Ideal 55

[emptynet]

Higganum, my wife grew up there, we are in Middletown. You never know what can be found in your own backyard. Nice find and good luck.

[Fire708]

Nice, looks like NOS from Picts.

[sc1101]

Very nice! It doesn't even look like it has a single ding or scratch on the front.

[RustyGold]

Very nice! It doesn't even look like it has a single ding or scratch on the front.

It has a few, but it clearly had an easy life.  The most aggravating thing is that it is in such nice original shape and perfectly complete, and yet there is a small belt line rust hole right on the front.  It looked like a bubble and I pushed on it (like an ass) and It poked through.  No signs of rust anywhere else.  The liner looking up from the bottom (compressor area) is clean and solid, and the tub from the inside is fine to.  I suppose some moisture got into the insulation space and made a small rust hole.  You can see it in this picture if you look near the cap catcher towards the bottom.

[MoonDawg]

        Are you going to add a main decal?        What I would do with the hole is add one of those small decals that looks like a bullet hole over it.

        I sold a 7up slider last month, the buyer loved it because it had a real bullet hole in the side. 

[cohammer]

Put a bullet decal on it and make up a good story about a gangster shoot out

[RustyGold]

       Are you going to add a main decal?        What I would do with the hole is add one of those small decals that looks like a bullet hole over it.

        I sold a 7up slider last month, the buyer loved it because it had a real bullet hole in the side.  

I like the bullet hole idea.  That would hide it perfectly.  I just need some ideas for vintage decals I could put on it to personalize it.

You know, ultimately I'm going to just hit it with some POR 15 and cover it up with a decal and use this machine.  The original paint looks so good, I would never restore this machine.    New wiring and decal of some sort and call it a day.    
The reason I bought this was more about finding a nice original machine than anything else.  My new focus is on the Survivors.  Machines that look great, but your not afraid to use and enjoy.  I'm also a bargain hunter, so its takes along time to find nice originals that are also good deals.