1970 Viscount Ambassador

[Carl]

Hi guys and girls, I've just bought a Viscount Ambassador off Ebay and I noticed that you have this cool site, so I thought I'd say G'day. My wife and I intend to clean it up and do short trips around NSW. I'll be towing it with my 1962 Chevy SS Impala. I love the old cars, bikes and now vans and love doing up and maintaining this old machinery. She's pretty original, but needs a few things like a couple of the original window latches and the special wood-grain edging that goes around the wooden seat edges etc, does anyone reproduce these things? If so, drop me a line here. Cheers, Carl

 

[atefooterz]

G`Day Carl & welcome great to see a classic towie to go with the van! If you hunt around hopefully a thread exists or one of the friendly Mob will point you in the right direction, dont forget to put your general location in this thread -> ditzygypsy.proboards.com/thread/491/where-live

Maybe start a thread in the hall of fame section with the year chassis number & type of van then the specialists can hone in plus you have a record of the journey plus we get to follow your steps in one go -> ditzygypsy.proboards.com/board/10/hall-fame

Ate

[Carl]

Hi Ate, I live in Bungendore NSW, about 30km out of Canberra on the way to Batemans Bay. The chassis number of this van is E9890. I was told it's a 1970, but the experts might have something to say about that. It appears to have the original style side stripes, but they used to be blue and have been repainted purple/maroon. The only thing that doesn't appear to work is the old Electrolux fridge. I plugged in 240v and flicked the switch to "on" but nothing happened. I know it's getting power, but didn't get cold after an hour. I'm not sure if it works on gas or not. The directions are so faded I can't tell how to use it on gas. I think I'll buy a new or second hand fridge if I can find one near Canberra.

I found an online store that sells the window latches, but haven't seen any of the wood grain trim online.

[tedalley]

Nov 23, 2014 18:24:37 GMT 10 Carl said:

The only thing that doesn't appear to work is the old Electrolux fridge. I plugged in 240v and flicked the switch to "on" but nothing happened. I know it's getting power, but didn't get cold after an hour. I'm not sure if it works on gas or not. The directions are so faded I can't tell how to use it on gas.

Carl Hi.

Before you get another fridge. Post a photo of the part with the control knobs. Someone is bound to have one like it.

My fridge is a 1974 model and has a switch at the back which has to be turned on when switching over from gas This is to prevent having 240v on and gas at the same time.

Maybe yours hasn't been switched over last time it was used on gas.

Try looking for a switch over then try on 240v again.

Hope this helps

Ted

[Carl]

Nov 24, 2014 16:11:16 GMT 10 tedalley said:

Nov 23, 2014 18:24:37 GMT 10 Carl said:

The only thing that doesn't appear to work is the old Electrolux fridge. I plugged in 240v and flicked the switch to "on" but nothing happened. I know it's getting power, but didn't get cold after an hour. I'm not sure if it works on gas or not. The directions are so faded I can't tell how to use it on gas.

Carl Hi.

Before you get another fridge. Post a photo of the part with the control knobs. Someone is bound to have one like it.

My fridge is a 1974 model and has a switch at the back which has to be turned on when switching over from gas This is to prevent having 240v on and gas at the same time.

Maybe yours hasn't been switched over last time it was used on gas.

Try looking for a switch over then try on 240v again.

Hope this helps

Ted

Thanks Ted, but I can't see any switch on the back. Here's a photo of the front panel down near the floor. If anyone knows how to make this all work, feel free to explain it to me, because I'm clueless :-) A friend of mine with an old Viscount like mine has told me that if the van has sat for a long time (mine did for 3 years), that I need to turn the fridge upside down a couple of times to remix the refrigerants (amonia and something?). Then put it back up the right way, leave it for a couple of hours, then plug it in and turn on. Can anyone confirm this cause I'll give it a go if it works?

[Rattles]

Is there a plate with the Make and Model number, Someone may have a User manual.

Rattles

[Carl]

Thanks for the assistance, but there's no numbers anywhere, just faded silver instructions glued to the inside of the cover plate, but they are unreadable. The fridge is probably original because the sides are covered in the same panel sheeting as the rest of the van's interior. It's supposedly a 1970 model, Van chassis no. E9890.

[glennv]

"Burping" absorption fridges definitely works. In fact, a friend of mine recently purchased one brand new, and his instructions required the fridge to be turned upside down before first use to mix the refrigerants.

I would suggest pulling the fridge out and doing that. Then attempt to get it working on a bench if you can.

I went through a set of problems that needed me to pull apart the jets and give them a clean.

From memory, you should be able to use a regulated BBQ hose as the gas line.

With the refrigerant mixed, you should be able to hear a "tink tink" sound as the vapourised gas recondesnses to liquid and drips down the line back into the storage chamber.

I would probably try to operate on gas first, as they tend to be more effective on gas.

That little tap just to the right of the left most panel looks like it needs to be turned to the right so the top lever runs parallel to the gas line. However. The pictures aren't clear enough to see how the lighting mechanism works.

Normally there is a pezio ignition, but you will need to hold in a button to let the gas flow until the flame failure safety (can't remember the technical term) heats up. Could be 10 seconds, but possibly minutes.

Will try to help more if you have more questions (and if I can).

[tedalley]

Nov 24, 2014 18:05:01 GMT 10 Carl said:

Carl Hi again.
The photo has a gas tap in between the two knobs ---- the gas looks like its turned off.

There is also a broken switch which seems to be in the on position but this seems suss as the leaver looks broken.

If this switch is broken its probably not letting any 240v current through --- You really need someone who knows how to test 240v.

There seems to be a leaver above the left knob -- im also not sure what this is for. 

Regards

Ted

[Carl]

Hi Ted, the photo is a bit confusing, but all the parts are there and nothing is broken. Anyway, I pulled the fridge out, turned it upside down and up the right way three times with about 15 mins between each turn over. Then I plugged it in, flicked the 240v switch to on (down) and about 8 hours later the fridge was down to 2.5C as tested by a laser thermometer and the freezer was -20C. Yay it works !!!!!

I also figured out how the gas system works and there's a twist knob that turns a steel against a flint (like in a cigarette lighter) at the back of the fridge and I have to hold down the red push button on the front to initiate the gas flow while the flint spark lights the pilot flame. After about 10 seconds I can let the red button go and the pilot stays on. So gas works too - happy days and I don't need to buy a new fridge.

While I was in the shed, I pulled off one of the fridge's wooden/laminex side panels, cut it down and replaced the crappy painted door insert. Now it looks almost new with the right style laminate door panel and I just have to paint a small piece of mdf to cover the small area of side of the fridge that can still be seen since I removed the side panel. I'll post more photos soon.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[awbeattie381]

its a good feeling when you discover your fridge works after burping. Mine was the same. Bloody cold on 240v! I am now in the same boat you were in and trying to get the thing working on gas. Its all been disconnected so I have the fun job of working out how on earth I get it plumbed up again before even working out how to start it!

[tasmillard]

I know this is a super old thread, but seems I have the same model fridge (from the pic). As I posted under the Tech section, I too turned upside down (for 24 hours) and it works great. Does anyone know what the model is? Also, I cant seem to find a 12v connection, is it only gas and 240? A PDF manual would also be good if anyone has it.

Cheers,

[Deleted]

Hi there,
I think it's a Morphy Richards fridge,and the model could be "Astral".
Them they went to Electrolux.
The Asral was only 2 way back then12 volt didn't come in for quite a few years.
Cheers
hughdeani

[tasmillard]

I posted a photo of the compliance plate on my other thread, hope this clarifies it a bit.