antique or junk?

[MiamiCuse]

I started an earlier thread to discuss options to remodel an old 1972 house. I mentioned it has a lot of weird gadgets and someone asked me to post some pics. So here are some of them...

Kitchen counter top has a flush mount blender:

Press the metal button and this pops up:

A wall mount electric can opener - all rusted too:

A pocket toaster:

when opened:

Ancient intercom radio:

Inwall entertainment center?

Top of the entertainment center is an AM FM radio:

Below that is an eight track tape player:

and below that if you flip it down is a record player with a record on it:

Any idea how I open these windows with an awning handle twenty feet up?

OK here is a puzzle...in the maid's quarter there is a recessed cabinet with a ironing board:

see the left side there is a verticall mounted thing? A closer look:

There is a light bulb, an outlet, a timer, a switch...I have no idea what it is. The light bulb is to provide light while ironing? But there are overhead lights in the room. What is the timer for? The outlet can be used to plug in an iron I guess...

I found a central air vac in the garage...but it does not work. Each room has an outlet in the room to attach a hose (no hose to be found anywhere). I wonder if it is worth the $ to replace the vac unit and get new hoses. or it is better to use just a normal vaccum. Are central air vac really that convenient? It seems to be a lot of work attaching and detaching the hoses.

Oh one more thing...what is this?

It is inside the garage. I turned it on and nothing. It seem to be connected to the sprinkler system but it does nothing.

I found more gadgets today. Will post more pics as I take them.

MC

[Michael Bulatovich]

The originals probably been replaced. You could get cranks or latches to work from a long rod.

I think you've got that one right.

Looks like a booster pump. What's the white coiled pipe running behind it?

Oh boy!

[RicodJour]

You can read the label on the unit in that picture. Iron-Away, or something like that, is still making those suckers. The timer shuts off power to the receptacle in case someone wanders away from the hot iron while it's on. You know, stupid. Task lighting trumps general lighting.

Those gadgets are pretty nifty. If the rest of the house is well designed and built, it may be worthwhile to consider restoration as opposed to remodeling.

R

[MiamiCuse]

The problem is ... some rooms are ok, but the bathrooms ... 1970 bathrooms, beyond words, green tiles, yellow bathtub, gold shower doors, pink sinks, the bathrooms HAVE TO GOOOOOOO I am only keeping the old heat lamps in the bathrooms.

The rest of the house is ok, except for flooring and some wall papers.

MC

[Michael Bulatovich]

Even better, if you are a retro fashion hound. Seriously, there are people out there who would pay extra for that in good condition, but not many and not much.

Maybe you could start a foundation for the preservation of 1970's design and charge admission...Any built-in light organs?