A different kind of "vintage" refrigerator

[austinado16]

Scored this little fridge at an estate sale for $25. It's a Norcold Dual Voltage Refrigerator/Freezer and it runs on 12 volts or 110 volts. It has a real refrigeration compressor, it's not an ammonia powered absorption unit. By the color scheme, I'm guessing it's from the 60's or early 70's...but I'm no authority. They are still made, and run from $1,000-$1,500 depending on capasity/size. This one would be about $1,200

The seller's didn't know anything about it, or if it worked, and they didn't know where the 2 power cords were. I found them hanging up in the laundry room

Crazy thing is, I've already used it a bunch of times, most recently, yesterday, as a freezer, while I was defrosting the 1952 Philco.

Then as luck would have it, I scored this little gem of a Honda ER400 for $15 at the swapmeet. It wouldn't start for the seller, but that's no mountain for a mountain climber! Brought it home and it fired right up and runs great. They're a couple hundred bucks in the used market. I dig the Hot Wheels green. It powers the fridge just great!

 

[a440]

Very interesting!
It looks to be in great shape!
Brent

 

[austinado16]

These are big in the camping & RV world.....hence why I snapped it, and the Honda genny up. But yeah, it's in decent shape, especially considering how old it is. The top sheet metal is a little bowed down from someone always sitting on it, and the vinyl coating on the carry handle is peeling, but it works perfect, and makes great cold starting almost instantly.

 

[brianl]

I am so jealous!!

I was looking for one of those Norcold refrigerator/freezers. Hopefully one will pop up around here soon.

 

[austinado16]

I've only seen one before. A buddy scored one at the swapmeet and knew what it was...put it on CL immediately and got something like $500 for it.

Needless to say, when I saw this sitting off by itself near the kitchen at the estate sale I dove on it like a loose football! I don't think we'll ever take it camping with us becaues our pop-up has an absorption fridge, but who knows.

Just having a place to dump the Philco's freezer into during defrosting has made invaluable!

 

[cfz2882]

vintage norcold

i have a '70s norcold mini fridge in the garage-made in japan,
it's compressor is kinda like a fish aquarium air pump in
that it is not rotary,but has a vibrating magnet that must
work a diafragm-the compressor is run off of a transformer
that puts out(IIRC)20v ac.
One fault mine has is that it is not insulated all that well
and has a little trouble keeping up on real hot days-this
winter i might investigate improving the insulation...