1962? RCA Whirlpool washer

[captainmoody]

Just picked up this one today, not too shabby for the age either. It's a model LPA5505W0, maybe 1962 or so? The year on the trans housing was 1961, so I was thinking it most likely was a '62 model.
It's a suds saver model.

 

[captainmoody]

Tub shot.

 

[roto204]

OoOoOh!!

PRETTY. Very nice, with the very effective (but hellish-to-clean) Magic Mix brush. What a lovely machine, and a suds-saver no less! Congratulations on such a pretty find. I loved this "offset-eight-track-player" Whirly control-panel configuration.

That Surgilator is so pretty, and kicks butt, too. You'll love it!

 

[DADoES]

LPA is a bit newer than 1962. Approx 1965-1966. My mother's aunt had this model for many years.

(LJA is 1962)

 

[kenmore58]

I tend to agree with the age of '65-'66. We had the matching dryer to this and if I remember correctly, it was approximately 1965 when we purchased it. Still running and in the house when my parents sold in 1985. Who knows, maybe the new owners of our house are still using it!!

Ron

 

[bobbins]

This was the exact model of the first washer I totally rebuilt at the age of 14 in the 80's! (I even re-painted it...the orignally owners painted it forest green, replaced the wig-wags, spin tube, snubber pad, agitator, pressure switch, multi-stage pump, motor, water mixing valve and belt). Fantastic running machine!!!!

Bob

 

[westyslantfront]

Hi Dwight. Congratulations on the Surgilator. It looks great.

Ross

 

[rickr]

Great find Dwight! Congratulations. Those lint filters are really easy to clean, if you use an old toothbrush on them. Otherwise they are a drag to clean. I had a 61 Whirlpool with the same filter system.

 

[captainmoody]

Could it be a 1967 model? I used the partial model number list from a previous thread and came up with that year.
As far as the 1961 date on the the trans, it must have been replaced at some time with an older unit then.

 

[70series]

OMG! That's almost exactly the one my grandmother had. Hers was 24 inches wide, and it only had a temp control setting that was positioned underneath the cycle dial. I think hers may have been a year older. It had the visible lid switch like you see on pre-1965 WP/KMs. I only saw it work once, and was loads of fun removing the lint brush, and watching the water swirl past, and back into the tub.

My neighbors had this model too, but again the load size, and and temp knobs were beneath the dial. This one had the hidden mercury switch, so it must have come out later.

 

[DADoES]

Just noticed, and if I'm not mistaken, the 05 in LPA5505 indicates a SudsMiser model. Looks to be a SUDS section on the dial.

 

[captainmoody]

Yes, it is a SudsMiser model.
I still am having trouble with the DOM on this beast, can anyone help?
From what I have been told, '62 is too far back and '67 too far ahead. Does anyone have any pics of a '65?

 

[jasonl]

Beautiful!

It will clean up nicely.

You just can't beat the Belt Drive mechanism.

 

[sharples]

I have th matching gas dryer

I got the matching gas dryer,works too? lol Wanna trade for something?

 

[DADoES]

LJA = the Whirly washer my parents bought in January 1962

LKA = 1963?

LME = the Whirly dryer my parents bought in 1964

LNA = ?

LOA = not used

LPA = 1965?

LSA =

LTA =

LUA = not used

LVA =

LWA =

LXE = Whirly dryer my grandmother bought in 1972

LYA = not used

LZA = not used

LAA = 1973/1974

LBA = ?

LCA = not used

LDA = 1975-1976

LFA = 1977-1978

LHA = 1979-1980?

Someone will correct this, I'm sure.

 

[captainmoody]

Thanks DADoES! I hooked it up and it ran just fine, I really like that waterfall recurculation and filter setup! Rick, you were right about using an old toothbrush to clean the filter, it took no time at all! (And I didn't have to touch that sick lint and goo mixture on the bristles)!!
Seems that it got pretty gross in there from sitting around..

 

[toggleswitch]

My aunt had that washer, but more BOL with a red moving timer on the timer and stationary markings. Hi-lo water levels and Hot, warm, cold. The first two temperature selections had a warm rinse!

The dryer was more TOL with infinte temperatures, a glass door and a UV lamp. (oh heck what do we affecionatel and teasingly call it here? It also had a chatterbox spark ignitor. Hers also had an Auto-dry (mechanical time/temp).

Ah memory lane. The maternal unit had Maytags and auntie had these. How hugely different in engineering!

 

[re563]

Would love to see a control panel shot on this one

 

[gansky1]

This is the one I had for a while - a couple of steps up in the line. They made a similar panel style to this for a few years. There was the full, slanted control panel on the higher end line and then several models like this for a mid-line and the more economy line was a much smaller control box with the timer on top of the selector dials. I think I have all the sales info for 66 & 67 models around here somewhere...