Thread Number: 55872
Strange early-model Flair!
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Post# 782498   9/9/2014 at 02:56 (3,488 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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Have a look at the pics. Can you see something wrong?!



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Post# 782517 , Reply# 1   9/9/2014 at 06:16 (3,488 days old) by ovrphil (N.Atlanta / Georgia )        

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they are showing more than one model of the Flair it seems

Post# 782532 , Reply# 2   9/9/2014 at 08:11 (3,487 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

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Wow, is it a WCI replacement glass panel? Very strange!

Post# 782537 , Reply# 3   9/9/2014 at 08:31 (3,487 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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I doubt WCI would have cared to redesign a replacement panel for it! Maybe the owner broke it and tried to recreate a glass panel for it?

It's also an early model with the burner drawer release located on the left.


Post# 782538 , Reply# 4   9/9/2014 at 08:39 (3,487 days old) by bluejay (Havre de Grace, MD)        

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I've never seen one with blue instead of black.  It looks odd.


Post# 782578 , Reply# 5   9/9/2014 at 12:29 (3,487 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

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The only reason why I suspected that this may be a WCI reissue is the font and logo used for the Frigidaire name matches that of the early 80's WCI Frigidaire stuff.

If someone truly did this themselves, I'll tip my hat to them.


Post# 782603 , Reply# 6   9/9/2014 at 14:25 (3,487 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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I also thought it was funny to have this WCI period emblem.

I was thinking that maybe someone who was trying to recreate the panel used the fonts they found on Internet (see link) without realizing that it was from at least 20 years later... In fact, Frigidaire did use this font in the very last years of it's GM ownership but at that time, the Frigidaire logo was always seen next to a GM logo. 



CLICK HERE TO GO TO PhilR's LINK

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Post# 782606 , Reply# 7   9/9/2014 at 14:51 (3,487 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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I have also never seen a Canadian Flair with the Speed Heat burner. This one seems to have "Speed Heat" written on the glass. It's a very early model but still, I doubt that it would have that feature since it was already gone on some 1959 ranges... 


Post# 782682 , Reply# 8   9/9/2014 at 20:40 (3,487 days old) by carmine (Detroit)        

I noticed the newer logo, but thought "naw, it's gotta be trickier than that..."

Sorta like a '69 Vette with that wimpy 1980 "corvette" logo stuck on the body.


Post# 782695 , Reply# 9   9/9/2014 at 21:48 (3,487 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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I did get a few pictures from the seller, I also sent him the link to this thread. 

 

he was kind enough to verify a few things while I talked to him on the phone and the model number plate says "Dayton Ohio" so it's a US model... It also doesn't have fuses in the base cabinet like the Canadian models. 

 

How did this happen? Factory replacement glass or homemade?


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Post# 782698 , Reply# 10   9/9/2014 at 22:12 (3,487 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)        
If That's Homemade....

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....It cost someone a bunch of money. The only way to do that is to silk-screen it onto the glass, which ain't cheap even if you do it all yourself.

And if it's screened by a DIY'er, it's probably paint - what are the chances someone has the capability at home to fire frit onto glass?

Nah, gotta be a reissue. Which may mean that WCI assumed some parts-supply obligations when it bought the brand, and had to manufacture some things to meet them. Again, it may mean that. Putting the new WCI logo on the recreated part would be consistent with that - it would be an effort to guide GM owners to the new company.

P.S. - The indicia and logo aside, isn't that glass drilled in a lot of places?


Post# 782700 , Reply# 11   9/9/2014 at 22:36 (3,487 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        
isn't that glass drilled in a lot of places?

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Yes it is!

 

 


Post# 782703 , Reply# 12   9/9/2014 at 23:04 (3,487 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)        
Mon cher Racicot:

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Then that also militates against home-made.

I cannot imagine a DIY'er out there having the ability to do the silk-screening and having the ability to get all those holes correctly placed and drilled without cracking the glass.

Okay, maybe David d-jones here on AW. But only him. :)


Post# 782861 , Reply# 13   9/10/2014 at 17:26 (3,486 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        

It's most likely a factory replacement, as from what I remember most appliance manufacturers in that time period, guaranteed parts availability for about 15-18 years after the appliance was made. Since Flairs were made until at least the late 60's, 15 years would have been after the WCI takeover occured in '80.

A part such as shown was probably made by an outside vendor; I know many trim pieces were made for Frigidaire and other companies by a company located in Sabina, OH, as a friends mother had worked there. When GM sold Frigidaire to WCI, I imagine the contract was assumed by WCI as part of the deal.


Post# 782910 , Reply# 14   9/10/2014 at 21:43 (3,486 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

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I don't recall where I saw this (here or elsewhere), but I believe that part of the Frigidaire sale to WCI required them to supply replacement range parts for up to 25 years after the last GM built range. Now, this more than likely applied to switches, burners, and elements, but I can see WCI supplying some parts like the glass for a few years after the sale, utilizing pre-existing suppliers.

An interesting discussion. Too bad we won't know what really happened.

Ben


Post# 782914 , Reply# 15   9/10/2014 at 22:26 (3,486 days old) by classiccaprice (Hampton, Virginia)        

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Post# 782927 , Reply# 16   9/10/2014 at 23:48 (3,486 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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Will, this is a regular 1961 Custom Deluxe (model RCDB-640-1), the dial glass is original.


Post# 782971 , Reply# 17   9/11/2014 at 08:17 (3,485 days old) by classiccaprice (Hampton, Virginia)        

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My mistake. Sorry!

Post# 782975 , Reply# 18   9/11/2014 at 08:55 (3,485 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

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There's no need to be sorry about that!  smile


Post# 783416 , Reply# 19   9/13/2014 at 06:51 (3,483 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)        

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This would be the type of part which strategically it would make sense for WCI to go ahead and make...nothing more irritating than having to completely re-architect a kitchen when the unusually dimensioned thing (think GE wall refrigerator/Modern Maid dishwasher-stove/Flair stove) takes a cra**....preserves the installed base and lets the rest of the line have a chance for the replacements in that house.


Post# 783545 , Reply# 20   9/13/2014 at 19:06 (3,483 days old) by stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK)        
Another one on Craigs....

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another Flair that is:

CLICK HERE TO GO TO stricklybojack's LINK on San Diego Craigslist


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Post# 783549 , Reply# 21   9/13/2014 at 19:09 (3,483 days old) by stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK)        
Oops!

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