degreaser. Then I started sanding and grinding away the rusty areas so I can fill/repair and prime them before painting.

I also stumbled upon this sidebox yesterday. I went to pickup some free cabinets that were listed on Craigslist. This box happened to be sitting in the garage and I asked the guy if he wanted to sell it. He said sure... and I got it for $20. It has the keys and 3 drawers inside, but two other drawers are missing. Still can't beat the price!

Josh B.

 

[woody 73]

First off let me say that is major suckage...In my area that would go for a lot more money and you got free tools to boot plus the keys which never happens.

If that had come up in my area you would have to beat the others off with tear gas and baseball bats.

 

[jbibler]

I forgot to post the pictures of the tools that were in it...

I also found probably another 20-30 tools that had fallen behind the drawers that were stuck in the bottom. Along with a dozen different brochures, receipts, and other paperwork from the 80's & 90's. One of them was a paystub where this poor guy worked 48.8 hours and made about $310 after taxes. Ouch!

Josh B.

 

[Rileysan]

I forgot to post the pictures of the tools that were in it...

I also found probably another 20-30 tools that had fallen behind the drawers that were stuck in the bottom. Along with a dozen different brochures, receipts, and other paperwork from the 80's & 90's. One of them was a paystub where this poor guy worked 48.8 hours and made about $310 after taxes. Ouch!

Josh B.

Sorry that I missed this post but am glad I got to see the progress you made! You got a "you ****" deal even with the restoration work that was required. Post more pix as you progress!

Brian

 

[SnapOnAddiction]

Sweet deal I can't find a deal on a box anywhere near me I've searched CL for a year and a half and still nothing I'm kinda bitter about it. Bought a HF 44 to hold me over looking for a bottom and a mid for my 76 Snap On Kra53 top box Oh and you ****

 

[Packard V8]

I can't find a deal on a box anywhere near me I've searched CL for a year and a half and still nothing I'm kinda bitter about it. . . . looking for a bottom and a mid for my 76 Snap On Kra53 top box

Your deal will come along; these days all the newbies think friction slide boxes and/or smaller stacks are unusable, so there is less competition to buy the good old boxes. Back when, I could never afford a used Snap-on box and now I've got a garage full of them.

jack vines

 

[Cope]

Sweet deal I can't find a deal on a box anywhere near me I've searched CL for a year and a half and still nothing I'm kinda bitter about it. Bought a HF 44 to hold me over looking for a bottom and a mid for my 76 Snap On Kra53 top box Oh and you ****

Not sure Snap-on made any other boxes to go with the 53.

 

[Bill Ramsey]

I have a similar-vintage 3-piece set of Matco boxes. From my experience, the middle box is as rare as hen's teeth. I've never even seen an online auction for one. Took me two years to luck into one. So, nice finds there at a great price.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[jbibler]

Does anyone know the paint code for these Mac boxes?

I found this "touch up paint" on Mac's website, but it's $30 for one can.
http://www.mactools.com/en-us/Tool-...n/MBP12/Fast-Drying-Spray-Paint-Firebrick-Red

I searched all over online and I found several folks who suggested using the Rustoleum "Sunrise Red" that it was pretty close, but I would prefer to spray it with a gun & not use the cans. I guess I could get some mixed having them shoot the color from one of the drawers, but thought I would ask if someone had already done that and had a code on hand.

Thanks,
Josh B.

 

[XJPat]

I just got a quart of the rustoleum sunrise red, thinned it, and sprayed it with my cheap gun. Very happy with the results on my box.

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