I'm allways looking for boxes/cases like the one I found for the Variac. You should have lots of junk and pawn shops around there, being in the "Big City". But I bet they get pounded pretty hard by guys like U and I that are looking for the same stuff.
I'm looking for another box to house my Iso transformer in...So the search goes on.
One place to check is the IT guys at the hospitals. They might have something or know of a test box for an Old X-ray machine that was stuck in the storage room never to be seen again. You never know.
The other place is Ham conventions. But competition is fierce so bring your running shoes and a big duffel bag to carry all the stuff you find in..
Oh.. and lots of Cash money!..
Buzz