Ya gotta have a vintage Refrigerator

[stoveman]

Well, I just cann't see a new double door stainless frige in the same kitchen as a vintage Range. and I don't think I am alone in this thought. Our son just bought a 1940's house in Austin and we went down to help with the move in. It turns out to have been built by Texas State Representive Hardin in 1940. I think he may have used some of the CCC boys to construct it because it looks like something that you would find in a State Park. There is a small kitchen with the original cabinets, but it sports a 1980's tin gas range in almond color and a matching 2 door fridge. We couldn't stand that so we have come out of retirement to restore a vintage range for his new kitchen. It'll be a Chambers Model OKM. I kept visualizing the range in the kitchen with the original cabinets and then...that double door refrigerator in almond. That aint gona work!
I have had a little experence with vintage refrig, so started looking for a 1940's box to fit comfortably in the old kitchen. Found a 1947 GE on ebay and went for it. It should be delivered in about a week. This is where I decided to share my experience in chosing a good usable vintage refrigerator.

1. Look closely for any missing parts. Parts are available for our ranges, but not for the friges. If it is missing a shelf, drawer, freezer door or any parts, pass on it. You must purchase a complete frige. Most had at least 3 shelves and 2 or 3 drawers. You can usually see the gap of a missing component in the photos. Insist on photos of the front, rear and inside.

2. Ask the question: Will it make an Ice Cube? A faulty cooling machine can be repaired, but will be a large expense. Ask for a photo of the freezer section while it is running. Get the seller to run the frige with the door open and the thermostat set to the coldest for a few hours so that frost will form on the cooling coils. The complete cooling coils should be covered with white frost. If only part of the coils are frosted, this is a sign that the coolant level is low because of a leak. Leaks can be fixed, but that is another expense.

3. Close the door and check the box temperature. It should be between 35 and 45 degrees with the thermostat set to normal. Step 2 verified that the cooling machine could develop ice. With this step, we are testing the thermostat. If the box is not at 35-45 degrees, it may need a thermostat repair or replacement. There are replacement thermostats available for about 80 bucks, so this is not a show stoper.

4. Get a good look at the door gasket. New door gasket strips are available for about 80 bucks and can be installed by the homeowner. Bad gaskets are not a show stoper.

5. Take a look at the power cord. It is good practice to replace it, so don't worry too much here. The show stopper is the seller who states that the power cord was cut by the last owner or during movement, or some other excuse. The reason it was cut is to keep a buyer from plugging it in to test the frige. Don't even think of buying one with a cut cord.

6. Outside appearance. Not a real big problem. The outside of the boxes were mostly painted although earlier ones could be porcelain. It's just a metal box. Watch out for rust. This box can be repaired and/or painted by an auto body shop. If it is porcelain, well, it's just like a vintage range. Remove panels and send out to have new porcelain applied. I had a body shop paint one in Freedom Red a couple years back for 100 bucks.

7. Age and cooling gas. Several different gases were used thru the years as a coolant in the cooling machine. Ammonia, Methyl Cloride and Sulfur Dioxide were used before 1929. These have caused death and should be avoided. I don't know when freon started to be the gas of choice, but do know that some friges used Sulfur Dioxide into the early 1940's. I think all friges after WWII are Freon and much safer. Go for one made after WWII or look for a label on the back that states which coolant the frige uses.

8. Stick with a name brand like General Electric, Frigidaire, Sears, etc.

9. I hope this helps and Let's save some more Vintage Appliances from the Metal Crusher!

[clutter-bug]

Here's my 1953 GE Refrigerator. The original owners paid $550.00 for it back then. It's built like a tank. I painted it with Hammerite Paint. It costs me $10/month to run, and closes with a very satisfying KA-THUNK.

The shelves slide in and out just like a modern frig, and it has a butter warmer. I love it!
[url="http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/50/1000787xk3.jpg"]http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/50/1000787xk3.jpg[/url]

Mike Arnold of [url="http://www.monitortop.com"]www.monitortop.com[/url] has many parts. He sold me an original butter dish (glass) for $5.00 - needless to say, I was thrilled. He is a good source for repairs and parts - he's got cabinets full of them. He can repair Chambers, too.

~~~Joslyn

[Todd W. White]

I'm working on restoring a Servel gas refrigerator - NO MOVING PARTS TO WEAR OUT!

It's taking me 3 years, but I hope to get the body work on the outer case done (now that it's cooling off outside) and give it to my wife for Christmas.

[stoveman]

Hey Todd, I musta been thinking of you! I dropped off a Servel Service Manual at my printers yesterday to be reprinted. I hope to have it ready next Wednesday. Seems that Whirlpool bought out Servel refrig. But they quit making them sometime after 1957, maybe 1964? I think my manual is the last printed in 1957. It has both Servel and Whirlpool on the front.
Keep those Vintage Appliances out of the Dumpster!

[Todd W. White]

Whirlpool bought Servel because tiny little Servel's engineers figured out how to build an automatic icemaker for a home refrigerator when no one else could - not even GE, Westinghouse, Whirlpool, etc.!

Servel's patented method of making 1/2-moon cubes and spitting them into a bin inside a home refrigerator's freezer section is STILL being used today! No one, as far as I know, has been able to significantly improve on their method.

Sadly, Whirlpool, as we're seeing with KitchenAid and Maytag, had NO idea what they had or how to market it (sounds like what they did to CHAMBERS, huh?), and, thus, the idea eventually died with the product.

There are new Servel's being made (much better in many respects to the old ones), but they're horrifically expensive and rather small...

[Kitzig]

What do you guys think about this one?

Vintage General Electric Refrigerator Ice Box White - $75
Reply to: [email][email protected][/email]
Date: 2006-09-06, 9:03PM CDT

Wow! This is a super cool oldie. I keep meaning to get it working properly, but never seem to find the time. The body is in great shape, just some rust spots on one side and a few signs of wear. The inside needs a little love. The top shelf is being held up in the back by a piece of wood and needs some fasteners installed. All original metal shelves, thermometer, dial, ice tray holder, etc.


The unit is not working and I have been told it needs a new compressor. If you know how to work on old fridges, it is a nice one! I have used it for years as a pantry, but if you could get it working, it be great in a rec. room, office, outdoor kitchen, or on the back porch for parties!

* this is in or around N. Central Austin

[img]http://c.im.craigslist.org/Bg/fd/YuagxIkuzI5kjj3WHjY5jmRz7CWy.jpg[/img][img]http://a.im.craigslist.org/Rt/Dp/Mo9GxoRsXDVwx3LcGvkd5NeYLf3S.jpg[/img]
[img]http://a.im.craigslist.org/VV/a2/vgznl8g5IfbAptgViXfdfBDYj7FT.jpg[/img][img]http://b.im.craigslist.org/oV/Pu/0T1qe6jJlPf5cyIUiH9NVAdaVbFe.jpg[/img]

[url="http://austin.craigslist.org/for/203958228.html"]http://austin.craigslist.org/for/203958228.html[/url]

Lori G.

[stoveman]

Lori,
Drop that hot potato! It might be a good parts frige, if you had one just like it.

Here's what is wrong: (the # refers to my previous check list)


#6 Outside. That frige is porcelain on the outside. Those black spots are big *** chips. Wanta send it to be reporcelained?


#1. Inside. The freezer compartment is missing the door. There should be a drawer under the freezer. See the gap in the top shelf where the drawer should be. The right top shelf is missing a support that cann't be found. There should be two drawers in the bottom below the bottom shelf. Half of the bottom shelf is missing.


#2 Works? The seller tells you that it needs a compressor (It won't get cold!). Imagine trying to find a 1941 GE compressor. You will need an old frigeman with lots of experience on old appliances to retrofit a new compressor into that box.


It is really not a good find, if you want a working vintage frige. Regards, Sam

[ha_asfan]

I'm a dedicated old fridge guy ever since we got our 1955 Hotpoint with extra heavy Detroit automotive style doors handles [8" x 10"] and car styled interior. Our electrical bill during the hottest months ran $11 lower than the old fridge cost us. This model has a full size freezer and the body is porcelian. The doors KA_THUNK like a bank vault, feels so good in the hand. If you look, look and look some more, you'll find one in your hood. Any Detroit area folks looking, I found a great 1950's torquoise single door, full freezer model today for $25.00 in very nice condition. I think Joe was telling about his Nesco Roaster, just got mine today and am excited to try it out and also got the Sunbeam Vacuum Coffee Pot today. All in all, a great estate sale day. Now, all I really need is a great old fashioned live-in house keeper...Hazel, where are you ?

[berlyn]

Vintage frig, hmmmmmmmmmm.........
I don't know if my hubby would check me in @ the local psych hospital for a much needed "vacation"
or just choke me if I mentioned a vintage frig!!


[url="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/259218814eAzvEX"]Big Bertha[/url] was a task in itself.

I do have several vintage appliances & kitchen gagdets that I do use.
But I do have my eyes opened if I happen to
across one that's "do-able".

berlyn

[ha_asfan]

Berlyn, One of the great advantages of the vintage fridge is how well it will store your fruits and vegetables for extended periods of time. Think of a vintage as a root cellar...just a cool and moist place...there are no whirring fans to disturb the air and dry out the veggies and that cuts down on electrical usage...no pumps for water or mechanisms for making ice cubes...more energy savers...the old fridges were insulated, insulated and then insulated, similar to our beloved Chambers stoves. Since there are no moving parts, just a compressor doing it's thing, there is virtually no noise to the old fridges. You got a compressor and a light buld, that's it. If you want a good one, put ads in all of your local papers, especially the community targeted papers...just say "cash paid for working 1950's fridge", you'll probably be overwhelmed with responses and have a lot to choose from. My single ad brought over 40 responses in just a few days and I looked at about nine or ten before finding the perfect one. Once you get rid of the big hunk of white plastic in your kitschen and start filling it up with ceramic and glass food containers, you'll be a happy camper. Maybe you should start with a monitor top for your salon.....