Red Chambers Classic Stove in NYC!!!

[gadgetgary]

What a transformation.....

Look how neat the microwave was hanging over the dryer.

 

[58limited]

~re-wire a chambers?
I don't believe there is a single wire present in a chambers of that vintage, so I guess that job should be pretty simple.

I'm not sure on that particular Chambers model and couldn't tell in the photos, but I was assuming the stove had and electrical outlet and an electric timer - like my 1950 O'K&M - and the ad does mention that a light is present.

Granted, there are not many wires on my O'K&M but you have to remove the back, the rear chrome top plate, and remove the top piece. The connections have to be soldered - no screw on connections. It can take awhile to do this 'cause when you get in there, you usually find a lot of old gooey grease and end up cleaning everything (its amazing where you find grease in these things). My stove was in decent shape when I bought it, but I started working on one thing and it lead to more and more and I pretty much had most of the stove apart when I reached a stopping point. I ended up having the safety valve and thermostat rebuilt before putting everything back together. Now I know I have a nice clean well insulated working stove.

 

[washertalk]

OMG Steve, I love, love, LOVE the 70s contact paper flower "wallpaper" job there and the orange cabinet doors. It just screams Rhoda and Brenda, an episode of Soap, or perhaps one of the condos in Bob Newharts building all over it. Oh , WOW.
Was this your apt? When was this taken? I like how the washer hose sits quietly behind the appliances on the counter convenient when it is needed.
Gotta like the late 70s kenmore beltdrive portable in the corner and that mid 80s ge dryer. (which I am sorry, doesn't belong next to a stove. But I understand the predicament so it is tolerable)

Awesome pics !! Damn

So, you don't think that this would pass for an acceptable kitchen in New York Now??

 

[toggleswitch]

Lace curtains.

You LIKE that pattern?
Yes.
1985
Kew Gardens, Queens, NYC
Intresting that you noticed that hose.
There were proper hookups for water (via hosecocks and check valves) that I had installed underneath. I was too lazy to buy really long hoses.

What is aceptable to others I don't know. Some crave the retro look.

I lived it and say "never again". Perhaps many like the old look in that they remember family and love and innocence, and now-deceased family memebrs,etc. I have some not-so-nice memories of those times and really don't like to look backwards in general. When one's head is turned around looking back you tend to miss the car that is about to run you over that is jetting towards you fromthe front. You miss the good things too!

The old-lady tenant before me that was removed by her family and relocated to Texas left the stove on for a week and flooded the neighbors incessantly and bascially "lost it". You should have seen the prissy lacey curtain separating the cooking and dining areas of the kitchen (say 8 x 8' each) O M G ! ridiculous and a fire hazard, nto to mention a grese trap!

BTW, Her towels REEEEEEEEEEEKED of softener. CLUELESS, she was. (The family took the valuables and removed the furniture, but left me tons of stuff.) The bathroom looked like a pink bordello. It took me a long time to get that apt livable.

Landlord saw the improvements and did not say "peep" about appliances.

The dining area side of the ditchen.

 

[toggleswitch]

What did Joan Crawford once say? (I hope it was she who said it!) I could eat a can of Ektachrome(film) and PUKE a better movie.

Modified:
I could eat a can of paint a puke a better decor. *LOL*

 

[charbee]

Red Chambers

We've got a red Chambers Model C from 1954, similar to the one in the listing. We've named her "Jezebel". Helluva good lookin' stove!

Chambers does have a small amount of wiring: The back has a light in it, and that's the only electrical in the whole thing. The timers are old-fashioned egg-timer (tick-tock) style.

We were lucky to snag our gorgeous red baby off Craigslist for lots less than this guy wants ($600)...so if you really want a Chambers, they're out there. We're on the cusp of completely disassembling her and giving her a thorough rebuild...getting rid of rust, etc. Generally speaking, the insulation in these babies is SO good that it usually doesn't need replacing...up to 70 pounds of ROCK WOOL went into every Chambers. Here's a link to one of the "enthusiast" sites we frequent for those wanting more Chambers info. There's a very lively discussion board there, as well.

http://www.vintagechambers.com

 

[whirlcool]

Toggles:

Oy Vey, and rent controlled too?

When I was based in Chicago for awhile we lived in a apartment that was previously rented for many years by a little old lady. The place was relatively clean, but it really reeked with that "old people" smell.
The kitchen had a nice large and bright window in it. The kitchen floors were bright yellow. I cleaned the floors one day with some ammoniated floor cleaner and a chunk of yellow came off the floor. My goodness, the floor was actually white and was just "Mop & Glowed" to death. We scrubbed the floor down with wax remover and eventually got that tile floor back to it's original white. Very nice!
We ended up painting the entire apartment while we were there, we had to so that we could get rid of the odor.