How not to cut a hole in a Vintage Fridge for a tap

So I've been wanting to build a ferm chamber and add a second tap to my existing kegerator, but my tendency to over engineer everything has become a problem. I designed a great ferm chamber with multiple zones, but when I priced it out it was about 400 bucks, not what I am prepared to spend at this moment.

Anyway, started trolling CL and ran across this vintage 1954 Frigidaire made by General Motors. It needs a ton of work, but I started breaking it down last night. $50 bucks got me the fridge, a very clean miller keg, and there was a surprise in the door. See pics below. The last one is a pic of what one in decent shape looks like.




SURPRISE!!! apparently the best way to cut a hole in the fridge was to use an axe and bury this Perlick single tap tower in the door with foam insulation!







I got pretty far breaking it down then the SWBMO came out to see what I was doing. I think this project just got shelved for a while

Well, at least I can call around to see what media/soda blasting will run me:rockin:

There is a DIY sandblast shop in Plainwell, MI that will probably run you about $50. They have a room large enough to put a car in. You don a suit and have at it with Walnut shell media.

I think a guy did a 65 Mustang for less than $200.

Wow, that is one way to tap the door. It gets a silver medal for most creative use of a draft tower. I like the old school look of the fridge though, keep updating on progress and how you are going to address that door rip.

I don't understand. Did you buy this as a crazy kegerator, or do that damage yourself? Why are the guts of the fridge hanging out from a tether on the ceiling? I can't bear to watch the carnage anymore. "Heeeeerrrrre's Johnny"

I bought the beast for $50 bucks, it came with the keg and the surprise perlick draft tower. It runs, and the only thing I'll have to replace is the inner door, door handle and door gasket. I think I have a source for the door handle and gasket already lined up, and the inner door I'll fab out of acrylic or sheet metal.

The guts were hanging from the ceiling so I didn't kink the copper line for the freon. Only thing left for deconstruction is taking the compressor and guts out of the bottom, I think I only have a couple bolts left, but I want to get a piece of plywood to strap the copper to so I don't kink the lines.

I've always wanted a vintage fridge for my kegerator, and I'm always up for a good project.

The biggest challenge is going to be repairing the door. I think I'll cut the messed up part out square and add a new piece of sheet metal on the inside and tack it in several spots. From there I can bondo the door and smooth it out. With the sheet metal being pretty thin, but not as thin as now days, I doubt I can do a full weld, but time will tell.

Oh yeah, I figure worst case scenario I'm out some time, and I can sell the keg and draft tower to get my $50 back.

OMG! That's the same make and model of the one I just bought! Nice to see what the innards of the door look like. Would you like to see what the original looks like?
I got this one for $100 on CL. Hoping to make a nice, retro kegerator out of it--but not with a hidden tower! Was the door's inner shell already gone when you bought it? Any new progress on yours? Thoughts on mine?

Hi

Double check your gasket source before you go very far on one of these vintage fridges. Replacement gaskets often go for a *lot* of money if you can find them at all.

Bob

That fridge looks very familiar. I painted mine red. I have used it for fermentation and cold crashing...they are quite small inside...good luck w/ the project.

Haha - love the hole for the tap. That is some handy work.

I am guessing the person who made that hole did so after drinking that free keg you saw in the refridge

wilserbrewer said:

That fridge looks very familiar. I painted mine red. I have used it for fermentation and cold crashing...they are quite small inside...good luck w/ the project.

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Great looking fridge, wilserbrewer! Did you take the chrome off, or mask around it? How was the lettering attached?

schmidty65 said:

Great looking fridge, wilserbrewer! Did you take the chrome off, or mask around it? How was the lettering attached?

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I just cleaned the fridge, light sand and wiped it down with prep solvent. Then I painted two coats with rustoleum oil base enamel w/ a foam brush. I didn't bother removing hardware or the lettering...Just carefully painted areound the chrome handle. Painted the lettering, then highlighted the front face w/ a black sharpie. Looks good for "what it is" IMO.