Another fridge restoration GEC DE61

[stubbyeddy]

Quite a simple one this one. I found the fridge in good working order and it was still in daily use by its former owners so no major work needed; problem is some bright spark had decided to give it bad yucky blue paint job and the wiring needed changing as it was still original.

I have a nice "Living electrically with GEC" catalogue from September 1958 with this exact model of fridge in listed at £103 with the colour options of "gleaming white" or "honeysuckle" with a "gay carnival coloured interior". It also had the option of having a coloured plastic inset option behind the door handle, the colour options being "Guardsman Red, Dresden Blue, Olive Green (house and garden colours) or Black.

After stripping back the nasty blue paint job I returned the fridge back to its original gleaming white finish and stripped back the handle to its Dresden Blue. I polished all the plastic with some T-cut and the whole thing looks good as new, quite unbelievable how it all came up! Build quality on this is amazing, it took two of us to get it in the house and after a few temperature checks it's now living in my grandparents' farm house kitchen where it's being admired by all. It's really a great fridge and very typical of the late 50s style and build quality.

Think I'm starting to get a thing about old 50s fridges

[AlanBeckett]

A splendid job, but no beer
Alan

[Colourstar]

Wow that looks stunning! Well rescued and well restored. I'm amazed you got the paint off without the need for a re-spray. The interior looks superb- they are often cracked or split inside the door.

These are indeed beautifully made and a real talking point today.


Steve J

[stubbyeddy]

Thanks Steve, it was hard working getting this one back to white, I now have a secret system to get the finish something like the original on them now. This is my second attempt of doing a fridge, I just love the build quality and how the door feels when you open and close it, it also has wonderful bright internal lighting and a sliding top shelf with cheese and butter flaps in the door that keep butter and cheese a little warmer so you can spread and cut the cheese easily. I also changed the rubber door seal, the nice thing is the doors are so adjustable you can make most rubber seals fit.

I keep a look out for them locally as I'm finding them so rewarding to restore! and I can't bear to see these things end up on a dump!

[chipp1968]

That looks lovely.

[mark pirate]

Great job

It just goes to show how well made these were. Gec made just about everything from radio and TV to hairdryers, cookers, toasters and other electrical fittings let alone the industrial side!

Mark

[pauleast72]

Originally Posted by stubbyeddy

Quite a simple one this one.......

How would you like another project? We have a GEC fridge, which was in fully working order until I decided to de-ice it with a knife and I have punctured a refrigerant pipe! Also there is a nice dint in the side from a house move that went slightly wrong.

But apart from that, the fridge holds a lot of sentimental value - we have just bought a new retro smeg version but it's nothing like the original.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[stubbyeddy]

Hello, there are quite a few of these GEC fridges still knocking about, there must be about 3 or 4 a year listed on the internet and auctions site so replacing it for like is still an option.

Sadly once you puncture the refrigerant pipes the only real option to make it work as a fridge again is to fit whats called a "Fridge kit". You can get them from marine suppliers. It's basically a DIY kit with compressor and ice box with push fit pipes. You can order to size.

Then just remove the old compressor and the old ice box and fit the fridge kit in accordingly. The kits are designed to turn boat lockers into fridges or freezers. You could then at least use it as a fridge again but the kits cost around the £300 mark so you have to decide if it's worth it or not.