The Mills 45 Coca-Cola vending machine was manufactured for only 2 years: 1941-1942. It was the smallest Mills vending machine made pre-WWII. It is the most desired model for Mills collectors due to its smaller size. It has a small bottle capacity; only 26 bottles, which made it ideal for use in lower volume situations, such as in an office. There is also space to pre-cool 26 additional bottles. This is believed to be the only Coca-Cola machine ever made that vended the bottle crown first.

As you can see in this brochure, Mills referred to the 45 as the “Baby Cooler”, due to its smaller footprint and capacity. The 45 did not use the earlier conveyor method for vending, but rather dispensed bottles using two gravity-fed rotating drums. The compressor is on the bottom of the machine and is easily accessible by removing the lower front panel. The bowed front door unfortunately led to the machines getting pretty dented up over time.

The first of the photos below shows the features of the Mills 45, including the construction, height, weight and capacity. The last photo shows the Mills production plants located in Chicago.

Dimensions: 62”H x 25”W x 22”D
Weight: 415 lbs.

Manufactured by:
Mills Industries, Inc.
4100 Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, Illinois

These items are not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

Pictured here is a Westinghouse WD-5 machine that we restored years ago. The Westinghouse WD-5 Soda Cooler was a popular self-service soda machine because of its compact size. It needed a minimum amount of floor space but still had adequate storage space. It holds up to 120 bottles, which is a lot, considering the cooler’s size. The bottles position on their sides inside the cooler, rather than standing upright. The cooler lid lifts and the bottles are simply removed from the top of the machine.

The WD-5 is a dry cooler, which means it cools with cool air rather than with water or ice. This cooler is embossed on all four sides with the Coca-Cola logo. The WD-5 was manufactured from the late 1940s to late 1950s.

Dimensions: 28 1/2”D x 28 5/8”W x 36 3/8”H

Manufactured by:
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Monroeville, PA

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Bastian-Blessing Company began in 1908 as a company that manufactured soda fountain equipment. At one time they supplied soda fountains to every Walgreens store in the country. They are probably less well known for their vending machines. In 1946 they announced they were entering the vending machine market with three new machines. These machines were released the following year. The new models included a 48-bottle, a 192-bottle, and a 224-bottle machine. All three were to have a Harris coin changer attached and were to be manually operated. One of these vendors is shown in this old advertisement.

The Vendo 39 and 59 machines were actually made by Westinghouse. Vendo purchased the Westinghouse Standard machines from them and then added their own coin-operated lids and inner mechanisms.

The V-39 was manufactured from the late 1930s to the early 1940s. Dimensions are 34” high x 34 ½” wide x 27 ¼” deep and it held 39 bottles. The V-59 was manufactured from 1948 through 1951. Dimensions are 37” high x 34 ½” wide x 27” deep and it had a 59 bottle capacity. A drawback of these machines is that they were only able to vend a single flavor at a time. Also the V-39 could fit only 8-ounce bottles and the V-59 could only accommodate 6 1/2-ounce bottles.

This is a photo of a repairman that is servicing the V-59. He is holding what appears to be the refrigeration unit. The next photo shows a full bottle drum inside the V-59.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

These machines look like they’re ready for final inspection before leaving the factory. What a collector’s dream it would be to be able to walk down that line today and see the different brands on this display of VMC 81s!

Above are photos from a 1941 ad for a soda dispensing machine. It was a soda can vendor, able to dispense 3 different flavors of soda. The capacity and dimensions of the machine are unknown.

The vendor was made by Kalva Vendors, Inc., a company that was in business from 1937 to 1950. H. T. Larrimore started Kalva in 1937 in Chicago, Illinois. The company merged with the Searles Welding & Manufacturing Company in October of 1948. They continued to manufacture Kalva vendors until 1950 and then closed the factory permanently.

This is a unique machine, but we don’t know all that much about it. Please blog-in share whatever information you may have if you’ve ever seen one.

Manufactured by:
Kalva Vendors, Inc.
Chicago, Illinois

These items are not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

We have some great vintage photos of Vendos that we wanted to share with you. The photos vary in subject from production lines to staged publicity shots, but we thought they were interesting and that you might enjoy them. The following two photos were taken in a Vendo soda machine factory.

And then we have the assorted “chatting around the Vendo 83” photos. These illustrate the Vendo 83 in different environments such as the workplace and a grocery store.

The next two photos are of models posing with a bottle of Coca-Cola and a Vendo 83. Those are followed by a man dressed as a Vendo soda machine serviceman beside and open Vendo 83. He is pointing to the loading instructions inside the door of the machine.

This last photo is interesting in that it shows a Vendo 83 embossed in Spanish. Rather than “Drink Coca-Cola”, it says “Tome Coca-Cola” and instead of “Ice Cold”, it says “Bien Helada”. Vendo evidently built this machine for the booming Coca-Cola market in Mexico. We hope you enjoy all of these vintage Vendo 83 photos and we will continue to post more like these in the future.

Dimensions: 63”H x 32 1/2”W x 18”D
Vending capacity: 83
Precools: 75
Weight: 450 lbs.
Manufactured: 1946 to 1957

Manufactured by:
The Vendo Company

The three Mills Coca-Cola vending machines shown in this photo are representative of some of the model 47 series that consisted of the model designations 47-A, 47-B and 47-N. These machines are either 47-As or 47Bs. The A and B versions look very similar to each other, while the 47-N was promoted as a new and improved version of these former models with a slightly different appearance and greater vending capacity.

The Mills model 47-A was built from 1938 to 1940 and the 47-B version was manufactured from 1941 to 1945 and was an improved version of the A model. Typically these machines were painted in the distinctive Mills color scheme of two-tone red and green. They had the capacity to vend 60 bottles and pre-cool 42. These are both very collectible soda machines.

Dimensions: 62”H x 36”W x 23”D

Manufactured by:
Mills Industries, Inc.
4100 Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, Illinois

These items are not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This illustration is from an old advertisement in our archives for a Coca-Cola water cooler/bottle vendor combination. Based on the Coke logo and the styling of the unit, it most likely dates from about 1920 to 1930. This innovative vendor is a water cooler with a cooling box to hold bottles of Coca-Cola. It’s really a clever marketing piece, since even if you prefer a cup of water, the Coca-Cola ad and the tempting cold bottles are right there, promoting the soft drink product. This stand was probably designed for use in an office.

Produced: 1920 to 1930

This is an illustration of a unique soda vending machine from the 1930s. This vendor was built by Gertner Manufacturing Company about 1932. It was a unique machine for the time in that it required two nickels to get a bottle of soda. One nickel was to pay for the soda and the other was a deposit on the bottle. Once the two nickels were inserted into the machine, a bottle of soda was dispensed. One of the nickels was returned to the customer once the empty bottle was placed into the drawer in the lower part of the machine. This drawer was opened using the crank handle.

The dimensions for this vendor were 69”H x 23”D x 31”W. It weighed 380 lbs.

Have you ever seen one of these? We’d love to hear from you if you have any additional information to share about this unique machine.

We know that this is a Vendo V-240 case vending machine, but have not seen any more information on this machine. It looks like a model designed specifically for factories and other large places and was probably produced in very small numbers. It was a very large machine, capable of dispensing 10 cases of soda, or 240 bottles.

The way this machine dispensed soft drinks is unique too. Rather than starting out with bottles being loaded into a drum or onto shelves, the entire case of soda was loaded into the machine. As you can see in this diagram, the conveyor transported the whole case around the interior of the machine as each case was emptied. The motion resembles that of a Ferris wheel. Once a bottle was released, gravity would take over and the bottle would drop into the chute.

As clever as this design is, it obviously didn’t catch on, as this is the only machine like this that I have seen. Please let us know if you’ve seen one of these.

This brochure illustrates the Lyon 500 Coca-Cola cup vending machine. It was built in the early 1950s by the Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp. It was marketed by Lyon Industries of New York City, who partnered with Worthington in order to sell and distribute soda vending machines.

The Model 500, with its unique art deco styling, could vend 500 cups of pre-mixed Coca-Cola. It was a relatively small machine, at 60 inches high, and collectors today regard it as a rare machine.

Manufactured by:

Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp.
Harrison, New Jersey

The machine featured in these photos is a Mills 47-N. It was manufactured from 1939 to 1945 and has a 104-bottle vending capacity. It has the distinctive cathedral top and two-tone (red and green) paint. This machine was made by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago, Illinois, the largest manufacturer of coin-operated machines until they closed in 1953.

Vendo was founded in 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri. Their initial product line consisted of chest coolers, but after WWII they became known for their upright vending machines, which were made exclusively for the Coca-Cola Company. This chest cooler is one of the earliest—if not one of the first chest coolers made by Vendo.

This cooler is embossed for Cleo Cola, a soft drink that was introduced in 1935 by the Whistle soda company. Cleo Cola was named after the cigar favored by the company’s owner (presumably Antonio y Cleopatra cigars, manufactured since 1879). Advertising for the soda featured Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, which may explain the use of what then was considered an “oriental” typeface.

In addition to the photo of the Cleo Cola chest cooler, there are also photos of artist renditions of the Vendo chest and an additional cooler embossed with the Coca-Cola logo, in what appears to be an office. Perhaps this gentleman is a Vendo Company executive. In this last picture, it is possible to see the top of the machine with the rotating vending mechanism. This chest cooler represents an early version of the soda vending machines that Vendo continued to develop and became famous for.

Manufactured by:

The Vendo Company
Kansas City, Missouri

This is a Vendo Model 123, or Junior. The cabinets were manufactured by Westinghouse and purchased by Vendo, who added the coin-operated top. They are referred to as “spin top” vendors because of how the coin-operated top vends. After the coin is inserted, the top is turned to access the next available bottle of Coca-Cola. This machine can vend 23 bottles and precool 9. They were produced from the late 1930s into the early 1940s. The earlier coolers were ice cooled, but later versions were refrigerated with electricity.

The brochure illustrates the other spin top models available in the Vendo series. They range in size from the 23-bottle Junior to a 59-bottle Master.

Dimensions: 42 5/8”H x 28”W x 17 1/8”D

Manufactured by:

The Vendo Company
Kansas City, Missouri

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

We have already written a blog on the very rare Vendo Decapper soda machine, but I came across this photo and wanted to post it. It shows a production line full of Decapper soda machines. This is a rare photo, given that very few of these machines were manufactured and very few survived.

To learn more about this machine check out our previous blog: http://www.vintagevending.com/vendo-coca-cola-bottle-decapper

Here is a brochure for a Dr. Pepper Guiberson Double-Quick Vendor, Model GCD-144. The machine has an interesting design. It’s clean and simple—almost clinical, with just a small Dr. Pepper script sign and painted the standard Dr. Pepper green.

The Guiberson Corporation was located in Dallas, as was Dr. Pepper. I am not sure what their business arrangement was, but the majority of Guibersons you see are Dr. Pepper machines.

This is most likely a 1960’s machine with a capacity of 144 bottles. It was available with an optional coin changer. Someone has written the pricing on the front of the brochure, $505.00 w/o coin changer, $560.00 with coin changer.

We have never owned one of these and I have never seen one. If you own one, please send in some photos no matter what the condition. We’d love to see them and share them with visitors to our website.

Dimensions: 72H x 40W x 22D
Weight: 500 lbs

This machine can vend up to 81 cold bottles of Pepsi-Cola and has room to pre-cool 17. There are nine shelves, so a machine restored for use today has the capability of vending up to nine different flavors, depending on your needs. The slant shelves can accommodate bottles ranging in size from 6 ½ ounces to 12 ounces, giving you even more flexibility. The vending door has a fluorescent light inside, to illuminate the soda bottles within, making it easy to see your selection.

The original Pepsi VMC 81s were painted a solid “Pepsi Blue”. We have restored this machine with a deeper blue, added the white top and changed the embossed lettering from white to red, creating much more of a contrast.

The resulting red, white and blue is very striking and would look great in any gameroom or office. Whereas Vendo only produced the 81 for the Coca-Cola Company, Vendorlator (or VMC, as they’re also called), produced soda machines for many soda companies. Despite the fact that the Pepsi VMCs had the second highest production rate (second only to Coke), these machines are not that easy to find today.

Dimensions: 58”H x 27”W x 16”D
Weight: 286 lbs.
Produced: 1955 to 1958

Manufactured by:
The Vendorlator Manufacturing Company
Fresno, California

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

How is this for an unusual soda machine? I have never seen this machine before, except for in this photo. I am not sure this machine was ever actually produced and wonder if this was just a prototype.

It looks like a big machine, judging by the guy standing next to it. Based on the fact that he is wearing a uniform, we could probably date this machine to the 1940’s. It’s an interesting concept; the different soda bottles are displayed behind glass. It looks like the top marquee could be a light-up sign or perhaps Bakelite plastic.

We would love more information on this machine, so if you have any, please blog-in. Even better—if you have any photos of this machine in any condition we would love to post them.

The Hupp Console-Cup Cold Drink Machine was an automatic drink vendor that was marketed for use in all types of locations. These 1949 ads show them placed in a bowling alley, gas station, bus station, theater, supermarket, company lunchroom and on a factory floor. Although it may not have been a very attractive machine, they were touted as being economical to operate and having an innovative design.

The Hupp Corporation is not usually associated with vending machines, but rather, with the automobile industry. They started in Detroit in 1908 as a manufacturer of the Hupmobile car. The company was formed by Robert C. Hupp and named the Hupp Motor Car Company. They moved to Cleveland in 1928 where they manufactured a less expensive Hupmobile model as well as automobile parts. Automobile production was halted in July 1940 as Detroit struggled to recover from the Depression. During WWII they manufactured munitions for the U.S. Government and following the war, they made parts for other automobile manufacturers. Hupp returned to Cleveland in 1946 and began making appliances, including the Hupp Console-Cup Cold Drink Machine we see pictured here.

The company was bought by John O. Ekblom in 1955 and he combined Hupp with several other companies he had acquired. Hupp diversified into several manufacturing areas including air-conditioning, heating, appliances and aviation. About 35% of the overall business was made up of appliance manufacturing. Hupp was sold three more times and declared bankruptcy in 1991.

The unique-looking Hupp Console-Cup Cold Drink Machine was manufactured for several soft drink companies, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, Hires and Royal Crown. It vended the soft drink into a cup, as well as ice. These are rare machines and we’d love to hear if you’ve come across one.

Dimensions: 36”H x 32”W x 27”D
Weight: 400 lbs.
Produced: Late 1940s

Manufactured by:
Hupp Corporation
Cleveland, Ohio

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This is a Glasco GBV-50 Starlet Soda Machine we restored. It was restored to original condition, but without the Glasco logo and we painted the cap catcher black, rather than red. We have replicated the classic Coca-Cola “fishtail” logo used from 1958 to 1965. Please note we are no longer in the restoration business.

Glasco actually began as the Glascock Brothers Manufacturing Company, a company that was founded in 1892 to build washing machines. In 1929 they produced their first Coca-Cola cooler. It was a cooler that held 72 bottles of Coke that was cooled with ice. It had space below to hold 3 additional cases of soda. The Standard, as it was called, was the first mass-produced Coca-Cola cooler. Because of this, Glascock is often referred to as the “grandfather” of all Coca-Cola vending machines. The company name was changed to the Glasco Corporation in the 1930s. Through the early 1960s, Glasco only made soda vending machines for the Coca-Cola Company. The Universal Match Company acquired Glasco in the 1960s.

The GBV-50 was a very significant vending machine for the Glasco Corporation. It marked their re-entry into the bottle vending business after dedicating several years to producing vendors that dispensed pre-mixed Coca-Cola into cups. The Glasco 50 was manufactured from the late 1950s to the early 1960s.

We’d also like to share these 1960 brochures we have for the Glasco GBV-50 Starlet. The Glasco 50 was built for dispensing bottles of Coca-Cola. This machine operated manually by opening the lid and sliding the bottle to the opening in order to remove it. The bottle was released once the coin was deposited into the coin box. This is a slider-style chest cooler that had the capacity to dispense 50 bottles and pre-cool 25. It was a dry cooler that used a compressor to cool the drinks. It was intended to hold a fair amount of product without taking up a lot of floor space as you can see in the brochure page. It was touted as being both compact and counter-high. It was also promoted as a soda vendor that could hold up to five different products. The slider had 5 rows that could each be filled with a different drink selection. It could hold regular or king-size bottles.

A very similar looking slider vendor had been introduced a few years earlier by the Ideal Dispenser Company. Where Glasco manufactured soda vendors exclusively for Coca-Cola, Ideal made machines for all the other soda manufacturers except Coca-Cola, with an exception. Ideal manufactured an Ideal 55 slider embossed with “Drink Coca-Cola in Bottles” in the late 1950s. It was the only machine they made for Coca-Cola, and therefore, is very rare. The Coca-Cola coolers were not embossed, while the Ideal 55B coolers were.

Dimensions: 37”W x 20”D x 41”H
Weight: 230 lbs.

Manufactured by:
Glasco
Muncie, Indiana

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This late 1950s Cavalier CS-96 soda machine is a one-of-kind vending machine. On it we did a custom restoration for a college fraternity. The colors are inspired by their fraternity insignia and rather than dispensing soda, the shelves were adjusted so vending long neck beer bottles is no problem.

The Cavalier 96 is popular today because it was originally constructed with the adjustable shelves and also allowed varying amounts to be charged for dispensing. It is possible to charge up $1.00 per bottle and bottles from 6.5 ounces to 10 ounces are able to fit in the machine.

It’s a good example of how vintage soda vending machines can still be used in your home or office. Even if you keep the Coca-Cola embossing, you can fill your drink box with any bottled beverage that will fit for a fun and functional conversation piece in your home.

Please note we are no longer in the restoration business.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

We blogged recently about a Coca-Cola VMC 27 we restored and that blog can be read here: http://www.vintagevending.com/the-vendorlator-27.

We have since come across these original ads for the machine and wanted to share them. One of the ads shows the Kay Display base we reference in the first blog. The Vendorlator 27 is a neat little machine and can still be found in nice shape, given they were almost always kept inside because of its smaller size.

Found this interesting photo of a bunch of Coca-Cola Cavalier 51 soda machines on the production line at the plant in Chattanooga, TN. The Cavalier 51 was a widely produced machine from the early 1950s to the late 1950s. It is not the most collectible machine because it is kind of large and is a single selection machine.

For more information on the Coca-Cola Cavalier 51 visit our previous blog on this machine.

A much rarer machine is the Cavalier 102. It has two C-51 doors on a larger cabinet. In other words, it was like two Cavalier 51s back to back so it could vend from either side. Nothing was shared by the two machines; each had its own coin mechanism, vending system and refrigeration. It would have probably been freestanding in a location with lots of traffic like a factory floor. As far as I know, it is the only machine like it and very few were produced. We have included a rough photo of a 102 we once owned. We never restored a 51 or a 102.

Also known as the “Spin Top”, the Vendo 23 vended 23 bottles and pre-cooled 7. Introduced in 1949, it was a smaller cooler, made specifically to fit into smaller spaces. It was intended as an alternative to the bulkier upright vendors available at the time.

Behind the large pullout door there was storage for empties or additional bottles of Coca-Cola. It had an all-steel construction with a baked enamel finish and featured automatic defrost.

This machine was designed to accept 5 cents, 6 cents, or 10 cents and was unable to make change. The vending was done manually, by rotating the handle and lifting the lid to remove a soda.

Dimensions: 20”D x 24”W x 36”H
Weight: 156 lbs.

Manufactured by:
The Vendo Company
Kansas City, Missouri

Pictured here is an assortment of vintage sales and promotional literature for different models of the Westinghouse WC-42T. There are also two mailers die cut to resemble the shape of the machines.

Today the WC-42T soda vending machine is the most commonly found and popular of the Westinghouse upright machines. Although it is the smallest of the Westinghouse upright vendors, it is heavy for its size. The WC-42Ts were manufactured from the early to mid-1950s. The earlier models were painted solid red and had “Ice Cold” embossed on the door and “Here’s a Coke For You” embossed on the sides. We believe this is the only upright soda vending machine to have had this side embossing.

Beginning in 1956 when Coca-Cola changed its paint schemes, the new 42s were painted in a two-tone scheme. The body of the machine was red with a white top. In addition, the door embossing was eliminated and the Coke slogan on the side was no longer embossed but painted.

All models of the 42 have the distinctive Westinghouse “ribs”, or horizontal embossing added purely for aesthetic purposes. The WC-42T vends 42 bottles and has space to pre-cool 10. It is a single selection machine that was designed to vend 6 ½ ounce bottles of Coca-Cola. We have never restored one.

The VMC 27 is the smallest soda machine made by Vendorlator. It is only 27 inches high and dispenses 27 6.5 ounce bottles. It had space to pre-cool 10 bottles. It is one of the smallest Coca-Cola soda machines ever made. It’s called the “Tabletop” because it could be placed on a counter. There were a variety of stands made for it, including a pipe stand made by Vendorlator and an all-wood stand made by Kay Display Products.

These machines were made between 1948 and 1951. Pictured here is a VMC 27 that we restored.

Dimensions: 19”D x 24”W x 27”H (without stand)
Weight: 100 lbs.

Manufactured by:
The Vendorlator Manufacturing Co.
4000 Railroad Avenue
Fresno, California

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

This was a very interesting dispenser put out by the Glasco Corporation. First introduced in 1956, it was a stadium or event vendor that was used to vend cold cups of Coca-Cola. The stainless steel tank was pre-chilled and was able to keep the Coke cold for at least 2 hours. This was considered a pre-mix dispenser, since it contained both syrup and carbonated water. Each soft drink dispenser was capable of dispensing 40 servings in as little as 10 minutes. The cup holder was able to hold up to 50 7-ounce paper cups.

This ad claims that 49,811 cups were sold by 12 roaming vendors at a large stadium event. We owned one of these years ago but never restored it. Just one of the many items I wish we still owned.

Weight: 19 lbs. without product, 35.5 lbs. when full

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The VMC 3D-33 is nearly the same machine as the VMC 33. One minor difference being the one-piece coin door on the 3D-33 where the 33 has a two-piece door. Also, the “empty” decal changed from white to yellow. The VMC 33 was designed to increase the vending capacity that was available on the VMC Dual 27. The same round drum design was used, but the center was widened to accommodate 6 additional bottles. The VMC 3D-33 was produced in the mid-1950s. It vends 33 bottles and pre-cools 27. This photo is of a VMC 3D-33 Coca-Cola machine that we restored.

Dimensions: 17 1/2”D x 26”W x 52”H
Weight: 231 lbs.

Manufactured by:
The Vendorlator Manufacturing Co.
4000 Railroad Avenue
Fresno, California

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Vendo 81D may be one of the most sought-after soda machines, also called “drink boxes”, among collectors. It was introduced in 1955 and was made exclusively for the Coca-Cola Company by Vendo. If you find a similar machine embossed with another soda brand such as Royal Crown, Pepsi or 7-Up, then it is not a Vendo 81-D, but rather a VMC-81 made by the Vendorlator Company. They are very similar machines, but made by different companies.

The V-81D pop machine is very similar to its predecessors; both the 81A and 81B, but has a much larger coin door. The V-81D is a “white-top” model, like the V-81B, whereas the V-81A is solid red with a white Coca-Cola logo. And the embossing is larger and positioned more to the right than on the V-81A. The V-81D was manufactured from 1955 to 1958.

The internal workings of the V-81D are still very much like those in the earlier models. It vends 6 to 12 ounce bottles of soda. It has nine shelves and dispenses 81 bottles. There’s space to pre-cool 17 bottles. A fluorescent light illuminates the bottle door allowing you to view the various selections. The larger coin door on the V-81D accommodated a coin mechanism with a coin changer, unlike the small door machines. One feature that makes this machine so popular is the gravity-fed slant-shelf design. This allows you to vend a variety of flavors and sizes of bottles.

We have restored many of these over the years. Follow this link to Retroplanet.com and our Blog About the Vendo 81, 44 and 39 Service Manuals in the PDF Library. There you can download a copy of a Vendo 81 Soda Machine Manual.

Dimensions: 58”H x 27”W x 16”D
Weight: 286 lbs.

View the video of this Coca-Cola Vendo 81D Soda Machine

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The VMC 27 was made for Coca-Cola from 1948 to 1951. This tabletop vending machine had a unique mailbox-type shape that attracted customers, so these were very popular among storeowners. There was an optional stand made by Kay Products for this machine that had additional storage space below. The VMC 27 was capable of vending 27 cold soft drinks, and pre-cooled 10. This machine was a friendlier size for use in Mom and Pop establishments where space was at a premium. These places wouldn’t have had any use for the gargantuan Vendorlator Master and Jumbo models that were made during the war for use in factories. (The Master could vend 84 bottles and pre-cool 80 and the Jumbo could vend 124 bottles and cool 104!) Unfortunately for the 27, the Coca-Cola Company wanted something that could vend more drinks than these were able. In the early 1950’s Vendorlator made the upright Dual 27 for Coca-Cola that was an improvement with the capacity to vend 27 and pre-cool 27 more. As the competition between the soft drink manufacturers grew, Coke felt the 27 still wasn’t big enough. The answer was the VMC 33 that could vend 33 bottles and cool 27. These replaced the model 27 product line and were manufactured from the early to mid-1950’s. And the vendors got larger still, with very popular models like the VMC 81 that was made for dispensing Royal Crown, Pepsi-Cola, 7Up and Dr. Pepper. These classic machines were produced from the mid- to late-1950’s and are very collectible today.

In 1956, Vendorlator merged with its former rival, the Vendo Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to the merger, Vendo worked almost exclusively with the Coca-Cola Company, so the combination of the two companies made them the primary supplier of vendors to the soft drink market. Within two years, the companies were completely consolidated and operating out of the Fresno location. In 1988 Vendo became a subsidiary of the Sanden Corporation of Japan. Vendo moved its headquarters to Dallas, Texas in 2005 and the name changed to SandenVendo America Inc. They still operate today as a manufacturer of vending machines, in addition to commercial freezers, and automotive air-conditioning systems.

The Vendorlator Manufacturing Company
4000 Railroad Avenue
Fresno, California

The Ideal 55B Royal Crown soda machine is the most common of all Ideal’s soda vendors. The Ideal 55B is a “slider”, which is a machine where, after you deposit your coin, you slide the bottle through a rack to the opening to get the bottle out. The Ideal 55B was made from the late 1940s to the late 1950s. It vends 50 bottles and pre-cools 80.

The Royal Crown embossed sliders are the most common among the 55Bs. The cooler design has an inherent flaw that it shared with a lot of other soda vending machines. The problem is that it was possible to consume a soda without paying for it. Evidently there were people that opened the lid, popped a cap off a soda, inserted a straw and drank the soda without removing the bottle or paying for it. Most likely, once the storeowner caught on, he’d watch the machine very closely, or better yet, have it moved to the front of the store where he would have been manning the checkout. This Ideal slider is one that we restored.

Dimensions: 19 1/2”D x 37”W x 42”H
Weight: 204 lbs.
Manufactured by:
The Ideal Dispenser Co.
Bloomington, Illinois

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The VMC 72 is a considered a small machine to have dual bottle chutes. It may be the smallest ever made. Typically the dual chute design appeared only on the larger soda machines. The VMC 72 has a very large Coca-Cola logo that manufacturers believed would attract more customers. It has the same coin door design as on the VMC 3D-33. The VMC 72 was manufactured from the early to mid-1950s. It vends 72 bottles and pre-cools 6. These photos are of a VMC 72 Coca-Cola machine that we restored.

Dimensions: 15”D x 25”W x 58”H

Manufactured by:
The Vendorlator Manufacturing Co.
4000 Railroad Avenue
Fresno, California

Embossed VMC 72

Coin Door on VMC 72

VMC 72 Coin Mechanism

Inside of VMC 72

Vending Rack Compressor

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby of collecting and restoration. We also enjoy sharing the photos of the many items we have restored over the years.

The Cornelius 5-Product Bar Valve
A Coca-Cola Pre-Mix Soda Fountain Valve Dispenser

This catalog page shows the 1965 model of the Cornelius 5-Product Bar Valve. It was proclaimed the “modern way to serve drinks in bars and taverns”. These were manufactured for The Coca-Cola Company and offered 5 different mixer flavors. This was “paired up with a Cornelius 5-Flavor Cold Plate”, making it a cost-effective alternative to the larger soft drink dispensers. Five flavors were available on the valve that could be dispensed with the touch of a finger. A molded valve rest was attached under the bar to store and protect the valve when it was not in use.

Manufactured by:
The Cornelius Company
2727 North Ferry Street
Anoka, MN 55303

The Vendo V-83 Coca-Cola Vending Machine

The V-83 has the distinction of being Vendo’s first coin-operated, upright soda vending machine to be mass-produced. Like all other Vendos, it was made exclusively for the Coca-Cola Company and was produced from 1946 to 1955. There were more of this model machine made among upright Vendos, than any other machine up until 1960.

The vending couldn’t have been simpler; just insert a nickel and lift the dispenser door to lift out your Coke. It is a single-selection machine that vends 83 bottles and has space to pre-cool 75. The 6.5-ounce bottles were loaded into individual compartments in a honeycomb-shaped drum. By lifting the door to remove a Coke, the drum was rotated to the next available bottle.
This Vendo 1947 V-83 brochure states that demand is so high for this machine, that they may have difficulty filling orders for them in the following year—so you had better put your order in early! Not so true anymore, as this is such a heavy machine, that it’s not all that popular with collectors. In addition, it can only hold the original 6.5-ounce bottles.

Dimensions: 63”H x 32 1/2”W x 18”D
Weight: 450 lbs.

Manufactured by:
The Vendo Company
Kansas City, Missouri

Are you looking for some cool 1950’s atmosphere to add to your home, and a soda vending machine that you can use today? How about the Coca-Cola Vendo 39? This machine is not only one of the most recognized Vendo models, but it’s also able to dispense the 8-ounce bottles the Coca-Cola Company is distributing today.

The Vendo 39 was made for the Coca-Cola Company from 1949 to the mid-1950’s. There were some 80,000 of these made, so they are still fairly common today. They graced the fronts of filling stations and storefronts all over 1950’s America. This single-selection machine is equipped with a honeycomb-shaped wheel that turns to dispense a nice, cold Coca-Cola. It is capable of vending 39 8-ounce bottles and pre-cools 20. And with its characteristic rounded corners and sleek design, this is a classic, and highly collectible model.

It is important to note that the Vendo 39 that was made from 1949 to the mid-1950’s, like the one we have here, was always painted a solid red. The later 39s, made from the mid- to late-1950’s were painted red and white.

Every soda machine we restored at Vintage Vending followed the same process. First the machine was completely disassembled and all painted parts were sandblasted. All other parts were re-chromed, powder-coated, repainted or cleaned. The coin mechanism was re-plated and rebuilt. Automotive bodywork was performed on all of the sandblasted parts. The machine was painted with PPG automotive paint. Then the machine was reassembled with a new refrigeration compressor and all electrical was replaced.

Dimensions: 58” high x 27” wide x 16” deep

Weight: 285 lbs.
Manufactured by:

The Vendo Company

Kansas City, Missouri

View the video of this restored Vendo 39



This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.

The Delf Triple-Selector Soda Machine

The Fully-Automatic Delf Triple-Selector Vendor dispensed bottled soft drinks and was capable of vending up to 3 different flavors. This model machine, made in the late 1940’s to early 50’s was touted as being a smaller model, but with a large capacity. It had an overall 121-bottle vending capacity but had a unique way of vending them. It utilized 3 horizontal vending conveyors that vended 37 bottles. This machine could vend 6 to 12 oz. bottles of soda. There was a stainless steel interior lining and storage available inside the machine to hold 48 additional bottles.

Manufactured by:
Atlas Tool & Manufacturing Co.
5147 Natural Bridge Blvd.
St. Louis, MO

Dimensions: 73”H x 24.5”W x 25”D

Blog-in and tell us if you’ve ever seen one of these machines, or maybe you also have one in your collection.

The F. L. Jacobs Company, A Soda Machine Company

F. L. Jacobs originally specialized in manufacturing home appliances like the Jacobs Launderall washing machine out of Detroit, Michigan. They began manufacturing soda vending machines for Coca-Cola in the 1940’s from a plant in Indianapolis, Indiana. Their machines have a unique shape referred to by collectors as the “mailbox” shape. They are believed to be one of the few manufacturers that the Coca-Cola Company authorized to continue making Coca-Cola soda vending machines in limited quantities through the course of WWII. Like all machines made in that time, they had large capacities for serving the workers in the wartime factories. One of these was the enormous J-144. It weighed 580 lbs. without any soda in it and measured 65”H x 34”W x 35”D.

In contrast, the smallest, most sought-after and fortunately, most common of Jacobs soda machines is the Jacobs 26. The 26 was produced in the late 1940’s and measures 54”H x 19”W x 26”D. Like all Jacobs machines, it has the classic mailbox shape. This design is to accommodate the interior drum from which the soda is vended. The drum rotates to dispense the bottles. Like all the Jacobs Coca-Cola models, it vends from the narrow side of the machine and the bottles are loaded from the wider side.

Other postwar machines include the Jacobs 50 and 56 manufactured in the early 1950’s. The Jacobs 50 was a 50-bottle model that used decals to advertise Pepsi-Cola. On the other hand, the model 56 is a slicker looking machine, with an illuminated Pepsi-Cola soda “cap” on the door. Collectors have given this model the name “Pepsi Light-Up”. The Jacobs 56 was made for only two years, from 1952 to 1953. Due to its short production time and the scarcity of models with the “cap” intact, this is one of the most sought-after soda machines and is a rare model to find today.

In addition to the models already mentioned, Jacobs made the model 35, produced in the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s. It is identical to the 26, except that the drum was redesigned to hold nine additional bottles and there was room in the machine to cool 41. Jacobs also produced what turned out to be their final model, the 108, proclaiming it the “fastest loading medium cooler made”. The F. L. Jacobs Company moved to Traverse City, Michigan around 1950. Unfortunately, there weren’t to be any more Jacobs soda machines coming down the production line. It seems that in 1951 the F. L. Jacobs Company was encouraged by the U.S. Department of Justice to repay $15 million “in excess profits from producing necessities and munitions of war during World War II”. They voluntarily paid back the money, and it obviously put a strain on the company. They closed their doors in 1953.

F. L. Jacobs Company

1100 W. 21st Street

Indianapolis, Indiana

Coca-Cola Cavalier 72 Soda Vending Machine

The Cavalier 72 is a round-top model Coca-Cola vending machine that was introduced in 1958. It was built by one of the largest manufacturers of soda vending machines for the Coca-Cola Company, the Cavalier Corporation. This machine is one that we restored at Vintage Vending.

Every soda machine we restored at Vintage Vending followed the same process. First the machine was completely disassembled and all painted parts were sandblasted. All other parts were re-chromed, powder-coated, repainted or cleaned. The coin mechanism was re-plated and rebuilt. Automotive bodywork was performed on all of the sandblasted parts. The machine was painted with PPG automotive paint. Then the machine was reassembled with a new refrigeration compressor and all electrical was replaced.

This machine was restored with the original color scheme. As was popular in the late 1950’s, this machine is predominately white. It is a slant-shelf machine that holds up to 72 bottles, 8 bottles on each of its 9 shelves. These shelves can be adjusted to accommodate bottles ranging from 6 to 12 ounce sizes. This also allows for the vending of up to 9 different flavors. There’s space to pre-cool 17 bottles. Collectors appreciate this machine’s versatility, making it a very desirable model and one of the most popular Coke machines.

The Cavalier 72 also has great style with its small profile and rounded corners. In addition, after depositing your money, the “Have a Coke” lens on the bottle door lights up, indicating that you can pull a soda out. There’s no need to pull down a handle to dispense the soda, as the slanted shelves and gravity make the bottles readily available. Older soda machines were equipped with mechanical coin mechanisms. Because the Cavalier 72 has an electro-mechanical coin mechanism, this machine also allows you to set the price of the sodas up to $1.00, making this vendor an option for use today in a restaurant or store.

Dimensions:
67” high x 24 3/4” wide x 21 7/8”
deep
Weight: 256 lbs.

Manufactured by:

The Cavalier Corporation

Chattanooga, Tennessee

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.

Coca-Cola Vendo 44 Soda Vending Machine

The most desirable Coca-Cola soda machine ever made, the Vendo 44 was produced exclusively for the Coca-Cola Company from 1956 to 1959. The very narrow width of this machine has made it a highly collectible machine for both the veteran collector as well as newcomers to the hobby. These machines, when new, were very popular with storeowners because they didn’t take up a lot of floor space. They were always painted what has become the classic Coca-Cola red and white. It can vend 44 8-ounce bottles, and pre-cools 9. The Vendo 44 that appears here is a machine that we restored at Vintage Vending.

Every soda machine we restored at Vintage Vending followed the same process. First the machine was completely disassembled and all painted parts were sandblasted. All other parts were re-chromed, powder-coated, repainted or cleaned. The coin mechanism was re-plated and rebuilt. Automotive bodywork was performed on all of the sandblasted parts. The machine was painted with PPG automotive paint. Then the machine was reassembled with a new refrigeration compressor and all electrical was replaced. Also, this machine has been modified to vend 12-ounce cans in addition to bottles.

Dimensions:
57 1/2” high x 16” wide x 15 1/2” deep

Weight: 225 lbs.

Manufactured by:

The Vendo Company

Kansas City, Missouri

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.

The Jacobs 56 Pepsi-Cola Vending Machine

The Jacobs 56 Pepsi-Cola Vending Machine is one of the most sought-after Pepsi machines ever made. Serious collectors consider it the “Holy Grail” of all soda machines. Having been manufactured for only two years, between 1952 and 1953, makes this a very rare machine. We are proud to have restored several of these machines, and you can see one of them in our Retro Museum at Retroplanet.com.

Collectors know this vendor as the “Pepsi Light-Up”. This is because the Pepsi “cap”, or logo on the front lights up, by way of two bulbs located behind it. Above the cap, to either side, are a red and blue (or sometimes green) lens. The red lens indicates when the machine is empty, and the blue reads “nickels only”. This machine vends 56 bottles of Pepsi and can vend bottle sizes from 10 to 12 ounces. It also has the capacity to pre-cool 37 bottles. This model, unlike the Jacobs Coca-Cola machines, uses slant-shelves to vend the sodas.

The shape of the machine is typical of Jacobs soda machines. They have a rounded top, resembling a mailbox. This makes for a very unique and appealing appearance. So in addition to its rarity, these machines are also very desirable for their style. It can be difficult to find an original Jacobs 56 that has the Pepsi “cap” intact and in good condition which can complicate the restoration of one of these models.

Every soda machine we restored at Vintage Vending followed the same process. First the machine was completely disassembled and all painted parts were sandblasted. All other parts were re-chromed, powder-coated, repainted or cleaned. The coin mechanism was re-plated and rebuilt. Automotive bodywork was performed on all of the sandblasted parts. The machine was painted with PPG automotive paint. Then the machine was reassembled with a new refrigeration compressor and all electrical was replaced.

Dimensions: 61” high x 27” wide x 21 ½” deep
Weight: 280 lbs.

Manufactured by:

F. L. Jacobs

Traverse City, Michigan

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.

What do you do when you have a couple of undesirable, enormous and basically worthless Vendo 144 soda machines? You turn them into restroom doors. These are photos of the restrooms that were in our retail store in Salem, NH. We took two Vendo 144 doors and restored them to like new condition and bolted them to a couple of solid doors. If you try this, keep in mind that they are heavy and you may have to reinforce the doorjamb and hinges. But the extra work is worth it; the doors always received great compliments and a second look from everyone who saw them.

The 7UP VMC 81 soda vending machine is one of the most collectible models among soda machine collectors. It had a more limited production than its Coca-Cola counterpart, the Vendo 81 and is therefore harder to find. It was manufactured from the mid- to late-1950’s.

As the name indicates, this machine vends 81 bottles and pre-cools 17. It has 9 shelves that would allow vending of up to 9 different flavor choices. It can accommodate bottle sizes from 6 ½ to 12 ounces.

This is one of the VMC 81s that we restored at Vintage Vending. The original VMC 81s were produced as solid white machines, but we used the more popular green and white combination when restoring our machine.

Every soda machine we restored at Vintage Vending followed the same process. First the machine was completely disassembled and all painted parts were sandblasted. All other parts were re-chromed, powder-coated, repainted or cleaned. The coin mechanism was re-plated and rebuilt. Automotive bodywork was performed on all of the sandblasted parts. The machine was painted with PPG automotive paint. Then the machine was reassembled with a new refrigeration compressor and all electrical was replaced.

Dimensions: 58” high x 27” wide x 16” deep

Weight: 286 lbs.

Manufactured by:

The Vendolator Manufacturing Company
Fresno, California

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

To view more pictures of the completed restoration visit the RetroPlanet.com Museum.

1960 Coca-Cola Vendo Soda Machines

This is a Vendo Company brochure announcing their available soda vending machine line for the year in 1960. Note the Vendo 44, which was introduced in 1956, was still being manufactured. This was a very popular model, and tens of thousands of these were manufactured.

As the Vendo soda machines were modernized and improved, they were also getting larger, as you can see in this photo of a Vendo V-304-4 Multi-Drink model. This machine was capable of vending 304 regular or king (10 oz.) bottles, as well as cooling an additional 36 bottles. It could vend up to 4 different beverages. With its large capacity, this vendor was designed for high-traffic areas.

Blog-in with any comments you may have.

Coca-Cola Vending Machine Conversion Kits

Beginning in the 1950’s, the trend among soda machines was to offer vendors with multiple flavor selections. What was to be done with all of the single-selection soda dispensing machines already in use? The Selectivend Corporation came up with a solution. They introduced conversion kits for the more popular Coca-Cola Vendo machines. The conversion kits could be installed, changing a single-selection machine to a multivendor, able to dispense up to twelve different flavors.

Some of the models that kits were available for include the Vendo V39, V144, V216 and the V83. This idea may have been innovative, but it never really caught on, as the conversions were pretty involved, and once done, the machines were most likely very troublesome.

Maybe you have some feedback about this blog. We’d love to hear from you.

Service Manuals for Coca-Cola Vendo 81, 44 & 39 Soda Machines

At the Retroplanet.com site we are offering free downloads of PDFs of service manuals for three models of Coca-Cola soda machines from the 1950’s. They are the Vendo 81, 44 and 39. These PDFs can be found at the Retroplanet PDF Library.

It is important to note that in the beginning of the manual you will see photos of vending machines that were restored by us at Vintage Vending. They may have been restored to look different from the machine you may have. The rest of the manual PDFs are of the actual manual and schematics. There are also photos and parts lists. Our hope is that these photos are of help to you.

The soda machines we have restored are not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

There is a great blog at Retroplanet.com about Coca-Cola coolers being used in various establishments in Southern California in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The photos included with the blog are literally snapshots of a way of life that is no longer with us. Head over to Retroplanet.com and the Blog heading of Vintage Vending Archives. Scroll down to “Coca-Cola Coolers”, and enjoy a trip down Memory Lane and remember what it was like when there were neighborhood grocery stores and filling stations, and of course, coolers of ice cold Coca-Cola.

Pepsi-Cola Mexican Mini Cooler

Here is a very interesting Pepsi cooler. Because it is a double-dot we know it is from the 40’s. We also think it is from Mexico because of the decals on the side of the original. It looks like more of a mini-fridge icebox than a cooler, and is definitely an original because it is embossed. We restored this many years ago and it is in the home of a private collector. We are showing the before and after but for additional photos, please visit the Retroplanet Museum at Retroplanet.com. If you have any information about this piece’s origin please blog-in and let us know.

It is a fairly small piece measuring 33”H X 18.5”W X 15″D

Paint code PPG DCC 18431 Light Blue
A sign painter applied all the other colors by hand.

This item is not for sale. We show restored items in this blog to encourage discussion, prompt questions and further the hobby.

Glascock Countertop Cooler

In 1929 the first officially approved retail cooler for dispensing bottles of Coca-Cola was introduced. It was a Glascock cooler. This particular Glascock countertop cooler was introduced in 1931. This open-top cooler was both the smallest and least expensive cooler made by Glascock. It hit the market priced at $5.95. It held 36 chilled bottles, with no additional storage space. Galvanized metal was used for its sturdy construction. Essentially, it was the same as the Junior model offered in 1930, but without legs. It was designed to sit on a countertop in a retail environment. As with other soft drink coolers of the time, it was based on an honor system, where the customer selected a bottle of Coke and paid the store clerk.

Filling the cooler up with ice chilled the bottles. There was a faucet at the base to drain excess water from the cooler after the ice melted. The cooler is painted a “Moroccan Green” in addition to the standardized red and white. The embossed logos on the cooler sides were panels that could be pulled out and changed. Glascock coolers are considered the “Grandfathers” of all Coca-Cola vending machines that were to follow. This particular Glascock cooler is rare and very desirable to collectors.
For more photos of our restored Glascock cooler, visit the Retroplanet Museum and look under “Chest Coolers”.

Dimensions: 14” high x 18” wide x 26” deep

Capacity: 36 bottles plus 20 lbs. of ice

Manufactured by:

Glascock Bros. Manufacturing Co.

Muncie, Indiana

The Evolution of Soft Drink Dispensing

Recently, while doing descriptions for the soda fountain dispensers in the Retroplanet Museum, I was struck by how little I knew about how these IN-dispensable drinks evolved. Drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have become such a staple in the American diet that I think many of us take them for granted.

The first attempts at making a carbonated drink date back as far as the early 1770’s, when it was believed that natural mineral waters had curative powers. People flocked to spas where mineral water bubbled naturally out of the earth. Early scientists tried to replicate these bubbly drinks with health benefits for everyone to enjoy. In the early 1770’s a Swedish chemist and an English scientist invented equipment that combined water and carbon dioxide. This bubbly water was called soda water. In 1806 a Yale chemistry professor, Benjamin Silliman, purchased an apparatus and began selling mineral water (unflavored then) in New Haven, Connecticut. Sometimes Dr. Silliman added wine and sugar to his bottled mineral water, but it was Eugene Roussel of Philadelphia that is credited with making flavored soda water popular. In the late 1830’s he added a “soda counter” to his perfume shop where he offered soda water flavored with orange, cherry, lemon, teaberry, ginger, peach or root beer syrup. His success can be measured by the fact that he had nearly 50 competitors in his city within a very short time.

By the end of the Civil War, soda fountains were a common sight, and flavored soft drinks were commonly dispensed in drugstores at the soda fountain counter. These locations became even more important when the US government passed Temperance Laws forbidding the consumption of alcohol. Soda fountains allowed people to continue to gather and socialize, but without the presence of alcohol. The problem was that the drinks could vary greatly from one to the next, as there was not really a standard method of concocting them. After a pump or two of the syrup, the pharmacist would fill the glass up to the fill-line with ice-chilled carbonated water. This was then stirred and served to the customer.

In 1888 Jacob Baur started the Liquid Carbonic Co. that manufactured carbon dioxide in tanks. This led to the manufacture and sale of Liquid Carbonic soda fountains in the early 1900’s. This made it possible for pharmacists to make their own carbonated water, rather than having to buy it from a supplier. This arrangement still required mixing syrup and water by the pharmacist and therefore, room for variation.

The first automatic soda fountain dispenser that mixed the syrup and the carbonated water together was made in 1933 by Dole and was introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair. This model was the Dole Master Dispenser. Simply by pulling the handle, the syrup and carbonated water were mixed together. In order to cool the drink, ice could be packed into the dispenser.

Dole then released the Dole Junior in 1936. This was a much smaller, 1-gallon capacity dispenser. It could duplicate the same flavor in each ice-cold drink, much faster than was previously possible. The next major development in dispensers came in 1949 in the shape of the “Outboard Motor” design dispensers, like the Selmix Fountain Dispenser. Designed by the famous industrial designer Raymond Loewy, this dispenser was capable of dispensing a continuous flow of mixed carbonated water and syrup with only one pull of the handle. They were then followed by “Super” models that could dispense two types of soda, and in 1955 the Multiplex Faucet Company introduced the Red Barrel dispenser, the first multiple-drink Coca-Cola dispenser that was designed for use at places like movie theaters and drive-ins.

A very drastic change to dispenser design occurred in June of 1958 when the Dole Citation model was released. It was square and constructed mainly of plastic. It had a totally new and modern look. By 1962 dispensers were available as ice-cooled models or with mechanical refrigeration. These dispensers evolved into the 12- to 16-head self-serve dispensers seen in fast food restaurants we see today.

Help Us Identify Our Coke Cooler

We have added information in the Retroplanet Museum about our coolers. One of these is a Coca-Cola cooler from Mexico that we know very little about. Take a look and see if you might be able to help identify the name of the manufacturer and the approximate date.

1940’s Pepsi-Cola Soda Cooler

This is a brochure for a rare Pepsi-Cola machine made by the Universal Cooler Corporation of Marion, Ohio. They were manufactured from the early to mid-1940’s as an automatic coin-operated vending machine. This electric cooler has a 66-bottle capacity with room for 50-chilled bottles and an additional 16 pre-cooled bottles. The profile of the cooler was intended to be smaller than earlier models, to take up less floor space.

Universal Cooler Corporation

Marion, Ohio

Have you seen one of these machines? Blog-in and let us know.

The Cavalier Coca-Cola Office Cooler

The Cavalier Corporation produced this machine in the late 1940’s, early 1950’s. This Coca-Cola cooler was designed to be much smaller than the standard soda vending machines so it could be used in an office for use by employees, customers or patients. In other words, Coca-Cola was also interested in being in places where they would make low-volume sales in addition to more high-profile locations.

This 2-case cooler is powered by a Frigidaire motor and was not coin-operated. The cold bottles of Coke either would have been offered as a courtesy, or there would have been an honor system in place.

Cavalier Corporation

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Cavalier began making Coke coolers in 1935, and closed in November of 2000. Perhaps you’ve seen a Cavalier cooler? Let us know. Blog-in using the form below.

1941 Vendorlator 120 Soda Machine

We have seen a lot of soda machines here at Vintage Vending, and I would have to say that this one could be the ugliest. Seemed like a good idea at the time, I would guess. It vends up to 63 different flavors and holds any size bottles. “It is modern and handsome in design, easy to load, simple and almost 100% automatic in operation,” says the brochure.

Manufactured by:
Vendorlator Manufacturing Co.
4000 Railroad Avenue
Fresno, California

The Vendo V-81’s and VMC-81 Soda Machines, Similarities & Differences

The Vendo Company eventually merged with its rival, the Vendorlator Manufacturing Company in 1956, but originally they were two separate entities building some very similar soda machines. In the mid 1950’s the Vendo Company was manufacturing the Vendo 81 exclusively for The Coca-Cola Company, and the Vendorlator Manufacturing Co. was making VMC-81’s for competing brands like Pepsi, 7-Up, Dr. Pepper and Royal Crown. Once the two companies merged, they continued to make machines under the two product names as before, making The Vendo Company the primary supplier to of the soft drink market.

There were three V-81 models manufactured by the Vendo Company from the mid to the late 1950’s. There was the Vendo V-81A, V-81B and V-81D. Up until 1956, Coca-Cola machines were painted a solid red, like the Vendo V-81A. Beginning in 1956 with the V-81B, The Coca-Cola company painted their machines red and white to emphasize Coke’s “clean and refreshing” image. The “Coca-Cola” logo that had been smaller and positioned closer to the bottle door was repositioned to be centered on the space to the right of the bottle door and the logo was enlarged. The logo was also made more prominent by being embossed in red on a white background, instead of in white on a red background.

The Vendorlator Manufacturing Company’s competing soda machine was the VMC 81. The Vendo 81 and the VMC-81 both held a total of 81 bottles for vending. Space inside the machine allowed for the pre-cooling of 17 additional bottles. Both machines had nine interior shelves, allowing them to vend up to nine different soda flavors. They used “slant shelves” that could be adjusted to accommodate different bottle sizes ranging from 6 ½ to 12 ounces. That flexibility makes these machines very popular today, since you are able to fill them with almost any soda, beer or wine coolers. These soda machines have the classic upright, “round-cornered” cabinet design of the 1950’s. Both the V-81A and V-81B are referred to as “small door” models, and the V-81D is called the “large door” model. This came about because the V-81D had a different coin mechanism that necessitated a larger door. The coin mechanism was redesigned to give change back, where previously the coin boxes only took nickels. The bottle doors in both the Vendo and VMC-81’s had lights placed within them to illuminate the bottles.

1958 was the last year of production for round-cornered soda machines made by The Vendo Company, with the exception of the Vendo 44. All of the Coca-Cola Company Vendo 81’s and the various brands of VMC-81’s are very collectible today. The Vendo 81’s are the most desirable of all the different models of Coke machines manufactured throughout the 1950’s. Fewer VMC-81’s were produced than Vendo 81’s, and of all the brands embossed on the VMC-81’s, Royal Crown soda machines are the most rare and collectible with the 7-Up machines close behind. Any of these soda machines would be quite a statement in any gameroom, den or office.

Dimensions: 53.75 in. high x 25 in. wide x 17.5 in. deep
Weight: 286 lbs.

Please blog in and tell us about your soda machine collection. We’d love to hear about your acquisition and restoration stories. If you have questions about your restoration, blog in and ask us as we’ve done many ourselves and would enjoy being of help to you.

The Vendo Galaxie Soft Drink Dispenser

The Vendo Galaxie Soft Drink Dispenser was the first pre-mix soda dispenser. Up until its creation in 1960, dispensers mixed the syrup and carbonated water when the handle was pulled. With this model, the syrup and carbonated water were stored premixed, outside of the dispenser. The complete soft drink was pressure fed by carbon dioxide gas through the dispenser. The futuristic look of the Vendo Galaxie was a result of the design collaboration of Clare Hodgman, a famous automobile and appliance designer, and the Engineering Department of The Cola-Cola Company. It was available in 1, 2, 3 or 4 dispensing valves. This model was made exclusively for Coca-Cola.

This counter-mounted dispenser was advertised as “The most modern way to dispense Coca-Cola (Pre-mix!).” Covered in a baked enamel with chrome and stainless steel accents. The top of the machine was illuminated and displayed the “Drink Coca-Cola” logo.

As the brochures show, the Vendo Galaxie soft drink dispenser was also marketed to be sold with an ice-making machine, like this Polar Chips Icemaker. The dispenser was installed directly onto the ice maker, making it quicker and more convenient to make a nice cold Coke.

Manufactured by:
Vendo Company
Kansas City, MO

You may have seen one of these drink dispensers or something very similar, since this machine can still be in use today. Blog-in with any additional comments you may have.

The Coca-Cola Vendo 6-Case Vertical Cooler

I like this machine, but this upright cooler never really caught on with collectors. I would guess that’s because of its size. I refer to it as a cooler because there is no coin mechanism. Therefore, it’s not fair to call it a soda machine, even though it looks like a Vendo 81 except for the glass door on the right side. Vendo did make a version of this machine with a coin mechanism and it was called the Vendo 110. But if you have the space and are looking for a machine to restore, this is a good candidate. There are no coin or vending mechanisms to mess with and because they were self-service coolers and not vending machines, they were usually kept indoors so you can still find them in pretty good shape. The shelves inside are adjustable so it will hold different size bottles, including longneck beer bottles. Judging by the name I’d guess it holds 144 bottles; 110 ready to vend and 34 pre-cooled. I don’t recall us ever restoring one at Vintage Vending but we did own quite a few over the years.

Vendorlator also made this machine in Pepsi, Royal Crown, Dr. Pepper and (not 100% sure, but would assume) 7-up.

Size:
63” high
32.5” wide
18” deep

Weight: 200 pounds

Produced from the late 40’s to mid 50’s

Manufactured by:
Vendo Company
7209 N. Ingram Ave.
Fresno, CA

If you have ever restored one of these, please ad to the blog with some restoration tips.

Coca-Cola has always done a great job getting their products into as many locations as possible. The Vendo D-56 was an attempt to get Coke into locations where a soda machine might be out of place, like an upscale office. The D-56 was basically a soda machine with a decorative door on the front. The doors were offered in five styles; warm and exciting Mediterranean, bold and sleek Danish, sculptured and classic Provincial, light and charming Colonial and crisp and trim Traditional. I don’t think the concept really took off, but it was an interesting idea. Coca-Cola offered many smaller machines for low volume situations over the years and we will be posting others soon.

The Frostidrink Cup Soda Vendor

I don’t know too much about this machine except it was invented by W.W. Bowman of Dallas, Texas in the late 30’s. Amazing what you find when you google something. The machine appears to be a 3-selection cup vendor done up in Royal Crown Cola. Nothing too exciting about it, but I thought the pictures were neat. The pictures look to be from the late 40’s or early 50’s with the machine in some sort of university. One of the pictures is labeled “The P.K. Younge School of Experimental Education”. Has anyone ever heard of it? University of Florida at Gainesville?

Please let us know if you have any information on the machine or the location.

The B-1 Lemon-Lime Soda Six-Pack Vending Machine

Is this the coolest vending machine ever, or what? This machine vends an entire 6-pack of B-1. I have never seen anything like it before and I am not sure how many of these were ever made, but it is wild. A 6-pack of B1 for fifty cents! Not the best picture, I am afraid, but it is all we had. If you have any information on this unusual machine please blog in and let us know.