1963 Kenmore Comes Home to Knoxville!

[randycmaynard]

Hey Guys, Went and picked up the vintage 1963 Kenmore 600 just like the one I grew up with - it's 46 years old and in fine shape.... much, much better than I expected and does work. I hooked it up to power and it came on and I ran a quick spin - all works well!

A check on the bottom end looked good - tranny in good shape -no oil leaks and very clean under there. Will hook up to water tomorrow and see how things go - will try to get some vids up but in the mean time here are some photos.

Have a DR appt for physical early morning and will get crackin on things when I get back! Enjoy!

View attachment randycmaynard++3-15-2010-00-18-57.jpg

 

[randycmaynard]

Well looks like the photo didn't upload......

Will try again!

 

[randycmaynard]

It worked - the Contol Panel above.......

Now for some more! This is the left side of the console showing the Kenmore 600 logo.

 

[randycmaynard]

Kenmore 600

Here's an interior shot - yes the filter was with it but I had it out to clean when this photo was snapped!

 

[randycmaynard]

Kenmore 600

Here she is with the tarp off in the truck bed waiting to be unloaded. The right side shows the current work horses - GE FL and matching dryer - 2007 models installed Jan 2008.

 

[randycmaynard]

Kenmore 600

Model/Serial Plate on back

 

[randycmaynard]

Kenmore 600

Directions anyone? Underside of the lid showing the operating instructions.

 

[supersuds]

Congratulations. I bet that will be a fine machine.

 

[randycmaynard]

Kenmore 600

Last one before bed - Overhead shot of interior.

 

[randycmaynard]

Vintage 1963 Kenmore 600 - That's a wrap......

All for tonight (morning actually!) - more tomorrow or is it today? Sleep deprived at the moment but it was worth it!

 

[chromecap]

Ohh SH@@t!!!!.. This is the very machine my parents bought in the early sixties!!! That is the first machine i ever saw that turned me on to washers ever! Damn it i wish i could post some pictures,..i originally posted as agiflow back in 03 and have been away for awhile...long story short,..that is the washer that did it. Thank you sooo much for this..please if anyone cares,..contact me at [email protected] WAS MY MACHINE..YAHOOOOO!

 

[peteski50]

Kenmore!

Real nice Kenmore you have. I knew so many people with very simular models back in the day! They were real work horses.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

WOW !

That is one fine looking machine you have there. It hardly looks used at all. What a great find, congratulations. I bet you're rightfully really excited.

I wish you all the best of luck with the washer. From what I can see on your model tag, it was made in the St. Joseph Michigan plant during the 37th week of 1964.

The machine looks pristine! I'm happy for you and am looking forward to more info. and pictures!

Gordon

 

[dnastrau]

Congratulations Randy!

Glad to see that the trip home with the 600 was uneventful. It looks like it is in nice shape!

Andrew S.

 

[randycmaynard]

Thanks guys!

Gordon, Yes, I was suprised at the condition of the machine -the lady I bought it from in Burns,TN (30 miles west of Nashville) said it was the best washer in terms of cleaning clothes that she's ever had excepting that it didn't extract as much water from the clothing during the spin which is one of the reasons she was selling it the other being that she is moving. Machine probably needs a bit of maintenance and a new belt but, the underside was prestine for a 45-46 year old machine.

Chromecap, this is the machine that started it for me too! Spent many hours standing over the one mom had watching it wash, spin, rinse, spin.

One last thing - in the photos above the material sprinkled all over the control console and other areas is from the tarp that covered the machine during its travel across the state yesterday. It was an old tarp but it did keep the rain off and the stuff wipes off so will clean up today and see how it runs with a wash load later!

 

[jasonl]

That's THE one

That's the one my grandma had.

Awesome machine.

 

[mrb627]

Awesome Agitator

I always loved this bakelight agitator. The fins are large and really move water around. Just don't overload it and clothes roll over quite well.

Malcolm

 

[frigilux]

Congratulations on obtaining this great washer!

I always liked the colorful cycle dial on this model, but was surprised to see a maximum wash time of 12 minutes. I thought all Kenmores had a max wash time of 14 minutes by 1963. Then I scrolled down further and noticed the instructions on the lid suggested an 8-14 minute wash time for regular fabrics!

 

[frigilux]

Also interesting: There's a cold wash/warm rinse setting, but no warm wash/cold rinse for permanent press! Odd, that.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Frigilux -

Actually that timer does accomodate 14 minute wash - there are two minutes available ahead of the 12 mark, one simply has to set the dial accordingly.

As to the wash/rinse - look at the nomenclature as black for wash and red for rinse (it reads backwards from 'normal practice' on the right side).

Gordon

 

[powerfin64]

what a beauty!

I have that exact machine in my collection too. great machine. Excellent turnover with the straight vane, one of my favorites. You'll have fun with it!

Rich

 

[powerfin64]

frigilux..

check again, the warm wash/cold rinse.. its there.

 

[peterh770]

Wow! The tub and agitator are in excellent shape! Hope it is the same under the hood. Congrats!

 

[revvinkevin]

CONGRATS Randy!

Wow, it DOES look like it's in excellent shape! Awesome find!
I love the bakelite straight-vane agitator, I don't remember seeing one like that before.

Kevin

 

[randycmaynard]

Already having fun.......

Got it hooked to water this morning, plugged it in and fired it up - works to a tee exactly the way I remember..... the classic Kenmore waterfall fill and the waterfall recirculation filter the classic jump to spin sounds including the whirl sound while spinning! Only hooked to cold water at the moment - will have to rig up an extension and Y for the main washer supplies and rig up the drain too - dumping it into large can at the moment for its inital workouts.

Didn't note any glaring problems with the first run through other than what one would expect with a 46 year old machine - hose for the recirculation has small leak... will have to replace hose and the plastic piece where the water enters the tub will need to be replaced and a new belt is in order at some point though the current one is fine for now.

I'll get video up soon for it - got to get things set up and hope to do something later in the week but will get some new photos up before then.

 

[drewz]

Beautiful machine! Great Save!

Sears models had so much more style than RCA Whirlpool machines of the same era. Back then did they still come from the same plant? same designers?

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I don't know who designed what, though I think Sears' design staff sent specs to Whirlpool, and it was their job to make the machines. Whirlpool then numbered the new parts as needed and put them in their supply chain. Certainly, new innovations had to be a cooperative effort. Kenmore had some of its own engineers too I think - I want to say this is how the Dual Action agitator came to be, but I don't know that for sure.

As to the sources of manufacture, Kenmores came out of the same two plants that Whirlpools did - St. Joseph Michigan and Clyde Ohio. I would LOVE to know how it was decided which plant built what, but from what I can see thus far, it seems the odd and presumably short run stuff came out of St. Joe more often than Clyde, and that the common, long production run models were made in Clyde. Also, I have yet to find a large capacity machine made in St. Joe.

Gordon

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice Machine!
I have the matching electric dryer for that, but it's been promised to a good home.

 

[bmgilk]

Nice Kenmore washer!!!

 

[frigilux]

Whoops! My bad! I was looking at the temp settings incorrectly. This is what happens when you have about 20 seconds to check out AW in a hurry, LOL.