1962 Vintage Frigidaire Flair Custom Imperial Stove

About the years, there were:

- Deluxe (with 3 6" burners and burner controls on the cooking surface, no fluorescent light)
- Custom Deluxe (similar to the Custom Imperial but lacking the chrome ovens, "Speed Heat" and "Heat Minder" burners, the controlled broil and no meat probe) but just like the Custom Imperial, they had burner switches on their control panel and 2 8" burners.

- Then there was the rare Imperial (similar to the cheapest Deluxe models but with a chrome oven and a fluorescent light and still just one 8" burner and burner controls on the cooking surface)

-The most expensive, but also most common Custom Imperial models, in 30" and 40" versions.

There were also "Twin 30" Flair models and single and double wall ovens in many variations... I'll show some of the more common 40" Custom Imperial models.

1960-61 was RCIB-645. This picture shows mine which was built in late-1961/early 1962 and sold in April of 1962 (it's a Canadian model). During the production of this model, the Flair badge changed from having a blue background to a black background, the anodized aluminum trim on the side also went from mirror-like and flat on (very early?) ones (sorry no pics but I parted out one like this) to ribbed and dull silver on later ones. The door spring mechanism was also simplified on models like mine as earlier ones used cables and pulleys.

Here's an early blue badge:

Mine with a later black badge.

1962-63 was RCIB-645-2. Mine is from 1963 and also a Canadian model without the "Speed Heat" burner and a few other minor differences.

Changes from the previous model included a redesigned control panel, different oven grilles and trim below the oven door.

Here's one with an early-production clock:

Here's another with the later clock like mine on the first picture (the shape of the 3 "smiles" for the time signal and oven timer changed a bit):

This is an ad showing the 1964 model (RCIH-645):

Here's the 1965 model (RCI-645J):

The last series from 1968-70 (RCI-645VN).

The pic below shows a '66-67 model (RCI-645K).


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Post# 666176 3/16/2013 at 00:51 (4,059 days old) by xpanam (Palm Springs California )
Checkrate/Likes I love this Frigidaire style of stove/oven. Dose anyone have from the first model to the last of its production by year and model? From looking at all of them on craigslist thay seem to all blend in together. It seems the control panel changed a lot! Thanks, Rob. CLICK HERE TO GO TO xpanam's LINK on Stgeorge Craigslist

Post# 666185 , Reply# 1 3/16/2013 at 01:49 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes 1 It looks like the clock needles were repainted. I'm wondering why people advertise them for so much. I got mine many months after it had been advertised at $150... I offered $50 for it and my offer was quickly accepted. The clock hands should look like that: Green hours hand, blue minutes hand and black seconds hand. CLICK HERE TO GO TO PhilR's LINK

Post# 666187 , Reply# 2 3/16/2013 at 01:51 (4,059 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)
Checkrate/Likes Deduct $100 so you can fix or replace the clock.

Post# 666192 , Reply# 3 3/16/2013 at 03:18 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes About the years, there were: - Deluxe (with 3 6" burners and burner controls on the cooking surface, no fluorescent light) - Custom Deluxe (similar to the Custom Imperial but lacking the chrome ovens, "Speed Heat" and "Heat Minder" burners, the controlled broil and no meat probe) but just like the Custom Imperial, they had burner switches on their control panel and 2 8" burners. - Then there was the rare Imperial (similar to the cheapest Deluxe models but with a chrome oven and a fluorescent light and still just one 8" burner and burner controls on the cooking surface) -The most expensive, but also most common Custom Imperial models, in 30" and 40" versions. There were also "Twin 30" Flair models and single and double wall ovens in many variations... I'll show some of the more common 40" Custom Imperial models. 1960-61 was RCIB-645. This picture shows mine which was built in late-1961/early 1962 and sold in April of 1962 (it's a Canadian model). During the production of this model, the Flair badge changed from having a blue background to a black background, the anodized aluminum trim on the side also went from mirror-like and flat on (very early?) ones (sorry no pics but I parted out one like this) to ribbed and dull silver on later ones. The door spring mechanism was also simplified on models like mine as earlier ones used cables and pulleys. Here's an early blue badge: Mine with a later black badge. 1962-63 was RCIB-645-2. Mine is from 1963 and also a Canadian model without the "Speed Heat" burner and a few other minor differences. Changes from the previous model included a redesigned control panel, different oven grilles and trim below the oven door. Here's one with an early-production clock: Here's another with the later clock like mine on the first picture (the shape of the 3 "smiles" for the time signal and oven timer changed a bit): This is an ad showing the 1964 model (RCIH-645): Here's the 1965 model (RCI-645J): The last series from 1968-70 (RCI-645VN). The pic below shows a '66-67 model (RCI-645K).

Post# 666193 , Reply# 4 3/16/2013 at 03:25 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes A 30" Deluxe (this one is a Canadian model but there were similar ones in the US) This post was last edited 03/16/2013 at 04:01

Post# 666194 , Reply# 5 3/16/2013 at 03:28 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes The rare 30" Imperial (a Canadian model) with the added fluorescent light and chrome oven. Note the older style 1961-63 glass but also the different oven door and cooking surface handles which look newer (1968-style?). I have some service manuals showing these, they are from the mid-late sixties.

Post# 666195 , Reply# 6 3/16/2013 at 03:31 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes A Canadian Custom Imperial Flair wall oven. Note the unique (for Frigidaire) timer which was commonly seen on Canadian free standing ranges and other regular wall ovens. These timers look just like those on other brands of ranges (probably a "Lux Time/Robertshaw"?) and timers used on Frigidaire ranges sold in other countries. I'm not sure about the year but I'd say late 1960's with that GM badge.

Post# 666196 , Reply# 7 3/16/2013 at 03:33 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes An RCDB-640 Custom Deluxe 40" model (1960-61).

Post# 666197 , Reply# 8 3/16/2013 at 04:05 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes A 1964 Custom Imperial (RCIH-645) in Bewitched.

Post# 666208 , Reply# 12 3/16/2013 at 06:31 (4,059 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks Phil* Beautiful Chronology of the Flair Regime. They are still my Favorite Ranges.

Post# 666311 , Reply# 15 3/16/2013 at 16:09 (4,058 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *Wasnt the total run...* 1960 thru about 1970 or 71???

Post# 666316 , Reply# 16 3/16/2013 at 16:22 (4,058 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes Yes Hans, But the 1968 "N" models remained in production for a few years. Just like Compact 30 ranges (I think "N" models of Compact 30 ranges were produced even longer) and most of the 1968 laundry line that was kept in production until the introduction of the "S" line as 1971 models in 1970.

Post# 666318 , Reply# 17 3/16/2013 at 16:50 (4,058 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *My hometown...* Of Lenoir NC was FULL of Compact 30s and Flairs, Thanks to W.E. Shaw Furniture Co, which really sold the appliances, in the 50s we also had another Frigidaire dealer who also sold Monarch, O.P.Lutz furniture company, of all the old stores, only Shaws is still operating.

Post# 666198 , Reply# 9 3/16/2013 at 04:07 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes A larger picture of a RCI-645J from 1965.

Post# 666199 , Reply# 10 3/16/2013 at 04:11 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes A Deluxe wall oven from 1962 with the earlier style timer.

Post# 666200 , Reply# 11 3/16/2013 at 04:13 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes A Custom Imperial wall oven probably from 1966-67.

Post# 666235 , Reply# 13 3/16/2013 at 10:13 (4,059 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)
Checkrate/Likes It's not a complete list but it at least shows the more common models.

Post# 666275 , Reply# 14 3/16/2013 at 13:33 (4,058 days old) by xpanam (Palm Springs California )
Checkrate/Likes 1 *WOW! OMG !Thanks you Phil !!!* It looks like the people at GM Frigidaire had fun.

Post# 1093361 , Reply# 18 10/16/2020 at 11:06 (1,288 days old) by brucea (Toronto)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Vintage Custom Imperial* I have come across this one, says model RF30K...I cannot seem to find it anywhere. I am going to restore it and use it. Photos... < > Photo 1 of 3 View Full Size

Post# 1093378 , Reply# 19 10/16/2020 at 12:56 (1,287 days old) by steved (Guilderland, New York)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Canadian* RF-30K is a strictly Canadian model. Parts are more like Canadian Frigidaire ranges, like the clock, and the circuit breakers/fuses on the burner circuits. It looks like a hybrid of the 1964 "H" and the 1966 "K" US models. Good luck and enjoy! Did it come with the base cabinet?