Restoring refrigeration unit

[choice120]

Can anyone guide me with restoring the refrig unit for my vendo 56 square top. I gave it a shot of freeze 12 and after 3 days of sitting I plugged her in overnight. After about 12 hours and on max cold she maintained 28 degrees no iceing. I think if there is a leak its very small. So what I want to do is keep this original piece with the machine. I would like to know how to clean up evap condenser and fan motors etc. Condenser has rust on it. Can you guys give me Ideas on restoring this baby. I guess also I will be learnig to braze if I want to do this right. Thanks again

[coke_and_stuff]

100% disassemble it. I sandblast mine, You might want to pressure check the evaporator. Paint, New wiring, fan motors, thermostat, recharge. maybe add a dryer? You can go all out or just grab a spray bomb and go crazy? Its all up to you on how much time you want to go into it, how much money, and how nice you want it to look.

Joey

[choice120]

Thanks for the info Joey. Do you also dissassemble the bottle stack and sandblast that too. Does the painting of the stack affect its operation? Thanks again

[coke_and_stuff]

All bottle stacks that I do, I tear down, sandblast, some I paint others I powdercoat. I always powdercoat the faceplate or the bottle gates.

Joey

[RC kid]

How expensive is it to powder coat the face plate?

[coke_and_stuff]

I get 81 faceplates done locally for $15-20 Cavalier fingers or bottle gates I think are around $3.00 each

Joey

[RC kid]

Great...I am paying the same amount here in my neck of the woods. I was just checking because between the corvette and the machines, my powder coat bill is really killing me.

Well...I guess that's the cost of playing the restoration game.

[coke_and_stuff]

I took all the parts from an 81, and all the parts from a 39, and 72 and it cost me around $300.00.

What year Vette?

Joey

[choice120]

When you say faceplates are those the pieces that say pull?  RC Here is my resto vette.




Good company for my soda machines

[coke_and_stuff]

On a can stack the can gates are what you would get powdercoated, They are the things that say pull.

Joey

[RC kid]

Nice vette.

I own an 81. Nothing special, but it's nice, inexpensive, and easy to work on. I am rebuilding everything forward of the engine right now, and let me tell you, there is a lot up there to refresh. I dropped the front frame extension and pulled the light buckets out, bought a bunch of new parts and powder coated everything metal that could be removed from the car and sent in.  I am putting that all back together now.
Detailing the engiine compartment is next.

[choice120]

compartment is my next project after I get this machine done. I did the interior over last year and rebuilt the steering colum.

[RC kid]

I recently did the suspension and brakes. OEM rubber on everything that goes up and down and Poly urathane on everything that goes side to side, new springs, shocks and tires. Stainless steel brake lines and new calipers.

I am thinking about soda blasting the body and repainting it this springs. Silver.

I like the interior of your ride. Nice job.

[choice120]

Thanks RC. Well I disassembled the whole cooling system this evening. Here are the pieces.




going to get some abrasive tommorrow and start blasting. and take a closer look at the evaporator. That may be my leak source. If so can you get just the evaporator and the condenser alone and where?

Rc here are some pics of my resto job on the interior gutted right down to the firewall.






After

[RC kid]

Your like me, when you start something, you really dig in deep.

Great work.

[mznb1u]

Joey,

When you say "all" the parts for a 39 for powdercoating--what would that include?  I may look into powder-coating for my 39 when I get everything soda-blasted.

Thanks!

Tim

[coke_and_stuff]

Tub, main door liner, back half of the drum with the weight, lockbar, lockbar brackets, coin box and bracket, cap catcher, coin chute, stuff like that.

I DO NOT powdercoat the wire drum release, ratchet assembly, or the aluminum part of the drum. all this gets sandblasted and painted.

Joey

[choice120]

Well I blasted the cooling system today and found the leak. Its in the evaporator. After blasting most of it I could see the oil seeping out. I guess I will be in search of a cooling system for this machine. Kind of sucks because I am on a tight budget. Dont know if I can just replace the evap or even if its worth it. If anyone has a cooling system cheap let me know. Thanks Guys. Time to start dissasembling the can rack.

[coke_and_stuff]

$10.00 with NO Reserve, highest bid wins

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=230316983297

Its ready to bolt in, well after you dust it off and wipe it down!

Joey

[choice120]

Thanks Joey