I wish it was mine but...

[philr]

It's Paul's!

We just connected it this morning after it's been sitting overnight so it had a chance to defrost ...on the outside!

Paul think it's a 1964 model. The model number is TC429YFT and the serial number is:RY681648

So far, it seems to cool well!

 

[hydralique]

Wish it were mine too . . .

That is a stunningly beautiful refrigerator!

 

[a440]

Awesome!  

It looks to be in beautiful shape!

One of my most favorite vintage fridges!  

 

[bellalaundry]

Wow...

What a beauty! The fridge is nice too!

Guy

 

[turquoisedude]

I think I'm in love....

Thanks for the nice comments, everyone!!

 

My head is still spinning from the short time I got to check out this refrigerator and try it out today!   As you can imagine, I am really happy that the GE started up right away and got cold.  I'll bet there are people in Queensbury/Glens Falls who have been wondering 'who was that fool dancing in front of truck full of that old stuff?' but I did my 'happy dance' as we were ready to get the fridge on its way back to Canada! 

 

It runs amazingly quietly, too.  I chose to disconnect it when I headed back to Montreal this afternoon, but on the weekend, it'll be allowed to run so I can check the temperature and cycling.  And make sure that it's staying frost-free, too. 

 

Now, Hubby knows about this fridge.  He's not convinced that it may some day be the 'daily driver' refrigerator in a future new home, but I'll work on that....   I have already told him that he'll fall in love with this fridge also and if not, it will ply him with martinis until he does. 

 

We should have a very interesting weekend.... LOL  

 

[hydralique]

I would gently suggest . . .

That if hubby does indeed need a few martinis to see the indisputable logic to your ways that those martinis be made with Bombay Sapphire and served in a slightly blue tinted martini glass thus giving the drink a nice turquoise glow that will add a bit of subliminal marketing to your plan.

 

[turquoisedude]

Oh, you must have read my mind!!  I already was planning on using the Bombay Sapphire, but the blue-tint glasses sounds like a great plan - thank you for that!!

 

[pulltostart]

That refrigerator is stunning

Congratulations on your new ice box!!!

 

lawrence

 

[Ultramatic]

Gorgeous! Just gorgeous!

 

 

Congratulations Paul! I think it's a 1965 model. No swing out shelves or lazy susan vegetable crispers.

 

 

[toploader55]

Nice Paul

I have to set up a field trip to go on tour of your Cache of appliances.

Are you going to set up the Canadian Vintage Appliance Museum with a separate GE Wing ?

 

[combo52]

Beautiful GE Ref Paul

This is to me one of the great GE refs of the 60s. This is the smaller version of the more popular 34" wide 19 cubic foot model.

This one is just 30 1/2" wide, and a real counter depth model.

It uses the same compressor with hot gas defrost single evaporator design as the larger refs.

The really great thing about these refs is there are TWO thermostats and TWO evaporator fan motors so you truly have good temperature control in both sections and you don't have the drippy serpentine evaporator tubing in the top of the ref section.

This is a 1964 [ Y ] model.

John L.

 

[philr]

It's a counter depth model but it's really wide. I'm pretty sure it's 34" wide. It does seem wider than the 32" Frigidaire that's next to it.

 

Paul, didn't we measure it?!

 

Maybe it's just an illusion as it's much wider as it is deep. I love it, it really is a nice fridge. I'm a bit jealous!

 

Well, someday I hope to get one of those complicated and unreliable Frigidaire bottom-freezer refrigerators from 1966-1967.

In any color, I would be very happy! John, if you ever come across that (other than the one in your basement!) let me know! And if you ever decide to replace the one in your basement with something better, let me know too!

 

;-)

 

 

[turquoisedude]

John, thanks for confirming the model year.  I guess I really can 'read' GE-speak after all... LOL  I thought it might have been a 'counter depth' model.  Fisher and Paykel eat your heart out!!  I did notice the two distinct temperature controls and lack of an evaporator plate.  I'll be honest, there were a few refrigerators at the auction - there were some of the earlier GE bottom-freezer units (one pink, one yellow) but I noticed right away these were both still cycle-defrost.  When I found out the turquoise one was a hot-gas defrost model, I decided this had to be the one!   I am already aggressively marketing this unit to Hubby for the kitchen in a future new home.  

 

Phil, I don't think we did measure it but I will do so as soon as I get back down to Ogden on the weekend.  Well, after I calm Hubby down when he first sees this... 

 

[a440]

Great information John.  

I really like this GE model more and more.

Was the Freezer and Refrigerator compartments two separate chambers?  As in both did not share air?

 

 

[combo52]

1964 GE Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

Sorry guys when I took a better look at the pictures yours is the even more desirable 34" wide refrigerator. Not only is the 34" wide ref bigger it is entirely foam insulated for even greater operating economy.

This will make a very practical everyday classic refrigerator [ Paul the next time you visit I will just hold you hostage till Chris agrees ] and if he does maybe we will send you back.

 

[philr]

That's right, the cabinet is all foam insulated.

And even if it's not very deep (which I like!), it seems very spacious. It seems to have thinner walls than my 1964 Frigidaire (which is also all-foam insulated) and it definitely has a lower freezer floor, thanks to the evaporator that stands up at the back.

 

[turquoisedude]

The moment of truth....

Was this past Friday evening.  Hubby has been away in Brazil and this would be the first regular weekend we'd be spending down in Ogden in some time.

 

Now, he'd been warned but he still didn't seem to react well to his first encounter with the 'new' GE refrigerator. 

 

Such dramatics.... someone please hand him an Oscar.... LOL 

 

[turquoisedude]

When he got over his little charade,  I decided the plan of attack on the fridge would be to give a thorough scrubbing, then set it to run to check cycling, etc.  

 

I had been wondering about how to get into the freezer section in particular and I was delighted to find that the entire freezer 'drawer' is removable!   I took it out, along with all the baskets and shelves for a good scrubbing.  I also noticed that some of the rollers on the freezer drawer and shelves were seized.  I gave them a good WD40 spray and that freed them up nicely.  

 

I puzzled over it for a while, but I finally figured out how to remove the bottom glass shelf (above the crispers).  Bonus - I didn't break it... LOL 

 

I gave the interior a good cleaning with a bleach solution as suggested by Sandy - there were some icky moldy-looking things built up in the nooks and crannies.  But they were easy to remove.  Easier than the shelves... 

 

[turquoisedude]

I had spotted this rust spot on the bottom of the freezer compartment when I first looked at this refrigerator.  I cleaned up most of the rust, but I'll need to treat this with something to prevent further damage (and before this becomes a 'daily driver'). 

 

[turquoisedude]

Overall, the fridge is in astoundingly good condition for its 50 years!  The door liner is intact; the breaker strips are all good, and aside from one wee chip in the side, the refrigerator compartment is wonderful.  

 

It's an interesting design, too.  There are two fixed shelves and the other two can be pulled out.  However, none are adjustable - you either remove a shelf entirely or you don't.  I think I'll be able to live with it... 

 

I checked the width - I measured 33.5 inches so I hope it will fit in a future new kitchen.  

 

I'm probably going to unplug it when we head back to Montreal tonight, but I'll be back down in Ogden Thursday so I'll resume cycle testing then.   If it seems alright, the 62 Frigidaire will be getting a break from its bar and overflow duties this holiday season!

 

[philr]

It looks clean as new! 

 

[hydralique]

Are You Sure . . .

That your hubby really was play acting for an Oscar? He might have just been bowled over by the sheer turquoise beauty of that refrigerator. No doubt I'm not alone here in saying it would have made me weak at the knees to bask in the reflections!

 

Remember that if no smelling salts are available in such an emergency a Sapphire martini is a perfect substitute.

 

[a440]

It is in beautiful shape!  

I can't get over the size of the blower for the Fridge Section.

Is the Freezer Blower about the same size?

A question.  Is the freezer and fridge two separate sections that do not share air?  Wonderful control if it is!

Thanks for the pictures!  

Brent

 

 

[turquoisedude]

Brent, the freezer blower is definitely as big.   And I do believe the fridge and freezer sections are indeed separate sections.  It is indeed a great control. 

 

Now, wait for it...  BUT...

 

After letting the refrigerator run for 24 hours  I have a couple of unhappy observations...  Of course this is from the eye of an inexperienced refrigerator person who also has a tendency to jump to some pretty wild conclusions ("Gee the Hotpoint stopped spinning, but it was a month without and 'H' in it so that must be the problem" - OK, maybe not THAT bad...)

 

After 24 hours, the freezer temperature never got below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.  It's cold enough to make ice, but not for serious food storage.   The refrigerator section seemed to get pretty darn cold - I am testing the temperature on that section this morning.   I haven't discounted that my vintage refrigerator/freezer thermometer may be, well, past it's prime also...  

 

Something else that I perceived was that the fridge seemed to be always running.  That observation was for the most part based on ducking my head into the basement stairwell - every time I did so yesterday I hear something running down there.   Further to that point, though, I did open the freezer drawer at one point and just for the heck of it, I pushed the door switch back to closed with my finger.  I noticed right away that the freezer section fan did not start up.  I decided to the let the fridge continue running and when I tried later, I was able to observe the fan running.  Just tried it a couple of minutes ago and it started up as soon as I cheated the switch.   

 

Sooo....  First thing I will do will be to try and find service literature.  Older GE manuals have some pretty good troubleshooting information and it won't hurt to have more detailed parts information.  But if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know, too!!

 

I'll wait until Hubby is back from Brazil before I say anything... He might decide to not give me my Christmas present after all now....

 

 

[ovrphil]

Hubby on Floor

I thought he was looking for dust bunnies, errant money, or verifying that it can be leveled.

You sure get some sweet looking appliances, Paul; hopefully, the problem solving road is short and not
disappointing.

Great looking unit !!! Love the style.

Phil

 

[a440]

Thanks for the explanation of the dual cooling system.  I like these GE's more and more!

Hopefully it will be an easy fix.  I wonder if the freezer thermostat is out of wack?

How cold is it in your basement?  Wonder if that has anything to do with it. 

 

 

[turquoisedude]

Phil - hubby was probably looking for stray coins; he had a little conniption about how much a fridge like this is going to cost to operate... LOL

 

Brent  - I'm hoping it's just a thermostat issue, too!  GE's have a bad rep for them (at least the older cycle-defrost models did...)   The basement isn't terribly warm at the moment - the oil stove hasn't been fired up for the season yet (I've got to move a certain Filtrator dryer first, but that's a whole other issue).  The temperature down there now is in the low 60s but I don't think that's a problem.  The 62 Frigidaire parked next to the GE is cycling normally.... 

 

 

 

[turquoisedude]

Testing abandoned

I just pulled the plug on the GE...  The refrigerator section was reading 19 degrees Fahrenheit - something is definitely wrong somewhere.   

 

I'll be asking Santa for a service manual for this one for sure.

 

In the meantime, and in keeping with the season, I just let off a few curse bombs as Darren McGavin did in "A Christmas Story".... 

 

[ovrphil]

Curse bombs

or Chevy Chase when he found out he won a year's subscription to the Donut Club in "Christmas Vacation"

Refrigerator rescuers are close by.

 

[combo52]

Testing Abandoned

Hi Paul, Leave it plugged in and running and call me when you are with the ref, but it would best to let it run at least a week or more. Yes it very likely has a problem or two, but turning it on just on the weekends it will be even harder to get an accurate idea of what is wrong.