First machine, seeking advice on Westinghouse WC-60

[halehouse]

Maybe a Cavalier 64 with the can/bottle stack?

http://soda-machines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=292&Itemid=14

[mznb1u]

You want to look for a machine from the Cavalier USS line.  I have a USS 64 and it can vend just about anything.  Many of them out there so parts should not be an issue.  They made a 8-64 (8 selections 8 bottles on a shelf--cans only fit 7), 12-96, a 12-144 and 15-180.  The last two are pretty big machines--read HEAVY!--and you said it was for the basement.  Here is a nice USS-96 for sale in Brighton, MI.  The brown is a little drab but nothing a coat of paint could not fix.  I have no connection to this machine but it appears to be priced right if all is there and working.  Based on the tag hanging from the marquis sign, I suspect that this did not sell in the last garage sale so you might even be able to get it cheaper.

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/clt/3339419324.html

  Tim

[MoonDawg]

       Am I the only one wondering..........who painted that machine?  And why?

[johnieG]

       Am I the only one wondering..........who painted that machine?  And why?

A Guy I knew who's father owned a vending machine business with machines in the local General Motors auto factories, and they had to comply with GM's vendors "paint code" & so all of his machines were a gun metal gray, be they Pepsi,Coke, Candy & Cigarette machines or whatever.  supposedly this kept any one vendor from having an unfair advantage by making their machines stand out from the other guys in the vending lineup...or in this case, they really liked brown. 

[mznb1u]

Johnie's explanation makes sense.  I have seen other Coke macines of this vintage painted in that same brown. Maybe UPS had the same requirement?

Tim

[skreien]

Any other machines come to mind that can do both cans and bottles?  My wife doesn't like the look of the cavalier uss machines.  Finally found a nice one with lots of pictures on eBay only to have my wife say "that's ugly". So it goes I guess.

[johnieG]

You can look at a Westinghouse MC series models 60/78/102-MD all will handle bottle or can at the same time, beware of nonfunctional vending motors on these as they are hard to come by.

Or any dual-chute/ column vending machine from the earlier 1960's could be setup to handle either bottle or cans, ( these are multi-button machines) Cavalier made some really nice looking machines with attractive chrome trim ( as did Vendo) be aware that if the machine has a serpentine vending rack, it will only vend cans as many of the earlier bottle machines of this era were converted from bottle delivery to cans by removing the bottle column & sticking in a dedicated can rack.

the Westy' WC60MD pictured was mine originally, browse the soda-machines section & take a look around.

[skreien]

Well, the guy from craigslist about the 60 started responding to me.  he says it cools, but only down to about 55 degrees.  He doesn't really know anything else about it.  I'm wondering if it's just one of the fan motors is tied up.  I'm going to arrange a time to go take a look.  If one of the fans isn't running I can put a multimeter on it and see if it's just the motor.  If so, how much is a new fan motor?  Any other ideas?

[johnieG]

Bad thermostat, ($35-45) bad evaporator or condenser fan motor (approx. $25-30) be warned, the evap fan is lot's of fun to get replace, if you've lucky the upper evaporator fan may only be jammed by a broken bottle or some trash, or the worst case scenario would be a slow leak in the cooling system (low freon)   Also beware of brittle & exposed wiring in these machines before you go sticking your hands inside with it running and/or plugged in to voltage. there are no easily exposed cooling fan motor terminals to get to without removing cover plates & boxes. so feel for the breeze on the rear wall inside above the evap' housing, look for frost on the small capillary line & evap' coils on the right side of the housing. & go from there.