Vendo 81 C Yes C

[Funtronics]

Did anyone else see the Vendo 81 C on craigslist for sale. It was posted for $395.00. I called the guy and he said he sold it for $500.00 and had three other people behind this guy. I knew it was a C but did not tell him this. Six hours later he calls me and tells me he found out it was a rare Vendo 81 C and wanted me to tell him what it was worth. I told him it was worth whatever he was comfortable getting out of it. Then he told me that he might just keep it and restore it himself. I was thinking to myself "" Oh boy I feel sorry for the guy that thinks he bought it for $500.00 "". The guy that had the Coke machine restores old gas pumps and has never messed with Coke machines. He told me he got it straight out of a barn. The Vendo 81 C does exist. It was an all red machine with a green medallion in the door, and the wording Coca-Cola was centered in the door, and had no chrome trim. It would have been a great machine to have gotten and restored it. So I wonder if he sold it to the guy for $500 or if he kept it?

[coke_and_stuff]

They are out there, a few years ago a few popped up for sale all across the country in a 3 month time frame. One was in Maine, another in Maryland, and the third Mr Carl Coates had. I made a good run for the one in MD but got outbid.

Joey

[MoonDawg]

         Listed it for $395 and sold it for $500 huh? He had 3 other guys besides you waiting?
And some JERK told him it was an 81C?

        Is the CL listing still posted?

[Larry]

There was a C at the Chicago show a few years back.  I still like the B's the best.

[Jim]

The Vendo 81 C does exist. It was an all red machine with a green medallion in the door, and the wording Coca-Cola was centered in the door, and had no chrome trim.

What's unusual is, typically, letter designations would came in sequential order with time and age; meaning, you would think a V-81b would be manufactured before a V-81c... If this were the case, it seems odd that the V-81b is a "white top" which coincides with Coca-Cola's "New Look" theme at the time and then comes a V-81c with no chrome and an "all red" look... The timing is off or it would seem the V-81c was manufactured first and for some reason when Coca-Cola went to the "White Top" Styling they choose to use the "B" version for some reason...
Just thinking out loud...

[loman4ec]

Unless Coke ordered some all red machines for some markets or venders that didn't want the white. Maybe it would be distracting in an office and they only wanted one color or something like that??

[Funtronics]

You both have some really good points.

[RED SPARKS]

So since I am new and don't want to miss out, are the Vendo 81C's the only 81s that came in all red?  So if its all red and the wording on the medallion is in green, check the Vendo tag for a type to be sure or just offer to trade a vital organ???  Thanks for the knowledge, RED

[collecture]

The 81A is all red with a smaller embossing off-center and a green medallion. The 81B is two-tone with the larger embossing more centered and a white medallion. The 81C would be all red with a green medallion and the larger embossing more centered. The 81D is two-tone with larger centered embossing, a white medallion and a large coin door (the A, B & C are all small door models).

[Kilroy]

Yes. Yes, not sure about trading a vital organ, Unless the seller is a collector and knows what he has, you could prolly pick one up for market value.
Personally, i don't care about having one of all four models,  and the all red just doesn't look right, maybe from the years of seeing  the two tone. Your opinion may vary