A closer look on the 1959 Calex refrigerator

[Giftmacher]

As someone noticed, it really doesn't look as late 50's fridge, but it is necessary to take into consideration situation in the early socialist state. There was just two state enterprises in the field (Calex and Elektrosvit) which means lack of competition and therefore no need to develop new appliances yearly. Power consumption is quite high, partly due to the worn door gasket. Maybe I'll do an complete overhaul one day.

 

[Giftmacher]

 

[dhermann1]

That looks a lot like maybe a 51 or 52 General Electric. Maybe they copied it. Given what Soviet era cars looked like, that's just what I would expect a 59 Czech fridge to look like. Maybe Forgotten Man can comment, he's a real antique fridge expert. I wonder how the compressor compares with comparable western ones. Does it use Freon? Please share more pics as the project develops. Thanks for posting.

 

[scottyrocks]

Yes, although produced later on, the Lada was essentially a Fiat 124.

 

[Giftmacher]

Yes, refrigerant is freon/R12, I'd say there's not much difference between compressors. Anyway I don't plan to dismantle the compressor anytime soon
Here's smaller sister of my fridge (half capacity)
http://teletym.g6.cz/bila_technika/lednice/chz_1_100/chz_1_100.htm

 

[dhermann1]

Once you get that gasket replaced you should be good to go.

 

[Giftmacher]

I hope so, but find a new is the hard part

 

[Stanley Doble]

For the gasket, it may be possible to use a rubber gasket made for car doors. In north america there are flea markets and dealers in car parts for "oldtimers" who sell it by the yard, off a big roll. Something similar should be available in Europe. It is best to send a few inches of the old material for comparison.

I have even replaced the gasket with ones salvaged from a car in a junkyard. You can cut them and glue the ends together with isocyanate glue. Chevrolet pickup trucks from the 80s use a gasket very similar to the one in a fifties GE fridge.

 

[Giftmacher]

Thanks for the help, I also took that into a consideration, but I leave it as a backup option. Original gasket looks like this. Dimensions are certainly different.

 

[Lincsong]

Was this refridgerator sold throughout the Iron Curtain? Or was it a Czechoslovakian only product? OK, looking through the pictures I see it was made in Czechoslovakia. But, I'm wondering....why was "Made in" written in English?

 

[Giftmacher]

That's an interesting question. Must admit I never thought about it, but I will try to find out something about it. Many products were sold to the West, radios, record players, cars too,
throughout the duration of communist regime. I looked now and found it everywhere. Mechanical record player from 1953, electrical from 1986, table fan 50's, even vinyl records

 

[Stanley Doble]

In Canada there were a lot of Soviet products sold in the 1970s. This was the time they were buying a lot of Canadian grain.

I remember alarm clocks, Lada cars and Dnepr motorcycles but I am sure they sold other things as well. JAWA motorcycles as far back as the fifties, also CZ.

 

[Giftmacher]

Yes, and they have written "Сделано в СССР" on them, not "Made in USSR". Interesting.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Also Soviet/Russian Poljot and Raketa watches were sold in the UK under the British Sekonda brand back in the '70s and '80s.

 

[Giftmacher]

Raketa watches have been praised by Soviet propaganda as the fastest watches in the world

 

[Giftmacher]

A 50's-60's plate Made in Czechoslovakia (Ditmar-Urbach is a pre-war brand)

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Raketa watches have been praised by Soviet propaganda as the fastest watches in the world

I thought that distinction went to Vostok as I can attest to from personal experience lol

 

[Giftmacher]

I'd say it fits to all Soviet watches:
"What are the two largest Soviet inventions? Fastest watches and biggest midget."

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Actually my Shturmanskie chrono (Poljot calibre 31659) runs two minutes slow.

 

[MPicciotto]

While on the topic of Russian watches my "Pilot" (transliterated) self-winding watch needs tuning, the second hand reattached and the bezel replaced. Where's a good place to send off for that? I bought the watch in Moscow at the market on my second trip to Russia so even though I could replace it with one purchases off eBay i'd really like to get it fixed.

Matt