New project time! The '62 Flair range

[turquoisedude]

Now don't start... I know I have a _few_ outstanding projects on the 'to-do' list (the '57 GE washer and dryer set, the '63 Kenmore 600 Roto-Rack, the '49 Youngstown Kitchens dishwasher, the '51 Kenmore dryer... I'll stop now...) BUT this nifty 30-inch Frigidaire Flair may well be needed soon in a new kitchen so I thought I'd better darn well be ready.  Can't give Hubby a second's hesitation now, can we?  

 

I must say a big thank-you to Phil (PhilR) who acquired this range along with a Frigidaire refrigerator, but didn't want it.  Who was I to refuse??  It's turquoise!!

 

The model PCIB-635-2, if I understand Frigidaire-ese, would make it a 1962 model.  And it's turquoise, which makes it all the better! 

 

[turquoisedude]

It's gonna need a good cleaning, though...

 

[turquoisedude]

Amazingly, the clock still works! 

 

[turquoisedude]

One thing that needed immediate attention is the cooktop handle.  It has worked loose over the years and it's a bit of a pain to bring the top in and out.  

 

Luckily I have some service information about the Flair ranges and replacing or tightening the handle is relatively easy.  You need to remove the cover plate from the bottom of the cooktop then remove the front panel - piece of cake! 

 

While I was under there, though, I thought I check out the wiring.  I've had some rather nasty surprises after transporting ranges in the past.   Most of the wiring looks good, but I think this one's had a bit of work done...  The good news is that the heat-minder sensor seems to be there still!

 

[turquoisedude]

Now the handle is fixed, I think I should try to remove the cooktop to give it and the compartment it slips into a bit of a spring-cleaning...  I think I'd like to get the vintage dust out of it at least... LOL 

 

I'm a little nervous as I've never taken one out before, but if I understand correctly, I've got to remove the oven trim.  If I'm wrong, please, please let me know before I start messing up my 'new' range!!

 

[turquoisedude]

Figured it out!

That oven trim plate is held on by three screws inside the oven.  I found 'em by feeling around in there!

 

Once they were removed (with a little help from my new best friend, PB Blaster), the trim plate could be lifted off. I had to remove the wires from the outlet - I noticed a little scorching on one side of the outlet though.  The outlet did seem loose to me and when I tried it, it did not seem to work.  I figured the fuse was shot.  Anyway, I think it would be prudent of me to replace this.  After my recent (and undocumented due to embarrassment over my shoddy workmanship) flame-out of the terminal board on the '53 Westy dryer, I am not leaving electrical stuff to chance!

 

[turquoisedude]

But like any good puzzle, there was another level; I had another plate to remove before I could remove the burner cover... 

 

[turquoisedude]

It was a bit of challenge to try and photograph the removal of the springs on the burner cover - the ones I took were awful.  But it was not as difficult as I thought and the cover was safely removed!

 

[turquoisedude]

And there it is, the inside of the burner compartment for all to see!

 

Now the last trick, getting the roller brackets off... There wasn't a lot of room to work with and I was getting nowhere fast with a stubby philips screwdriver.  So I improvised!  The ratchet gave me the torque I needed to free the screws without stripping them.  It's a shame Hubby wasn't here to witness my NOT messing something up for a change... LOL 

 

[turquoisedude]

And voila!  The burner drawer is out and ready for a jolly good scrubbing.  I'll be double-checking wiring and connections and I'll test the burners for continuity while I'm at it.  

 

[turquoisedude]

Other secrets revealed...

So, remember what I said about the power outlet not working?   Here's why...  The wire from the fuse socket got sliced at some point!  This pretty much proves the range has been serviced at some point and there is a repair tech out there who's as big a klutz as I can be with wiring...

 

Well, that's it for now - I need to feed Canyon, then I'll grab a shower, pour myself a very large G&T, then hop into the hot tub.  

 

I'll see what I am up for tomorrow...  I'll need rubber gloves, I think... LOL 

 

[warmsecondrinse]

I like your photos and description... Very easy to follow.

Can't wait to see more. I'm learning a lot.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[turquoisedude]

Today's progress

I had planned a day of housework down here in Ogden but I made sure I left some time to work on the Flair!

 

Overall, the burner drawer is, as we say in good Québcois patois "crotté pas mal".   Gungy is about the best translation I can come up with...  

 

We've got grease, some of it baked on, some of it burned on in and all of it distributed across the drawer.

 

[turquoisedude]

One thing I've learned about cleaning other well-greased appliances (toaster ovens for example) is don't start out with the big guns.  Use regular household detergent and give it a chance to soak into the goo. 

 

[turquoisedude]

It took me a good amount of scrubbing, but I made some progress I think!

 

[turquoisedude]

But here's where I'm stuck...  The insides of the burner opening where the support should rest on are actually rusted, not just fused with grease.   The right rear small burner's ledge has actually broken off at one point.  I'm going to have to be real careful with that one!  This is such a common issue with vintage ranges and it can be easier to deal with on range with a standard ring/drip bowl assembly... 

 

I'll try and scour the other ledges with steel wool.   The one for the Heat-Minder burner seems to be in the best shape of the lot.  I just hope that's not because the burner crapped out!!

 

[turquoisedude]

That's it until the weekend now.  I have to drive back to Montreal tonight and pick up hubby at the airport early tomorrow morning.  

 

But at least when he sees this he'll maybe, just maybe stop insisting that we need a stainless steel range in any future house... 

 

[pulltostart]

Paul

Great progress!  Keep posting the pics.

 

Is this top actually stainless steel, or is it a brushed chrome finish (as was used on GE appliances)?

 

lawrence

 

[turquoisedude]

Lawrence, if I remember correctly, it's stainless steel but brushed like the GE appliances had been.  That brings back memories  - we had a GE brushed-chrome cooktop in our country house when I was a brat! 

 

I've got to do some thinking about what to clean that oven with.  I think the oven liner is actually chromed, so a standard oven cleaner is not going be the thing to use. 

 

Would a diluted ammonia solution be safe or should I just scrub??

 

[circlew]

If that top is stainless steel, it is a very poor grade. Obviously not type 304 or 316, which is highly corrosion resistant. Try sticking a magnet to it; if it stays, it's likely chrome plated steel. Very few appliances of that time were actually SS, only a few Hotpoint items perhaps. Most of the rest were Brushed Chrome.

 

[pulltostart]

I don't think ammonia would damage a chrome finish.  Just be sure that you have lots of fresh air!

 

Either material (stainless steel, chrome-plated steel) can be cleaned and polished with Cameo.

 

lawrence

 

[combo52]

1962 Flair Range Restoration

Better you than me Paul, The cook-top is just brushed chrome, so they tend to rust away, in fact I dough that there is any SS anywhere on these ranges. Usually the area around the Heat-Minder burners survives better because you can't cause the HM burner to run so hot as a regular burner.

 

The wiring on FD ranges can be a mess, the broken wire going to the outlet probably just broke from flexing, very common. Usually the best way to clean the cook-top assembly is to take it outside and spray it with oven cleaner, as long as you don't use it on painted or aluminum parts it will not hurt anything.

 

Keep us posted, let me know if you need electrical parts.

 

[turquoisedude]

John, I'm going to need a new outlet for sure - it's the larger one that can take a grounded plug, but I'll be damned if I can find the Frigidaire part number...   Also, I'm missing the roast-meter temperature probe, if you happen to have one!  

 

[philr]

You're more courageous than I am Paul! I thought you'd get another one and keep this just for parts and for it's exterior panels which are painted in your favorite color!

The model is RCIB-635-2

R for "Range" "CI" for "Custom Imperial" "B" for the series introduced in 1960, "635" for a 30" Custom Imperial model and -2 for the second series of this model which was produced in 1962-63 (featuring a few changes like the glass panel and timer and other more subtle changes). The timer on yours suggests it's an early production series-2 model.

I'm sure you'll have to get the Heat Minder switch and sensor. The switch was replaced with a regular one (I checked that!) and the sensor doesn't seem good!

I have a spare switch that I bought years ago but I need it for one of my Flairs which also currently has a regular switch. I don't have a spare sensor!

 

[frogkid11]

Good find!

That's a great find, Paul. I have the exact same model but in the white. I wanted to ask what you used to clean the top with? Since this isn't true stainless steel, I find that a lot of things are leaving scratches in the brushed chrome and I have some very tiny, orangish/brown spots that I want to get rid of.

Mine was in a similar condition to yours when I found it locally but most of it has cleaned up to almost brand new condition. Here are some pics of mine.

 

[norgeway]

Re cleaning a flair.

The 1961 Flair manual I have says the chrome oven can be cleaned with oven cleaner, But if I did, I would finish with windex to remove all traces of it and to prevent streaking.

 

[turquoisedude]

Some more work... with mixed results

It rained here in Ogden this afternoon, so I figured it would be a good time to do some more scrubbing on the Flair!

 

Chris - in answer to your question, I used an all-purpose cleaner (like Mr.Clean) with hot water and a sponge for most of the gunk.  A steel-wool pad took care of the rest!

 

Hans - I tried the oven cleaner - I think it worked well... You'll see in some of the later photos. 

 

But here's what I started with today - a mess in the compartment that the burners slide into and an oven in need of intensive care.

 

 

[turquoisedude]

A lot of cleaner and hot water did it for the most part... 

 

[turquoisedude]

The oven floor was in really rough shape.  Based on what I had seen with the burner drawer, I expected there to be rust or pitting.  It wasn't quite that bad, but there's still some gunk left. 

 

I used a diluted oven cleaner solution and a steel-wool pad; there are some 'swirl marks' left but I got the bulk of the goo off!

 

Yes, that is the reflection of the broiler unit that you see in the second picture!

 

 

[turquoisedude]

And here's my 'dammit' moment... I used a sponge well-saturated in oven cleaner to clean the trim, completely oblivious to the fact it's aluminum... D'OH!!!! 

 

I'll be removing that at some point to see if I can salvage it... 

 

But that's about all I'll have time for today... Hubby and Canyon are hungry.  LOL