My new old Kelvinator cabinets

kartracer23 · Oct 22, 2011

Guy across the street from me is renovating a building that had apartments in the upper floors. When I saw these cabinets, I fell in love with them. They're Kelvinator, and heavy as hell - all solid steel. I got two bases (will get one later - couldn't get to it yesterday), two larger uppers and two of the smaller uppers. I've got the glass for all of the uppers. The uppers are really cool-it's hard to see in the photos but they have a kind of teardrop shape - wider at the top than the bottom. They also have a slot for an under cabinet light.

I'll clean them up & paint them - probably get a HPLV to spray them. and then get tops for the bases.

He wouldn't give me a price, so I offered $350 for them and he took it. That's only like $60 per cabinet so I felt it was pretty fair.

Glass for uppers:

One of the bases:

Small uppers:

Large uppers:

sikopal · Oct 22, 2011

Great score, these are well made USA product from back in the day. Will make a stylish addition to your garage! Send pics when installed.

Ric in Richmond · Oct 22, 2011

My last house had General Motors cabinets in it. House was from the 30's...don't know if cabinets were.

When I bought my new house it had steel in it too. They now reside in the garage. In fact todays project is to redo two base cabs into a new lathe bench for my south bend!!! Problem is I need to make a level platform for them since the darn floor slopes so much!!

WhatThaFrig · Oct 22, 2011

Those are so cool!

55chevy · Oct 22, 2011

Nice score, you will enjoy them, I've sure enjoyed mine. What color are you planning.

kartracer23 · Oct 22, 2011

55chevy said:
Nice score, you will enjoy them, I've sure enjoyed mine. What color are you planning.

Not sure yet. They're probably going to go in the garage where they're sitting now - which is at a commercial building I own. I've got to redo it still so my color choices are open. I've always just used the garage for storage, but I'm going to start storing a car in there so I want to get it fixed up. Probably do it in a similar color scheme to my kart shop, which is right in front of the garage.

rickairmedic · Oct 22, 2011

Kartracer those are sweet looking cabinets . When I painted my metal Geneva cabinets I used a detail gun to paint them held just enough paint for one cabinet . I also used tractor and implement paint on them from Tractor supply . I used Ford blue . Looks like you have red accents in your shop so I might suggest Massey ferguson red

. The paint has held up well and still looks good today . Feel free to skim through my garage thread to see mine .

Rick

kartracer23 · Oct 22, 2011

Popped the glass in one of the uppers today...

dittle fart around · Oct 22, 2011

Those are very cool. Look to the 40's colors for inspiration. Sage green, turquoise, dusty rose, cream, paint them in the time period they came from.

JC23 · Oct 22, 2011

Even tho we're related, I hate you!

(Nice grab)

BWS · Oct 23, 2011

Plus one for Fart above on original colours.Sage with cream looks especially cool.Its one of the combo's we use on equip here......very easy on the eyes.Its used alot in schools,off-white above(lite refraction)....****** green below for,well buggers.

Nice snag on cabmets!BW

nit2wn · Oct 23, 2011

I'm glad someone finding some of those. I passed up one about a year ago and have been kicking myself since. It was a longer wall cabinet, needed paint, but straight and no rust. I keep looking for the wall ones but haven't saw one since. Good luck with those. They cheaper than anything you'll buy in the store and probably better built.

lowbucktruck · Oct 24, 2011

Those are some way cool cabinets. Just the fact that they are metal, and the "airstream" art deco style make them so cool! I'm sure those cabinets will look great no matter what color you decide to paint them.

kartracer23 · Oct 24, 2011

I'm beginning to rethink my purchase - that maybe I should purchase MORE of them! I'm putting in a new garage @ home in the Spring and although I had assumed I would get all new cabinets for it, I'm starting to think I'll get another base and another upper and use them in the home garage. I don't really much work on my cars, they'd be more for basic stuff like detailing supplies, air pump, etc. Hmmm....

Commando · Oct 24, 2011

Nice find that is going to look awesome. I have the matching refrigerator, thought I had the pic in my phone, didn't know they made cabinets too.

NXGTS · Oct 24, 2011

kartracer23 said:
I'm beginning to rethink my purchase - that maybe I should purchase MORE of them! I'm putting in a new garage @ home in the Spring and although I had assumed I would get all new cabinets for it, I'm starting to think I'll get another base and another upper and use them in the home garage. I don't really much work on my cars, they'd be more for basic stuff like detailing supplies, air pump, etc. Hmmm....

I am in the area. Are there more available? If you don't have a need for the rest I would be willing to come pick some up. I'm about an hour north.

tinbender 66 · Oct 24, 2011

Those are way cool. If I could find some around here I'd snap them up!!

r0ckies · Jan 6, 2012

Here are my kitchen cabinets. Nice find, I thought I was the only lucky one. Can anyone tell me about them.

tcianci · Jan 6, 2012

Kelvinator was the refrigeration division of the Nash/ American motors world. As one poster mentioned that he had General motors cabinets in his kitchen, GM had its Fridigaire Division, Ford had Philco and Chrysler has Airtemp. I'm Guessing that the cabinets were manufactured to match the appliance offerings from those manufacturers.

FJ 432 · Jan 6, 2012

I went with metal kitchen cabinets for my garage and I love them. I rolled them with Rustoleum and I believe they're a much cheaper alternative to products like Gladiator.

I love the style of yours. Good purchase.

imperialman67 · Jan 6, 2012

And I thought I was the only one.
They were in the garage when I purchased the house.
I gave them a half as#ed coat of rustoleum about ten years ago.
They wear like iron ,and deserve better.
Excuse the mess....

machine_punk · Jan 6, 2012

Great find! I suspect he was just taking them to the dump and was pleasantly surprised to find someone who would pay for them.

I've been watching my local CL for similar metal cabinets.

r0ckies · Jan 17, 2012

Very interesting, I didn't realize the car and cabinet company's were of the same. Thank You.

AMCguy · Jan 17, 2012

Wow! As an AMC guy I'd love to have those. I do have a Kelvinator upright freezer. I'd like to find a refrigerator and range. The cabinets you two have are out of this world. I'd build a house around them.

r0ckies · Feb 12, 2012

AMCguy said:
Wow! As an AMC guy I'd love to have those. I do have a Kelvinator upright freezer. I'd like to find a refrigerator and range. The cabinets you two have are out of this world. I'd build a house around them.

Really...Lol....I'm not that crazy about these cabinets. Actually my kitchen is the only room I have not remodeled in our home.

rburke65 · Feb 12, 2012

Imperialman67....I live about 2 miles from Salem,Ohio. The Youngstown Kitchen Cabinets wear like iron. Great units if you can find them. I found a base assembly sitting out on the curb waiting for trash day! I could't turn the truck around quick enough.

Call me the Breeze · Feb 12, 2012

Nice!

shephd · Dec 2, 2012

r0ckies said:
Here are my kitchen cabinets. Nice find, I thought I was the only lucky one. Can anyone tell me about them.

Your photos brought a rush of memories back to me. Those look like what my grandparents had in their house. I can smell Grandma's cooking and the gas pilot light and see the cast iron pan ready to go! They've been gone for almost thirty years...

Cars&Classic · Dec 2, 2012

I am in indy I would like to get in line to buy some if they arent all sold and you dont buy the rest. 317-405-7269

r0ckies · May 16, 2013

I'm sorry, I'm sure you miss them. I'm looking for someone in CO who would like to make me an offer on the cabinets.

My new old Kelvinator cabinets

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