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Soda Machines, Coolers & Dispensers => Pre 60's Machines & Coolers => Topic started by: SIGNGUY on August 03, 2009, 03:35:22 pm



Title: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: SIGNGUY on August 03, 2009, 03:35:22 pm
Just saved another Vendo 81, and preserved it for hopefully another 50 years!. This one is for a customer order in Colorado. It is an 81D that when found, had the Coke embossing, Mudded over and  a metal plate to make the front smooth so they could put this Pepsi Sticker on it.. Luckily the embossing was not damaged in any way.. Also had the coin door patched and mudded to set it up for electric, Converted it all back for mechanical operation. See the before and after photo.., yes same machine,,,, Thanks for looking!


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: cokemachinesandmore on August 03, 2009, 03:53:16 pm
very nice restoration  john


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: Kilroy on August 03, 2009, 06:26:04 pm
Sweet!


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: collecture on August 03, 2009, 07:19:42 pm
Nice John...Let's see some more!


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: Larry on August 03, 2009, 07:47:38 pm
Nice job!!

Any inside pics??


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: MoonDawg on August 03, 2009, 08:00:06 pm
       Great save John!

       Maybe this is what really started the war between Coke vs. Pepsi ?  :tounge:


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: BrianB on August 04, 2009, 07:03:25 am
Excellent restoration, John. good to see another machine preserved!


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: rugrunner on August 04, 2009, 07:30:18 am
Beautiful job!

Why would you do all that work to make it a Pepsi machine in the first place?


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: Funtronics on August 04, 2009, 07:48:39 am
Hey there John.
Glad to see that you saved this machine. I knew that it would look great back as a Coke machine. I just didn't have the time to do it. It looks like you did a excellent job on it. Glad that you have a buyer for it also.
Thanks for sharing the photos. It is always great to see before and after pictures.
Rod
Fun-Tronics


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: SIGNGUY on August 04, 2009, 09:29:22 am
Nice John...Let's see some more!
Thanks Guys, Full detailed pictures of the resto process are on my website at www.popmachineshop.com click on restoration/ortega to view all photos from start to finish..
Beautiful job!

Why would you do all that work to make it a Pepsi machine in the first place?
I didn't , it was found this way... but yeah,, not sure why someone would go through that work to do so.. oh well.. glad they didn't just bash it in..


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: collecture on August 04, 2009, 09:45:34 am
John,
I read that you ran into a small glitch with the 'backing plate' on the coin mech. What are you referring to?
What I thought about these SD/LD mechs and see is it is a 44 mech and the coin chute is too tall - is that what you are talking about? Did the bezel hit the duckbill chute and prevent the coin door from closing?


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: mdunn on August 04, 2009, 06:09:35 pm
Very nice conversion, nice to see it back as stock.



Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: mznb1u on August 04, 2009, 09:52:09 pm
Top notch!!!

 :drinking: Tim :drinking:


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: SIGNGUY on August 05, 2009, 08:38:01 am
John,
I read that you ran into a small glitch with the 'backing plate' on the coin mech. What are you referring to?
What I thought about these SD/LD mechs and see is it is a 44 mech and the coin chute is too tall - is that what you are talking about? Did the bezel hit the duckbill chute and prevent the coin door from closing?
the mech is the one that came with it, and I didn't spend time resourcing a Change giver mech so went with this one.. The small glitch was not the duckbill chute, that actually still fit fine, it was the backing plate that mounts onto the coin mech did not have the beveled edge on the left side (facing) so the coin door would not close, I didn't realize there where two or three different style backing plates and had to order one up from Janet and Rod at FUNTRONICS (plug) they hooked me up with the correct one and just had to get it painted, so that delayed me by a week on the resto.. not big deal and machine is in transit to the new owner as we speak today!

On to another 81 B and a Vendo 39, as well as 3 gas pumps I'm restoring right now.. and oh not to mention a stoner JR that is the paint shop, and a Dole Jr Fountain dispenser... that's about it...  :Oo:


Title: Re: Another 81 will live on for Years to come, recent restoration
Post by: BrianS on August 05, 2009, 10:23:41 pm
John,

After reading your last post and seeing the link to your website, I had to go and check out your upcoming projects.  Your site is great.  As a novice trying to gleam as much as I can, I found the description of your restoration process very interesting and educational.  And the pics I found to be very druel inducing.  :tounge: I love seeing these machines brought back to life.  Thanks!