The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk I Need Tool Box Ideas.

guys,

i want and need to install a tool box in the bed of my 57.
i would like it to be wood, and be about as wide as my inside bed walls, and not any higher that my bed rails.
i need to store a floor jack in it and a few other tools.
i am searcing for a military style ammo box that is big enough, but am having trouble finding one.

i would like to keep it "older" looking, not wanting an aluminum diamond plate box, but may go with a black box if need be.

do you guys have any ideas, or please post pics of your tool boxes, any type, so i can get some ideas.

thanks.

leonard

in the 60s my dad had one made of plywood the top sloped like a shed roof for rain just had a hasp and rope handles on the sides he used the truck in road const.

Ratrodking,

I don't have a direct answer for you, but for my truck I want to make a box out of wood, probably oak, and have it resemble an old steamer trunk. I've seen plans in woodworking magazines for wood trunks and have always thought that would look real cool in an old truck!! You could modify the dimensions to fit your truck.

I put this one in my AD. Its worked really well, and looks pretty cool.

Ammo truck box

thanks for the ideas guys...

rehpotsirhci, your box is exactly what i am looking for.

thanks again.

leonard

I picked up a set of kegs at a garage sale awhile back for $4. I plan to make tool boxes out of them that will atach to the frame on my COE. Maybe that will give you an idea or something similar would work for you?

Jeff

What do you mean a floor jack? Out west here that means a screw jack that is close to eight feet tall collapsed. That would never fit in the bed of an old Chevy side to side. Perhaps a clarifaction of terms would be in order here.

jimmie,
this is what i know as a floor jack.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950165000P

i never heard of a floor jack the size you are talking about...what does it jack up ? it sounds heavy duty.
got any pics of one ?

thanks again guys.

leonard

RRK,
You being in Florida and all, not to sound cliche', but how about a box that looked like a couple of orange crates stacked together...
Bluedawg

Check out my 46 in the gallery. I built a steamer trunk for all my stuff. It works real well, and looks good even if I do say so myself.

George Wells

I think it might be nice to buy one of the metal boxes and face it with wood. That way you start with a somewhat water tight box. You could face it in stained pine or oak or use cedar or cypress left natural You could even use bed strips and angle strips for accents at the corners and across the top and front like and old trunk. That may be over the top. Just a passing thought.

Leonard, you need a 50's Coke ice box, not an ammo box. you could even make a replica as originals are going for about $150

Scott

BlueDawg,
thanks for the orange crate suggestion, but i would like something more water proof.

46forme,
i just checked out you gallery pics, and you have a beautiful truck. and the trunk you made looks awesome.

thanks for the ideas guys. im floating them all around in my head, but since i like guns, i am leaning toward the ammo box.

leonard

See what the tool box company called "Jobox" has for you. It's a construction based tool company. Sorry, I haven't had much time to pre-research it for you,
Scott

I made a nice oak box with a cedar lid, then wrapped the lid in roofing coper and soldered the seams. Haven't used it in the back of the truck much though. Originally I built it to hold chains and binders and stuff, but it turned out to nice and I use it as a tool box now.

For the back of the truck I use a 2'x2'x4' steel "job box" bought it at northern tool. It is not water tight when driving down the road, but might be with some weatherstrip around the lid. I did drill some small holes to let it drain, and set important stuff on top of something else.
I also picked up a steel box the same size that is riveted together, looks military surplus from the 20's, but I have no history on it. It'll look just right in the back of my truck.

I can take some pictures of boxes if you would like?

Grigg

Maybe wrap a steel box with some old barn wood. Give a nice retro look with new school convenience.

maybe a pine box shaped like a coffin?? with someones name you don't like, i can think of a few. hahahaha

darn guys,
you all have some great ideas. i really like whitedog's suggestion.

Grigg, if you could snap a few pics of yours, i would appreciate it a bunch.

thanks again guys.

leonard

Leonard,
Here are a few pictures of an oak box with copper covered cedar lid, also has rope handles.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2881863910080251109ffDCwq
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2663478740080251109PqhoVZ
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2967882860080251109qSCfuf
If interested? I can take some pictures of another similar box, it is walnut with a copper covered lid, leather handles, and a large leather strap to hold the completely removable lid on.

Here's the steel "job box" type like you can buy at Northern Tool and similar places, also Knaack makes some nice ones, this is 2'x2'x4'
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1484231015080251109xrkaED
bottom of this picture http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2463059470080251109mnXOSK

And here's the old version of the above box, all riveted together. I would like to know who made it, when, and for what.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2769072620080251109AYeuVq

Grigg

grigg,
thanks so much for taking the time and posting the pics of your box.
it looks great. i like the copper lid.
and you got a cute cat also. i had one the same color when i was a kid, named smokey.
im still throwing ideas around, and might be going with an aluminum box bought, and placing wood on the outside, unless the black powdercoated box looks decent.

thanks again.

leonard