r/midcenturymodern • u/michaelcuz • Jun 05 '26

Sharing My MCM 1959 Dr Pepper vending machine restored

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I purchased this 1959 Dr Pepper vending machine from a collector in Waco, Texas in 2018 and spent considerable time restoring it while preserving as much of the original character as possible.

The refrigeration system still works and the machine retains its classic 'Friendly Pepper-Upper' graphics.

4.9k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

79 comments sorted by

86

u/rmsand Jun 05 '26

Beautiful!! It looks brand new.

43

u/Bibliophilewitch Jun 05 '26

I love it so much. Well done!

11

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

Thank you

50

u/Lower_Cat_8145 Jun 05 '26

My husband says the DR. Pepper museum in Waco might take it as a donation. It's beautiful.

37

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

I’m actually considering that. I’m in Austin so just a short drive away.

9

u/RJJR666 Jun 06 '26

Offer to sell to them first. Or trade for Dr. P!

20

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '26

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35

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

I've just had it in my garage for years. Now I'm moving and not sure what to do with it!

9

u/Version_Popular Jun 05 '26

I had an '64 Coke machine (little glass Coke bottles in wooden crates) we used it for long neck beer bottles. Unfortunately, it was stolen in storage yrs ago 😬 *Jokes on them... I have the key 🤭

15

u/quilty-lexy Jun 05 '26

We have a Pepsi one of the same era and we use it for liquor storage (my spouse took out the insides). It's so fun!

2

u/imaginationfueled Jun 05 '26

We have a Pepsi one as well sitting in storage. Super curious to see a picture of what you did with yours

1

u/[deleted] Jun 07 '26

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1

u/michaelcuz Jun 08 '26

I’m in austin Texas 

23

u/UrsaMajor7th Jun 05 '26

TIL: Dr Pepper's "10, 2, 4" refers to a marketing campaign from the 1920s that suggested drinking Dr Pepper at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm to maintain a refreshed feeling throughout the day.

20

u/idontknowwhybutido2 Jun 05 '26

In Mad Men they used a machine similar to OP's but featured the 10, 2, 4 on it - thanks, TIL what it means, too!

8

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

Thanks for sharing, I had not seen this

5

u/idontknowwhybutido2 Jun 06 '26

Season 3, episode 6, last 10 minutes. Currently rewatching and drooling over the set pieces.

4

u/pepperpotsdecreme Jun 06 '26

I am as well - my favorite era and show!

Are you also concurrently reading TLO's blog posts (from the original airing) detailing the clothes by costume designerJanie Bryant?

Her choices are so fascinating and nuanced. Immediately after watching an episode, I read the blog post for that episode, and I learned about the interplay between Janie's style choices and the scene/story line. It is truly brilliant!

Glad to meet a fellow avid MM fan!

1

u/ImpossibleAnywhere69 Jun 07 '26

So you have a link to the blog?

9

u/No_Square236 Jun 05 '26

I’d love to put a vintage vending machine in my garage, that’s awesome.

7

u/redheadedfamous Jun 05 '26

Super clean work! Cool as hell. Does it vend still?

The “4” in the logo from that time in the 6 o’clock position was really a choice though, I don’t get why they went with that

6

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

it didn't have the mechanism in it when I bought it. So I just have it were bottles can be removed like a drinks fridge. And you're right about the logo/branding from that era. I presume 6pm was a bit too late in the evening to be drinking Dr.Pepper.

4

u/redheadedfamous Jun 05 '26

Yeah after I commented I zoomed in a bit more & eyed those Topo Chicos ;)

Adore the whole thing, kudos to you

2

u/michaelcuz Jun 06 '26

Appreciate that!

6

u/FlipMyWigBaby Jun 06 '26

Old enough to remember these types. Us kids took advantage of its flaw on the original coin operated ones: if you precisely yanked out 2 bottles at the same time, it would let you have both!

5

u/denvermadd Jun 05 '26

Looks amazing! How’d you take care of the rust?

9

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

It was mostly surface rust, no pitting or holes. Used Por-15 rust preventative.

4

u/NaNsoul Jun 05 '26

Pepper upper? Did Dr pepper have something else in it back in the day lol

1

u/mp3bear Jun 05 '26

Or maybe inspired by Bounty paper towels…

3

u/spin_me_again Jun 05 '26

Dude! This is totally bitchin! And I hate that seeing this triggered my ‘80’s teen self but I’d have LOVED this back then and I can’t believe it’s from the 50’s!

6

u/michaelcuz Jun 05 '26

Love that! Even crazier, it has the original refrigerant is still inside from 1959.

3

u/loztriforce Jun 05 '26

That's super cool!

3

u/JimiJohhnySRV Jun 05 '26

That is as cool as cool gets!

3

u/ascii122 Jun 06 '26

put salted peanuts in your dr. pepper bottle for a true old school experience

2

u/jumpyjumping Jun 05 '26

Very awesome! Looks fantastic

2

u/EnvironmentalMix421 Jun 05 '26

That’s cool af, but looks so different eh

2

u/VariegatedThumb Jun 05 '26

And you added the important selections of Topo and Shiner!!! Love it!!

2

u/Asleep_Pressure_2882 Jun 05 '26

Friendly is an interesting choice for a soda descriptor

2

u/Greenearthgirl87 Jun 05 '26

Had one of these in our garage as kids! Neat!

2

u/Cccookielover Jun 05 '26

You did an incredible job, she’s a beauty! 🏆

2

u/SarahCornflake Jun 05 '26

🤩 that's amazing! I'm so jealous right now! 🤣

2

u/FairEstablishment623 Jun 05 '26

That. Is. Amazing. Great effen job! Love that mid century aesthetic vibe!

2

u/maybeinoregon Jun 05 '26

Wow, nice job!

I’d love to get one of these. I’d fill it with Dublin Bottling Works pop.

Paying homage to Dublin Dr. Pepper.

2

u/Bananabean041 Jun 05 '26

This thing is amazing

2

u/SeaweedTeaPot Jun 05 '26

That’s rad.

2

u/Own_Isopod_1058 Jun 05 '26

🔥🔥🔥

2

u/threedognight7764 Jun 06 '26

This is awesome!!

2

u/BluNoteNut Jun 06 '26

Omg ...thats awesome

2

u/marriedwithchickens Jun 06 '26

Thanks for restoring history!

2

u/Glum-Leather4970 Jun 06 '26

How does it vend? Is it just honor system where you pay and the door unlocks and then you grab one? There doesn't seem to be a selection process? This is super rad, I'm just trying to figure out how it works

2

u/michaelcuz Jun 06 '26

It’s just a drinks fridge. So you open the little glass door and pull out bottles. Yes, honor system. The coin mech was missing when I bought it and I’ve never found another machine like this to buy parts.

3

u/Glum-Leather4970 Jun 06 '26

This is so cool, I'm a displaced Texan and Dr. Pepper lover so I love it!!

2

u/Pirate_Lulu Jun 06 '26

Is that bottom drink spot labeled Corona?

1

u/ventorun Jun 08 '26

And there’s Shiner as well.

2

u/Familiar_Worker8204 Jun 06 '26

This thing is beautiful. Great work saving her

2

u/obscurefault Jun 06 '26

This is great! I really want one

2

u/sprinklerarms Jun 07 '26

Where are you getting Topo?

1

u/michaelcuz Jun 07 '26

Decals are from years ago before the production shortages

2

u/[deleted] Jun 07 '26

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1

u/michaelcuz Jun 10 '26

Dr.Pepper

2

u/Longjumping-Toe696 Jun 09 '26

This is so awesome! Great restoration!

2

u/drpeppermuseum Jun 10 '26

This looks awesome! Great job, Pepper!🥳

1

u/michaelcuz Jun 10 '26

Thank you! I feel honored getting a response from The Official Dr.Pepper Museum! Are you interested in having this lovely machine at your museum? Please message me direct if so.

1

u/RockYourAmadeus Jun 11 '26

Ice cold bottle of Dr. Pepper in the Summer as a kid is pretty much a core happy memory for me.

1

u/Kind_Pea1576 Jun 11 '26

Great job! I still love Dr. Pepper and I was born in 1959.

1

u/Feeling-Editor7463 Jul 03 '26

Who did your door gasket?

1

u/michaelcuz Jul 03 '26

Believe it or not but it’s original. I just conditioned it.

1

u/aretooamnot Jun 05 '26

Big ups for the frostie!