My New Vintage Firestone Freezer

[58limited]

This working freezer was listed on craigslist in Seattle for $40.00. A friend from the Chambers Rangers forum agreed to get it and hold it for me while I arrange for shipping. Another forum member who also lives in Texas has a fridge at his house too, so we are going to arrange shipping together. Plus, a third member has a friend who is going up thatawy so he might fetch both of them for a little extra gas money, we'll have to wait and see what his plans are.

 

I decided to find a vintage freezer when my new (4 1/2 year old) freezer broke down and I lost a bunch of food. I get pretty ticked off when new stuff breaks yet all of my 60+ year old stuff works fine.

 

First pic - "The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co." on the data plate:

 

[58limited]

Not sure of the year:

 

[58limited]

Eight inner doors, all in great shape.

 

[58limited]

Inner doors opened. The shelves each have cooling coils under them.

 

[whirlcool]

Looks to me like late 40's-very early 50's vintage. In nice shape though.

 

[goatfarmer]

I had a similar looking door on a refrigerator I owned. There was a tag that dated it 1947.

 

There was one of those on EBay forever, but they wanted I think $599.00 or something.

 

[norgeway]

What a great looking

Well designed box, That one wont frost up like most uprights because you only open a small area at a time.

 

[58limited]

That will be a big plus here in the humid swamp, Hans.

 

[hydralique]

Now that . . .

is what my grandmother in East Texas would have called a "deep freeze"!

 

[circlew]

Nice freezer

Any clue as to who made this for Firestone?

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Reminds me a bit of Manitowoc or Norge. </span>

 

[ovrphil]

That's truly one of the most interesting freezers I've seen - all the doors. It almost looks like something used in a lab. I'd better stop right there, before I end up in the freezer myself. Nice unit - do like!

 

[norgeway]

Westinghouse..

Did this also, great idea I think.

 

[58limited]

I've seen several freezers from this time period and earlier with the inner doors. It was indeed a good idea.

 

[moparguy]

Westinghouse...

Their 'freezer file'!

 

[58limited]

An update: I received the freezer last August and it is one of the heaviest appliances I have, possibly heavier than the Foodarama. It is 5' 7.5" feet high, three feet wide, and the shelves where the food sits are two feet in depth (when you add the thicknessof the door and rubber door seal the outside measurement is about 6" deeper). It is about 50% bigger than my 6 year old GE upright freezer.

 

I was by myself when unloading this and I accidentally smashed the power cord, it shorted and blew a breaker when I plugged it in. I've been pretty busy lately and didn't get around to replacing the cord until last night. The freezer works great and is siting right at Zero degrees.

 

I have one question: To the right of the thermostat dial is a toggle switch. There is a lever that can be used to flip the toggle switch without removing the kick panel. You can see this in some of the pictures above. In the very first picture showing the data plate you can see the mounting nut for the toggle switch at the far right. Does anyone know what this switch does? I've flipped it and the freezer seems to run just the same either way I flip it.

 

 

[travis]

Is the switch still connected?  Is there a light in the cabinet?

 

[58limited]

The switch is connected, no light.

 

[electronicontrl]

Never saw one,

That is too fun.

 

[58limited]

I found this ad on ebay, the freezer looks just like mine. It is 18 1/2 Cu. Ft. and holds 647 lbs of frozen food. Of further note, the gas stove at the lower right appears to be identical to my Western Auto (Wizard) stove. The pic is hard to see but it appears that the knobs and the backsplash trim/timer are the same.

 

[combo52]

Mystery Switch

Hi David, is there a wiring diagram anywhere on this freezer?, if there is it would show the function of the switch.

 

It could be an energy saver switch that turns anti-sweat heaters on or off, is there any wiring running into the door through the hinges?

 

It could also be part of a temperature alarm, some early freezers had such systems to warn you of unsafe temperatures inside the freezer.

 

[retro-man]

That switch maybe a setting for the compressor to run constantly. On my chest freezer it is marked fast freeze. It is used when loading the freezer with food that is not frozen yet. It keeps running bypassing the thermostat to get all the food frozen quicker than when in normal mode (cycling on and off). It does make a difference on how fast things freeze. If I load it up with items and turn this on for 10 hours or so everything is rock solid versus left in the normal position which will take about 24 hours or so to have everything rock solid.

Jon

 

[58limited]

There is no wiring diagram unfortunately.

 

Jon may be correct, I saw a reference to a quick freeze cycle when looking for literature on ebay. I bought a late 1940s Firestone Freezer booklet, maybe it will confirm this. The first time I flipped the switch (after the freezer had been running for several hours) the compressor did shut off. It came back on and would not shut off when I later flipped the switch several times - might not have been cool enough to cycle off.

 

[bvf]

firestone vaccume

wow I have the vaccume from firestone and did not know they made fridges and stoves…I was under the thought the vaccume was a give away or publicity stunt…for buying tires this sheds new light on history..hey want a set of tires to go next to your fridge…haha have fun with the ice maker..

 

[norgeway]

RE Firestone vacuum

The tank and a few of their canisters were Kingstons.

 

[58limited]

The freezer booklet arrived today but it doesn't tell how to operate the freezer, just how to properly prepare and freeze foodstuffs.

Jon is correct, the switch appears to be for a fast freeze cycle. Flipped one way the compressor always runs, flipped the other way it cycles on and off. The only problem with the freezer is that the compressor makes a rather loud noise when it cycles off. The first time I heard it I (and my dogs) jumped and I went to look to see what had fallen. Hope this doesn't indicate too much wear.

 

[retro-man]

Glad you figured out what the switch was for. As far as the noise it makes when shutting off, I would check the compressor mounting brackets and rubber supports. It may be the rubber has worn down or cracked allowing the compressor to move when it is shutting off. Great looking freezer by the way.

Jon