Free is Free,, don't care how ugly it is... compact 50 slider

[SIGNGUY]

I am on the Chamber of Commerce board here in town, and was in the back room of one of the storage buildings we have and stumbled across this cooler. I asked our administrator about it and she said, "oh that ol thing, it's too big to put in the trash, I might just put it out front to the curb with a free sign on it".  I graciously offered to "throw it away" for her.
it's compete, cools, IT's for sale.. if anyone wants it.

[halehouse]

Heck yeah, you were smart to take it for free. It's not that ugly. Mine looked like that before I redid it in red and white. The button on the front looks good and it is complete like you said. The lid looks straight. The cap catcher doesn't look cracked and the inside doesn't look rusty. It was probably used inside like it was supposed to be.

[SIGNGUY]

yes, it was inside it's whole life... cool thing is, it has a sticker on the inside that says Coca-Cola Bottling Company Rice Lake Wi. which was my Grandfathers plant... so in reality, our family ownes it anyway.
the woodgrain top looks to be plastic, , so you must just paint over that?, what about the sides.. is it wood grain decal or paint, I'm assuming you have to strip it off to paint it?
Thanks
John

[loman4ec]

Its paint. I have always just scuffed and painted. The top is a piece of metal with foam inside. If the metal has seperated as most do you can take it off and sane scrape the foam flat and glue the top back on. I usually have a new piece of metal cut and then cover the metal with vinyl to match the paint. this way it can be scratched. People always sit their bottles on top of the lid and it scratches the paint so with it covered in vinyl it is much tougher and is easier to recover if you need to down the road. it wa smy Dads idea so I can't take credit  These coolers look so cool when they are done. I don't mean to hijack this thread but this is what it can look like done. I know I have posted these many times. yes the budweiser one is coverted into a kegerator and the tap handle is coming out of the cap catcher.

[mllaugh3]

Both of these are awesome.  I have one that is gutted so I think I may steal your kegerator idea.  Very cool.

[loman4ec]

Only the small home brew kegs will fit. I made this one into a jocky box type kegerator. The keg sits outside the cooler and the beer goes through lines coiled inside to get cold. It worked but keg beer is not pasteurized so you have to finish the keg in one or two days max or the beer will go sour. We used it for party's and it worked great! You could still fill the cooler with cans and bottles while serving cold beer. But you had to finish the keg or it gets nasty. I think the small home brew kegs would fit though.

[halehouse]

Mine used to look pretty much like yours too with the woodgrain. The woodgrain was just painted on like Josh said. It had the Coca Cola button on the front, but a Pepsi light up sign. I found the Coca Cola light up for it. I've posted these pics before, but this is what it looks like now.

[scalebowler]

I really like that little coke machine. If I had the room for one of these I would love to get one. I think they are kind of neat looking

[SIGNGUY]

Yeah, painted up , looks 150% better.. did you paint the hard rubber gasket on the top of the cooler box too? mine is an off white? looks nasty...
so the woodgrain, you just scuffed and painte hugh... may have to mess with mine to see what i can do with it.

[halehouse]

Yeah, painted up , looks 150% better.. did you paint the hard rubber gasket on the top of the cooler box too? mine is an off white? looks nasty...
so the woodgrain, you just scuffed and painte hugh... may have to mess with mine to see what i can do with it.

Yes. I painted the plastic around the top edge of the chest, but sprayed it with plastic primer first. It seems to be holding up fine.