A vintage 1955 Kelvinator “Fabulous Food-A-Rama” Made in Detroit by American Motors Corp. side-by-side refrigerator: Could there ever be a refrigerator made that was more beautiful? I don’t think so. $500 on craigslist in Colorado Springs (link / listing now long gone!)
Update, we heard in August 2012 from Terry, who wrote:
Hi,
I am the lucky guy that bought this amazing Kelvinator! It is a 1966 Foodarama in perfect working order. It was an estate sale and I am the second owner. I collect Nash cars and Kelvinator appliances so this is on display with my other 30 vintage Kelvinators. Check out my website ramblerranch.com.
Terry
As much as I’d LOVE to have a vintage fridge, I’d be nervous it would crap out on me and I’d lose all of the food inside, or eat it all furiously in one sitting. We have a vintage Frigidaire Flair range, and if that breaks I can always grill or use the microwave, but there is no “Plan B” for a refrigerator.
Plan B for refrigerators. Put a new standard fridge in the basement, garage, or utility room and use it for overflow/if the vintage one goes down.
That’s my plan B,another one in the basement.
Funny though,I know several of people who’ve had brand new appliances crap out within days,or months.
My parents have had 4 or 5 new fridges in the 30 years they’ve lived in their house,including one that lasted maybe a week. Ironically, the trusty ’48 Frididaire that my great grandfather bought new has always ended up being plan B!
Wowzers! That is one of the most gorgeous vintage fridges EVAH!
and surely one of the earliest side by sides. I love, love those big ‘t-bone’ handles on that era Kelvinator.
One of my prize possessions is my 1959 Food-O-Rama Party Book from Kelvinator. It is the pinnacle of all my mid century cookbooks. Recipes have lots of options for using the patented crisper or freezer ideas.
Each chapter is organized around a specific party theme. George Washington’ Birthday? Bridal Shower? Easter Breakfast for company? Teen Party in the Basement Rec Room? Got ya covered….with invitations, party games and decoration ideas.
A couple of the recipes are pretty weird: some kind of exotic hot dish (yes-that’s midwestern!) including chicken, grapes, bananas and avocado…hot. Gew. There is a stunning multi layer sandwich loaf that’s frosted with cream cheese to look like a cake…with deviled ham and olives inside!
Kelvinator was a division of American Motors-previously Nash. When you think of the cop cars in a film noir, they are mostly those watermelon shaped Nashes. So all those swell old Nash, Rambler, American cars were related to that glorious side by side. Guess Kelvinator was trying to keep up with General Motors Frigidaire.
I had been lusting for an old Norge fridge, but this, this is a thing of beauty!…and SPACE (ace..ace..ace)!
That is one gorgeous hunk of Detroit metal. Thanks for posting it, Pam. The vintage refrigerator is my favorite kitchen appliance, I do believe, And, I’m a sucker for anything “-a-Rama”.
Annie B: And, I’m a sucker for anything “-a-Rama”.
Me too. And anything “-o-Matic” !
TTT – We’ll have to throw in “push button” for good measure.
I do love the good “-o-days”.
Yowza! That is a BEAUTIFUL refrigerator! And folks, this is even more difficult to find than the earlier more rounded Food-A-Rama. $500 is a STEAL for this refrigerator.
Routinely, folks want plus $2000 for unrestored Food-A-Rama’s, and more in the $7-9k range for a restored one.
Thanks for posting this Pam – what a fabulous, fabulous find. Maybe we should start paying attention to government auctions – this Food-A-Rama sold for only $44 – but I had to laugh reading the labels stuck on it, LOL. I don’t think I want to know what the government used it for since it wasn’t for food.
http://www.purplewave.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?101012/6934
Whoops! Biological WHAT? I’m not too squeamish about anything repurposed. Love me an aqua fridge interior. But biological material over years and years.
I’m not scared of much, but I think this fits the bill.
Yikes!
Chutti – I agree…..$44 bucks is great, but not if you’re too scared to use it!
The suffix “a-rama” equates to instant coolness. Reminds me of Bob McAllister’s Wonderama!
SWOON!
Oh, I’m SO mad at myself for missing this post. I’m IN Colorado and have just been waiting for one of these to come up! Damn it.
Our family had a brown side by side and the refrigerator side was “frost-free”.
That is a 1965-66 Food-A-Rama NOT a 1955. Prior to 1959 the Food-A-Rama looked like the one in this link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-Kelvinator-Foodarama-Fridge-Ad-pink-one-dbl-door-/370568141592?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5647951b18
makes sense! thanks, patrick!
I am impressed, Patrick. Not many people left know the difference. I am restoring my second Foodarama. The first one was a ’56, second is a ’57 or ’58 (I still am not positive). There were subtle differences until ’59. These are my favorites of all of my vintage refrigerator restorations. If I could drive one to work, I would. JH
The holy grail of retro fridges is the GE Americana from the mid 60s, as seen here (pls post this on the blog so that someone will buy it and put me out of my misery looking at the ad every day):
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/clt/2753380324.html
If you are referring to the GE Vintage Double Door (Over/Under) with the Lazy Susan shelves, circa 1954, I am restoring one of those. It is way cool. JH
Wow, we had one of these when I was growing up as a kid except is was brown and it did not have an ice maker.
How did I MISS THIS???? My aqua DREAM fridge! :-O
yes, dreamy beyond belief
are you going back in time and reading everything ever written on the blog, hannah?
Not intentionally! I’m doing Google searches on things I see on Etsy and links bring me back here. In this case somehow ‘vintage GE indoor grill” in Google images brought this post up. Go figure.
I Already Have A Old Refrigerator!!!
Here Are The Specifications Of The Old Refrigerator:
Kind:Stacked
Handles:Wood
Color:White
Brand:KELVINATOR!!!!!!
Door Handle Side:Right
Purchasing Date:09/11/75
MFD.:11/03/73′
Condition:GOOD!!!!!!!
Other:
Usage:Since 75′
Location:Basement
Owner:Me
Oh And The Purchasing Area Is Sears
Hi,
I am the lucky guy that bought this amazing Kelvinator! It is a 1966 Foodarama in perfect working order. It was an estate sale and I am the second owner. I collect Nash cars and Kelvinator appliances so this is on display with my other 30 vintage Kelvinators. Check out my website ramblerranch.com.
Terry
KELVINATOR FOODARAMA update. (the infamous Kelvinator of Lascaux) We listed this three times on eBay, started fairly high and went lower. Finally did a ‘buy it now’ at $750 (time to pay kid’s school bills) and it was immediately purchased by a guy in Indiana WHO RENEGGED after a week of saying the money order was in the mail. I had even arranged shipping for him! Just a heads up that we will be relisting it at a price that’ll make some restoration minded groover happy!
If you’d like photos, email me at todd@thegrandreview.com
Todd, you need to keep all buying/selling on the Forum, okay? I am going to delete these…
Pam,
Sorry about that. I will explore the Forum. Thanks!