Dumb questions about my '58 Kenmore Range

[classiccaprice]

Hey everybody,

I've got a few dumb questions about my '58 Roper made Kenmore range in my garage, I started talking about it again on thread 42251, but these questions don't fit under my cleaning gas lines subject.

While I've had it for a while, I've never really put a lot of thought into some of these different features/compartments. So I figure I'd ask.

1) Who knows any tricks to get the electric clock working? If not, who knows a good place to get an electric clock rebuilt?

2) The griddle didn't come with a pan. In theory, could I use a cookie sheet to use the griddle burner OR do I have to have a thicker griddle pan?

 

[classiccaprice]

Is the door to the left of the oven for pot and pan storage? The floor doesn't go all the way across the section, so I wasn't sure.

Any suggestions on rust repair, or is it one of those things that it's more work than it's worth right now for a garage stove?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Not Dumb Questions

Often stove clocks died from choking on dust. Sometimes a good cleaning and lubrication will get them working again.

The griddle needs to be heavier than a cookie sheet, but there are heavier gauge rectangular pans around. If you carried the measurements with you, you might even run across a suitable griddle in a thrift store. You could also send your stove's model # to that gas stove place, The Old Road Home I think, or similar places to see if they have a griddle. Roper griddles should not be hard to come by since Sears probably sold hundreds of thousands of gas ranges with them. Then again, do you really want to be making pancakes in your garage? You don't really want to use it for frying because the whole stove top gets covered with splatters.

 

[classiccaprice]

On the bottom section on the right there is what appears to be a guide of some sort. Any idea what is supposed to be there?

 

[classiccaprice]

Why is this here? Directly above this is the burner for the range. Is this a warming area? Broiler? There isn't a rack. Can I get a replacement if I choose?

 

[classiccaprice]

Thanks Tom for the clock/griddle advice. I keep debating switching the house to gas. If I did this would fit perfectly in my kitchen, but I don't want to do this unless I have the pieces to make it worth it.

 

[tomturbomatic]

You don't want to use this in the kitchen, especially if you like to broil. The regular gas burner can't produce the strong infrared heat to really do a good job of broiling and broiling at floor level is not as nice as broiling at waist height. This stove does not even have a pull out broiler, just a door that drops down; not desirable.
Your last picture is the broiler compartment. Yes, there should be a broiler pan. Yes, the left compartment is storage in your stove. The rust means sanding then painting using high heat enamel.

Unless there is a rectangular burner under your griddle, once you get it preheated and turn down the flame (and there is no thermostat for the griddle so you are on your own with the heat, the heat patern of the griddle will become very uneven since the flame will not spread to the outer edges once it is turned down.

Use this in the garage where you have ventilation and won't be adding to your ac bill by running this space heater in your kitchen.

 

[classiccaprice]

I did say there were some dumb questions, but I figured bett

Thanks again, Tom. I'm not a huge broiler fan, but I appreciate the feedback. Cooking with gas is fun, but I've got a perfectly nice 1950 Frigidaire electric in the kitchen currently. I just wish it were a 36 in. (like the Kenmore) instead of a 40, as it prevents me from putting in a larger fridge. Oh well.