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Just wanted to share with everyone what arrived in the mail today! Thanks to Glen (Moondawg81b) for looking the machine over for me and orchestrating the deal. Without his expertise and patience, not to mention crating the machine, it never would of happened. Now comes the decision to try and keep it original or do a full restore. I always try to lean towards the all original machines but this thing needs some definite TLC. Will keep you all posted in the process. Thanks again Glen for your help.

JB

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0169.jpg)
 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0170.jpg)
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0171.jpg)

awesome buy, where from and how much?

I never get snything that cool arriving in the mail. Congrats

We need the story on this one Jeff,
You are on fire... nice score..
can't wait to hear the story.
from the photos... it looks like it could be left as a nice original and just maybe refurbed a bit? but hard to tell from just photos

reat machine... I agree...All yellow is the way to go.

John, this machine was advertised last month on CL in California and Glen was gracious enough to go look at it for me. It has a coin changer mech but is missing most of the top parts to the mech.  I'll have to find parts for the mech as well as some other small stuff like a door lock set and door glass. Does need some rust repair around the belt line and needs a few dents in the door removed. If i decide to restore this machine, it will be sprayed with single stage lacquer and not over-restored. I like to stay as close to original as possible after restoration...although, the really glossy machines look good too. Shoot me a PM if you have a good source for a chromer and zinc plater. Here are a few more pics I took today.

Coin mech missing parts!
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0172.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0188.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0178.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c283/bondovian/Vendolator%20RC-81/IMG_0173.jpg)

Excellent score!
Congrats!!!

WoW! Great looking machine.

I like the woodgrain finish in the first picture! And I'm sure that Pat Pixley did as well!  8) :laugh: :biggrin:

Nice score.  You will have to keep us poasted on the restoration!

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

  WOW ! Nice Score ! Sure Tom (Collector ) Can supply you wiyh the Missing Coin Mech Parts .

nice... :drinking:

         Well Jeff, I'm glad you're happy with it and I'm grateful Forward Air didn't damage it!   If I had the money I would have been the new owner.

         You are only missing 1 part for the coin mech. that's the slug rejector and I'm sure Tom has one.

         Here is a little history on it!

         The guy I picked this machine up from said his Father got it from the Thrifty drug store here in town about 40 years ago and only used it to keep his beer cold. Then about 6 years ago the old man decided to move and didn't want to haul it with him. He held a garage sale and priced this machine at $300.00 but no one would buy it, so the day before his move he called his son and asked if he wanted it for free!   :darn:  
(How did I miss that)?

        It was only recently the son did some research and realized the value of what he had inherited.
        I heard from Jeff Walters that of the 200 of these made, only 36 have been documented to still exist. I guess this makes #37.     Congradulations Jeff!

      

Congratulations nice find.

Great story on Members helping members again :happydrinkers:
Also great story on the machine..
Jeff, yes the missing parts will not be hard to locate at all.. and after closer inspection,  I see it's a little rougher than the first picture, still not bad? and maybe you'd consider just doing a refurb on it before a total restore.. basically tear it down, and do all the inside stuff, check out the rust and if it's not through, maybe just treat that area and try to clean up the outside and see how it looks? I 've done this before on machines, and it basically keeps it original , just cleaned up..

looks great and I hope you got a fair deal on it,, eitehr way, great addition.. so do you have all the 81's now?

John he still needs to buy my original 7up

Glen,

Great story.  Better yet, you went out of your way to help another person.  I'll bet there'll be a sparkling RC81 in heaven for you.

Since I'm going to be touching up this machine's cabinet, has anyone found a close match for the RC yellow? My preferred line of paint is Dupont but I can shoot any brand. I tried doing a seach to see if this has been covered before but couldn't find anything. I can always take it to my paint supplier and they can scan the color to produce a close match. Then it's just a matter of tinting it one way or another. Thanks!

They did a scan for me a while back and the paint code I used was PPG #82284. I have another one being painted now and that is the code that I am using. Hope this helps you out.