Vintage matco tool box

[Kielbasavw]

Another sad note. Never order anything from foam factory. I've never delt with such terrible people.

And the locks matco sent me don't work on the cabinets. So I need to wait to hear back from them. Originally shorter and have a smaller square stock on the back for locking mechanisms

 

[yhprum]

Nice Mac on ebay 121689593447
another nice Matco set 121692410268

I have a the large 920 box with the smaller one on the top bought new back in the day.
I guess MAC split off the boxes to Matco? They look the same except for the handles and badge.

 

[kams1973]

I love those older Matco boxes. I've used cheap auto uphostery from Autozone and spray adhesive to line drawers. The sticky back corkboard from HomeDepot also works and looks great.

 

[xs650shawn]

Very nice boxes. I have the same top, inherited from my father. He traded the bottom off at some point. Would love to find a matching bottom some day.

 

[jimmybread]

Really nice set. I found mine at the scrap yard one day and rescued it. Its a 1020a1. Then i found the two side boxes on cl later. I use it everyday at work now. Works great. Tough old boxes. I really like the deep drawer in that cabinet. I'd love any more drawers that would fit in mine. Here are my before and after pics.

 

[twertsy]

One of my favorite style boxes. Built like a tank. I currently have the Proto and am picking this one up in about 2 hours. Anyone out there have my missing drawer lying around?

 

[ARFLY]

Those are great finds.

 

[5694steven]

[/ATTACH]

please help is this snap on????? i recently picked up at a garage sale and i cant tell if its snap on or not if so please email me what emblem it should have so i can find or make one please take pity im just trying to get into working on my own stuff due to a terrible mechanic in the town i live in. PLEASE ANY AND ALL ADVICE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

[Kielbasavw]

Does anyone know the model number of the matching 33" middle box, that goes with my set?

 

[Kielbasavw]

Found the middle box. Probably paid a hair more then most of you would have, but hey, it's complete.
Not the biggest fan of how it locks, when bottom drawer is fully closed, it locks the 2 above it. Gotta figure out what I want to do about that. Also found 2 original cards inside.
Here it is in all its glory

 

[Kielbasavw]

Hardest part is figurING out what tools go where now

 

[mjoekingz28]

Kielbasavw,

Very nice box!

 

[Kielbasavw]

Thanks! It's an oldie but goodie. Rather have this than most other tool boxes. I like it more then my double stack craftsman ball bearing box at home

 

[mjoekingz28]

I have been wanting a brown Kennedy, but this toolbox seems like an apple to the orange. Like the Kennedy for precision stuff and like you said, load down the Matco with weight.


Didnt I hear here that boxes are Matco's specialty?

 

[crewchief888]

I have been wanting a brown Kennedy, but this toolbox seems like an apple to the orange. Like the Kennedy for precision stuff and like you said, load down the Matco with weight.


Didnt I hear here that boxes are Matco's specialty?

back in the 80's/early 90's matco ( and mac as well) had some paint fading issues.
i saw 2 sets of matco boxes warrantied because of the fading....

 

[cleason]

i have a vintage so box and a mac drop front. they look nice w my 88 mustang.

 

[zkling]

You don't see too many mac/matco drop front boxes.

 

[cleason]

mac guy said they stopped making them in the 80s. he said back then they would probley sell for 800.

 

[zkling]

Found the middle box. Probably paid a hair more then most of you would have, but hey, it's complete.
Not the biggest fan of how it locks, when bottom drawer is fully closed, it locks the 2 above it. Gotta figure out what I want to do about that. Also found 2 original cards inside.
Here it is in all its glory

Nice, looks to be in great condition...even it it does have twin drawer pulls.

As for the locking mechanism, unless you want to completly disable the lock on that box, not much you can do to prevent having the bottom most drawer stick out. It works in similar fashion to the bottom box in that the bottom drawer activates and holes the locking bar for the other drawers. Most of the truck brand middle boxes did that. Yes, I too find it a bit inconvinent. At the same time, kinda nice on the bottom boxes as you can shut the top drawer and prevent the others from opening. Confuses the heck out of some people.

 

[zkling]

mac guy said they stopped making them in the 80s. he said back then they would probley sell for 800.

Not sure if they were that high. He was probably thinking of the true road chest. They only made a few different models with the drop front cover vs snap on's flagship boxes. The road chest was ~36" and extremely well built, you can tell those apart as they have fork pocket type runners on the bottom.

 

[Kielbasavw]

I wouldn't mind the inconvenient locking mechanism, if the bottom Drawer would stay open a hair, problem is its too heavy being a socket drawer so it doesn't spring back open a bit.

I may bend the bottom drawer tabs to avoid the locking bars (if slightly is all that is needed need to play around with that idea), and just not be able to lock the 2 above... but I don't ever lock my box. There is only 2 of us at the shop and we share eachothers tools. If I ever needed to lock it completely I'll just bend the tabs back again.

The drop front is super cool. Never seen an old mac/matco before

 

[K.Weber]

Found the middle box. Probably paid a hair more then most of you would have, but hey, it's complete.
Not the biggest fan of how it locks, when bottom drawer is fully closed, it locks the 2 above it. Gotta figure out what I want to do about that. Also found 2 original cards inside.
Here it is in all its glory

Awesome set up! Looking for a middle 3 drawer box and a right side box to complete my new get up