classic motorcycle forum

Many years ago I found some old boots of my late grandfathers that had dried up like your toolboxes and an older bike friend said to fill them with cheap vegetable oil from the supermarket. I did this and after a month or so they had swelled and softened up nicely. I left them to drain and filled with absorbent kitchen paper. Left in the summer sun they dried enough to polish with boot polish, and after all that they were too small for me to wear and I gave then to a cousin. 

Dude, you really need to downsize your pictures. All I can see in most of them is a back wheel.

I have had success in these type situations by heating the cases until a match wood will burn when touched to case and then spraying the bearing with aerosol freeze spray to shrink the bearing and break the bond between case and bearing. I think the press would be far more than needed for this job.
This is the one I used.
https://crcindustries.com.au/products/crc-freeze-spray-300g-2039.html

I think something like a 1970s CB250 tank might fit better.

Much better. I probably worked on one or two of the planes built when Jack worked at the Douglas factory when I was a lot younger. I remember some of the 'artwork' that was in behind the rear bulkheads of the C47's being one from "Rosie the riveter, California 1942".

How is the valve clearances?

Any idea who would have made the box for Douglas?

Probably not, but would like to know what was used in it originally.