Late-60s (I think) Westinghouse Wall Oven

[alexdambach]

Help. My new place comes with a fantastic Westinghouse double wall oven. I assume it is from 1968, since that is when the building was built. I need to repair the upper unit, but I want to know what model number it is. Can anyone please let me know if you know the model number (I can't find it on the unit itself)? One interesting thing about this one is it has side-swinging doors.

 

[xraytech]

Very nice oven. Does the door open to the side?
Our high school Home-ec kitchen had a single Westinghouse oven like this with a side opening door

 

[cuffs054]

Yep, side opening. GREAT idea. Wise someone, who made appliances that mere mortals could afford, would pick up the idea.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Be careful. These can burn the hell out of your arm if you happen to brush against the door while lifting something in or out of the oven. Many people installed these in corners like yours is. That meant that the doors could only be opened 90 degrees which put them parallel to your arm when they were open. They were cheap to build because the doors did not need springs.

 

[alexdambach]

Thanks. It is a side-opening model. I will watch out for burns, but first I want to get the upper oven fixed. I am curious if anyone knows exactly when this model was available, and if parts are still available. I will probably call a professional to fix it, but I would love to know its history in order to intelligently tell the repair person what it needs.

It looks like this was probably considered a fairly premium oven for its time. The building is in a very 'fashionable' area of DC, but the building is now looking dated (that's why I like it). My goal is to remodel the apartment back to its mid-century glory.

 

[tomturbomatic]

You are spot on with late 60s. I think I have the oven pictured in a Westinghouse brochure from 1965. I know a friend's house had the ovens in 1970 when I was there. Since you are in DC, Call ALCO at 301-937-6996, the company owned by Combo52 here in the club. John will give you the best service (outside of his brother Jeff who only services suburban MD) and not rag on the ovens for being old like most repair services would.

 

[jamiel]

Frigidaire still has this design in their lineup...you might want to trace parts back that way.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Can you even open the doors enough to remove the shelves with the door knob where it is?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Models:
OAC21S with Rotisserie
OAC21G with Roast Guard
OAC21R with Rotisserie & Roast Guard

These were the model numbers in 1965 so there might be letter changes to reflect different years.

 

[norgeway]

A Cousin of mine

Had the single oven model, 1966 ,was still in the house when she died and the house was sold a few years ago, Westinghouse was still making quality then.

 

[philr]

Tom, I was wondering the same when I saw the picture! I guess in the worst case, you can open the door before you open the oven's door! As long as the entrance door isn't the kind that closes by itself (which is often required in large buildings). 

 

If it would have been a regular bottom-hinged door, it would probably have been worse and might have required to fully open the entrance door before opening the upper oven's door!

 

[tomturbomatic]

The brochure says the oven could be installed with the doors opening in either direction. Perhaps they can be changed.

 

[alexdambach]

Thank you all for the help. I will try ALCO, once I close on buying the place. I never thought about the hall door being in the way of the oven. I will look into that. I tried opening the oven while looking at the place, and it opened enough for me to examine the cavity (trying to find the model number). This is the apartment's 'service door', and since only the upper oven would be blocked, I will probably stick with using the lower oven for my daily needs. If I have a dinner party and need multiple oven, I will just prop open the service door while I cook, so that my neighbors can all smell my burnt food

 

[tomturbomatic]

I would ask the condo board about the situation and see how others have dealt with the problem. If this obvious design flaw went through, you have to wonder how much more trouble you are buying in the building. There are recessed door knobs where the loop for opening the door folds into the slightly raised area where the knob would be.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Your Housewarming Gift

I talked to John this morning and he suggested that you make sure that the start and stop timer dials on the clock are both set to the time that the clock is showing. If they are out of phase with the clock, it is like the oven is set for clock-controlled operation known to some as "Timed Bake." If the start and stop dials are not showing the same time as the clock, power will not flow to the oven and, when you attempt to turn it on, the red light that glows to signal heating will not come on. Check that before paying for a service call. John said that with those ovens, the thermostat and the wiring were the weak links.

Is this building on Calvert Street?

 

[circlew]

They should have used a 3" filler to the right of the oven cabinet, so the oven door would clear the doorknob.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Or used the space for storage of cookie sheets and trays.