'70s (?) Whirlpool BF Refrigerator -- Free (Monterey Bay)

[rp2813]

The grille at the bottom looks a lot like the one on my mom's '75 Coldspot, and the center mounted ID tag above it does too. I wasn't aware that Whirlpool was producing BF models back then. Can anyone provide a date range for this fridge? The textured exterior finish strikes me as later than mid-'70s.

https://monterey.craigslist.org/zip/d/moss-landing-refrigerator/7307538581.html

 

[steved]

date

around 1987. We had a Frigidaire version of this same fridge that dated 1988

 

[combo52]

WP Bottom Freezer Ref

These were very good refs, and the only ref with a porcelain on steel liner.

 

The serial # will tell us exactly when it was built but the 80s is a good guess, WP built these from the mid 70s on but switched to a plastic liner around 1990, they did revive the POS liner for the new line of KA refs in 1987.

 

The late 80s KA refrigerator line-up were probably far and away the best refs built in the 50 or 60 years.

 

My brother Jeff and I both have 1987 KA refs in our homes as the main ref and the only problem I ever had was a burned out light bulb in the ref.

 

John L.

 

[coldspot66]

I have the French door version of this ref bought in 1988. Still cooling....no problems except for replacing door gaskets. Best, most trouble free refrigerator my family has ever had.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks guys. This is more fridge than I need for just keeping drinks cold, but I had a feeling it was a reliable one as you have all indicated.

 

[goatfarmer]

Years ago, I had  a similar 'fridge, with the Frigidaire name on it. WCI must have sourced them from WP.

 

[jamiel]

In this era, I believe the source for all bottom-freezer refrigerators throughout the industry was Amana...think they came from the Iowa factory.

 

[steved]

Beasts

Great fridge but what an energy hog. Our power bill went down $30-35 per month after we replaced it with a new one.

 

[combo52]

WP Bottom Freezer Ref

Hi Jamie

 

This refrigerator had nothing to due with Amana, the only non Amana branded bottom freezer that I ever saw were the GEs that Amana built for them, if you know any others let us know.

 

John 

 

[rp2813]

I do recall the Barbara Hale Amana ads from the ‘70s that featured a BF model, and Amana did strike me as the most high profile BF marketer, but I agree that the subject fridge is definitely 100% Whirlpool.

 

[combo52]

Bottom Freezer Refs

Indeed Amana for a number of years in the early 70s was the only US manufacturer that made BF models and they sold a lot of them so WP brought them out again.

 

This was a typical case of the manufactures pushing people into SXS models, in the 60s EVERY ref builder had BF models as there TOL models and they all disappeared by around 1970 only Amana keep building them [ I guess they did not get the memo ] LOL But it ended up putting Amana on the map as they cranked out thousands of BF a week.

 

Today BF are the best sellers among the nicer refs on the market and suspect they will continue to sell well.

 

Much the same thing happened when the big three auto makers decided around 1967 not to build compact station wagons any more, well that's why Volvo took off as well over 1/2 their sales were always wagons.

 

John 

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

There was one family who had this in either Wheat or Almond as their main fridge, flanked by the General Electric built in dual-self cleaning double oven, range hood and cook top and Roper dishwasher all in Copper, with the bottom freezer Copper Hotpoint fridge in the basement next to a White upright freezer, I forgot the brand of...

— Dave

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

There was one family who had this in either Wheat or Almond as their main fridge, flanked by the General Electric built in dual-self cleaning double oven, range hood and cook top and Roper dishwasher all in Copper, with the bottom freezer Copper Hotpoint fridge in the basement next to a White upright freezer, I forgot the brand of... And the white washer and dryer were also Whirlpool...

— Dave