Having different opinions on my future kegerator....

Here is what I have...



Got it from my grandmother who passed a few months back... This thing has been sitting in a basement for who-knows-how-long, but works like a friggin champ... Door seal is like trying to crack open the hatch on a submarine...

When I told Pops that I was going to turn it into a kegerator, with taps on the front, he kinda cringed a little, as did SWMBO... I guess they (Pops mostly) were a little apprehensive about drilling holes in it...

My theory is that it is an OLD fridge, that has served it's purpose... It kept things cool for a long time... Now it is time to keep even cooler things cool...

Opinions?

are the shelves permanent? most uprights shelves are part of the cooling system and can't be removed without damaging the coolant lines.

shelves are gone... built a small wooden bottom for it... will hold three cornies....

one idea I have had if I find a cool old fridge like this is to build a "false front" for it.

it would look the exact same from the outside, but when you open the door, there is another fascia there holding the taps, drip tray, love controller, etc.

you would lose some real estate on the interior, but maintain the look of a standard fridge on the outside.

Good idea... it is a snug fit with the three cornies already... Not too mention I will still need to drill a hole for the co2 line at some point...

Not getting political here, but I'm w/ you duckfoot, drill baby drill! If and when by a slim chance if someone really wants to use it as a fridge, you could bondo the holes and paint the front.

ps. I love how you ask for opinions, and then state that construction is under way,,,kinda like fire-ready-aim.

Drill it and paint flames on it

I have a 1947 Philco frig that looks older than that also from my grandparents. In the warm summer patio it starts once every 1 1/2 hours for app 28 seconds. Costs a lot less than my new side by side Maytag frig that runs 20 minutes at a time, told smaller compressor runs longer for energy saving my azz. BS and I can't add tap holes to Mr. Philco grandma will come back from the dead and kill me. It needs POR 15 and some white good to go another 30 years. Set on low it holds 34 degrees, ice cream goes soft in the little ice box above. Holds app 40 bottles of bier plus milk and cokes.
Paint it and get a beater to cut up to add taps. Treat it like she's still around.

I say that if your dad has issues with you cutting into, don't do it. It obviously has some sentimental value to him being the fridge from his childhood. I say restore it and give Ol'e Dad an awesome Christmas present for the garage or den. Then find another fridge for yourself.

Man that is one sweet retro kegerator! I would go the extra mile to keep it as original as possible, except for the cornies of course!

Screw that. Those old fridges are energy wasters and if something goes wrong it's trash anyway. Drill into it and use it how YOU want to.

At one point I bought my grandparents old house. Boy, you should have heard what my mom was saying when she saw me tearing all the old wall paper off and painting everything. I told her it was mine now and I would treat it how I wanted.

MikeInCtown said:

Screw that. Those old fridges are energy wasters and if something goes wrong it's trash anyway. Drill into it and use it how YOU want to.

At one point I bought my grandparents old house. Boy, you should have heard what my mom was saying when she saw me tearing all the old wall paper off and painting everything. I told her it was mine now and I would treat it how I wanted.

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The house is a lot different than just a fridge! Of course if you buy a house you should re-do it the way you see fit, It's your house! but this is just an old fridge that come by the plenty.

IrregularPulse said:

The house is a lot different than just a fridge! Of course if you buy a house you should re-do it the way you see fit, It's your house! but this is just an old fridge that come by the plenty.

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exactly, it's just an old fridge. Drill it and use it for what it's good for. At beer temps it's going to use a lot less power then if you used it for food.

wilserbrewer said:

ps. I love how you ask for opinions, and then state that construction is under way,,,kinda like fire-ready-aim.

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The shelves were removable (ie: not part of the cooling system) and I just nailed a few pieces of wood together... Not like a huge amount of work has gone into it so far...