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grampamark

Clowns to the left, jokers to the right
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I had to say goodbye to my 1963 GE kegerator. It’s 61 yo compressor no longer compresses.
4B0BFB52-F04A-4253-B2B2-49CC3AA62642.jpeg

It was free when I got it, 11 years ago. Everything but the sticker collection is transferable to another fridge, and I have a source for slightly used appliances, which are also free, so it won’t be the end of the world to replace it. I only had one keg on tap, and nothing in primary, so moving the keg, the CO2 bottle and regulator, and a picnic tap to my 1947 Hotpoint ferm fridge was pretty painless.
C7CB9819-2B58-4D84-A197-E870602D89BA.jpeg

39859BEE-09CA-455A-A04A-3E34F5D489BB.jpeg

The source of free, used, appliances is my oldest grandson’s employer. He works for a company which is the distribution subsidiary of the Whirlpool Corp. His job involves delivering, and sometimes installing, appliances across southern and eastern Montana. When they do an install for a customer who purchased directly from the company online, part of the deal is hauling the old appliance(s) away. Since Whirlpool is in the business of selling new stuff, they just want the used stuff gone. So, it goes in the basement of their warehouse in Billings and the employees have no problem finding new homes for the serviceable ones. We’ve already scored a slightly used Maytag front loading washing machine for our city house and our son and DIL got a double wall oven conventional/convection combo. Our grandson was told that the reasons the company does this are a) they don’t want to compete with themselves with a used appliance outlet and, b) the value of disposing of the customer’s old appliances, as a marketing tool, outweighs the costs associated with selling the used stuff.

I’ve already put my order in and should have a replacement of some kind in the next week, or so. I’m kinda gonna miss some of those stickers…
 
Sorry about your venerable kegerator... :(

However, the pickle jars caught my eye:
Pickle Jars.png

How brilliant minds seem to think alike! ;)
 
Last edited:
I had to say goodbye to my 1963 GE kegerator. It’s 61 yo compressor no longer compresses.
View attachment 853672
It was free when I got it, 11 years ago. Everything but the sticker collection is transferable to another fridge, and I have a source for slightly used appliances, which are also free, so it won’t be the end of the world to replace it. I only had one keg on tap, and nothing in primary, so moving the keg, the CO2 bottle and regulator, and a picnic tap to my 1947 Hotpoint ferm fridge was pretty painless.
View attachment 853673
View attachment 853674
The source of free, used, appliances is my oldest grandson’s employer. He works for a company which is the distribution subsidiary of the Whirlpool Corp. His job involves delivering, and sometimes installing, appliances across southern and eastern Montana. When they do an install for a customer who purchased directly from the company online, part of the deal is hauling the old appliance(s) away. Since Whirlpool is in the business of selling new stuff, they just want the used stuff gone. So, it goes in the basement of their warehouse in Billings and the employees have no problem finding new homes for the serviceable ones. We’ve already scored a slightly used Maytag front loading washing machine for our city house and our son and DIL got a double wall oven conventional/convection combo. Our grandson was told that the reasons the company does this are a) they don’t want to compete with themselves with a used appliance outlet and, b) the value of disposing of the customer’s old appliances, as a marketing tool, outweighs the costs associated with selling the used stuff.

I’ve already put my order in and should have a replacement of some kind in the next week, or so. I’m kinda gonna miss some of those stickers…
Sorry for your loss!

Those old relics run for a long time and have such a classy look. Thirty and forty years from now, no one will be saying that about the junk sold today.
 
My deepest sympathy, I truly feel pain on your behalf. I have a fethishy passionate love of vintage refrigerators and for much of my life have felt great emnity to stupid children for their role in the demise of those beautifully insulated and perfectly sealing highly efficient units that left us with no choice but to use thin walled inefficient magnetic weatherstrip 'sealed' units.
While you've said you'll just replace it, as this thread is likely to attract others with a love of these vintage beauties I'd like to suggest to anyone reading in your position: It can be fixed possibly without breaking the bank;
First; You salvage an identically spec'd reliable R12 compressor from another unit.
Second; You call around the fridge/AC shops that do house-calls and find one to purge and evacuate your fridge and dispose of the R12.
2B; If you don't have the soldering skill to connect the replacement compressor, get the HVAC shop to do it.
Third; Get some cans of R600 (isobutane) from amazon or wherever, and recharge it.
If you're not familiar with it, look up R600 online..Many call it a game-changer. It's a proven suitable recharge for old R12 units that has the side effect of being about 30% more efficient. The problem with it is that approval is slow to roll out owing to its extreme flammability. The required charge size may not be approved in your area which means you may have to do it yourself, but there are several on this site that have done thier own charges so you should be able to get better guidance than I'm able to provide if you choose to.
*Disclaimer: Since there are serious safety/legal issues involved, I want you to be aware that I haven't practiced these skills in years owing to loss of skills and knowledge to brain injury....everything I've typed above is the best I can do from emprical memory and I no longer fully comprehend the science, as well; I occasionally miss important points. Thankfully, there are many competent folk on this site who will call out any errors or omissions I may have made above.
:mug:
 
I am happy to hear you’ll have a “new” one on the way, I hope it is a conversation piece like the blue beauty, and runs for many years to come.

I have an affinity for antique appliances.
This is my stove.
IMG_0295.jpeg

The fridge is a modern side by side in white, because antique looking fridges are obscenely priced, and probably would start needing repairs in 10 years.
 
My deepest sympathy, I truly feel pain on your behalf. I have a fethishy passionate love of vintage refrigerators and for much of my life have felt great emnity to stupid children for their role in the demise of those beautifully insulated and perfectly sealing highly efficient units that left us with no choice but to use thin walled inefficient magnetic weatherstrip 'sealed' units.
While you've said you'll just replace it, as this thread is likely to attract others with a love of these vintage beauties I'd like to suggest to anyone reading in your position: It can be fixed possibly without breaking the bank;
First; You salvage an identically spec'd reliable R12 compressor from another unit.
Second; You call around the fridge/AC shops that do house-calls and find one to purge and evacuate your fridge and dispose of the R12.
2B; If you don't have the soldering skill to connect the replacement compressor, get the HVAC shop to do it.
Third; Get some cans of R600 (isobutane) from amazon or wherever, and recharge it.
If you're not familiar with it, look up R600 online..Many call it a game-changer. It's a proven suitable recharge for old R12 units that has the side effect of being about 30% more efficient. The problem with it is that approval is slow to roll out owing to its extreme flammability. The required charge size may not be approved in your area which means you may have to do it yourself, but there are several on this site that have done thier own charges so you should be able to get better guidance than I'm able to provide if you choose to.
*Disclaimer: Since there are serious safety/legal issues involved, I want you to be aware that I haven't practiced these skills in years owing to loss of skills and knowledge to brain injury....everything I've typed above is the best I can do from emprical memory and I no longer fully comprehend the science, as well; I occasionally miss important points. Thankfully, there are many competent folk on this site who will call out any errors or omissions I may have made above.
:mug:
As someone who is a former pro mechanic, and has serviced/maintained/modified a fleet of farm equipment and vehicles for 48 years, I have the skills and equipment to repair the old fridge. At this point, convenience is more important than reviving the old unit. We already spend about half our time at our city house and, depending on when our grandson decides to come back to the farm full time, will make the city our full time residence. I have a small keezer there and don’t have room for a full size kegerator.

Our grandson’s employer’s “used appliance disposal policy” makes replacing, rather than repairing, the more practical option at this time.
 
Can you take the door off and put it somewhere so you can display your stickers?
By moving the green, two story, “tower of power” stove/oven combo a few inches to the left I could use the old fridge door as part of a door to the storage area to the right of the stove. The wall is unfinished (it’s load bearing) but putting the fridge door next to the stove would be a way to display it, and keep the vintage 60s theme going. The fridge and stove are both ‘63 models by serial number.
21AD4E1C-FDDA-4BF1-A1CA-1CC0E4D08002.jpeg
 
A friend bought two Frigidaire convertible refrigerator/freezers, reversed the door on one, put them side by side surrounded by cabinets with a fake grill on top. Looks just like a 65" Sub-Zero would, if they made such a thing. More space and less than half the money.
 
I bet it's either a Wolf Sub-Zero 48 Pro or a True 48, both of which start around $20K :oops:
Sub zero 48" pro. I checked it out, pretty sweet. Only fridge I've ever seen with no plastic inside - all metal and glass. He said he paid $25k, but he might be exaggerating. Or there were options/warrantee etc. He rolled is totally functional Viking 48" into the garage lol. Beer fridge
 
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