1950s-1960s era Speed Queen or Maytag ?

[gyrafoam]

WELL!!!!!!!!!

"Example #1" now resides in my laundry room. Cleaned and waxed she is a damned sight prettier than she was without make-up during that photo-shoot! How unfair!

Oh, and as for the cleaning ability of the old solid-tub SQ's, I have both the old smaller tub and the large tub ("example #1") machines. I've washed a lot of trashed-from-working-in-the-garden clothes in my old late-60's small-tub SQ and never had a problem getting things clean -----Hot water and Viva! IMO they clean just as well or better than many of their contemporaries (except Maytag) irregardless of what CU has to say. Roll-over is not everything and as many of you already know----- just because CU said it, doesn't make it so!

 

[polkanut]

I must agree with Robert, the "Queen" reigns in the beauty department. I know I'm biased, what with Speed Queen's coming from Ripon, WI.

 

[alr2903]

I wonder how much larger the large solid tub SQ is compared to the small one? Thanks. alr2903

 

[hydralique]

Robert, that Speed Queen with the goldtone panel just ROCKS . . . thanks for posting!

 

[70series]

Djmjlcst:

The Maytag you described sounds like it may have been either an A206 (the one I grew up with), or an A207. The differences are strictly cosmetic. The 206 had a black Powerfin, and brushed chrome framing around the console. The 207 had the turquoise Powerfin, and shiny chrome framing. Both were standard capacity, and had grayish tubs. Above when you explained the load sizes you said they were Small, Medium and Large. I am guessing you meant Normal. There were large capacity Helical Drive models from the mid to late 60s tha had only three load settings, the third being Large, however from the other features you specified, I believe you are describing the A206, or A207. Which one was yours?

Have a good one,
James

 

[djmjlcst]

Maytag A206

Thanks James, for pointing out the model differences! Ours was indeed an A206 because it did have brushed chrome framing around the console. It did have the "Normal" setting (I forgot about that since its been gone for some time now) and it had the black power fin with a turquoise lint filter/fabric softener dispenser. I remember hauling them out of my Dad's basement when the new Atlantis models were installed - how heavy they were as opposed the Atlantis models! The washer especially felt like it weighed a ton and we had a heck of a time lifting it up to the tailgate of the GMC 1500 pickup truck! I knew these were quality machines but wow - the weight made up that quality! And you guessed right - I installed those new Atlantis models for Dad. Got to love Dad though, since Mom did all the washing and drying (while she was living) he had to write down the instructions on how to use the washer and dryer on index cards. Never mind about the manual, he would never read that! He had to have me interpret the directions so he could run the machines AND sort the laundry! For being 88 years old, I'd say he's doing alright. He says that doing the laundry is an all day job. He believes in line drying the laundry on spring/summer/fall days and leaves the dryer for winter use only! That's the WWII mentality for ya! Conserving the resources! Good for him - he's helping the environment. Me - on the other hand can't live without my three SQ dryers!

Mike

 

[70series]

My pleasure Mike.

Boy you said a mouthful about the weight of those Tags. The lid switch on ours also became stuck when it got older, and because of this, it would walk when a load was unbalanced. Pushing that machine back into place was a b**tch. In 1999, my parents replaced it with a Kenmore, which must have been about 100 pounds lighter. When the delivery men hauled the Tag out to the curb, they could not believe how heavy it was. Originally I thought these guys must be new on the job, but then again, how often do delivery men actually get to haul a Maytag out of a house? To my knowledge, our family was the first in our neighborhood to replace one. Clearly those guys must have brought a few new Tags to peoples' homes, but I assume that newer Tags were a bit lighter by 1999, and probably had been for a few years.

As far as the Maytag/Speed Queen question: If you combined a Maytag console with the Speed Queen agitator, that would be one beautiful washer.

I always thought the Speed Queens washed more vigorously. There was a lot more thrashing due to the protruding fins on the agitator shaft. However the Maytags seemed to have more rollover, and greater water wave currents perhaps due to the flexible fins. This was especially true on the Medium setting. I remember when my mother washed a small bathroom rug, the waves that resulted made the introduction to Gilligan's Island look like nothing.

Have a good one,
James

 

[mrcleanjeans]

The ol' SQs have to be VERY reliable,wouldn't
you say since hundreds of 'mats used them
with great success.The home version IIRC
was built the same.