"I dont want to mess with i out of fear of damaging something and having a big issue on my hands."
Is anyone forcing you to "mess with" it?

Im just dilligently fixing code violations etc around an old house.... just trying to keep things safe you know.

But to answer your question, no, im not being forced (by an inspector nor a need for expansion or repair).

Im just dilligently fixing code violations etc around an old house.... just trying to keep things safe you know.

But to answer your question, no, im not being forced (by an inspector nor a need for expansion or repair).

There's no CODE violation if it was legal when it was installed.

When did the current box fill calculations become code?

Can someone point me to any info about grandfather clauses in the electric code?

My house is old and it seems like most things I look into are against current codes and I tend to work myself up over them. I think I may be confused with what was standard then vs. current practices.

That's not addressed by the CODE. The code is self sufficient and by and large doesn't look backward. It is your local code enforcement that decides which version of the code applies to where and when the wiring needs to be brought up to more modern codes.

If it were my garage, I'd just put an extension on it and be done with it. That is what I did when I happened upon an old octagonal box in my father's basement that had no cover. It had no cover because it was too !#@$%^&* full to fit a cover. It probably dates from 1959 and cables were added when the basement was finished. It is not obvious because the opening faces up at the floor joist level.

I would suggest leaving the box in the garage attic alone and getting a hobby to keep yourself busy. Tinkering with old wiring just to tinker can become expensive.