trailrider:Thanks for that link. I just sent an email off to Andrew in Ontario, so we'll see what he says.
NMDriver: Yeah, that might just work. After all, the thermostat is just a temperature-controlled switch, so I guess the underlying mechanism shouldn't matter. I suppose the old thermostat's capillary tube probably had gas in it; dunno. But I would much rather have only a wire going from the front panel thermostat switch up to the back of the fridge than another fragile capillary tube that is susceptible to being broken like the old one. If anyone else has any thoughts on this, please chime in!
