Looking to buy this 1959 combination GE fridge. Any advice?

[mrcoppertone]

Some of you may be aware of my post a while back looking for a coppertone GE refrigerator. I've had pretty bad luck coming across one, but I just came across this. It looks to be a 1959 model, hinges on the right side, it's the exact size I need etc.

Downsides: It's not a coppertone fade, just a solid copper brown. And it has the coils on top.

It's only $100 and works perfectly so I'm thinking of jumping on it. I imagine I can probably get the door painted if I really wanted. It just seems like an impossibility to find a late 60's combination GE fridge in the right size, working order, and especially coppertone. I think I've seen a total of 2 on the internet ever.

What do you all think?

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[mrcoppertone]

Also! Any idea what these weigh roughly? I would need some sort of estimate for Uship.

 

[rp2813]

If that were near me, I'd be making a beeline over to the seller's house with cash in hand.  It's exactly what I'm looking for.

 

However, the cost of shipping will push the price way up.  It might still be worth it to you, though.

 

I think the color is "Woodtone Brown" which wouldn't have any shading like the later coppertone. 

 

I would say it weighs close to 400# or so.  My smaller frosts-freely Combination weighs over 300#.

 

[mrcoppertone]

RP2813 - Would you say the wood tone brown would clash with coppertone appliances? I'm thinking it's probably better than the wrong coppertone finish, for instance.

As far as shipping, that's going to be painful but I can't imagine I'll ever spotting one of these in my area. It seems like the only coppertone appliances left are in the midwest.

 

[rp2813]

I think the Woodtone would be entirely compatible with your other coppertone appliances.   Most of your guests won't even notice the lack of shading, and even if they do, they'll forget in a hurry when they see a shelf swing out.

 

If this fridge were in L.A. you could count on the asking price being several times higher in that hipster-centric market, so it's still a deal with the additional shipping costs.

 

[mrcoppertone]

"If this fridge were in L.A. you could count on the asking price being several times higher in that hipster-centric market"

Sad but true!

This would probably cost close to $1000 around here. It's looking like shipping will probably be around $400 so that still puts me well under what it would cost to purchase anywhere close to me; like you said.

 

[mrcoppertone]

Anyone have one of these models and have major energy issues? I know these aren't as well insulated as the later models but I'm hoping it doesn't totally annihilate my electric bill.

 

[rp2813]

If this one uses hot gas to defrost, which I think it does, at least there won't be an energy hog heating element involved in that process.  

 

While it won't be nearly as efficient as a modern fridge, its merits are worth the extra energy costs.  I think there are probably bigger hogs out there than this one (its full size deluxe Coldspot counterpart comes to mind -- those heated the freezer floor to help the defrost water drain away), and it's a smaller size than GE's largest 1959 model, so you could do worse.

 

[mrcoppertone]

The owner said it doesn't appear to have any gas hookup. I will have her double check though.

 

[rp2813]

No, it won't have a gas hookup. 

 

The gas is the cooling agent (such as freon, R12, R134, etc.) within the sealed system, as is the case with every refrigerator.   This gas comes to a boil as part of the cooling process.  Don't quote me on this, but in the simplest terms, GE's defrosting system used this heated gas to melt the frost off the evaporator coils instead of an electric heating element. 

 

If you have search capability here, you can type in "hot gas defrost" and there should be some hits that will contain a full explanation of how it works.  It's a much better and more energy efficient system than using electricity to generate the necessary heat to melt the accumulated frost.

 

[goatfarmer]

Hot Gas defrost uses hot gas that is already in the sealed system to defrost the coils. No outside hookup is needed. Good looking refrigerator, depending on how dark the other appliances are, it should be a decent match.

 

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<strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Hot gas defrost</strong> is the energy-efficient alternative to electric <strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">defrost</strong> refrigeration <strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">systems</strong>. <strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Hot gas defrost systems work</strong> by routing <strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">hot</strong> compressor discharge <strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">gas</strong> through the outlet of the evaporator, thawing any accumulated frost. This <strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">gas</strong> then condenses back into a liquid and flows back into a common liquid line.

</blockquote>
 

 

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[appliguy]

The fridge is a 1963 model not 1959

If you give me the model # of the fridge I can print you out the dealer brochure page for it. PATRICK COFFEY

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Pat.  I thought it looked newer than 1959 just based on the door handle, but figured maybe only the larger models had all of that extra 1959 bling.

 

I would say that 1963 is a good thing, since 1959 was the first year GE offered Frost Guard and improvements were likely made by 1963.

 

Here are some pix of a taller & wider '59 or '60 that I lifted from a CL listing a couple of years ago:

 

[mrcoppertone]

Oh, that's really great to know about the hot gas defrost. This whole time, I've been worrying about ending up with a model that I would have to route a gas line to. You learn a lot in these forums!

The model # is: TC464WF

The tone of my coppertone appliances is pretty dark. That is literally my only hesitation. The brown on the fridge appears to be pretty light. I attached photos of my other appliances. The cooktop actually has a lighter brown to it. The oven and microwave are definitely on the darker side. Tough call...

 

[mrcoppertone]

Also, this model I'm looking at is 65" H 35" W 25" D. It would be flush with my counters and the width is perfect. I'm not sure if some of those nicer models you mention come in that size? The smaller ones that I came across were only 30" W which would look silly.

 

[mrcoppertone]

RP2813, I have noticed that the smaller models, even in the later years, don't have some of the prettier features inside. They're missing the covered lights and they still have coils up top. I'm just very curious to know if there's one of those nicer models that would actually fit. If not, I'm likely to pull the trigger on this one.

I guess it's a 1959 based on the inside door compartments. I found a few ads on Ebay and it looked identical.

 

[rp2813]

Actually, the dimensions on yours sound like the larger size.  Usually the larger size models have two crisper drawers that pull out rather than rotate like the crispers on yours.

 

Starting in 1957 GE offered fridges that would look built-in.  Counter depth was part of this plan, along with clean backs and condenser coils underneath so no dead space was required above the fridge or between the back of the fridge and the wall behind it.

 

The Woodtone brown would be lighter than the ovens and the dishwasher, but I'm not even sure Woodtone was still around by 1963.  Pat will likely know for sure.  You might ask the seller for some better photos just in case it's actually coppertone and will match better, even if it's not shaded.

 

[mrcoppertone]

Yeah... I'm not so sure she has her measurements right. The shelves look just like the narrower model. Feels insulting to ask someone to remeasure but it's a deal-breaker.

 

[spacepig]

The dishwasher looks great! As for the fridge, I don't see a problem asking her to remeasure just to be sure, especially since you'll be buying sight unseen and paying a tidy sum for shipping.