Didja ever notice that you can't get a good camping/picnicing cooler anymore? My parents have an old aluminum cooler from the 60's that's still in great shape, but all that's available in stores now is cheap blow-molded polyethylene junk.

Howzabout making one with strips? Make the side panels by staggering the strips 1/4" so that they interlock somewhat like a dove-tail joint. Create a box-within-a-box with R-board or some other foam insulation in betwixt, a foam rubber seal, and some nice brass hardware to accent...