Tuesday, October 24, 2023

I'd bet that somewhere out there, a couple of these are still running

 


Be the envy of your neighborhood - presenting the new 1948 Frigidaire.

20 comments:

  1. They don't build them like they used to.

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    Replies
    1. The refrigerators either.
      Steve S6

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    2. Your right, once Nixon made deals with China appliances were never built the same and its even worse today. Our nation should have never ever gotten involved with China.

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    3. You talking the frig or the babe?

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  2. Back in the late '80s my folks bought a house which the (literally) little, old lady owned from the time she was a young mother in the 1920s. It was like everything was miniaturized (smaller stove, smaller fridge, etc). The fridge was purchased some time in the early 1940s and it was still running. It was to be rental property so my parents kept those appliances (because modern appliances wouldn't fit in the space) and they kept working for the next twenty years--then one their renters skipped out on them and stole the appliances along with not paying my parents a few months rent. My folks sold the place shortly thereafter as they were hitting their 70s. Once upon a time the term "quality American made products" meant those things could last forever.

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  3. Ah, yes, the kitchen. Where you keep da wimmen.

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  4. yeah, I passed up a chance to own a early 1950's model. round top like that but with shelfs that turned and came out half way like. old and still working in a machine shop that was shutting down. needed a new door gasket and maybe
    a paint job. it weigh a ton ! it had a cast iron compressor in it. for all I know it is still running somewhere. a buddy down the road has one that came with his house. late 1960's model. if he moves, he taking it with him. it already outlasted
    2 new ones he bought after he moved in ! a basement fridge for beer.

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  5. The inlaws still had one until a few years ago, when my father in law died.

    It went with the house. I'd bet anything it's still going.

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  6. The old compressors ran at 780 rpm and had external oil cooling. R12 was the gas used. Overall much heavier and built in america to last.

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  7. Bought a small, used "dorm size" fridge in 1975. It finally died 4-5 yrs. ago.

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  8. I've got a 1946 O'Keefe-Merritt gas range. It's a beauty. Work perfectly and looks amazing. The refrigerators, however, though attractive-looking suck an enormous amount of power and the freezers aren't sized except for ice cubes and a couple of TV dinners. The fridge grew to the size of a Buick to help expand the size of the 'Merkins loitering in front of it. These machines are so huge and ugly we cover them with magnets and photographs. Nixon's first request to Mao was to ask him if he could make refrigerator magnets. He replied, "Magnets? Is all you need magnets?... Oh.... we make you magnets."

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  9. My folks had the identical refrigerator. The little hubcap decoration beneath the door was a handle for a shallow bin that swung out. The thing was built like a Peterbilt.

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  10. Not to long ago I saw an article about how the whole energy star rating system is a scam. That mfrs just put what they want and the gov't buys off on it.

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  11. The upright freezer (Frigidaire by GM) that was installed in the house when it was built is still running after 53 years, it's avocado green of course. The stove is running like a champ as well and is avocado green too! https://imgur.com/CkqHBqn
    - WDS

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  12. We have an old late 40s Frigidaire 'by GM' at our summer camp, it still runs great although it only sees seasonal use. My grandfather bought it used in the 60s. Had to replace door seals and a power cord. The freezer is tiny, big enough for an ice cube tray. We had a big party for it's 50th birthday, stuffed it full of beer and then drank it. I wonder if it will make it to 100.

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  13. Have my wife's grandparents 1950 "General Electric Refrigerator Machine"
    in my garage. Has never had a repair.
    Ugly but cold!
    Bubbarust

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  14. Yup, my dad bought his around 1949, I came along in 52 and it was still running and in use in 1991. I think it finally failed around 95 and if parts were available, could probably have been repaired. The motor was outside the compressor and it had a v belt and pulley system to drive the compressor, think about that, he just replaced belts every 20 years or so. The seals on the shaft were absolutely fantastic to last that long Amazing quality.

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  15. When I was a kid, I thought Frigidaire was how one pronounced “refrigerator,” since that’s what everyone in my grandparents’ generation called it.

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  16. My brother has a beer fridge on his back porch, that is the one his wife's grandparents bought, when they got married in 1937, thing is still working.
    meanwhile, he and his wife have bought 4 refrigerators since they moved into their house 22 years ago.

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  17. The one in my shop is older than that one. Runs fine. Excellent place to keep a recently died dog in cold storage until the ground is thawed enough to bury him. Cat, too. It's also a great place to store your welding rods over the summer.

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