Dole Director in Michigan

[johnieG]

Found this Dole Director Coke soda fountain dispenser in Flushing Michigan, I drove over to have a look-see, it's in pretty good shape and is complete with its Drain-tray & the grill that goes into it.  but it does have a crack in the left side-panel & one of the dispenser levers (the third one on the far right) have been removed & the the nozzle for the selection plugged, & yes, it does weigh a ton!   It piqued my interest, but I'm not a dispenser guy...so just passing it along.  here's the Craig's list link... her asking price was $100.00 which is well worth the parts, especially the drip-tray

http://flint.craigslist.org/atq/1906231196.html

[Kilroy]

I may have the side panels if anyone is interested. I've hauled one of these for a former board member here,  Johnie is correct, they are heavy and awkward as heck to move around.

[stuntpilot]

Heavy and awkward is an understatement!  They will also occasionally give you a good jolt electrically speaking.

They make a wonderful and simple home fountain if you can find a working version with the carbonator still mounted underneath the valves.

It employes a very simple dry refrigeration system that's works great and gives you a drink at around 35 degrees. Cracked side panels were very common with this machine, usually caused by having to move the awkward unit. All the weight is on the top so they would fall over quite easily.

[Kilroy]

I can also tell you they won't fit in the back of a Grand Am

[johnieG]

They'll only need the left side, the right is in very good shape, this will be a nice addition to someones home or collection, plus it's relatively easy to hook up, just pour in your syrups into the reservoirs & the machine will dilute it to the proper ratio. you could transfer the syrup from a BIB ( bag-in-box) syrup container as needed & refrigerate the rest for later. just add a CO2/carbonation system & away you go.

[cokemachinesandmore]

just curious is there a special water line needed for this type of fountain

[stuntpilot]

Soda water inlet is a 1/2" FPT with a 1/4" barbed stem which needs to be stainless steel.

Basically the same as a CO2 regulator tank connector but stainless.

It's getting kind of tough to find these, if you need one I can probably set you up as I still have a couple laying around in my parts stash.

[cokemachinesandmore]

can the type of dispenser like the one in your avatar be used to dispense pop, or does it have to be a newer model?

[stuntpilot]

It's possible if the dispenser is in good enough shape.

The biggest problem with old dispensers like that as with draft arms from old soda fountains is the valve bodies pit from the continuous contact from soda water which causes them to leak.

Soda arms use leather washers for there sealing means but pitting renders them useless as you lose the smooth surface for the leather to seal against.

I have three of those motorboat fountains and always wanted to try and get one going but haven't got around to it. The one in the pic could be good enough to work, it's in excellent condition. I'm going to hook up my newer fountain again and I'll have to give the motorboat a try.

The Director in this thread would be a better candidate for home use as it relies on o-rings for sealing which can be replaced. But they also have issues of their own which without knowledge would be hard to fix.

There is a very nice Dole Super on e-bay right now, the price is top dollar and I'm curious to see if it sells.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320624667424&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[scalebowler]

How hard is it to find a carbonator for one of these machines and what is a pretty good price for one of them? Someone has one on craigslist near me and I am thinking of trying to get it. It does not have the carbonator or the CO2 tank but they say it  does work.

[stuntpilot]

Carbonators are easy to find especially on e-bay.

Should be able to get one for $50-$75 although it depends on the brand and age.

If you want the original that fits inside a Dole Director you need to locate a short tank Alco temprite carbonator which fits on a base that slides into the compartment below the valves on the Director.
This would be a little tougher to locate although not impossible.

If you buy a carb just make sure the front of the pump is not buldged out which is caused by freezing the pump with water inside. people forget to drain them before putting them in the garage in the northern climates.

I'll check e-bay and see if there's any good candidates.

Post a pic of your craigslist find and I'll tell you what it might be worth.

[scalebowler]

Right now I am just looking at one on craigslist and deciding if I want to get it or not. Here is the link to the ad http://omaha.craigslist.org/atq/2193737996.html

[stuntpilot]

It looks like it's in pretty good shape and all the parts are there, at least the visible ones. Ask the guy to look behind the drip pan the carbonator could still be inside but not likely. Alot of people don't know what a carbonator is. If he used it for 15 years he had to have a carbonator or just used it as a water dispenser.

Also ask if the floats are still in the syrup tanks.

$475 is a bit steep for a Director. I would offer him $150 if the compressor runs and it cools.

Are you in Omaha?  I'm in Lincoln.

[stuntpilot]

Here's a Director I found on e-bay which still has the carb mounted under the valves, you can barely see it it the last photo. It also still has the original power cord which is rare so this one has'nt been all hacked up and worked on.

Missing the drip pan but in nice original condition starting at $99 and I would be surprised if it sells.

I'm showing you this just for comparison. and to give you a visual of the original carb.


http://cgi.ebay.com/1960-s-COCA-COLA-FOUNTAIN-DISPENSER-ORIGINAL-NH-/110648365229?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c32810ad

[scalebowler]

I think I will send him an offer and see what he says. Looks like a pretty good machine for home use. Yep I'm in Omaha but I did go to UNL last year. It's pretty cool to find someone who is close by. You ever been to Rocket fizz in lincoln? Pretty neat store I think.

[stuntpilot]

Small world huh!! I spend alot of time on campus working in the frat and sorority houses as an electrician.

Never even heard of Rocket Fizz, what is it?

Feel free to send me a message if you need help looking over the machine. It would be good if you can verify there are no valve leaks or other problems.

I worked for Coca-Cola for 22 years and these were some of the first dispensers I ever worked on back in the late 70's.  A very simple machine which is pretty bulletproof.
Be advised you will need a crane to lift it.  LOL!!

Here's a carb I found on E-bay which I could fix in 5 minutes, it's the preferred brand, McCann's.  the same guy has a carb which has a seized pump that could be easily fixed but you could find a better looking one if you took your time and waited for the right opportunity or hit a local restaurant auction.
http://cgi.ebay.com/McCanns-Model-43-5000-Carbonator-Carbonated-Water-Pump-/290526472843?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a4ba2a8b

[scalebowler]

Rocket Fizz is a store that sells mostly old type of pop in glass bottles and they have some old types of candy and a ton of metal signs for sale. None of the signs are  real coke signs or anything like that but some are kind of neat or fun. They have one location at 14th and pinelake out by Lincoln Southwest high school and they have another location at 70th and A. Thats pretty cool that you used to work for coke. I bet you got a pretty good collection of stuff from them. I will let you know if I decide to get the machine. Would be really cool to set up in the kitchen or something like that.

[stuntpilot]

I'll go and check out the Rocket Fizz place, sounds kind of cool.

I do have quite a collection of Coke stuff from my working days there, I cringe at some of the things i just threw away all those years. I've owned three directors thru the years, one I gave to a old girlfriend and the other two i just scrapped. here's the dispenser I have hooked up at the house now, a 1960's vintage Reed-Victor 4 valve dispenser I aquired from a Dairy Queen in Wymore in a trade, this machine is pristine like the day it was made, it has the carb mounted in the top with the compressor and is water bath cooled, the perfect home unit.

I found a super nice Lancer carb on e-bay you can watch and see what it goes for. This one is so nice it might hit $100+ shipping. I have to laugh at the question regarding the carb, poor soul thinks he can connect Coke to it and make pop. lol  not going to happen.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290533934079&category=57068&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619