Snap On KRL1004 combo set new old stock

[gottahaveit]

I got to talking to a former Snap On dealer who has a brand new, never used 2001 Snap On KRL1004 roll cab with stainless top and double top hutch that he's kept in his truck since he retired 14 years ago. The truck was pulled into his garage and parked when he retired just as it was the last day on the job.
He's finally decided to let the truck go, a buddy and him made a deal for the truck, so the box has to move. He originally called me to come over and help move the box but when I asked about what he'd take for it, he said he'd take what he paid for it back then as a dealer, just over $8k. I wanted one of those back then but couldn't justify almost 20K for just a box. Anything new off the truck now is at least that much and I've looked at 30 plus used four bank Snap On boxes over the past few years only to find them all badly abused. It seems those who bought these and took care of them intend to die with them.
My current dealer has a used Epiq 84 that's a bit rough and he's looking to get $8500 for it and its not red, so it don't match the other 11 Snap On boxes I've got here. They apparently no longer make a painted 'Snap On Red' box. Its powder coat in gloss or nothing.
I came close to buying one about 8 years ago but it was destroyed in shipping from a SO dealer in Wisconsin on its way to my dealer. (Someone decided that caster brakes alone would hold it in place in the trailer, the result was a box about 10" shorter than it used to be after it slammed back and forth in the trailer for about 1000 miles or so).

I'm afraid if I pass on this I may never see another one this clean and I don't want the newer model boxes, they don't match the rest of my 90's era boxes color or style wise. I sort of hate to spend even $8k on a box but it is in new condition even though it was built Dec. '01. Its even got the keyless entry option like my KRL1003 has. I need the room and want to separate my marine tools into all one box all in one section of the garage rather than mixed in with everything else. The main reason is that I want to get the outboard run tank away from my other tools and parts. Things get wet when I test run a motor in the tank therefore I want to take my original well worn KRL1001 and make it a dedicated marine tool box. The new KRL1004 would become my main diesel box, with my same year KRL1003 becoming more or less my machinist chest to hold tooling and measurement tools down near my lathes and milling machines in the first garage bay. The rest of the boxes will continue to be general tool boxes with one being all electrical test equipment and scan tools, and others being brand specific for various work, and my second KRL1003 becoming a transmission tool cabinet.
I did almost buy a huge Matco box but couldn't pull the trigger since it would look so out of place in a shop full of Snap On boxes, and besides, the Matco guy wanted far more than this guy wants for the nos Snap On four bank box.
All but two of my Snap On boxes were bought new, so all but the two used boxes,one which I bought 40 years ago when I first started out, and the other which I bought at an auction cheap, are in mint shape.

I've also had my eye open for a pair of new old stock or mint red KRL1003 boxes and a pair of KRL1001 roll cabs but haven't had any luck finding super clean boxes. Most are well worn and often abused.

 

[Mr_B]

Is a lot of money but like you say chances of finding another one similar spec/condition is close to zero .
Any chance he drop a bit if you sweet talk him.
At end of day how much you want it
Is super hard find these used in good order, most are battered and silly money ...

 

[bczygan]

We need photos of all these boxes!

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

If you have the space for it, I'd buy the 1004.

One hand, that much storage space from SO for 8K is great. On the other hand, it's 16 years old and a depreciating asset. I might be persuaded to go for it at 8k **IF** it can still be registered as a new purchase.

 

[derosa]

Did you really come to this forum looking for approval or are you try to find a way to strengthen your argument with swmbo? If you've got the cash on hand and want it that bad then get it, seems like a fair offer.

 

[bob_the_builder]

There was a similar discussion a little while back:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=224270

 

[Robert Haas]

You boys are being scammed.

 

[gottahaveit]

This guy hasn't been a dealer in years, but he never sold off the remains on the truck, its just sitting there. I think he figured someone in his family would have taken over when he retired but it didn't happen.
The box was sort of his work station or counter in the last few years in the truck, he kept the catalogs and paperwork in it.
I'm not sure if he can still 'register' it or not, he's not been a dealer in a while now. I don't see that being an issue either way though, if I bought a beat up used one off someone it still wouldn't be any different other than I'd be looking at a ton of work restoring it.
I'll get pics once its mine and in my garage, the pics I snapped on the truck the other day didn't turn out as my phone don't have a flash. All I got was a black image.
I'm actually trying to make a package deal for the KRL1004 and some other tools.
He's got a KRL1201 two bank top box sitting in his garage and a few matching side boxes as well but those are used. I've known this guy since I started out, he was never my dealer but I bought a lot off him over the years since I got better deals from him vs. the guy that came every week at work.

The price isn't an issue, its a lot of cash but the way I see it is I'd put just as much in time or labor fixing up a used battered box. I'm not buying it as an investment, I likely won't ever sell it. I have every box I've ever bought including a used KR377 and KR59 I bought back in the early 80's used, it was rough then but it was cheap but I've never sold it, I use it in my basement now to hold drill bits and other tooling in the wood shop.
I suppose sooner or later I'll line all my wall space with boxes. I do have a few extra SS tops that I've used as bench tops, they came from the same dealer over the years. I have a stainless top from a newer KRL1024 laying across a pair of Proto cabinets as a work station.

I looked at that old post, the box mentioned there was used, but clean judging by the pics, I'd have jumped on that if it were me. The box I'm looking at has been sitting on this guys truck for a lot longer than that, I don't think the truck has moved in 10 or more years. Its plugged in and powered up but I doubt if he's started it or moved it in a long time.

 

[469 runner]

Sounds like you gotta have it, gottahaveit. LOL. The bargains on old Snap On boxes that are in nice shape are hit and miss. Around my parts in Virginia one can find used boxes of that vintage in nice shape for under $4,000. If you absolutely want new, then go for it. 8 grand is a lot of money.

 

[gottahaveit]

I've searched Craigslist within a days drive of me for years now and not a single one, I've seen a few in odd colors that I didn't bother looking at, but no old school red boxes. I'm told that they stopped making the original red after about 2003 or 2004 and went to a powder coat red instead. Those are hard to repair if they get scratched compared to plain old paint. I made the mistake of buying a burgundy KR660 about 12 years ago that had some damage, it was new but had been scraped up on one end. My thought was that I'd paint it red and all would be fine. It took me two months to sand that thing down to bare metal for the repaint, the powder coat paint was impervious to chemical strippers and clogged sandpaper like chewing gum. The refinished box was great but in the end it didn't match the factory finish exactly so it got traded off for a pair of side cabs for my KRL1003. Some guy ended up with it that most likely wouldn't ever line it up side by side with another box to see the difference in the paint texture. The repaint came out just slightly shinier than the OEM finish, even with factory supplied paint by PPG.

I drove 900 miles to OH to look at a box last fall, it looked great in the pics and after talking to the guy I was sure we could make a deal, after I got there he decided to up the price by $4000 after a local dealer told him he was selling it too cheap. He was asking $7000 cash. I had driven out in a rental car with the intention of renting a truck to bring the box home in. I ended up flying home empty handled after wasting two days of my time.
Two months later the seller called me trying to get $9000 out of it. I told him to get it from the dealer who told him it was worth so much more.
The box was clean enough and if I had known he wanted more for it I may well have paid it but it was the principal of it at that point.

There's one for sale about 3 hours north of me but its full of cheap tools and the guy wants $20k for it and its not mint. The stainless top is gone and its got a green Matco box bolted to the top. He has the ss top but its been sitting out in the rain behind his garage for 10 years. I see a lot of smaller boxes for sale, mostly severely overpriced full of dirt and cheap tools. There's a handful for sale now on CL, not a one is truly mint. There's also the matter of the box having a lean on it by Snap On Credit. I looked at one in PA that was only $5500 but the guy flat out told me not to publicize where I got it because he stiffed S/O credit 10 years ago when he moved. I walked away from it.

I also have seen a lot of rusty boxes since hurricane Sandy. I've seen ,more than a few now that had unexplained rust. The casters get rusty, and the boxes start showing rust bleeding around the spot welds. I even looked at one that was rusted so bad one caster was caving in through the bottom of the box. I see it more on larger boxes. Maybe they were too big to move before the storm?

I thought about a new Epiq but they don't match my old boxes, all of which are KR and KRL series boxes in original red. I even thought about making my own KRL1004 by joining a pair of KRL1001 boxes but haven't even seen a clean pair of those either. For some reason most that I've seen for sale have been in that 'Berry' or teal.

 

[469 runner]

So go buy it already.

 

[Oldgloryfirearms]

This has to be a bot

 

[zktk01]

When are you ever going to get the opportunity to buy a new 16 years old box again?

 

[T45]

wtf that thread is from 2013?

A neighbor retired from being a dealership mechanic a number of years ago, he's looking to downsize his tool box.
The box is a 10 year old KRL1004 four bay roll cab with a stainless top and twin lockable risers. The box is mint, not a mark or scratch on it. He put the box in his garage, wrapped it in blankets and forgot about it for the past 9 or so years. He don't want to sell the tools, just the box, he told me to make a fair offer and its mine. He paid $19K for it new, and its no doubt still in new condition.
I priced the closest new box to it from Snap On today and it would cost me $24k to buy one off the truck. That's not going to happen but if I can buy a huge Snap On box like that for the price of say a Matco or other lesser brand, I'd probably jump on it. I talked to the local Snap On dealer and he said the box would sell on the truck for $12-14K in that shape.
I did an online search and can't find where any have been sold lately for any amount, other than a few that were sold damaged for under $3500. I don't want a damaged one, I wouldn't want his if it wasn't like new. I currently have the next smaller box, a KRL1003 which I bought new with a top, bottom, and two lockers for $13k in 2001, I intend to keep that box as well as a used KRL1003 I bought used at an auction in so-so shape for $1100.

I want to make an offer but I don't want him to think I'm trying to steal it cheap or take advantage of him. I do know he turned down $8500 from the Snap On dealer last month.

 

[gottahaveit]

So go buy it already.

I intend to. I called him today and asked about moving the truck or what he felt was the best way to unload the box and he says there's something wrong with the lift gate, its not worked in years, it will fold down but won't move up or down. He's afraid maybe it won't hold any weight. The truck also will need to be pulled out of the garage far enough to get the box out the back. He also said it takes some fancy maneuvering to get the box out and past the facing tool box on the left side. I'm thinking that we'll have to pull all the drawers and make up some wood ramps, then get it loaded into my trailer there. It'll be easier than reviving a truck that's not run in years. I also considered seeing if a roll back might be the answer if I can find one close in height to the back of the SO truck. I don't feel like taking chances on a messed up lift gate.

To haul it home I'll put it in one of my enclosed trailers. I tried to bargan fixing the lift gate and getting the truck running as a way to get the price down some but he's not interested, he don't need the truck and don't care if it ever runs again. I guess at his age the truck isn't much use to him either way. I'm hoping to get over there next week after this latest storm passes over, I don't care to be messing with this in the cold wind and rain if I don't have to.

 

[Bdgjr215]

Gottahaveit,where are you located?

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Just find a rollback wrecker guy and pay him the hundred bucks or so it'll take to back up to the existing truck and line up the deck, roll the box onto the deck. Then haul it wherever and unload it where you want.

Unless the distance between where the box is now, and where you want it to ultimately end up, is very far apart, then this should be worth the cost to save a lot of hassle.

 

[gottahaveit]

I got the box the other day, it took all day to get the truck out of the garage, and to get the box out of the truck. I had to remove all the drawers below the shelves in the truck, plus a hammer rack, plus I had to move the box facing it towards the front of the truck so i could slide the 1004 out into the isle. I removed the hutches first, then emptied the box and unhooked the computer sitting on top. I built a 12' long ramp with 2x12's to get the box out of the truck down into my enclosed trailer.
He did sweeten the deal a bit after he saw how much work it took. I got a half dozen Snap On jackets, and just about all the used tools he had in the lower drawers, plus a new MT2261 digital timing light.
Now I just have to rearrange things here to make it fit. Right now the box is still in the trailer parked in my buddies garage for safe keeping.
I was going to try and start the Snap On truck vs. dragging it out of the garage where it sat but it was missing its starter, someone had been working on it and just left it apart.
After seeing what it took to get the box out of the truck, I now know why it was still there. That truck wasn't built to handle a box that size, there wasn't enough room in the isle to roll the box in and out and I could see where the shelves had been cut and modified to get it in there.

I'll still have to install the hutch doors, they were still in their boxes never used. He's got a side box to match it too but he said its damaged, I'll have to go back this weekend and unbox it and see how damaged it really is.

The one thing I did luck out on is he had a huge set of matching locks, I think there's 23 all keyed alike that he gave me, it'll let me key the bottom box, hutches, and any side boxes I ad all alike, as well as a few of my other boxes here.

I thought about just getting a roll back but a roll back can't reach up to get the box out of the truck, and I'd have to get someone willing to take the time. (I also got a few pretty crazy prices, one guy wanted $325, another wanted $600 just to unload the box. No matter what, it had to go into my trailer, so the way I did it worked fine. The roll back would have charged me the same whether he just got the box on the ground or hauled it home, but since I didn't have a place to put it right away, the enclosed trailer worked out well. After I got the box home, I also found a spare set of casters, two fixed, two sprung, and two foot operated parking legs still boxed up in the bottom drawer. The box also has remote control locks but the whole mess is just laying in a drawer and not installed. I'm not sure if I'll bother with all that or not, I may just keep it on the shelf just in case.
It'll be a few weeks before I get back to making room for it, I'm headed to FL for a few weeks first.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Pics or it's all BS

 

[Bdgjr215]

This guy is just yankin everyone's chain

 

[ianguilly]

How the hell did a krl1004 fit on a truck? He used it everyday? That means it's used and I just have a hard time believing he had a 104" box taking up that much room for that long ago. Like to see pics.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

How the hell did a krl1004 fit on a truck? He used it everyday? That means it's used and I just have a hard time believing he had a 104" box taking up that much room for that long ago. Like to see pics.

From the story, it sounds like that box just got stored inside the truck when the toolman retired and needed it out of the way / wasn't using the truck anymore.

Many years ago, I too would have been amazed / skeptical of a story like this. I could not have imagined a toolman retiring and keeping all that inventory / the truck. My mind was changed a few years ago, maybe 2012 or so, when I met one of those types of guys. The old guy had retired in the late 90's and still had closed in dairy barn full of tools, boxes, and old shop equipment. Some new old stock, some he took in trade over the years. Age / health issues where making him finally clear it out and sell everything. Old gent had a small gold mine of stuff.

 

[WittHay]

Pictures would be nice

Similar story to Heavy Metal Doctors, a local greenhouse/trucking company shut down in the early 2000's. Instead of selling the trucks and trailers, they just parked them. 15 years later they still sit. It is possible to have a 9' tool box sitting in a van for years.