funktionalart
Well-known member
I'm thinking is GE Americana (?) probably pre 1985 or so...I'm not so into GE and cannot be sure what this actually is...Hoping one of you might know. 2 pics are all I have to go on for now.
GE Americana?? Anyone able to ID this?
- Thread starter funktionalart
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I could be wrong but that does not look like an Americana. I (thought) the americana didnt go past mid or early 70's? I would have thought it was late 80's or early 90's based on the inside picture.
funktionalart
Well-known member
Super32, thanks!
I've heard varying dates on Americanas...in the photo, I almost thought it was a later 70s/early 80s Amana 22, based on the door handles. Interior is very mid-late 80s to my eye. Unfortunately, CL photos are never large or clear enough to make out any brand names on Icemakers or interior light panels. This one may remain a mystery unless I go up and look at it.
I've heard varying dates on Americanas...in the photo, I almost thought it was a later 70s/early 80s Amana 22, based on the door handles. Interior is very mid-late 80s to my eye. Unfortunately, CL photos are never large or clear enough to make out any brand names on Icemakers or interior light panels. This one may remain a mystery unless I go up and look at it.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
I'm Thinking....
....That that's an '80s update of the Americana. The ice/water service on the door looks like the Americana, just in '80s chrome/black instead of the '60s/'70s Ye Olde Fayke Woode Graine.
I think it's just an Americana restyle, though it's anyone's guess if the Americana name was used on it. I also have no idea if it's late enough to have that hoodoo-ed GE compressor design that they had to replace a bunch of around '85 or so. Bad juju, that was.
....That that's an '80s update of the Americana. The ice/water service on the door looks like the Americana, just in '80s chrome/black instead of the '60s/'70s Ye Olde Fayke Woode Graine.
I think it's just an Americana restyle, though it's anyone's guess if the Americana name was used on it. I also have no idea if it's late enough to have that hoodoo-ed GE compressor design that they had to replace a bunch of around '85 or so. Bad juju, that was.
funktionalart
Well-known member
Sandy...good call
I'd seen some mid 70s Americanas and stylistically they are pretty much as this black one is...but w/o my beloved black acrylic and chrome fronts. Considering the lowish asking price, your thought on the compressor might be right. I have always avoided all GE after sort of mid-70s...so I probably won't bother chasing this one up. Had thought of buying and doing any repairs to give to my sister as a spare.
I'd seen some mid 70s Americanas and stylistically they are pretty much as this black one is...but w/o my beloved black acrylic and chrome fronts. Considering the lowish asking price, your thought on the compressor might be right. I have always avoided all GE after sort of mid-70s...so I probably won't bother chasing this one up. Had thought of buying and doing any repairs to give to my sister as a spare.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Allen:
The compressor recall was a very big, hairy deal. Someone I knew at the time had just moved into a flossy, brand-new condo with all-GE appliances, and had the experience of having his weeks-old fridge disemboweled and re-stuffed with a new compressor.
As I recall, though, GE was very pro-active about finding the affected units and doing the necessary deed on them.
The compressor recall was a very big, hairy deal. Someone I knew at the time had just moved into a flossy, brand-new condo with all-GE appliances, and had the experience of having his weeks-old fridge disemboweled and re-stuffed with a new compressor.
As I recall, though, GE was very pro-active about finding the affected units and doing the necessary deed on them.
funktionalart
Well-known member
Sandy, so *possibly*...
if the black unit I see was built/sold during that particular recall era, it might've been "restuffed" (Ha!) under a GE plan around that time and is potentially still full of those new guts....?
if the black unit I see was built/sold during that particular recall era, it might've been "restuffed" (Ha!) under a GE plan around that time and is potentially still full of those new guts....?
epixstar128
New member
If it still runs from the mid 80s i think it's ok. I like this from the two pics i would rock it
The Americana series ran at least until 1980….
because in November 1979 my folks bought a Harvest Gold TOL Americana Side by Side from the local Memco Store for $1299 and it said Americana on it too as for the interior of the pictured fridge…it looks just like the interior of our 1979 Americana model……….PAT COFFEY
because in November 1979 my folks bought a Harvest Gold TOL Americana Side by Side from the local Memco Store for $1299 and it said Americana on it too as for the interior of the pictured fridge…it looks just like the interior of our 1979 Americana model……….PAT COFFEY
GE Compressor Problems
Almost every GE ref built from 1985-1990 had a new GE built rotary compressor that had a major design defect that caused them to wear out very fast. In larger refs they could fail in just a year or two while in smaller say 18 cubic foot refs they could last 4-5-6 or 7 years before they lost the ability to pump efficiently.
GE was proactive at fixing the big SXS that were their primer product, BUT they steadfastly refused to admit that the compressor was a major problem in the smaller LESS EXPENSIVE refs and would not do a automatic rework.
This was one of the biggest and costliest appliance reworks ever, and it cost plenty, I have heard estimates of 800 million- 1 billion dollars, it also really put a dent in GEs reputation.
The funny note to all this is a Japanese company named Matsuhita copied the basic rotary compressor design from GE and copied the defective way of building the rotor out of powered metal. These Matsuhita compressors were used in WP newly launched line of built-in Kitchen-Aid refs in 1990 and they all failed with-in 5 years which was a real bad launch for refs costing 3-5 thousand dollars. WP also used this Matsuhita compressor on a lot of 18 and 20 CF top freezer models from 1990-1993, watch out, but there are very few that are still working.
I would be very leery of buying any ref today that originally had these bad compressors even though they have been replaced the failed compressor usually left fine metal dust in the sealed system which resulted in a very high rate of future failures in the sealed system.
John L.
Almost every GE ref built from 1985-1990 had a new GE built rotary compressor that had a major design defect that caused them to wear out very fast. In larger refs they could fail in just a year or two while in smaller say 18 cubic foot refs they could last 4-5-6 or 7 years before they lost the ability to pump efficiently.
GE was proactive at fixing the big SXS that were their primer product, BUT they steadfastly refused to admit that the compressor was a major problem in the smaller LESS EXPENSIVE refs and would not do a automatic rework.
This was one of the biggest and costliest appliance reworks ever, and it cost plenty, I have heard estimates of 800 million- 1 billion dollars, it also really put a dent in GEs reputation.
The funny note to all this is a Japanese company named Matsuhita copied the basic rotary compressor design from GE and copied the defective way of building the rotor out of powered metal. These Matsuhita compressors were used in WP newly launched line of built-in Kitchen-Aid refs in 1990 and they all failed with-in 5 years which was a real bad launch for refs costing 3-5 thousand dollars. WP also used this Matsuhita compressor on a lot of 18 and 20 CF top freezer models from 1990-1993, watch out, but there are very few that are still working.
I would be very leery of buying any ref today that originally had these bad compressors even though they have been replaced the failed compressor usually left fine metal dust in the sealed system which resulted in a very high rate of future failures in the sealed system.
John L.
Hi, I have the same fridge in my garage, except mine is white and my freezer has plastic pull out shelves instead of wire. I don't know the exact age because the previous owner left it here. It is obviously older than our house, which was only built in 2000. Cosmetically mine is not in the best shape, though it still runs great even out in the garage.
Virginia
Virginia
This looks exactly like the fridge my friends / neighbors had. I seem to remember them saying it was the largest side-by-side they could get at the time, in the 23+ cu ft range. They also said the compressor failed shortly after it was out of warranty, but I don't remember if they said it was covered by the warranty or the recall. After the compressor was replaced, their electric bill was higher as the new compressor used noticeably more power than the original compressor. However, after the new compressor, it was pretty much trouble free for many years.
Kevin
