Snap-On Tool Box Restoration (KRM-54)

[trebomb]

Here's my first toolbox restoration job, my father-in-law's 1970's SO box. I know there's a lot of support for leaving them unrestored, but I couldn't stand to see it getting rusty. I still need to replace the missing top supports with gas shocks.

Before:





After:

 

[MC1983]

looks good, what steps did you take in terms of prep? What paint and how many coats were used?

 

[DanCo]

Nice shade of blue, I hope you saved the old Snappy badge.

 

[chadster1]

What drawer trim is that?

 

[DanCo]

I always thought the living room could use a tool box. Nice shade of blue, I hope you saved the old Snappy badge.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

You did a great job. To me, a fresh coat of paint is exactly what an old toolbox needs. It looks awesome. I like that shade of blue...

 

[trebomb]

Thanks. I had a body shop do the paint. So much of the end product relies on prep work...I wanted someone with experience. It's single-stage urethane enamel auto paint that I matched to my Mac box (I don't own any other SO storage). I don't know how many coats it was, but it took a full quart. I put magnets on the back of the old badge and it's inside the top. The drawer trim was a tough one, neither SO or the aftermarket MarrGauards makes a product that fit. So I ordered extras for my Mac top box (MB4225B) for $3/each! They're not metal, but they look good and take a hit better than painted metal.

 

[mooman]

Small World. last week I bought the same box.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64739
I doubt my resto will come out as well as yours. It looks awsome!!!
How do those Mac drawer trim fit on?
Lastly, where did you get a lock to fit it? SO told me there was not one avail.

 

[dkroth]

Here's my first toolbox restoration job, my father-in-law's 1970's SO box.

Nice looking toolbox.

Is that you mother-in-law in the pictures?

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

That drawer trim makes it look like a cheap rip off IMO. Plus you should have left the right snap on logo on it.

 

[trebomb]

Small World. last week I bought the same box.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64739
I doubt my resto will come out as well as yours. It looks awsome!!!
How do those Mac drawer trim fit on?
Lastly, where did you get a lock to fit it? SO told me there was not one avail.

They told me the same thing about the lock. But I just bought one off the truck and it fits perfectly. It didn't come with the little swing arm that catches inside the lid, so I had to re-use that. Take your old lock out and examine the hole size/shape. It'll match what's out there.

Regarding drawer trim, they can either slide on from the side (tight fit) or hook under the pull, then snap over the top. This model's drawer pulls have a bend at the edge that makes it a tight fit. I actually used the installed ones off my Mac and replaced them with the new ones. But clearance and size (both 26" cabinets) are great.

 

[arkangel06]

Very nice!

 

[mooman]

That drawer trim makes it look like a cheap rip off IMO. Plus you should have left the right snap on logo on it.

Didn't your Mom teach you better....ahem Golden Rule......

 

[lauver]

Didn't your Mom teach you better....ahem Golden Rule......

+1.

Geeez Diesel, to each his own. The poster made it the way he likes it. And it looks great.

 

[sonexer]

Nice work!

 

[mjozefow]

Cool! It looks like a new box. I like originality and all, but it sounds like you didn't make any mods that could not be reversed back to original.

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

Very nice!!

Are you interested in Selling your old emblem? I have a box that is missing one.

-BWP

 

[arkangel06]

That drawer trim makes it look like a cheap rip off IMO. Plus you should have left the right snap on logo on it.

It kind of makes it look like a epiq series box....

Either way it has to be one of the nicest restorations in GJ history.

I cant wait till I finnish up mine

 

[Bull]

It's certainly a beautiful box now, no doubt about that.

But, it no longer looks in any way "vintage;" just looks like any new SO you could buy from a catalog.

 

[JSBriggs]

...

Is that a vintage Mrs Pacman in the background? I would love to get my hands on one!

-Jeff

 

[arkangel06]

It's certainly a beautiful box now, no doubt about that.

But, it no longer looks in any way "vintage;" just looks like any new SO you could buy from a catalog.

Thats whats cool about it, its a whole new box with a whole new life!

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I think you could've gone either way on this one. It would've looked good leaving as-is, and it looks good the way it was done.

Is that a vintage Mrs Pacman in the background? I would love to get my hands on one!

-Jeff

I just noticed that myself!

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

Didn't your Mom teach you better....ahem Golden Rule......

+1.

Geeez Diesel, to each his own. The poster made it the way he likes it. And it looks great.

If this was a post with out before photo's ye all would be saying "Hey look at the craftsmen box some one stuck a snap on decal on"

 

[ngk22r]

I think its pretty sweet. Looks almost like SO royal blue

 

[mkirkpatrick]

Nice, very nice, the paint came out great, does this shop paint a lot of tool boxes and how did you find them or is it a friend?

 

[trebomb]

Nice, very nice, the paint came out great, does this shop paint a lot of tool boxes and how did you find them or is it a friend?

It's just my usual shop, but he did say he'd done another toolbox before. Body shops will usually paint anything though, I had my fridge done, too.

 

[Craftsman86]

Any interest in selling the old badge? I am in the market for a 70's badge.

 

[ryanm]

awesome! thank you for sharing that

 

[jim]

How much did the body shop charge to paint that box? I have one close to that size.