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Post by 58limited on Dec 8, 2012 12:25:24 GMT -5
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Post by marka on Dec 8, 2012 17:20:36 GMT -5
Very cool!! My GE is at the painters, can't wait to get it home. I found a good place to get door gaskets, McMaster-Carr, good selection and good price. I'm jealous....a 'food-o-rama'!
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Post by 58limited on Dec 8, 2012 18:26:14 GMT -5
I'll make a note of McMaster-Carr. The last time I bought a gasket I got it from Antique Appliances.
I've been searching for this fridge for a few years. In the past 6-8 months, several have come up and sold for cheap compared to what they usually bring. I wasn't paying attention and missed one that sold for $200. The one I bought is more complete than the others that were listed - they were all missing drawers or shelves in addition to the juice containers.
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Post by jhmack on Dec 8, 2012 20:32:35 GMT -5
58, I have heard of Foodaramas but hadn't seen one. Now I get why they are so sought after. It is a design dream! Such a neat thing--I sure hope it works OK and all you have to do is clean it up. It will polish into QUITE a gem...congratulations! Glad your patience was so well rewarded.
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Post by jhmack on Dec 8, 2012 20:35:10 GMT -5
Marka, thanks for the tip on McMaster-Carr. I also bought my fridge seal from Antique Appliances. It's funny, I have a friend who used to work for MMC, and he told me they have EVERYTHING! I'll keep it mind for my next hardware need...Thanks!
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Post by marka on Dec 8, 2012 20:36:23 GMT -5
The main thing I have learned about vintage fridges, they have to be complete, you will never find the parts you need!
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Post by 58limited on Dec 8, 2012 21:03:16 GMT -5
That is so true! I have had my 1952 GE and 1954 Frigidaire since 1999 and still have not found veggie drawers for either of them.
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Post by 58limited on Dec 8, 2012 21:10:19 GMT -5
Here is one of the Foodaramas that came up for sale recently. Originally, the seller wanted $2000 and it was missing the veggie drawers and some shelves, but had the juice containers. It sold for $485.00. Lovely paint job, eh? He painted it to look like some cave paintings in France. Despite all the work he put into the paint job, he never plugged it in so working condition was unknown - he owned it since the 1980s.
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Post by marka on Dec 9, 2012 13:18:20 GMT -5
That is so true! I have had my 1952 GE and 1954 Frigidaire since 1999 and still have not found veggie drawers for either of them. What does your GE look like? I have one with lazy-Susan shelves I will be parting out soon. I have picked up no less than 5 fridges to get one for the house! BTW, at McMaster-Carr, search for 'bulb seals'.
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Post by marka on Dec 9, 2012 13:21:13 GMT -5
Here is one of the Foodaramas that came up for sale recently. Originally, the seller wanted $2000 and it was missing the veggie drawers and some shelves, but had the juice containers. It sold for $485.00. Lovely paint job, eh? He painted it to look like some cave paintings in France. Despite all the work he put into the paint job, he never plugged it in so working condition was unknown - he owned it since the 1980s. Great paint job! I doubt his story of not plugging it in, who would spend that much time painting a fridge without at least plugging it in once? I picked up a free one just to get a new handle and plugged it in just to see! And it worked!
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Post by 58limited on Dec 9, 2012 13:47:30 GMT -5
Marka, my GE is a '51 or '52 model, no lazy-Susan shelves. The drawers sit on wheels moutned on the floor of the fridge rather than sliding on a rack like most newer fridges. It is the 10 cu. ft. model. I bought some drawers once but they turned out to be for an 8 cu. ft. model. I also found a '54 Frigidaire being parted out - the guy I got the Roper from had it and GAVE me the parts. The fridge is top of the line BUT I didn't realize that there were two sizes. I have the smaller size and his parts are for the bigger size. I'm going to start listing them on ebay.
If I lived in New Mexico or Arizona and decorated in the Southwest style, that cave painting Foodarama would fit right in. He spent a lot of time doing that paint job but almost everyone I showed the picture to went "Ewww!"
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Post by vaporvac on Dec 9, 2012 16:14:36 GMT -5
I agree. Cave paintings belong on caves. You should post pics of what you're missing. I'm always coming across old fridge stuff, the drawers etc. I use them to store things in my old fridge that doesn't have drawers. Start a thread and then people can look through their junk. I think people tend to throw the fridge out, but keep the inserts cuz they're still useful for something.
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Post by pooka on Dec 10, 2012 14:57:07 GMT -5
I think the Cave paintings are kind of interesting. What would be better for a man-cave. I remember see stuff like that in the National Geographic Magazine when I was young. It does sound odd that he would do all that painting before making sure the fridge worked.
I know I've got a few old fridge drawers around here, but only two for sure are a very old one. They are aluminum ones & uncle used them for year as oil drain pans. He would then mix sawdust with the oil in them to use as fire starter for the old wood stoves.
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Post by 58limited on Dec 10, 2012 19:02:55 GMT -5
OK, it is set now: I'm pairing the Foodarama with the Roper T&C. I found a two door 1940s Hotpoint that is the same size as the Foodarama to pair with the Imperial, the styling matches the Imperial better. I have to wait until payday so I hope it is still available. It is 250 miles away but I have a friend who lives there that will probably fetch it and store it for me:
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Post by Chuckie on Dec 10, 2012 22:44:47 GMT -5
I think the Cave paintings are kind of interesting. What would be better for a man-cave. I remember see stuff like that in the National Geographic Magazine when I was young. I only remember Nat'l Geo when I was a kid by trying to check them outta the library b4 the good Nuns cut out all the pix of the neked native women! CHEERS! ;D Chuckie
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Post by 58limited on Dec 11, 2012 13:21:09 GMT -5
;D
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Post by 58limited on Dec 11, 2012 13:22:18 GMT -5
Pretty much a done deal on the big Hotpoint. I';ll send a money order Friday on payday and the seller agreed to hold it for a couple of weeks until we can move it to my friend's place.
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Post by marka on Dec 11, 2012 13:38:00 GMT -5
Congrats!
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Post by wannaredun on Dec 11, 2012 18:25:23 GMT -5
Oh my goodness. Those are amazing.
My aunt used to rent a house that had an amazing, amazing vintage fridge. It might have been a Foodarame, but I swear there were wedge-shaped shelved on the door that swung out when you opened it. I don't know why all fridges don't have something like that. They were fantastic. I think it was painted turquoise, but that might have been the interior.
There was a business in Cleveland that specialized in Servel propane refrigerators, but he had all sorts of parts. The last time I saw the building, the "stuff" was all still in place, but no activity. I will check it out again the next time I'm there.
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Post by 58limited on Dec 11, 2012 18:34:15 GMT -5
There is a working late 40s Servel about 80 miles west of me, I'm making an offer on it too.
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Post by 58limited on Dec 29, 2012 15:27:30 GMT -5
The Foodarama arrived today but without the juice pitchers, an inquiry has been sent to the seller.
The fridge works. It is in the garage which is 46 F right now. The fridge and freezer controls are set at the warmest settings. The freezer is -20 F and the fridge is 20 F. Either this is from running it outside in the cold, or there is a thermostat issue.
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Post by ronruble on Dec 30, 2012 12:26:15 GMT -5
Francehe cave paintings at Lascaux in France…
If I had room in my kitchen, I would buy it.
I may be the only person here that likes the cave painting on it. It would fit right in my cabin because my cabin will be in the antique early Addams Family style ;D
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Post by 58limited on Dec 30, 2012 13:52:40 GMT -5
Marka,
Thanks again for pointing me to McMaster-Carr. They have the exact door gasket I need - item #1142A41. It is grey in color, the original is blue. Grey is a good replacement for blue so I think it will work perfectly. I bought a blue gasket for my '55 Frigidaire, but the supplier is out now. Plus, I bought twice as much from McMaster-Carr (Forty feet at $1 per foot) for half the price of the blue gasket, which was about $90.00 for a 14 foot length.
This morning I tested both thermostats with my ohmmeter and they are fine. But, each has a temp probe (thermocouple?) - how does one test that? Or, if the ohm test is fine, does that mean the temp probes are working too?
But, I really think the problem is a wiring issue. The compressor runs when both thermostats are turned off. The power cord was replaced in the past and I think something got crossed. there is a wiring diagram on the back but it is not color-coded, so I'm having a little trouble deciding what goes where. I'll have to trace each wire individually I guess.
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Post by eidos on Dec 30, 2012 20:14:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the post 58, i need to replace the gasket on my 50s GE, i will have to order some now!
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Post by marka on Dec 31, 2012 14:13:21 GMT -5
The price at M-C is great on their gaskets! I picked up 50 foot of 1142A62 for .86 cents a foot! I'm thinking it is a good fit for my GE.
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Post by cheryl on Jan 10, 2013 23:12:35 GMT -5
Darn wish I had a space big enough for one. I have a big kitchen but it has four doors and a staircase. So not much wall space.a Really poor design.
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Post by vaporvac on Jan 11, 2013 15:37:10 GMT -5
Sounds like my kitchen...4 doors, one at almost each corner and bank of windows across the front. I have a very big vintage fridge, but it's not in the kitchen proper. when I redid the kitchen (there wasn't really anything to begin with) there wasn't any chance of eliminating any of them so I just had to work with it. In the end, I'm happy. It would be better if I could commit to omitting the table in the middle, but I prefer to sit at that than an island.
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Post by 58limited on Jan 13, 2013 14:58:48 GMT -5
The new fan motor arrived Wednesday and I just installed it. For reference, here is the fan part number: A.O. Smith (now Century I think) UB04CWLA2F (The original fan motor is a GE motor, part # 5KSP51AL63C). The fan works fine so I remounted the compressor chassis. Now to sort out the wiring....
The seller mailed the juice containers on Wednesday and said that I should have them Monday (tomorrow).
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Post by 58limited on Jan 14, 2013 19:39:34 GMT -5
The elusive juice containers arrived today:
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Post by 58limited on Jan 19, 2013 18:34:52 GMT -5
I fixed the wiring today, the fridge works perfectly. Phase one of the restoration is complete. Phase two begins: repaint and replace door gaskets. When someone replaced the electric cord with a 3 prong cord, they apparently didn't mark the wires and really screwed everything up. Here is a picture of the wiring diagram on the back of the fridge: Here is how they had it wired:
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