1967 Kenmore 100 series washer comes home...finally

[kenmoreguy64]

Ever have one of those days when you do something early in the day on an impulse, something which you had no previous intention of doing, and it set the tone for the whole day? Well, today around 11am I had a thought that today would be a great day to take home the 1969 built Kenmore 100 series 24-inch washer that RedCarpetDrew snatched out of the pile for me last year. It is a 100 series - says so right on the lid instructions, which was designed for 1967 but built in the first weeks of 1969. So, within 20 minutes, I had the dolly and tie down strap loaded, and I was on the road.

Andy was enthused when he found this machine, and for very good reason. It is almost mint, and the term pristine comes to mind. Andy has sent me a few choice machines, and I have recently brought two home in the last weeks to play. One (the 1982 24-inch 200 series) we knew was going to present a leak challenge, which it did in a big way. Then the 1986 Lady K has a tired pump which I think dried out in the last year of dis-use and wanted to leak (ok spew) when it was put back into service. So today I thought maybe the little '69 would be the one to let me plug and play. Not that I am afraid of fixing the two other machines, but I think Andy was really hoping for any easy toy. You know what they say, the third time's is the charm, right?

[this post was last edited: 3/31/2012-23:29]

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Here she is, all loaded up and ready to take the last leg of a journey that started in Reno, then to Lodi, CA, then via intermodal rail from there to Charlotte. There was then a 3-month visit with my other vintage Kenmores, now off to home in the Ranger.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

New arrival, not even un-wrapped yet.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Front view. I took these with my phone, kinda wish I'd used my camera.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Tub shot. The tub has some dust in it, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE that blue porcelain. It really makes the agitator stand out.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

All hooked up!

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Doing what she does...

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Well, the machine ran two loads tonight, which I was really inspired about after seeing Robert and Fred's episode of My Crazy Obsession, which had been DVR'd.

The load you see above was one of the sudsiest loads I've seen in a while, and my little Kenmore suds-locked subbornly. I haven't had a machine do that in 20 years I'd bet. The combination of a sudsy detergent, that straight vane agitator (it should be called a paddle spanker), and four towels made quite the suds cake. I had to use a large capacity load size amount of Final Touch to kill the suds.

For the second load I used a low-sudsing detergent. MUCH better and much more fun results were had where I could actually watch the laundry, not a simulated snowfall...

 

[kenmoreguy64]

All finished

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I did a couple videos, one of which I will ad here after I upload it to YouTube.

The second load is in the dryer right now. I have more work for the newest addition to my home collection for tomorrow. For now I'm going to go put on one of the shirts I washed in the first load, and a pair of comfy cotton shorts and put my feet up for a while.

I hope you like my little Kenmore, because I sure do. Yep, the third time was the charm - THANKS Andy! I have always wanted to post a thread with one of your pile rescuees living on to do more work, and here it is, I finally did it.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I forgot to mention a couple things. This model was originally built in 1967 with a bakelite six-vane agitator. I have one of the better models (a 200 series) which has this agitator, but it is in nowhere near this condition. I think this is a real eye-opener of a washer, and a conversation piece too.

One thing I didn't know until today, and at first thought something was wrong with the machine --- its a single speed machine. Delicate runs in high-speed. I am not surprised for a 100 series, but since the machine had the delicate cycle, I thought it would have been a two-speed.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Here's a link to some video. I have a second video with agitation and drain, but it has three inches of suds in it and you can't see anything else. LOL!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!

Finally! One made it to you in ready to go condition! Out of the three, I kinda had a soft spot for this little one. Again, a combination of features that had you wondering about Nevada being a testbed for new feature combinations before nationwide release... All I had to do to her was replace the water valve with the generic Maytag 205613 valve. That thing fits EVERYTHING! I did leave the original valve in the tub as I figured you'd do something with it. I am so jazzed that third time was the charm and was able to provide you with a working 24" washer.

Question: why do a delicate cycle with a high speed? What would have been the difference between that and the regular cycle, then?

Video... Tap... Tap... Tap... LOL!

RCD

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Two bullets meet in mid air!

Posting at the same time... Ok. I'll take the taps back...

Pat... Pat... Pat...

RCD

 

[gansky1]

That's an adorable washer!

 

[chaskelljr2]

1969 Kenmore 24" Washer.....

Gordon:

That is ONE NICE LITTLE treasure that you got there.

It works and sounds just like the 1967 Sears Kenmore 24" BOL Washer that I have last seen almost 34 years ago. That's the VERY washer that is below this one that is also part of the POD that appears in automaticwasher.org sometimes.

Ours had a black agitator inside it, and that thing was one tough cookie too for the eleven years we had ours.

I just went back down memory lane with this washer.

--chaskelljr1963--

 

[goatfarmer]

Looks right at home, Gordon.

 

[combo52]

Cool Little 24" Belt Drive washer

It is interesting how they sometimes called the short cycle delicate on the inexpensive models with only a one speed motor, later they became a little more honest and labeled the cycle short. You may find this washer has an orange terminal on the timer that has wire on it jumping to the blue Hi speed terminal, if so it is very easy to install a 2SP motor and and run an extra wire from the timer to the motor and have a real delicate low speed agitation.

 

[sillysuds]

24'' kenmore waasher

love this washer, wish that i could get one just like it,water fall lint filter and 24'' you are very lucky, good luck. Bob from New Jersey.