Snap-on Craig's List Score

[cgrutt]

Smoking deal on an 1980's roll cabinet and tool box. $250 including the MATCO side box. Whoo Hoo!

Spent a former life in an auto detail/car wash shop so there's a bunch of surface rust, esp. on lower part of boxes. Smells like auto wax, ha, ha... Metal is solid though. Going to restore it to its former glory.

Drawers are straight but slide a little rough. Bottom drawer is just sitting in box and needs a new set of slides. Also needs new lock sets and drawer liners. Anybody know where I can get a Snap-on emblem for lower box?

Figure I'll take the rust down to bare metal, straighten anything that needs straightening, epoxy prime and top coat with Snap-on Red followed by clear coat. Will give me some good practice before working on my truck, LOL...

Looks a little rough and needs a little TLC...

Bottom is solid but has surface rust. No rust through. Flash from pic actually makes it look worse than it is.

Bottom drawer need slides and needs the most work.

Condition improves as you move up...

Top box is in pretty good shape...

Lower part of door on side box needs to be welded...

But drawers seem as good as they did when they rolled off the truck 36 years ago!

I'll keep thread updated with progress!

 

[e30bradley]

Nice deal.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Wow it looks to need a lot of work, but it has good bones. Not too bad of a deal,

 

[cgrutt]

Well first up was the MATCO door and I screwed it up already, LOL. Straightened it out good enough but messed up welding the split and corner. Kept blowing through the sheet metal and instead of walking away and coming back with a cooler head I just kept at it making it worse. Wound up welding in a piece of steel behind the seam but went past it and blew through the metal again. Also put too much heat on the panel and created an "oil can" warp. Shot it with some rattle can primer and called it a day, LOL... Will get it right when cooler heads prevail!

This is what it looked like before I started.

Kept blowing through the sheet metal even at lowest setting on my welder Need to fix the holes and will block panel with body filler.

Wound up welding in a piece of flat steel behind the panel. Haven't ground it down yet; more work to be done...

 

[zkling]

Classic setup, not sure if I would say it was a smoking deal. The top box looks pretty good as is.

For the badge on the bottom box, ebay will be your best bet. It will be the same as the one on the top box.

For that door, best to do now it cut a square patch out, making sure to cut out all the rot and then patch in with same thickness fresh sheet.

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks. I've seen the top box along sell for more than I paid for the set but whatever I'm happy with it.

Yeah, I bid on that same badge today. It was in pretty bad shape and went for about $38. Wasn't sure if it was the old style or new one. Bottom box is dated '81 which I believe is last year of old logo. The paint seems like it had a square badge though I think you're right.

Good suggestion on patch panel. I'll give that a go.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Looks like you got yourself a nice project box.

I'd consider grabbing a can of spray-in bed liner and coat the bottom of the box after it's painted. That's what I did when I repainted a bottom box, I also coated the back of the box so I didn't have to spend more on paint.

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks.

Spoke with Snap-on today. Apparently they used the newer style logo on the KRA-380. Ordered a new nameplate, set of slides for the bottom drawer and new key sets for top and bottom boxes.

 

[zkling]

Thanks.

Spoke with Snap-on today. Apparently they used the newer style logo on the KRA-380. Ordered a new nameplate, set of slides for the bottom drawer and new key sets for top and bottom boxes.

Hate to break it to you, but that box had the older square style badge to match the top. They didn't change badge styles till 83. In my experience, most of the people at snap on know and care very little about the older boxes.

 

[cgrutt]

Hate to break it to you, but that box had the older square style badge to match the top. They didn't change badge styles till 83. In my experience, most of the people at snap on know and care very little about the older boxes.

Yeah, I think you're right. I saw a 1980 catalog online which was first year of that box KRA380 and it showed older nameplate.

'83 catalog had new style but the box was a KRA380A.

Mine was made in 81 but paint under logo sure looks like it was the square nameplate. I called Snap-on again and they don't have the old nameplates anymore.

One in really bad shape sold on ebay yesterday for $37. Another guy has one up for sale that looks like its in great shape for $89 plus shipping. The new nameplate (newer style) from Snap-on was $17. I'm not too worried about it, not like its a '63 split-window vette, LOL...

 

[zkling]

O no, I completely agree $ wise, that was just more of an FYI.

 

[LXCam]

That'll be a nice box when you're finished. Get yourself a piece of brass flat stock and use it as backing where you're trying to weld the sheet metal. It'll stop all that blow thru drama and also make sure you get all the paint and rust cleaned away first. Your welds look like there is a lot of contamination.

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks will try that. Metal was clean down to bare metal, it's my bad. New to welding. I'm running 024 HOBART steel wire from Tractor Supply on a 110v Lincoln Electric welder with 75%AR/25%CO2 shielding gas. Maybe could use more gas? I ordered some ESAB 023 Spoolarc EZ grind wire. I'm going to attempt a wheel arch repair on my F150 but want to get the welding down first, LOL. Definitely need more practice...

 

[cgrutt]

So cut out the lower part of door

And fashioned a new section out of 16 GA sheet metal (that was fun without a brake, ha, ha)

Did better with the welding this time round, the pic isn't that great it came out better than it looks. A little low spot in center about 1/16" or so. Will block it out with body filler.

Back is pretty clean. That double fold on edge of door was a B**** to hammer out, LOL.

Had some help with my 10 y/o. He couldn't believe I handed him the sander. Smile ear to ear made my day (and I think his too)

More tomorrow...

 

[Bierisch]

So cut out the lower part of door

And fashioned a new section out of 16 GA sheet metal (that was fun without a brake, ha, ha)

Did better with the welding this time round, the pic isn't that great it came out better than it looks. A little low spot in center about 1/16" or so. Will block it out with body filler.

Back is pretty clean. That double fold on edge of door was a B**** to hammer out, LOL.

Had some help with my 10 y/o. He couldn't believe I handed him the sander. Smile ear to ear made my day (and I think his too)

More tomorrow...

that's one hell of a Sander!!!

 

[Jazz1]

Kijiji find yesterday for $15. I did not know it was snap on. Was just advertised as 3 drawer tool box. Had a few tools in it.

 

[cgrutt]

WOW that's awesome. I'll give you $30 for the emblem

[EDIT] -- just bought an emblem for it. Don't need it anymore. Thanks. [EDIT]

 

[1930]

Now thats what I call I hijack

 

[jn50308401]

Nice find, enjoy the process and take your time. These old boxes are a some of all the work, so metal prep, paint prep is going to eat a ton of time but once it's done it will be preserved for that little gear head

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks. Got the door on the side box flattened out today. Threw a coat of primer on it but still needs to be sanded out and some glazing putty. Pretty happy with the way it came out. Been a LONG time since I've fooled around with body work.

Also found an original emblem for the bottom box today.

 

[Jazz1]

The door came out good. Was the handle also missing?

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks, no I just took the hardware off. Sanded it out and just hit it with another coat of primer from rattle can. The streaks are from the spray can, panel came out pretty flat. Will sand it down again and put final coat of primer with a gun. Just wanted to get something on it to prevent it from rusting again. Not sure when I will be able to finish it.

 

[Model A Fan]

With the blow through, how do you prevent that? I am going to be welding some sheet metal into a car project, and I want to avoid blow through. Someone mentioned using brass backing behind the weld? How big of a piece of brass? Is it a sheet or do you use a large chunk?

Looking forward to seeing the progress. That $15 box is a great score!

 

[cgrutt]

Thanks it seemed to be worse on the metal that was already compromised. Had a little bit on the second try where gap between sheets was a little too wide. I didn't try the brass but understand you just need a little bit behind area that is being welded. Read a copper sheet wrapped on a dolly does same thing. Thinner wire, lower voltage and holding torch at angle to work seemed to help. Recommend that you practice on some scrap to nail it down before working on car. I also ordered some EZ Grind 023 wire that is supposed to work better than straight steel on sheet metal. Going to try that on my truck. Repairing wheel arch.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Nice find.. and project....

 

[Packard V8]

Both good finds. That 3-drawer is in amazingly good condition for the age.

On the OPs project - You'll have a nice set when done. The first resto is sorta fun. However, after a few, I've decided I'm a patina guy. No more box restorations, ever.

jack vines

 

[dickdickey]

Good looking toolbox the fun comes when you start the reiteration process, I've restored several that looked about like yours and they turned out great, post pictures when your finished

 

[cgrutt]

Reiteration process, ha, ha. Love it!

What paint did you use? I found a code for factory Snap-on Red but wondering if I should just use some red enamel from the hardware store.

Received new key sets, the lower drawer slide (they sent me roller slides when unit has friction slides...) and my "new" (to me) badge today...

 

[johnyg]

i just finished an abused side cab with 9 drawers,rust and dents.painted with epoxy and 2k single stage red the paint store matched to one of the drawer bottoms. alot of work,money and time but it look great.now i should paint my 35 year old box it hangs on!!! good luck....

 

[cgrutt]

i just finished an abused side cab with 9 drawers,rust and dents.painted with epoxy and 2k single stage red the paint store matched to one of the drawer bottoms. alot of work,money and time but it look great.now i should paint my 35 year old box it hangs on!!! good luck....

Thanks! Post a pic if you can.