Toolbox Restoration

Working on the '63 today. I am at the point where I am starting to make templates for the floor pans. While doing so, I realized that there appears to be a possibility of "painting myself into a corner" with respect to the toolbox.

I have welded up a few patch pieces for the toolbox, so now I've got a combination of some bare steel, rusty steel and old paint on the inside of the toolbox. Also, once I put the floor pan on I'm going to have a lot of bare steel. I'm wondering how the factory did it. Should I primer and color the inside of the toolbox first, then shoot through the lid opening to finish the floor once it's welded?

This is one area of the jeep that obviously needs maximum corrosion prevention, so I want to make sure and get it right since it won't be accessible later.



EDIT - Mods, maybe my thread should be merged with this one? http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44481

 

Clint
How much of the floor board are you having to replace? If just the very bottom, I made up a set of drawings a couple of years ago that I made for use on our CNC plasma cutter. I just had to replace the bottom floor itself and these came out perfect for me. If that is your case, here are the drawings

http://www.hdts.vcn.com/JEEP/floor%20plate.pdf

I cut mine out of 12ga. very solid. Let me know if you are doing the same, and I can give you some tips

Not just in line with your question about tool box, but thought your might be interested

 

when I removed my toolbox, there was little to no sign of factory paint on the underside of the top of the toolbox. my theory of why jeep tubs rust so badly is that the entire tub was welded together and then painted. that leaves alot of hidden areas where paint never reaches.

 

Thanks, Mike. I'm doing a whole floor replacement, but those angles and measurements will definitely help me in figuring out the geometry.

Randy, I agree, I can't find a trace of paint on some parts of the inside of the box.

 

All tool box owners:
Do you have a hole (aboult 1") in the rear area of the box?
Ziv

 

Mine has a hole 5/8" near middle that goes thru the hat chanel for a frame mount and a small hole (possibly for drain) towards the back and more to the passengers side. It's about 1/2" size.