SMC Discussion Areas

Good evening all,
I've been interested in a Coke machine for a long time.  I always wanted one with the side door and the bottle 'gates'.  I remember using one as a kid at the garage across the street from where I grew up. 
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Cavalier CS-96E I found on Craig's List.   The seller said it wouldn't vend, but it cooled.  I paid $300 for it after making sure the compressor worked.  I took it home and cleaned it up, 'un stuck' the solenoid (causing the gates to not release), and by Sunday evening had a working Coke Machine.   :biggrin:
I've already been scouring this site for information and hints/tips and it has been awesome, so thank you one and all for your knowledge.  I'm sure I will be lurking and posting quite a bit.
Here is a picture of my new toy.  I just added the correct sign courtesy of FunTronics.

Congrats on your 1st machine

Nice machines I have a couple myself

Welcome!... And make room... more machines will follow.

Congrats! It wont be your last! Machines are more addicting than drugs!

Welcome to SMC. Great looking machine.
Creighton

Welcome aboard.  Pretty good looking machine for an everyday user.  If you spend a little time cleaning and polishing the front of that machine you will probably be able to get that red to pop again!

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:

Start making room for more, It's just the beginning!

And the support group here will definetly help feed that addiction, to make you want to get more machines, Lol

Welcome and congrats!!!
Like others have said.... it will NOT be your last.!!!

Enjoy! :happydrinkers:

Congrats....and Welcome.....

Good looking  Cav.  there will be more that will follow you home in  the future.
 and welcome to the board :smile:.

Congratulations, my first machine was also a Cavalier 96 but the C model, and like the other said it wasn't the last... it actually started quite a collection  :happydrinkers:

I really like the "light up" coke machines!

I tried using my machine with it set for a dime for a long time and after furnishing the dimes all the time I just  unhooked my rack at the bottom so it is free vend.

Congatulations on your machine and welcome to the board.  You will find it extremely helpful and addicting.  These guys aren't kidding about more machines following you home.  I searched around for over a year for my first machine thinking I wanted to get the perfect model since I was only going to have one machine in hte house.  Well, I finally found it, started working on it, followed this forum, and a year later I now have three.  But people here don't discriminate, soon you may also find yourself shortly in need of a candy machine, jukebox, popcorn machine, or some fireplace doors.  You just never know.

Good luck in your future hunting and welcome aboard!

Hi Jholmgren,

Nice find & welcome aboard!  I have a similar one a Cav USS-96, they are good solid machines.
Also, I'm a member of a few "collectors sites" and this by far is the most helpfully and friendliest .. I sure you find it the same. 

Ray

Thanks for all the welcome messages everyone!

 I want to add a public THANK YOU to JohnieG for fixing up my coin mech.  It had more issues than I thought, but now it is back in the machine and works PERFECTLY every time.   I couldn't be happier with the work.  Going the extra mile to find me a replacement NOS slug rejector was the icing on the cake.

Jim

Good luck with it because it wont be your last.

Brian

Thanks all  - I've already identified my next machine.   :laugh: 
I'm on the hunt for a nice V23 "Spin Top" model.  I posted something in the "Pre 60's" forum, but if anyone reading this has a line on a nice V23 - please PM me.  I saw a couple on eBay over the weekend, but they appear to be way over-priced IMO.

Thanks!
Jim

Nice machine. The great thing about a 96 is all of the different drinks you van put in it.

Indeed - I'm thinking of taking a trip to "Reading Draft & Universal Carbonics" http://www.readingdraft.com/Reading_Draft/Sodas.html this wekend to stock up on some bottled birch beers, etc.     :happydrinkers:

This site is by far the best, with a great bunch of coke nuts and so helpful to me when i found my machine that was not working and completely empty, but i struggled through and now have a working Cav cs80c that sits proudly in my garage workshop and is only used in the summer stocked with cold beer and my own brew, named Toms ole cranky brew lol.A nice dark beer like Guinness. Again "te best site going"

I cant agree more! The info here and the amount of friendly help is amazing compared to a couple of other forums I follow.  Just wish you guys would quit posting picts, my "Oh thats a cool machine" comments are getting strange looks from the wife,

She doesnt understand.

nice machine!!!! funny how every one on here says it wont be your last and they are 100% corrrect i just wanted one and i have 3 in three months lol

Yep - I just wanted one.   By the time I got it up and running, I was already trying to decide on my next model.  :laugh:

Going to look at a "barn sale" Friday morning that lists a "Drug Store Coke Cooler Machine" - no other details.  The seller claims he does not know the model number and already has pictures on the CL ad (no, he doesn't). 

However, he does know for sure that he wants $350 for it as-is and that if it doesn't sell he is going to restore it himself and sell it for $1,200.    :glare:

Soooo...let me get this straight - you don't know the model number, you 'think' you put pictures on CL of it, but you are CERTAIN you will be able to restore it yourself and sell it for $1,200 if you don't get your asking price.

Despite my gut feeling telling me it is going to be a waste of time, I think I'm going to try to get a look at it on Friday morning.   I pass within 5 miles of the place on my way to work.

The thrill is in the hunt.

Well - surprise, the seller actually sent me some pictures!   I don't know exactly what this is, but I think I'm going to pass unless someone says "Dude, for $350 you need to go get that machine and restore it!" ... or if someone wants me to pick it up for them...