A sister site called ‘The’ Guide to Identify Cola-Cola designed, Chest-Type Coolers - 1934-1959’ is viewable at -
https://sites.google.com/site/idcocacolachestmachines193459/
'The' Guide to Identify Vendo's Coca-Cola, Chest-Type, Units -1938-1959
While doing research to identify a friend's purchase of a Coca-Cola chest vending machine in Feb. of 2013, it appeared that a lot of the info on the web, relating to chest-type only machines, was very confusing. So I started doing my own historical study to see if I could clear up the confusions. The chest-type units are the oldest of the soda vending machines and Vendo the most famous.
The actual historical facts turn out to be quite a bit different than what I've been finding on the web and reading in books that I've purchased. It's understandable, because these sources deal more in generalities, rather than focusing on specific identifications.
Collectors and people who are interested in owning (or actually own) an old Coca-Cola vending machine, mostly for nostalgic reasons, would like to know it’s proper model name and close year of manufacturing.
I decided to write-up 'The' Guide to help anyone seeking to accurately identify an old Vendo manufactured, chest-type, unit. You could also use it if you’re looking to purchase one and want to know what model came from a certain year range.
What I’m presenting is solely based on information published by The Vendo Co. and Coca-Cola Co. However, I did also use Westinghouse and Cavalier published data for some chest coolers that they supplied with Vendo Tops.
I purchased complete copies of the State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center KC0084 E. F. Pierson (Vendo) files. These files do not include any brochures or advertisements relative to Vendo Tops or Coolers. I did get some WWII information though. The files are all about E. F. Pierson and his brothers accomplishments, which were worthy and many.
On items over 50 years old, metal ID plates are likely missing. If there, the model number itself on these plates is often very confusing and hard to understand. Letters and numbers are used that you may not have the foggiest idea of their meanings. I don’t , that’s why I haven’t referred to them. The vending capacity, i.e. 17, 23, 35, 39, 59, is normally part of this number though.
The Serial Numbers were charted by Vendo for 1946 - 1959 Coolers (complete machines) only (see Page 11). No charts are available for Tops only.
Page 02 gives you a Vendo products history. It does not bore you with unnecessary business history, although it includes some. It’s important that you read this for the background info.
Pages 03 – 12 are copies of Vendo publications, announcements, Patents, manual pages, brochures, etc. used to back-up the product history. If a page doesn’t have a year date or model name, I can assure you that it is correct for it’s purpose.
Page 21 is a list of the Year Ranges of Manufacture, the Proper Model Names of their products, the Bottle Vending Capacity, Cabinet information and what ID page to look at.
Pages 23, 39 and 59 are the ID pages. They ‘Show and Tell’ you what specific identifying item to look for. There can be many other differences between units but I’ve listed only one very obvious, simple, identifiable one.
An un-restored unit is the easiest to ID. It’s features, although they may be beat-up, are original and easily allow you to correctly ID the unit. Because there hasn’t been an identifying guide in the past, you must question every model name presented to you when on the web or talking to a seller. Use this Guide to identify it in your own mind, if you really care – some people don’t, for good reasons.
September 2013