Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Archives of the best of past topics For Sale Archive, Non-Petro Anyone good with Coke machines?

I have the opportunity to buy a Westinghouse WE-6 locally. Here is a link to the machine http://gallery.antiquevending.com/we6reddry.htm

Seller is asking $300 and I see them on Ebay and CL for $200-$500. The higher amounts are for ones with working compressors. This machine is very rough, but all the major panels are straight with surface rust. It's missing the bottle opener, cap catcher and the coin mechanics as well as the chrome pieces on the right.

I tried to get an account at soda-machines.net but I've been waiting 2 weeks and they haven't approved my account yet.

Thanks.

$300 is steep in my opinion. That is what they go for in good condition.

I agree with Tbird

He was asking $400, I offered $150 after explaining about the condition and wrecked compressor. He said $300 was the lowest he'll go. If it's still available in another few weeks he may take less, who knows.

I'm desperate for a project but I don't want to overpay. This will be my first restore, and something like this seemed easier than something more involved.

I would say $150 is high with a wrecked compressor- I went to look at one local that was good for $125 and the guy chased me when I was leaving to buy it. I did not buy it. Look for a machine if looking for a coke resto project- much more likely to see your money back if looking to sell down the road.

If you end up with it, pm me with the compressor # I have a few of new old stock compressors, start relays, refrigeration stuff for 40's thru the 50's. tt

That is too much for that machine in rough condition. Be patient, they made a ton of them and you should be able to find a nice one for $300.00. The thing I have found with the water bath coolers is that if you don't use them very often it is better to buy one cheap with inoperative refrigeration and just fill it with ice water if you have a cookout.

$300 is high like others have said if it's not cooling, if it where working and a refridgerated model, not ice bath refridgerated it's not bad..
this model doesnt have a coin mechanism so your not missing anything there..
John
www.popmachineshop.com

Thanks everyone.

As for the coin mech, how do I know if it's supposed to have on or not? All the pictures I see of the WE-6 online have one but this one didn't, despite being marked clearly as a WE-6. Are there variations?

If it is like the one in the photo you provided it's a WE-6 and they where never coin operated.. it's just a wet chest, meaning you woudl put about 3-4 inches of water in teh stainless steel tub, and the water was cooled by the refridgeration lines that where submerged under the water.. the bottles where cooled by cold water.. There is an electrice refrigerated box of this version as well, but none where coin operated.
you might be getting it confused with the IDeal 55 or Glasco 50 slider style coolers that are just a little smaller than this, and had a dispensing rack that the bottles would slider through and a coin mech was present in order to get the bottles through the dispensing gate area.

Hope this helps