I spotted this on the Kijiji classifieds in the Sherbrooke area - it turns out it's not that far from Ogden so I'm going to have a look-see on Saturday.   No brand name was listed, and the only hint is that 'Super Wall' crest in the 1st photo.  

My gut reaction is saying 'Hotpoint'...  Would anyone happen to recognize what this may really be?

I'll know for sure on Saturday, though!

Cool!  Thanks, Hans!  I knew someone would be able to identify it. 

Many Frigidaire rotary compressors also restart immediately if the power has been interrupted for just a second or a few seconds.  Most if not all the 7/32 HP and 1/6 HP Frost Proof models that I have do that.

I couldn't resist... I was thinking it would neat to have a vintage freezer but I'm trying to limit my purchases to Canadian dollars and within a 2 to 3 hour driving limit.  We got from Ogden to the house where this used to live in 25 minutes - YAY!

The unit is in good shape overall.  The lid seems to be the worst...   

But lookee there, it's a Coldspot alright!    I checked the compressor and sure enough, it's a Seeger!  Not sure if the machine was a cross-border purchase or if it came through one of the old Simpson-Sears catalog stores that still endure in this part of the world. 

I darn near swooned when I saw the interior!  It's porcelain and it's in wonderful condition!  And look at those baskets - this was a well-thought-out design for sure.

Dumb question - what would this 'heater' switch control?  A mullion heater perhaps (to prevent condensation in high humidity conditions)??

She's had some work done....  That's a generic cold control I recognize!   I took a look around inside the refrigeration component area and I think I know why the original cold control got decomissioned....  

I noticed there was a cover for the wiring on the original control.  How likely is it that the control may still be functional??

I don't really like the look of the original power cord...  I am a little leery about removing what I think may be a connector block though.  And if I'm going to do any rewiring, I think it might be wise to run a new wire from the relay to the compressor motor BUT I'm not sure how easy that would be.  

Does anyone have a service manual or first-hand experience with rewiring a freezer like this?

I'm itching to move ahead, but geez, I don't want to risk messing anything up...  Let's see if I can make the WCI-59 do another 'overflow spin' instead... LOL   

Hi Paul, Glad you called as I missed this thread. This freezer is newer than the ones I mentioned, this one is a hi-bread of the Seeger Rotary compressor and the International Harvester porclean covered liner freezers. These were probably the first of the freezers that came from RCA-Whirlpool after WP bough Seeger, IH, and Servel.

The Super-Wall name was referring to having the condenser in the inside of the exterior cabinet shell to dissipate heat. All CF are built this way now, the advantage was no condenser fan and condenser to ever get dirty and this also helped eliminate condensation in damp areas on the  exterior cabinet. The heater switch is probably an anti-sweat heater in the edge of the lid.

These were very good freezers, but we need more compressor pictures. The rectangular box in one of your pictures is the compressor starting relay, also need pictures of the wiring junction block you want to rewire.

thats a beauty for sure!! Was hubby employed in the "transition" ?

I found a little more about this 'new' find of mine.  From ads and pictures I found on-line, it looks like this a 1955 model!  How cool is that??

Jon - yes, Hubby did help me with this.  I kept reminding him how much fun the appliance hunt trips can be, but he was having none of it...  He's still kvetching about the 16-hour marathon road trip to Keswick, Ontario to pick up the 53 Westy set and that was back in 2009...

John - it's always fun to talk to you!  Thanks for the additional info on the freezer.   And as requested here's a close up of the compressor.   Pictures showing the wiring will be posted in the next couple of replies.

Here's some hopefully better pictures of the junction box I will need to mess with...  

I'm thinking that electrically, it should be pretty obvious what goes where.  The main power cord (on the right side of the box) would be connected to those two outlets (the one on the top of the box for the compressor and the other is on the bottom and is a short extension cord to connect the lid light and heater); the cold control (wire on the left leading into the box) would be connected to the outlet that feeds the compressor, acting as a switch.  

As long as I remember to unplug the main power cord before I start to futz around, I should be fine... LOL 

I want to replace this wire as well, but I'm concerned about having room to move around and access the connector at the top of the compressor motor.  There seems to be a tracer lead on one of the connectors to ensure the right wire gets connected to the relay, so as long as I carefully note which wire goes where, I should be OK. 

But sheesh!  These wires are nice and crispy...  I guess the heat of the compressor has taken it's toll!

I also tried testing the old cold control yesterday evening.   The temperature probe had been removed from the freezer cabinet but I was able to simply run it through the lid into the smaller right-hand side compartment (which I am guessing is for quick-freezing).   I let the freezer run several hours; the 'new' cold control cycled it on and off and the thermometer needle seemed to be heading into well-below zero ranges but the old cold control didn't click... It stays 'open' all the time alas.  

I found what may be a part number, though - 20553 AK11.

I'd love to have the cold control back up front and perhaps with a wee light under the temperature gauge!!

Before powering off, though, I had to take this 'night light' shot!    When I went back into the house, I had a good look at the freezer currently in use (a 2008 Danby) and thought, "Feh!  You have NO sense of style"... LOL 

Thanks for the additional pictures Paul, I will have to look around and see if I have a compressor wiring harness that would fit this compressor.

It also looks like it may not be too difficult to mount the new cold control in the orignal position.

Thanks, David!  I took the box off this weekend to inspect it and wowee - I'm surprised it didn't short out when I first tested it.  The wiring was really bad.   

I'll borrow your technique for removing the rivet and see how that goes.  I had already designed a replacement junction box using a split-wired outlet and a surface-style outlet box but I'd love to keep the original one if I can. 

Here's what the box looked like on removal and how scary the wiring really was.  

My goal for the weekend had been to replace the compressor wiring, too.   I had the good sense to call John (combo52) to ask if the disc on top of the compressor was some kind of connector.  Glad I did, 'cause dropping the compressor down to a workable height would have been a major pain...   The last refrigerator I tinkered with was the '56 GE wall fridge and the wires for the compressor were welded on to the contact posts....

While the wiring was in bad shape, it was dead easy to replace.  I simply un-bent the loop at the top of the connector pins and attached new wires.  

I was happy to find this pearl of information on the relay.  It's official, I just bought a 60-year-old freezer...  

So the new wiring was installed, connector reattached, and the relay re-installed.  

I figured there could be one of three outcomes when I tested my handiwork:  1 - the compressor wouldn't start,  2 - the wiring was mixed up and would vanish with a large blue 'PHUT', or 3 - the compressor would start and run normally... 

I guess I should really start to trust my own work more!  

The compressor started and ran just fine.  I ran it for about 2 hours to make sure it was cooling and all looked fine.   My next trick will be to get that junction box rewired and I'd really like to adapt the new cold control to the original mounting and dial.  I have a couple of ideas for that, but won't get to play with this again until next week.   Stay tuned!!

Sigh... I tried my best to preserve the original bakelite connector block from the '55 Coldspot.  I managed to take it apart, but found it a bit too cramped when I replaced the wiring.  I had been unable to find a small, but tight crimp connector to pair up three wires and still allow the cover to be replaced. 

So I compromised!   Not pretty, but it works and didn't smoke, spark, or sputter!

The last thing to do will be to drill out the centre shaft opening on the original cold control mounting plate.  Then I'll put the control back up front and we'll be done!

After much debate and measuring, the Coldspot will be moving to the basement in Ogden; the 2008 Danby freezer will be moved to St-Liboire (and will be WAY easier to move). 

Full marks to Hubby for finding an alternate location in the Ogden basement for it when I first realized the Coldspot wouldn't fit where the current freezer is.  

Congrats Paul.  And I'm extremely proud of Chris coming up with an alternative that allowed you to keep the treasure and use it to its full potential. 

Almost done... Although it was a short and busy 'weekend' down in Ogden, I managed to get the old cold control mounting plate drilled so I could use the replacement control in it. 

Modifying the dial looked like it would a challenge, but I remember dirty trick number 387 that I used when I was rebuilding the '53 Laundromat - a wooden stir stick inserted into the right position of a round control dial will mimic the flat edge of a control shaft.  Not sophisticated, but it works!

I believe vintage dials were meant to be lit... I installed a small neon bulb just above the temperature dial.   I just have to decide whether this should be on continuously or if I should wire it in to 'cycle' with the compressor. 

That, alas, will now have to wait until mid-October.  Damn Hubby for dragging me away on a European vacation... LOL 

Inspired by your new Coldspot find, I picked up what was advertised as being a vintage freezer but it turned out to be a vintage chest refrigerator. At least, all it required was a repaint of the cabinet! (I need to get a door gasket too!). And it's tiny!! 2.1 cubic feet! That had to be the most inexpensive fridge in the 1935-36 lineup!

See the link below the pictures...

Just repainted... 

Wow Phil!  That looks amazing!  You did a great job on the paint.  

I'd seen an ad for an old GE top-load refrigerator in one of my father's 1920s National Geographic magazines once but never a Frigidaire.  I need to come and see this one up close, I think!!

I could have made it better but since I painted it outside and I started the preparation late in the afternoon, I think I did OK! I had removed the lid (which I didn't repaint as it's porcelain-coated) and the metal trim around the refrigerator opening as well as the emblem, quickly sanded the paint on the cabinet, primed it with a spray can stuff and applied automotive urethane paint which I already had. 

I had to fabricate a handle but I'll try to make a better-looking one or at least, one that looks a bit closer to the one in the PDF link I posted above...

Wow Phil this is certainly a rare find, A chest type ref like a chest freezer is a more practical way to build an appliance that has to remain cold where you have to open it to the warmer moist room air often.

But I can see why they did not catch on for general kitchen use, hopefully I will get a chance to see it someday.

Last weekend, despite being jet-lagged and discombobulated from the time difference following our return from a vacation in Turkey, I managed to con (oops, I meant convince) Hubby to help me get the Coldspot freezer into the basement in Ogden.   The basement is divided, due to the addition of a wing on the southwest side of the house - the freezer has moved to the unfinished section of the basement (where our modern freezer lived).   

Hubby is the one who actually suggested the current spot for it, as this 1955 model is wider and deeper than the Special-Happy-This-Will-Last-No-More-Than-5-Years-And-We-Make-No-Spare-Parts Chinese POS that we had been using.   Needless to say, the Coldspot was WAY heavier than the modern one but we managed to get it from the garage down to the basement fairly easily.  The 'middle row' of the washers in the finished part of the basement had to be shifted around a bit (prompting You-Know-Who to offer his opinions of what to do with the '60 GE and '58 Dominion which are both out of service at the moment).   Our big challenge had been getting the freezer through the doors - thank goodness the top lid was removable 'cause we'd have been in trouble otherwise.  Oddly enough that was not an issue when we picked it up from its former home in Magog.

Anyway, the freezer is now powered up and kinda filled (it's got a LOT more space than the old one) and I'm hoping that when I'm back down in Ogden tomorrow that all will be well...