Presenting, the Philco Range!

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southernmdgeguy

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Aug 24, 2005
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254
Well, I have had this now for a week. It was not really as advertised, but still unusual enough to go ahead and pick it up for now. The stove was advertised as in great shape and everything worked. When I got there, it was in the basement, and not able to be tested. He told me the clock worked "intermediatly" and he broke the glass over the roast meter. I brought it home as is, and hooked it up out in the garage for a test run. The light over the switches did not work, just flickered. Out to Wall Mart for a new light, still flickers.. took out the starter, light stays on... now it flickers for about 5-10 minutes, then stays on. Compared to the GE ranges, this thing is SLOW to heat and slow to cool down, I think this is the type or range a "gas" person would hate. Some of the burners do not work on all settings, but he said they all worked, so it might just be from sitting. The oven runs 50 degrees hotter than the setting. But it is interesting looking at least.
Scott
 
Close ups!

The burner switches are different colors for different heats, I hope I can get them apart and cleaned up so you can actually see them.. and most of the labels over them are missing. One knob is broken so the lables don't move on that one. errrrr!
 
Can anyone tell me?

What the letters on that left hand switch do besides turn on and off the outlet? Oh and the timer works great, with a "Ding" when done.
 
I have not cleaned it yet!

Please don't yell about it being dirty, was not sure what would be safe to clean it with yet. These are first day, as is pictures I hope a few of you will enjoy.

Scott
 
My favorite feature

I have not tried it out yet, but this is the storage bin below the oven, isn't that cool! He said this worked great. I don't see anything around the large burner for a smoke screen as we talked about prior to me picking it up.
 
M= Manual where it has to be to operate when it is not clock controled.
S= Set click it to here to set the stop and hours to cook.
C=Cook when the clock turns the oven on.
O=Off when the clock turns the oven off. It will not operate again until you turn the switch back to Manual.
 
Thanks Tom!

I appreciate that!! Nice to know how it is supposed to work. Is there an adjustment for the oven thermostat, like on my newer GE where you can adjust the back of the knob to match the temp?
I need to send the clock out to be serviced and cleaned, and try to find either a replacement glass that can be painted to match, or a new roast meter glass to make it all look right.

Scott
 
W O W ! ! ! !

Scott,
That stove is a beauty! Those elements look pretty much to be the same style as the old Frigidaire stoves. They do take a little while to heat up, but once you get used to them, they do a pretty good job. Mark
 
Pull the thermostat knob off,and see if the thermostat shaft has a hole in it. If it does,there's usually an adjusting screw at the bottom of it,to bring it back to the correct temperature. Philco was owned by Ford for a number of years,not sure when it started.

Nice stove!

kennyGF
 
Wow - that a is a beauty!! Does the broken dial-glass have any markings on the glass itself? You can have another cut by any glass company if not. Perhaps a Dymo electronic label maker with clear tape would work for the burner labels if you can get the panel apart for them. A little elbow grease and creativity and this range will be the prize of your collection - congrats on a great find!
 
heating and cooling of burners ...

Great looking stove ........ worth the effort ....... those "fat" type coils do in fact take longer to heat up and even longer to cool down. My '54 Frigidaire has the same type elements. They do cook evenly and consistently but as I am sure many can attest to; cooking with elec is very different then with gas. I would much prefer to cook with gas but the gas co. here told me it would cost me a small fortune to convert unless I completely convert to gas for heating as well. Anyways, congrads on a rare and very cool looking stove.
 
The Roast Minder glass

Seems to be painted from the back side. I was hoping that and the clock lit up like a car dash, but the only part that lights is where the actual needle is.

Thanks Kenny for that tip on the oven, I tried to gently pull the knob off, no luck, going to need a bit more effort I think... it has been on there a while.

One other thing I thought was interesting, the broiler is the old bare coiled wire style, with two glass panels right under it. When in bake mode, the very outer wires get red only, like the GE does I guess, low power to the broiler for browning, but gets full red on broil. The oven element is a normal calrod but lacks the cover over it the old GE has.

Scott
 
It is a temp

It plugs into the upper left hand side of the oven, and you use it like a meat thermometer. It just stores down in that little compartment in the pan drawer. The guy said it worked, I have not tried it yet. The glass was pushed in and I am sure it would have blocked it, so while I was putting in the new lights, I pushed it back at least flush, so that needle can move freely.

Scott
 
Greg:

There is always propane.

Before you leave electric completely, IMHO, ditch coils and try a smooth-top.

In the kitchen, at least, they can be very satisfying.
 
Nice Norge!

Gorgeous range Scott!!!

I'd say that "Ford" was definitely competing with "GM" on this beauty. There are lots of similar type bells and whistles (roast meter, flourescent light, lots of chrome) and, of course, those fat coils. My RCI-75-59 has the same type of coils, which have a tendency to heat up rather slowly; with the exception of the speed-heat and heat minder coils.

This is a really nice find. My suggestion for cleaning it (it doesn't really look that bad)....CLR, GooGone, and fume-free Easy Off. You need to be careful using the Easy Off around aluminum. It's ok on the porcelain and stainless though.

Good luck, and let us know how she bakes!!

Venus :-)

PS Did I spy a GE fixed heat range next to that Norge? ;-)
 
Venus, yes, that is my other "toy" a 54 "Stewardess" 36" wide GE, for now they are both set up and working in the garage, but I want to use the Philco as a daily driver, so that is my priority right now. The GE oven is great, I use that a lot, have to see if the Philco works as well. Time for a roast test.
 
Hmmm.

What if you removed and scanned the Roast Meter dial, used PhotoShop or something to remove the "crack" then printed it out on clear plastic that would cling to a piece of glass?

veg
 
Interesting idea

I don't have a scanner that would do a sharp enough job, but maybe a graphics place would... after seeing that Maytag center knob graphics someone did, that might be the ticket, thanks!
 
Actually, dinner was

From Rachel Ray's "365 NO REPEATS" cookbook. Uses ground Turkey, so I wanted to be sure they were done well, ( she is a bit optimistic on cooking times to me) as she said bake the twelve meatballs 20 minutes at 400, I wanted to make sure they were done. I use an oven thermometer, oven was 400-425 and after 20 minutes, it was only on the one.. glad I used it to check!

I highly recommend the cookbook, lots of good stuff, but it is more like 60 minutes prep time, and 60 more to clean up!

Scott
 
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