Vmc90 restoration

Hi,

I'm always wanted a pop machine but until February I lived on a small Caribbean Island so shipping one was prohibitively expensive.  I picked this machine up last week.  Although I wanted a Coke machine, this Dr Pepper machine is in good shape and not too much rust.  It runs, vends and cools well (needs evaporator fan worked on) down below freezing.  I'm just to the point of cleaning it up and looking for info on the machine itself.  The VMC90's don't seem to have a ton of info on them out there.  Don't know if they just aren't popular, or if they are hard to find.

Anyway, I'm excited about the project and look forward to learning more from all of you.

TreBob

[loman4ec]

Nice machine. Welcome to the site. If you are looking for info on your machine. The vendo's and vendorlators are almost identical besides a few cosmetic differences. The VF90 is also a vendo 63 that is streached a few inches so if you can only find a manual for the 63 it will work. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. One of us here should be able to help.

[dr galaga]

Wow, another one with a drinking fountain!  The are all coming out of the wood (grain vinyl) work lately

Welcome aboard trebob!

Quote (dr galaga @ July 03 2005,10:32)

Wow, another one with a drinking fountain!  The are all coming out of the wood (grain vinyl) work lately Welcome aboard trebob!

Enjoy looking at the water fountain while you can..  It's destined for a new home in the landfill..  '>

It's got a big hole in the copper tubing looped inside for cooling and corroded connectors going to the fountain..  I think a little JB weld or bondo will fix the holes..

(the wood grain is coming off too)

 '>

[sodaworks]

Welcome aboard trebob,
  Nice machine. You mentioned that you wanted a coke machine, you could convert it over to a coke machine. The decals and light up sign are readily avail. from from Funtronics and Soda jerk works. Be sure to post some pic's. when finished. You can also place the dr pepper ad glass and drinking fountain on ebay to recoupe some of your expenses.  

Welcome to the family here. We're glad you found us. Nice machine.
Instead of tossing the "bubbler", I say try selling it on eBay. Might get a few bucks to put toward a new marquee sign or something.

Wow, two different suggestions to sell the water fountain..  Honestly I wouldn't know how to list it or how much to ask..  I had no idea it would have value..  The cooling coil in there blew out and obviously sprayed water all over the machine..  Thankfully there's still very little real rust areas..  Excuse the shelves in the pic.. They have some light surface rust on them, but cleaned up very well with some steel wool and CLR..  See before and after pic (painted with Rustoleum Hammered)..  I've decided at this point to leave it as a DP machine.. The lighted ad sign is in really fine shape, with only some light surface scratches that can easily be removed..

Hole in tubing outlined in yellow


Before and after bottle shelves


Going to move in a few weeks, so I'm holding off pulling the cooling unit and other parts until after that..  Until then it's just scrub and scrub..  '>

I do have a little question..  The light in the door is out and my hands are too big to get in there and twist it to remove it..  Is there a trick to getting it out other than removing parts of the door??

You guys are great, thanks for the encouragement..

[dr galaga]

Quote (trebob @ July 04 2005,11:52)

The light in the door is out and my hands are too big to get in there and twist it to remove it..  Is there a trick to getting it out other than removing parts of the door??

If it is like my V63, the light socket just pops out.  I was affraid to snap it out, but I was surprised how easily it came out.  You may want to go and get a higher wattage "night light" bulb so that it is brighter.

Oops, sorry for not being specific..  It's not the "Correct change only" light I'm talking about, I already replaced that with a 7 watt bulb..  It's the fluorescent light in the side of the vending door..  I got the glass panel off and can touch the bulb, but can't get enough traction to twist it..

[dr galaga]

Oh, my Vendo uses a night light bulb in the door '>

[johnieG]

Hello & welcome to the site trebob, Nice machine!to help remove the lamp from it's socket, you'll get a much better grip with a pair of rubber gloves, as you found out, they don't leave you much room to get your fingers in there!

Welcome trebob!  Don't be afraid to ask questions these guys are a great resource.  I have learned a lot just reading through the old posts.  Lots of good information here.

[sodaworks]

Maybe you could grip the bulb on the metal end with a pair of needle nose pliers?

With the machine unplugged first, of course!!!  '>

[Eric]

You gonna go with the Mint Green and white/cream color combo on this?
I think sodaworks sells a decal set for DP. Nice looking machine.
The shelf looks like new with the paint job.
Welcome to the club... Stick around and let us see how she turns out!

Eric

[BrianB]

Either way you slice it, that machine is gonna rock when you get it done! Great job Trebob! Keep us updated with plenty of pic's!

Quote (Eric @ July 06 2005,10:42)

You gonna go with the Mint Green and white/cream color combo on this? I think sodaworks sells a decal set for DP. Nice looking machine. The shelf looks like new with the paint job. Welcome to the club... Stick around and let us see how she turns out! Eric

Actually I thought hard about that over the holiday weekend..  I've decided on the mint green colour on the sides/top and stay with bright white on front and back..

I also saw a pic with the decals I think I'd like, the DP bottle in hand and the "friendly pepper upper" quote..  Something like a combination of these two pics I surfed up:






What'cha tink?

[Eric]

Nice.. yeah those are the decals that Sodaworks carries...... Gonna be a nice machine!!!

Eric

Should look good...keep us posted with pics!!

[joesquid]

Back to the water fountain.  I took one off a Vendo 144, shined it up with a copper wheel on my bench grinder and sold it on e-bay for $37.  Not bad for something I had considered just tossing out the door!