Vintage Air Conditioners. The Holy Grail of vintage appliances?

[philr]

Nice to see other Flickr contacts and air conditioner fans joining! 

 

So far, I have accumulated a few units. An early-1960s 9,000 BTU Carrier I got about 20 years ago. 



A small 8,000 BTU Frigidaire from 1971



A 1967 7,800 BTU Frigidaire that Martin found for me.



A huge 12,600 BTU 1974 Frigidaire, this thing is so big that I couldn't fit it in my car's trunk when I got it! 



A smaller 15,000 BTU 240V Montgomery Ward Signature that I got with Paul on our way to Boston a few weeks ago. 

 

[rstacey1990]

norgeway: I agree 110%! appliance salesmen drive me nuts. I was in lowes looking for side panels for a 7700 BTU EQK that I have, and gave to my sister to use in her place, and I asked where they kept parts and they started with asking how old the unit is. I said well over 30 years old and right away it was time to talk me into buying a new one. I said the things that old and working flawlessly for a reason. its built well. I said them piece of shit units theyre trying to sell me wont last a fraction of that.

toploader55: thank you so much for your feedback. I really appreciate that. The fact that people actually care about these kind of things is what keeps me going with it. I really started to get serious with it in the last year and a half, although I have been into air conditioners for as long as I can remember. it goes back to the old Large EQK that was in the house when my dad bought it in 1985. unfortunately it was replaced in 1997 with one of the last line of good units. at least it was a decent replacement. the unit that replaced it was a Fedders made Airtemp. This unit is what started it all. it was my mission to get an old EQK and I found one then found another with the 2 drain holes and one vent on the front grille instead of the one I had which had one drain hole and 2 vents on the front grille. I then moved on to trying to find a Fedders with the weather wheel which I found last July in New York, then I was focusing mainly on the Philco Ford which I got this August. now im looking for a Medium Sized Sears Coldspot, and a particular Hotpoint unit. I have photos of both on my Flickr Page.

PhilR: You have a mighty fine pile of Air Conditioners there! they are all favorites on Flickr. Thanks for all the support and feedback you have given me since I started the Flickr page.

Its great to see all the interest in vintage appliances in general. Im hoping to learn a few things about other types of appliances on this site here. There seems to be a lot of very knowledgeable people on here,The girl thinks im nuts! LOL but at least shes cool with it and don't try to stop me from my acquisitions.

I will attach photos of my 2 most wanted units. Hopefully they will show up on CL or become available to me sometime. The Coldspot will probably be easier to acquire. much more common. The Hotpoint should look pretty much exact. the Coldspot may have a different design on the front grille but should have the same set up (control panel on top left and vents next to it) some control panels have push buttons in addition to the knobs, most do not. I am not picky about that. as long as it has that set up. the back should look like the attached picture with 6 vertical rows of vents on the back with one vent on each side. COLDSPOT should be embossed like shown in the attached photo. please let me know if someone finds one of the following units for sale somewhere. I am always on the lookout but sometimes I just miss stuff.

-Russ

Here Is The Hotpoint Air Conditioner:

 

[rstacey1990]

Here is the back of the wanted Hotpoint. this photo is not of the same exact unit as pictured above, but it looks the same on the outside.

 

[rstacey1990]

Coldspot Air Conditioner Inside:

 

[rstacey1990]

Sears Coldspot Inside. same set up just a different designed grille. there are quite a few different designs, but the set up is the same

 

[rstacey1990]

The back of the Sears Coldspot should look like this. depth may be slightly different depending on BTU but the vent set up should be the same as stated before, and it should have COLDSPOT embossed as shown below. I apologize for all them posts in a row, but I couldn't figure out how to post more than one photo to one post. This is the last one for now.

 

[norgeway]

That Coldspot..

Is like one my parents best friends had, it was also the biggest window unit I ever saw, I believe it was 32000 btu, our next door neighbor also had one that was 23ooo, and as far as I know its still running, and it was bought in 1970, both blew out COLD! air.

 

[rstacey1990]

I bet it is still running. Those Coldspot units are no joke! Nice looking machines too. Quality products to say the least.

 

[williepeck]

Interesting location

Hey PhilR that's a quite interesting spot to put the knbs on a air conditioner. I have NEVER seem that in my life. I think that's Linda a good spot for the controls if the unit it being mounted up high if it is being mounted low than your screwed

 

[toploader55]

rstacy1990

Not the exact model you are looking for but rare non the less.

Hotpoint Porta Cool with the Lexan Outer Case

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/app/4192962326.html

 

[yogitunes]

again....from when they built products with style and beauty.....

beautiful machines guys......

 

[toploader55]

Just thought of GE...

They had a line out I think in the late 60s and 70s called "Fasionette.

These came in Avocado, Sunny Yellow, White, Coppertone, and a few more.

Check out this Video. 37 degree air.

 

[dj-gabriele]

23,000 BTUs @ 6 BTUs per watt means it drew 3,833 watts....

CIT.
"23,000 BTUs @ 6 BTUs per watt means it drew 3,833 watts. At 220v it used 17.42 amps. 16 amps maximum(80%) are allowed on a 20a circuit. This beast required a 220v 30a circut and had a huge plug the size [and configuration] of an (American) electric dryer's."

I almost fell off my chair!
I couldn't belive that till I read it again.
I have a tri-split type heat pump that heats/cools the 3 bedrooms at my place and while having a rated power of 24.000 btu it has a rated power of 2100W and it was the least you could have to enter "Class A" of the EU Energy Label.
A better machine could achieve the same cooling with a rated electric power of only 1400W! And not counting amenities like inverter and super quiet operation!
(the power data is at 35°C outdoor 27/19°C DB/WB indoor)

Honestly, apart nostalgia, I can't see the point of using such an energy hog machine even if for a short time of the year!

 

[ovrphil]

Almost hate to see the cold weather coming

So many cool A/C's - I'll need a year to read this one - and PhilR, Yogitunes, Swestoyz, and Sambootoo, your units are very cool(no pun). A/C's - another area that aw.org members have me looking at. Does it ever stop?

 

[philr]

Martin,

 

Without you, I wouldn't have one of mine (which I really like!).

 

Thanks a lot for getting it for me! 

 

 

 

[ovrphil]

Chrysler Air Temp

I happen to like so many a/c's you all have, but does anyone have this Chrysler Air Temp. Really like that design - nice if you can swap out A/C's if you get bored with one.

 

[toploader55]

WOW !!!!

That's a Tempette Series.

 

Those were 5,000-8,000 BTU.The Knob is what controled the Temperature and On/Off Switch.  The Fan speed, High and Low were controlled by that switch below it.

 

These were very quiet units. I believe these were in the Line up until 1970 when the Sleeper series took over.

 

[toploader55]

Chrysler Airtemp

Here's a link to Airtemp's History

http://www.allpar.com/corporate/airtemp.php

 

[yogitunes]

finding a machine of any type, and matching it to a member who has it on a wish list, and making their dream come true....what more joy can be had!....

you are more than welcome Phil!...although the greatest joy was getting to meet you and hang for a day.....

glad it all worked out, and we were able to meet and get this machine to you....

these are all some unique A/C's.....not just for cooling, its all part of the decor....

not to mention how much better these olders units cool compared to todays stuff, no suprise there....

tradition calls for a video.....but how do you video air?.....maybe some streamers or confetti thrown into the breeze......then I think we would be onto a vacuum thread to pick it all up...maybe not such a bright idea....nevermind

 

[philr]

Videos!?

I didn't use confetti or vacuum cleaners in these videos but at least you can hear the noise! (Definitely not as much action as in videos of washers!). 

 



 



 

 

[norgeway]

Have any of you ever seen...

The early 50s Carrier window units that have a cast iron semi hermetic compressor and use Freon 500 ,,maybe 502?? At any rate those were the QUIETEST and the coldest monsters that ever were!

 

[retromania]

Vintage GE Window AC

I've commented on this before, but before my mother had central air conditioning installed we had a mammoth GE window unit. It plugged into a power outlet that had a configuration that I haven't seen since. It didn't make much noise and it didn't have a lot of thrust, but the air coming out was frigid and it almost cooled the entire downstairs. It pulled the juice.

 

[yogitunes]

thanks Phil.....those are some beautiful machines....timeless and priceless....

for somewhat newer versions, well, more like 80's style, I found the Kenmores very quiet compared to the Whirlpool counterpart.....I am on the hunt for a few Kenmores, I like the woodgrain fronts....I also like to stay around 8000 to 12000 btus

 

[stchuck]

I used to have a fedders in my bedroom growing up

I used to close the door and keep it on constant run. It had the wheel to turn the direction and a pull out air filter on the top. I swear sometimes you could see your breath in my room. I now realize what angels my parents were, they never said a word and paid the electric bill. I had a comforter on my bed that I slept under all summer. What a goon I was.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Our neighbors across the street in 1955 had a couple of those Carriers. I remember the gray plastic ovoid inside grill with the solid center and the concentric bands.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Look what we found at an estate sale this weekend! It's soooo cute...

 

[Unimatic1140]

The grill looks a bit off in the first picture, but that is just the way it is photographing, it actually is quite mint. Unfortunately we have to wait until May before we get to install this in the window.

 

[supersuds]

Minty!

RCA Whirlpool labeling suggests mid Sixties at the latest, then?

What's the purpose of the lo/hi cool switch? It's not a two-sped compressor, surely. Does it give fresh air on lo and recirculate on hi?

 

[ovrphil]

toploader - thanks Eddie, I will read that link tomorrow...looks interesting!

PhilR - I like the third video of your Fridgidaire A/C but they're all nice. And not related, thanks again for the brochure for the Amana radarange. I need to print it out, yet.

Martin - before I came to aw.org, I was smiling in a snickering-way at the old vintage faux-wood appliances.
Since hangin' out here, I'm taking another look at the faux wood look and liking it all over again. LOL!

Robert - nice unit - so pristine...is it fairly quiet ?

I have a couple questions - anyone know which A/C's had the rotating vents?
Also, were there A/C units that had humidity controls as well? I thought I read on aw.org sometime, that
there were, but didn't see anyone mention which units.

 

[philr]

That's a very nice find Robert!