1959 SNAPON Tool Box: What color/type of paint?

Hey guys, I am in the process of restoring an old snap on tool box.

I was looking to get suggestions about what "RED" color code I should use. It looks almost liek an orange/red color.

Also, I need to know what type of paint I should use. I am considering some sort of Acrylic or Epoxy eurathane but I am not sure yet.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I would like to keep costs low, so I am not powder coating or anything like that. I also am likely to stay away from snap on paint from snap on because I am sure it is just as expensive as a set of sockets.

Thanks in advanced..here are a couple of pics!

 

I have a question for you! Do you own a pre 64 Hotrod or Kustom? Or just tool boxes, If you do welcome and good luck with the tool box.

John

 

I say paint it black and pinstripe the heck out of it. This is a hot rod board, not a restoration board!

 

The sister site garagejournal.com would be of some use in this particular area. I actually had a similar question about my Kennedy Box sets and I got useful feedback immediately. Oh, and I hope that '95 Mustang Gt has Red Wheels, Flat Black paint, and a really really tall shifter at the very least. Haha. Just Kidding.

 

who gives a ****? if he ain't talking about mustangs, i don't care what he drives. personally i like a little shop/tool talk around here. i've got a similar box that needs resto, i wouldn't mind finding the snapon paint code.

 

When I painted the cabinets and mismatched tool boxes in my garage I took a drawer from a Snap On tool box I bought new in 1973 to Home Depot and had them do a computer color match from the unfaded bottom side of a drawer. I did use latex as I was painting wood cabinets, but it worked well on the old tool boxes and metal file cabinets. It is a orangey red, but not as orange as yours appears in the photos. I've used the color matching on other things as well and it works very well for a perfect match.

Have fun.
Alden

 

why reply if you have nothing meaningful/helpful to say? Maybe you should fill out the moderator application and quit your day job. thanks for the good wishes with the tool box!


I will be sure to check out garagejournal.com, I posted here because i found very useful information particularly in the vintage tool box club thread.

Thanks for the info!

 

You are right I was being nice to the guy, and asking if he owned a Hotrod. And I even said good luck on the tool box at the end of my post, but you thought I was being rude to the guy, I really wanted to say who gives a **** about your tool box! this is a Hotrod site now go away, I was actually interested if he had a Hotrod!

John

 

Boy this thread's going downhill fast.

The easiest and cheapest way is probably going to be the Home Depot color matching option, or go to True Value and use theirs - True Value has a nice oil base enamel equivalent to Rust-Oleum that comes in a tintable base, so you can have it mixed up to match and paint it with that - and it can be thinned and sprayed too.

If money's not a consideration, I'd look at using regular automotive paint on it, whatever you're comfortable with spraying. Depends on what kind of use it's going to get, too, if it just has to sit there and look pretty and won't get beat around much, the paint doesn't have to be all out super tough chip resistant, but if you know it's going to see abuse, it probably should be painted with like pickup bed-liner in a can. Someone else who paints more than I do will have to chime in on just what types of paint would be best going this route.

 

More importantly, do you wanna sell that box???

 

SO a guy slams you for having a Mustang I want to know if you have a Hotrod and I get slammed!!!! SO does your ****stang have flatblack paint and red wheels???? There is that better I was trying to be nice in my first post!

 

Ive never seen a mustang with flat black paint and red wheels, soo I do not know what that means. Is that suppose to be an insult?

 

dont feel bad timebomb same thing happened to me on another O/T post ..and it dint have anything to do with Hot Rods Or Customs..or freakin' cars at all//

 

Call Snap On in Kenosha maybe?

 

BTW this post needs to have O/T at the begining too..you FNG's need to go back and read about what THIS site is about..and if you go off subject you should just **** up the bashing you get ..because you asked for it.
and yes i think that was an insult..and a pretty funny one at that

 

Yes. You're new, you didn't post an intro, and you're already in a **** throwing match with a long-time member. Good luck kid. Nice toolbox.

 

That's cool I always wondered how old my tool box was, now I know. I have the same box as one of my toolboxes. Just goes to show you what good old American craftsmanship is worth!

 

Aren't Mustangs good parts cars?

 

If you guys are so interested in maintaining the spirit of this forum you should stop posting meaningless replies to what is in your opinion a meaningless thread.

 

Snap on made similar boxes for about 20 years. Look on the side of your box there should be a part number. The number after USA is the mfg year.

 

jeezus h christ on a trailer hitch.

the FNG wanders in asking a question or two about a toolbox. i HAVE toolboxes, i'm starting to wonder about some of the others here...so what if he ain't got a trad rod or custom? he ain't telling us how we all should be driving mustangs. if some of you weren't so bent on being ***holes or trying to earn some "hamb cred" the guy might stick around and see something he likes.

as for the paint. most auto paint stores can now match paint the same as home improvement stores. if nothing else, they have a master chip book with damn near every shade of solid color you could want. you could flip through the book and find something that looks close enough. if you needed, they can mix it in aerosol cans for a small project like this if you don't have a gun.

 

Popcorn anyone? Something to drink while I am up?

 

Yeah grab me some cans of spray paint! I prefer red if you have it...

 

Okay...95gtSTANG: this sight caters to traditional hot rods and such. Basically pre-64 stuff, with the occaisional later truc or '60s-style car. No muscle cars, no Mustangs (unless they're Gas Rhonda style or smething), etc. Your 95gtSTANG handle is making you a target. It'd be like if mine were "69SSCAMARO".
That being said, whether or not it was intentional, I also thought the first reply about "do you have a hot rod" was being *****y. It might not have been...that's the problem with writing, rather than talking. He's sorry, you're sorry, everyone have a group hug and go change back into your big boy undies.

About tool boxes: There have been a couple of EXCELLENT vintage tool box posts on this board in the last two or three years, and I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of them. The most recent one was one of your first posts, and there was a link in there that was awesome; it looks like me and several other guys were able to find the dates of our vintage Snap-on boxes thanks to a link posteed on there. I LOVE vintage shop equipment, and from the number of replies to all those other posts, I'm not alone.

According to that link, mine is a 1940 SuperCab and roller combo. It's also faded about like yours, and I'm going to restore it.
One thing interesting on mine is that my side handles unbolt from the chest. under it, I found PERFECT, unfaded paint, should I want to match it.
Snap-on also sells their paint in cans. I think I've seen it in their catalogs, both in spray and quart. And maybe touch-up pens too.
Finally, if you want something that is pretty close, fairly durable, and really easy, I've painted a lot of home-made shop equipment with Rust-oleum "High Performance" red. Comes in a tall silver can, was sometimes called "Hard Hat Red." It's got a pretty high solids content. Several thin coats (the last one heavy enough that everything that looked "grainy" now looks wet) have done very well over bare metal, and has held up several years on a bunch of my projects.
I'm probably going to have mine soda blasted. All the knobs and handles on mine were painted black enamel, but pics I've seen show them chrome: I'll either chrome them or black powder coat them. I'll also probably use a high-quality automotive paint with hardeners in it, just because it's one of the first roll-aways Snap-on ever made, so I'm going to give it a professional restoration. If i owned a later box, I'd spray bomb it with Rust-oleum and not think twice about it.

Post pics when yours is done.

-Brad

 

What about contacting a Snap on dealer or rep and asking if they can match the color or if they have the paint codes for that particular box. It really comes down to what you want out of it. Painting it black would looks nice but may take some of the soul out of it.

 

Well said. I have been known to rag on people too much.

 

Yeah --like the one above

 

That box looked nice before you stripped the paint off it.....

but yeah, flat black with pinstripes, and wide white casters on red rims. Make sure the caster locks are drum, not disc.

edit: almost forgot, mexican blanket to line the drawers

 

Tis the season....

But anyway, I got a spray bomb right from my Snap - on guy. Perfect match.

 

S***y little FNG aint he?