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.
New project time! The '62 Flair range
- Thread starter turquoisedude
- Start date
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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
Either material (stainless steel, chrome-plated steel) can be cleaned and polished with Cameo.
lawrence
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.
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.
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
Well-known member
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!
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
Well-known member
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.
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
Well-known member
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.
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.
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.
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.
A lot of cleaner and hot water did it for the most part...
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!
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!
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
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
Back at it
Yes your Frigidaire dealers are proud to bring you another episode of "Regaining One's Flair"....
OK, back to reality. I spent most of yesterday and today in the garden and my brains may have gotten a bit baked - but what better way to take a shade break than to get back at the '62 Flair.
My goal for today was to finish up the oven and clean the cooktop trim plates. I figured I might as well pop the broiler unit out to give the oven a really good scrubbing. Fortunately the broiler itself was not too badly gunked up.
Yes your Frigidaire dealers are proud to bring you another episode of "Regaining One's Flair"....
OK, back to reality. I spent most of yesterday and today in the garden and my brains may have gotten a bit baked - but what better way to take a shade break than to get back at the '62 Flair.
My goal for today was to finish up the oven and clean the cooktop trim plates. I figured I might as well pop the broiler unit out to give the oven a really good scrubbing. Fortunately the broiler itself was not too badly gunked up.
I didn't mess around this time - regular oven cleaner was used on the rest of the oven and I think it did a fine job. I can't believe what this oven used to look like!
And just a note to anyone who's planning on removing the broiler from a Flair, clothespins are a dandy way to keep the supply wires to the broiler unit from playing 'peek-a-boo' on you... One more lesson learned the hard way!
The cooktop cover, trim plate and condensation plate were pretty grimy. Hot water, all-purpose cleaner and a lot of scrubbing was required. It was well worth the effort, I think!
And yes, I even scrubbed the outlet... Well, after I figured out that it comes apart that is! When I removed it from the trim plate, I noticed that the contact blades for the outlet were removable. I took this opportunity to bend the contacts slightly and when I put them back in the outlet body, they were much tighter than they were before. So, looks like I won't need a new outlet just yet after all.
Unfortunately my scrubbing kinda messed up the 'auto' stamp on the outlet. Dagnabbit....
Unfortunately my scrubbing kinda messed up the 'auto' stamp on the outlet. Dagnabbit....
And here's something I have no recollection of where they came from when I took the cooktop unit out... They were lying at the rear of the compartment and I have no clue as to where they should go. I couldn't find any reference to these parts on the service document I have for the Flair range either.
If anyone can ID them and let me know where they go, I'd be grateful!
I'm knocking off for tonight. Maybe tomorrow I'll work on the oven door and the control panel. It's going slowly, but I'll get there!!
If anyone can ID them and let me know where they go, I'd be grateful!
I'm knocking off for tonight. Maybe tomorrow I'll work on the oven door and the control panel. It's going slowly, but I'll get there!!
philr
Well-known member
I think Jon had the same pieces in his Flair... See his thread!
Another day, another scrubbing...
Today's project was to clean up the control panel, the oven door, and the oven racks. Some dis-assembly was required...
Here's the before pictures of the oven racks (well, they had just been sprayed with oven cleaner), the oven door, control panel, and the knobs.
That last picture makes we want to go EEEEEUUUUUWWW!!
Today's project was to clean up the control panel, the oven door, and the oven racks. Some dis-assembly was required...
Here's the before pictures of the oven racks (well, they had just been sprayed with oven cleaner), the oven door, control panel, and the knobs.
That last picture makes we want to go EEEEEUUUUUWWW!!
At least the after shot of the knobs is encouraging. I was amazed at how well they cleaned up! Of course I scrubbed out the white filler paint in the centres, but that's easy to fix.
Now the oven racks were another matter entirely... I'm going to need more oven cleaner.
Now the oven racks were another matter entirely... I'm going to need more oven cleaner.
