some help needed with old broken tool box

[deQuincey]

hi,

my car is dated 1971, so it has the old big tool-box

the plastic is very weak, and yesterday it gave me a big surprise.
when i colsed the rear boot i hear a terrible noise of metallic objects falling and crashing
those were the tools that had fallen from the tool box because the retaining plastic has broken and with it part of the tool box had come away

now i want to fix it, of course i can glue the broken parts through the borders with an adequate adhesive, but, that will probably pass the problem to another section

i am considering to reinforce the area with GRP, you know fiber and resine kits are available, but i dont have the experience

any help ? problems ? be careful ? or tips ?

if the repair fails. do you know if the part (the tool box i mean) is available new or NOS nowadays ?

 

[61porsche]

Tool Box Repair

Most repairs in that area are reinforced with sheetmetal prior to the cosmetic plastic or epoxy. I beleive Coupeking has at least a picture or two of the process along with what types of products used in that/ those pictures.

Plastics have differing chemical make- ups. I would use an epoxy. Past the reinforcement, I would use/ make a "blank" of bondo or similar to recreate as much as possible the texture to be pressed on the drying patch at least on the visible part. The final part would require some refinishing with vinyl dye or spray to hide the patches.

The alternate to making your own patch would be to find a similar box and cut out sections to form a new repair thereby lessening the need to create the texture to the extent that can be done sucussfully. Since most craft stores now carry "super glues" in the form of two parts with activators that might be an alternate.

He also sells a tool roll for about $27. The cases are just too brittle after all this time

 

[blumax]

Repairing tool boxes

The message is clear from this 39 year owner/caretaker of E-9's--don't carry the tools in these trunk mounted tool boxes as the plastic used was/has become very brittle--and weight of those tools against the plastic screw will eventually cause it to fail. This also holds true for the steel screws holding the box to the trunk/boot lid. Locate and use nylon washers with the screws to isolate the steel from plastic--and--to increase surface area bearing the weight. I have seen many owners use steel washers for the preceeding but steel to steel against plastic is self defeating.

Also, do avoid slamming the trunk/boot lid to close same as that really shocks the plastic fastening screw and will hasten its demise.

Get a tool roll from CoupeKing to hold your tools as they are well designed to contain and neatly carry them in your trunk.

A proven epoxy that works really well on the particular plastic used in these tool boxes is JB Weld--and when activated and set up comes very close to color match of the material--don't know how widely distributed this product is but can be purchased at most auto supply houses in the US.

BTW--JB Weld also works well if need arise to fabricate a "tooth" of a hood/bonnet grill if they happen to be the black ones. It will also work on chromed ones--if you still have the "tooth" available--simply drill a very fine hole in parent and the broken tooth--insert short section of a straight pin and use very small amount of JB Weld--like a dental repair--it's permanent.

Good luck

 

[deQuincey]

thank you both very much for the advises

yes, i am afraid that the plastic has become brittle, so it will break again whatever repair i undertake, and you will never know from which other zone it will came the new crack !

it is a pity because if you open that beautiful toolbox and it is empty it will lose part of its charm (noone does nowadays that kind of impressive tool-boxes, not even bmw !)

regards

 

[Arde]

Peter (Coupeking) restored mine using two separate toolboxes with different usable sides. The area around the "ears" is definitinely new plastic/epoxy. Once restored you can keep just the light stuff inside, or enjoy it until it breaks again and then do another refresh.

While it was broken like yours I put blank music CDs covering the outside area of the hole and close the toolbox with the regular "screw" through the CD hole. CDs distribute the weight and when it fails the CD breaks instead of the toolbox.


http://home.earthlink.net/~b_jamin/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/tool1.jpg

 

[CSteve]

Sad we can't keep our tools in the toolbox. I purchased and original tool roll from a guy on this board. It came from a six series or an eight series. The roll is handsome, rugged and holds everything. It resides in the trunk. Which I keep locked since anyone can open an unlocked trunk.

Any stories about looted unlocked trunks out there?

Steve

 

[deQuincey]

Peter (Coupeking) restored mine using two separate toolboxes with different usable sides. The area around the "ears" is definitinely new plastic/epoxy. Once restored you can keep just the light stuff inside, or enjoy it until it breaks again and then do another refresh.

While it was broken like yours I put blank music CDs covering the outside area of the hole and close the toolbox with the regular "screw" through the CD hole. CDs distribute the weight and when it fails the CD breaks instead of the toolbox.


http://home.earthlink.net/~b_jamin/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/tool1.jpg

beautiful view of your neat trunk area

and also good advises, and tips

for coupeking, i think is one ocean away for me, thanks, (teletransportation not invented yet), so i will try to restore it myself, or maybe contact a local expert on fiber and polyester, don´t know

i am using the cd tip just know, fantastic ! thanks

 

[deQuincey]

an overview of my recent work (not finished)

 

[Stevehose]

Thanks for these pics, am looking forward to the finished product!

 

[deQuincey]

Thanks for these pics, am looking forward to the finished product!

dear stevehose, you will need to be patient, herewith i am sending the second step

the begining was gluing the broken small parts and that after some hours it was ready,

sand paper to prepare the surface, limited to the area that was intended to contribute to support the strenghts due to the weight and thus collaborate in it

close back side to avoid leaking through the hole, also I intend to rebuild some of the broken area around the hole, to close it and act as a mould I used tape and plastiline (butil precured mastic)

clean and activate surface

cut fiber in adequate shape, and also build a limiting wall

prepare the resin + hardener

start application, in two steps

to be continued...

 

[Stevehose]

Nice work. I used a spray paint from SEM called Storm Grey (per Murray's advice) to paint mine and it is near perfect color as the original. Perhaps you can find someone to match that brand/formula if not available in Spain. I'd send you some but I don't think it's allowed.

 

[deQuincey]

I'd send you some but I don't think it's allowed.

i really appreciate your offer, it is very kind of you,
but you are right, in this imbecile world simple things like that are impossible nowadays
i remember myself in london heathrow mad about the impossibility of carrying fuel aditive back to spain in my checked luggage, or even with UPS or FedEx
anyway, thanks a lot

yes i will check the RAL code of the colour and find something similar

 

[deQuincey]

continue

after some cleaning, redo holes, and so on

freshly renewed attachment area, circular support has been redo with composite

you may remember the "before" status:

you can see the transparent part of the circular support, that is the new circle section

now, thanks murray for your ideas, i am preparing the adequate washers and screws, those must include a hard wide circular area and a soft adaptable rubber washer, but that one must be hand made, this tool allows you to design the exact size by a combination of outer and inner cutter

i do not hit the tool, i use pressure (it is smooth and controlable)

a view of the assembly, another rubber washer will be seating between the tool-box and the sheet metal to compensate any mishape

hope you would like it, sharing ideas is part of the hobby !

 

[m_thompson]

Mine has radial cracks around the hole for the thumbscrew. Maybe I should reinforce it before it completely disintegrates.

 

[Krzysztof]

I would like to share other method of the toolbox repair somebody made recently.

It is based on 3D print.

after paining