After restoring my dad's Taco Wagon, I've been on the lookout for other Snap-On boxes to restore. Eventually I'll restore his old top box too, but right now I'm using it. I've been looking for a 26" wide nine-drawer top chest to put on the end of the Taco Wagon. This isn't exactly that, but for $40 at a swap meet I couldn't pass it up. It doesn't have a model number stamped on it but it appears to be a KRA-53 drop front road chest. The drawers work fine but the box is pretty battered. Slides are good but it needs a full sand and repaint job. The lid is pretty well bent, and I'm going to have to remake the top, the drop front, and replace the two hinges and lock. And I'll need a new badge. That's OK. Should be a fun metalworking project.
I may keep it and use it afterwards if I can come up with a good use. Or, my car club participates in a pinstripers' auction every year to benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation, and pinstriped toolboxes are always big sellers - I may donate it. Either way I'm going to have fun restoring it.
Technically that's not considered a road chest, but I think you're right about the model #.
The road chests were very heavy duty as they were specifically designed to be mounted in vehicles. Most toolboxes aren't built as reinforced as a road box.
This restoration stuff comes with a warning sign.
The thing about these old boxes, besides finding uses for them in the home decor, is the difficulty of parting with them.
I've built a few cars and trucks, and for the most part, could let them go.
But letting go of any of these boxes? It's been more painful than any other inanimate object I've ever had.
So I have 1/2 a dozen 300's, and space is getting tight.
By the way, stuffing them full of old tools just makes it that much more fun to pull the handle and look.
