Vintage matco workbench help

[Cantaloupeman]

So I've been looking for my first toolbox with drawers. I have previously just thrown all my tools into two tool bags and stored the rest on my makeshift workbench I built. I wanted to get a smaller tool cart like a 26 inch wide craftsman rolling tool cabinet with the 5 drawers.

Recently I was offered a 70s matco workbench about 50 inches across, 18 inches deep and 40 inches tall. Its awesome but is much bigger than what I was planning. It would work in the space i'm in right now, however I don't know what I'd do with it if I had to downsize into an apartment when I move out of my parents house. It was a hell of an offer and I'm very gracious that he was even generous enough to offer it to me because it is one badass box that I would probably never need to upgrade, but I'm just worried it may not be practical depending on my situation in the future.

I am curious if maybe the box comes apart. It looks like two separate 25 inch boxes put together to make one workbench. Is that how matco did it back in the day? Or do they split apart into two boxes and you can just put another set of wheels on the one side? I was hoping to find some information on it but wasn't able to get the model number. It has the two square handles on each big drawer with the matco logo. Both halves have the smaller drawers on the top two rows going 3 across with one deep drawer in the center. Thanks!

 

[bobcatdan]

For starters, the boxes are probably 80's since matco went on their own in 1979 after spliting from mac. What I think you are looking at is two 26" boxes bolted together. Back then both mac and matco offered kits to bolt two 26" boxes together. My mentor during my apprenticeship had a mac box like that.

 

[Cantaloupeman]

For starters, the boxes are probably 80's since matco went on their own in 1979 after spliting from mac. What I think you are looking at is two 26" boxes bolted together. Back then both mac and matco offered kits to bolt two 26" boxes together. My mentor during my apprenticeship had a mac box like that.

That's awesome! Is there a way to convert it back? Did it require getting rid of certain parts of the two 26" toolboxes? If it's possible to convert it back that would be perfect because I could split them up when I move out and have two boxes.

 

[bobcatdan]

Everyone I saw deleted a set of casters from each box was removed so you would need new casters for each box. Otherwise I think they should come apart pretty easy. Only guessing because I have never put that set up together or disassembled.

 

[Cantaloupeman]

Everyone I saw deleted a set of casters from each box was removed so you would need new casters for each box. Otherwise I think they should come apart pretty easy. Only guessing because I have never put that set up together or disassembled.

Thats awesome! If they do come apart that would work out perfectly for me.

On a separate note, do you know if there's a way to fix the drawers coming all the way out? I don't know if they have ball bearing slides or what but I am not sure what would fix that and if there would still be parts available.