Close enough for me, or I has a USS-64.

[Pixel]

Well, it took about three years, but I finally got a machine pretty much like I wanted. The machine cools, but I'm still trying to figure out if it's cooling exactly right. The vend stack was hacked, but I have most, if not all of the parts to fix it.

The coin entry and coin release hardware, are of the older style, but both are chrome. I wanted the 80's style combined coin entry and change bezel, but I'm doubtful Cavalier ever offered a machine configured exactly as I wanted. In any event, the bottle door is the correct "wide view" style like I wanted, that's by far more important than the other parts of the configuration.

I'm a bit worried about the paint though, there are little chips missing all over the machine, and it may have gotten worse since I bought it, though it could be my imagination. I'm not sure what to do about that.

I gave $300, I'm currently missing one bottle tray spacer, and the coin box. I've replaced the door light bulb and plexiglass insert, and it works okay. The correct change light is not working, I don't think there is any change in the mech.

Did I do okay on the price?

A few pictures, sorry for the glare (click for larger version).

[Slapshot42]

Good Job!

As long as you are happy with and it works for your purposes don't worry about what you paid...

[Pixel]

I was just wondering if I had hurt myself too badly with the price should I need to sell it. I don't really plan to, but you never know what could happen.

In a way, I've been looking for one more or less like this for at least 10 years. It's been tough failing a lot, but I have learned a lot about these machines, much of it I'd never even thought of years back.

According to the ID tag, it was made in February 1981. I think makes it one of the earlier machines painted in this style. The owner said he rewired it, as the original wiring had rotted and dried out. While that concerned me, I noted the machine was cooling when we arrived, and it did not shock any of us. He must have done a pretty good job. The cooling and the bottle door light works. Not sure about the vending wiring - the stack is not complete in the machine, but the owner gave me a cup full of small parts including the solenoid, and "toggle paddle" that locks the stack back after the vend. I feel I will need some help to get the vending working properly.

At some point, I thought I'd like to put a lighted marquee in it. Cavalier seems to have decided to leave the lit marquee off most of the later USS, probably to save money. They may have felt it was no longer necessary with the large fluorescent light in the bottle door. Dad thinks it would spoil the originality of the machine. Does it really make a difference?

I really wish I knew how the wider view bottle door came about. There are just enough of them around to look like something that could have been optional, but there is very little to go on in the way of hard evidence. Not all of them have decals, though some may have had them removed.

I'm concerned about the chipping paint. If there is any rust on the exterior of the machine, it's very little, but with the paint chipped I'm afraid it won't stay that way. Is their anything short of repainting the machine that can be done?

Pictures of the inside (click for larger photo)


Back - Compressor Deck
 

[steven c]

I personally like the square tops for my personal uses, But I'm not a collector. I was looking for a smaller size to vend 12oz bottles so I located a CSS model. I've enjoyed working on it and getting it all cleaned up and working. Ive had to replace a few things and touch up the paint some and it doesn't take up much room. I call it my glorified beer fridge:)

That one looks like it was worth the wait. I had always wanted one myself over the years and now I have one. Looks like you will enjoy it as much as I do mine. FYI I hear they are addictive and sometimes I find myself thinking about doing a theme one that's Heineken. Lucky it's only a tiny little thought at the moment.

[Pixel]

I personally like the square tops for my personal uses, But I'm not a collector. I was looking for a smaller size to vend 12oz bottles so I located a CSS model. I've enjoyed working on it and getting it all cleaned up and working. Ive had to replace a few things and touch up the paint some and it doesn't take up much room. I call it my glorified beer fridge:)

Thank you. I don't drink beer myself, but I have a weakness for Coca-Cola. I like the USS because it can vend both bottles and cans. Glass bottle soda is expensive. However, I have also owned a CSS, and when they are right the cooling is excellent. Right now the USS doesn't seem to cool quite as fast, but it is sitting outside during warm weather, and the CSS is in a cool basement, so that can have an impact. I gotta find a place to put it.

That one looks like it was worth the wait. I had always wanted one myself over the years and now I have one. Looks like you will enjoy it as much as I do mine. FYI I hear they are addictive and sometimes I find myself thinking about doing a theme one that's Heineken. Lucky it's only a tiny little thought at the moment.

It's not perfect, and it could stand a little TLC as they say, but I've seen them a lot worse in this type of machine. Internally it's probably about as good as one can reasonably expect for it's age. It needs the vending fixed, but these machines have a relatively simple vending system. Worst comes to worst, I could probably swap the entire vend stack out for another.

Square tops in general have relatively little cash value. On the other hand, it's relatively simple to redo one as you see fit. It's likely to be very hard to make money at such a venture, but I can easily see making a fantasy machine for fun.

If I has room. I wouldn't mind having a USS-96 in a very similar style to this one. I wouldn't be completely against the earlier style USS with woodgrain, I just prefer the look of the later style. Plus, the later USS are, front what I can tell, among the very last of the slant shelf machines to be made for the American market.

[Creighton]

Well done !. Cav. USS are a fair amount of work to get vending correctly every time. Worth the effort, however.
Creighton