Stainless hotpoint combo?

[sarahperdue]

What can y’all tell me about this Hotpoint fridge? Is the stainless original? Is it a dependable and/or easy to repair model? And what is in the pile of junk? Fridge parts?

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/715189868942531/

 

[circlew]

Sarah, the finish is original. Link to ad for '56 Hotpoint Customline appliances.

They even made a 39" range in this finish.

 

[turquoisedude]

Sarah, the "pile of junk" looks like it's the framing for the refrigerator. Hotpoint's Customline fridge offered a 'built-in' look, using a stainless frame around the refrigerator cabinet.

 

[sarahperdue]

Oh, my, oh my

My buddy John (mixrman) is about to “steal” the Americana I’ve been eyeing, but this could be even better! Behold my new Geneva cabinets, cooktop and range hood. Wouldn’t they look great with this fridge plus the Frigidaire Imperial oven that Inhave my eye on?

 

[norgeway]

That Fridge

Will be about as good as you can find John Jowers had one on the floor at his antique appliance store in Georgia Price 10,000 !!

 

[launderess]

Built in fridge

Dead giveaway is they only bothered to use SS on parts that show; front doors.

Would bother myself and am sure others now and even back then to have that SS front with white sides standing out in the kitchen.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Laundress, look at Reply #2. It was meant to be recessed with a trim kit and a vent at the top for heat disposal.

 

[launderess]

Yes, saw that

Was agreeing.....

 

[goatfarmer]

That's not an outrageous price, but try and get it lower!

 

[sarahperdue]

How rare is it?

I felt pretty comfortable waiting for a lower price on my Geneva cabinets, after all, they were not the only steel cabinets in the world...

But this fridge...wow! and I've never seen one like it. So, yes, I'd like to get it for less, but what are the odds of finding another one with the trim kit?

...and the same for the stainless Frigidaire Custom Imperial

 

[turquoisedude]

They aren't all that common, at least not around these parts (and I include upstate NY, VT, NH, and parts of MA and CT - anything in my 'driving range'...LOL). I've only ever seen one like this and it was missing the trim kit!

 

[jkbff]

I am just asking but...

If you are going through the effort to do a built in fridge, why not find a vintage sub-zero that someone is going to throw on the heap for not a lot of dollars?

You would probably be able to find a vintage unit and if needed could replace all of the internals and still have a very well built fridge?

We still service the vintage sub-zeros that made their way up here.

I really am only throwing that out there because if needed you could have a fabricator make panels that go with the design of what you are trying to accomplish. They were made for that.

 

[sarahperdue]

Sub Zero

I could be totally wrong to judge the whole brand based on the ones I know, but I don't know anyone who has had them (no, I don't run in the Sub Zero crowd), but my family and some of my friends have had no end of trouble with theirs.

My mother has spent thousands on hers, and she says that she can't even replace them with new Sub Zeros because they don't make the same size that her entire custom kitchen has been built around.

That surprised me because I thought one of the plus points for Sub Zero is that you could buy a replacement in the same size... So, maybe there wasn't another fridge on the planet that would fit your custom cabinetry but you could count on Sub Zero to make on that fit...

 

[circlew]

My former neighbor Ann got a Sub-Zero when they built the house in '84. It was worked on numerous times over the years, while their old GE downstairs from the mid 60's hummed along without any problems.

 

[jkbff]

I honestly think it depends on who the service provider is.

I say that because if you look at the way the units are built, as far as the built-in units, they are modular. You can generally get Embraco compressors, find similar evaporators, condensers and line sets to retro fit most of the older style units.

It just takes a bit of ingenuity.

On the flip side, I would be willing to assist your mom with her current situation if needed. Has she reached out to Sub-Zero Company directly? They are really good about getting a situation worked out some how.

 

[sarahperdue]

thanks!

jkbff, thank you very much for your offer to help my mother with her SubZero. She says it's up and running for the moment.

I've bought the Hotpoint and will be picking it up shortly after July 4th weekend unless I can work out getting it sooner.

Sarah

 

[turquoisedude]

Congrats, Sarah! I think you'll really like that Hotpoint!!

 

[sarahperdue]

Second thoughts

Y'all,

I'm looking more closely at the pictures (which are posted at the beginning of this thread), and I'm concerned about three things--

The butter conditioning compartment appears to be taped together
The handle of the freezer appears to be broken

...and can it possibly be plugged in and running without a speck of frost?

Sarah

 

[turquoisedude]

Hmmm.... It's possible the butter conditioner was taped shut for moving (that would be what I'd do if I was moving a vintage fridge). Can't comment on the freezer door; if you can see it in person before buying, that would be best.
The picture of the fridge 'running' is deceptive - they may have literally plugged it in and snapped a picture as soon as it started to get cold. Even my 1956 Westinghouse Frost-O-Matic doesn't seem to have any frost in the freezer compartment for almost a few hours after a defrost.

 

[sarahperdue]

Backed out

I backed out of the Hotpoint sale--I had a few concerns too many for a fridge that is too far away to check out in advance.

Meanwhile, this one turned up on Facebook last night--it's in Birmingham, single owner in continuous use. One of the latches is broken. How big a fix would this be?

The seller says she has an antique dealer "on the hook," but I cannot imagine someone who is planning to resell would pay $1,000. I'll be waiting for her to feel ready to lower the price.

Sarah

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1306007979550612/?surface=product_details

 

[sarahperdue]

Calling her bluff...

She came down from $1,000 to $700, and I was about ready to cave until she told me she was waiting to hear from me before she got back in touch with the antique dealer whom she was certain would fix the latch and sell it for twice what he was going to pay her (which she implied was the original $1,000 asking price).

I just couldn't do it. First of all, I didn't like being pressured. Secondly, I don't think there is a snowball's chance in hell that a dealer (especially in Birmingham, Alabama) is going to pay her $1,000. Lastly, I would have always wondered if I had been "had."

We've been chatting and sharing old house pictures...you know how that goes. She says her husband died and she needs the money. I told her that since she needed the money so badly, she should contact the dealer first. I'll keep you posted.

Sarah

 

[turquoisedude]

Well-played Sarah! The seller sounds like they think you'll pay any price and are gambling you'll get nervous if you think there's another buyer. The price will likely come down now. Good luck!!

 

[pulltostart]

The dealer is most likely John Jowers, in NE GA.  I'm not aware of anyone closer to North AL.  He might give her the asking price, but it will go into his unrestored inventory with a restored price of something around $5,000.

 

lawrence

 

[sarahperdue]

Antique appliances.com?

Lawrence, I figured he might be my only legitimate competition. I think I’m in a game of “chicken.”

 

[goatfarmer]

Finding a latch for that "might" be an issue. Depending on what is broken, perhaps the original one might be repaired?

 

[sarahperdue]

Only a day...

It’s been Listed less than 24 hours. Lawrence, I find it hard to believe that antique appliances spends a lot of time surfing Facebook looking for fridges to restore. Anyway, it is still listed. I think if the “dealer” was ready to give her $800, she would’ve sold it already.

I will positively keep you all posted. For the moment, the game is fun.

 

[sarahperdue]

Curiouser and curiouser

When I look at my list of messages in messenger, it appears to be indicating that the seller marked it sold, but when I open the message or the item listing , there is no indication that it has sold. I’m speculating that she marked it sold to get my attention the marked it available again...

 

[lowefficiency]

One easy way to call someone on their bluff, with less risk of being denied, is to show up in person and make your lower offer there after inspecting the item. People are much less likely to decline if you are right there and willing to walk away, especially if they don't actually have any other offers. "$700 and we can take it today", etc. I think seeing something walk (or be willing to) makes them second guess their price, as they can visualize being moments away from having the cash...

Another thing to consider, is that there is a lot of value to seeing/purchasing a unit when it is still installed, rather than a jumble of bits in a garage, or worse, having the seller deliver it. You get to hear how it runs, see how well it cools, etc, and also have control over how carefully it is dismantled and removed, especially for all of those trim parts.

 

[sarahperdue]

Good advice,

Thanks.

She marked it pending this afternoon and now it's available again. I'm going to wait a while, then I think your suggestion of showing up with cash is a good one. From what I'm learning about fixing latches, I'll probably be offering closer to $400...

John L suggested having one painted silver at a body shop if I find one I like that isn't stainless.

I will keep y'all posted...

Sarah

 

[pulltostart]

Sarah,

Yes, John Jowers is the owner of antiqueappliances.com.  I've only been to his business once, but he has a pretty large inventory of unrestored refrigerators and stoves.  I doubt that he would be willing to give $1,000 for the refrigerator, unless he knew that he could turn it around pretty quickly.  He probably would be doing some negotiating, just as you are.

 

Good luck with this one!

 

lawrence