A new range that Paul found...

[philr]

A few weeks ago, Paul told me he saw a Frigidaire self-cleaning range at a thrift store in Sherbrooke QC. He told me it's a model we don't usually see in Canada... I asked him to grab it for me as I have been searching for white 30" self-cleaning GM Frigidaire range for a while... 
 
It's from the years that Frigidaire didn't import appliances to Canada (1971-72, just after the Canadian factory closed). 








It needed just minor repairs and now, it's fully functional. The timer was already working so I didn't need to fix it...

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=f667bf9778&photo_id=8159730700"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=f667bf9778&photo_id=8159730700" height="300" width="400"></embed></object>

And the self-cleaning oven now works too! There was a missing part that I needed to fabricate so the latch would lock. I don't know why it was removed but I'm guessing a previous owner didn't like self-cleaning ovens...

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=6aa0b638cd&photo_id=8168600498"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=6aa0b638cd&photo_id=8168600498" height="300" width="400"></embed></object>

 

[philr]

And the self-cleaning oven now works too! There was a missing part that I needed to fabricate so the latch would lock. I don't know why it was removed but I'm guessing a previous owner didn't like self-cleaning ovens...

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=6aa0b638cd&photo_id=8168600498"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=6aa0b638cd&photo_id=8168600498" height="300" width="400"></embed></object>

 

[pulltostart]

Beautiful range!  Congratulations on your new toy - looks great near that sweet Frigidaire bottom mount.

 

lawrence

 

[appnut]

Congratulations.  I'm pea green with envy.  Looks great with Mr. GM Fridge too.

 

[petek]

It looks so new and well cared for. What's that new microwave doing there.. I thought you got a radarange ?

 

[philr]

Unfortunately, none of my old microwaves fit there... And I still haven't got a white GM dishwasher to fit there either! I have 6 dishwashers and just two are currently installed... I've been thinking about painting one of my dishwashers to match but I'd rather find other panels (either from a Spin Tube or from a Super Surge model).

 

[mixfinder]

Sublime

I am crazy glad you have a range you'll enjoy.  There is no oven in the world I would bake in than a GM Frigidaire.  Your kitchen is fabu, I had pictured a vintage set up in my mind before seeing it but this is super.

 

[ovrphil]

Man, that's clean and beautiful - just curious, Phil, what did you have there before?

 

[philr]

I had a 1960 basic Deluxe range without the Pull-N-Clean oven (it does have a glass however).

 

[turquoisedude]

I was so glad to see that the timer still works and the self-clean cycle, too! I thought that timer was too cool... The range looks great in the kitchem - you definitely need a Frigidaire dishwasher to complete the look - If I'd known maybe I'd have re-painted the 58 spin-tube white intstead of turquoise... LOL
I am glad the range has found a good home!

 

[kevin313]

That is one beautiful range! Enjoy - it looks lovely in your kitchen!

 

[danemodsandy]

Can Anyone Tell Me.....

....Why Frigidaire favored such tall backguards/control panels? Some are easily twice as tall as certain competitors'.

Is this like Southern coiffures - "The higher the hair, the closer to God?"

 

[bajaespuma]

Those burners were so powerful

that those GM stoves were faster and more powerful than standard domestic gas stoves of the time. Those ovens were huge, fast and baked and broiled very evenly.

 

Frigidaire got high marks from Consumers Reports for having high backsplashes with correspondingly high controls so users wouldn't burn themselves by having to reach around hot pot and pans to adjust controls. They deserved the praise! For some reason it was convention that controls on a gas stove were right in front of the cooktop, where little children could get at them, but on electric stoves they were usually on the backsplash and usually low enough to be blocked by pots on the back burners.

 

[laundromat]

very nice range!!! My favorite one of rhat,era was their Custom Imperial 40" model.

 

[danemodsandy]

Ken:

Thanks for the explanation. Being both childless and tall, it never occurred to me that this was to keep people's arms away from the pots while reaching for controls. I have never had that problem, but now that you explain it, I can see how it could be one for kiddies and shorter adults.

 

[philr]

Chuck, I'd also prefer a Custom Imperial 40" but that's not what I had the space for! And that's not what I (or should I say Paul!)found either!

Getting a Frigidaire Electri-Clean range is already a difficult task in Canada...

At least, this one is simple for daily use (no need to worry about hard to get parts for the Speed Heat or Heat Minder burners or complicated oven controls!). But if I'd find a 40" Custom Imperial range like the one Kelly has, I think I'd have to find a way to make it fit it there! I just wish it had a full control panel glass like the Custom Deluxe and other higher end models as they are easier to clean. But I'm happy it's not a Super with the short control panel, no fluorescent and just one 8" burner as they seemed to be the biggest sellers from Frigidaire in the 1970s.

The Super ranges:



I don't think this one will be saved...

 

[ovrphil]

Not sure how long the pull-n-cleans were available, but self-cleaning is the way to go...I didn't know what a Pull-n-Clean was til you mentioned it...reminds me of a dishwasher.

 

[pulltostart]

Here's a back-up refrigerator for you.  I don't see any reference to 'Frost Free' but is a nice-looking refrigerator with similar styling to your bottom mount.

 

lawrence

http://athensga.craigslist.org/app/3380620663.html

 

[philr]

Hi Lawrence,
It's one year older than my white one (a FPI 16BC-64). It has the same exterior dimensions as my white refrigerator but smaller interior capacity because it's not insulated with urethane foam. It's also a Frost-Proof Imperial 14cu-ft model (FPI-14T-63). It was the nicest Frigidaire top freezer model available that year.

Here's a picture of my 16 cu.ft '63 refrigerator (FPI-16BC-63). This one has fiberglass insulation like all 1963 Frigidaires but it has a taller cabinet which was only available on this bottom-freezer model.