68 Kenmore set!!!

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Hans, that is what I consider one of the two most flexible Kenmore models ever offered. Friends of my parents had this set. The 2nd verson I'm thinking of (and Gordon correct me if I'm wrong and confused), but I seem to remember a neighbor who had a model with a speed selector knob like the one above, but it wasn't alphabet washing like above. It had 5 black pushbuttons for the 5 w/r temp combinations. I thought these were the only WP produced products to offer speed selections independent of the cycles. I had no knowledge WP offered the mark 12 with the independent wash & spin speed butons until I saw one around summer 1974 or 1975. another name for roto-flex was the spankelator, spank your laundry clean. I love Soft heat dryers. Although I've only used them for average laundry, I'm not sur just how gentle and delicate they were for real sheer, delicate fabrics requiring low heat drying.
 
NEAT Machines!

Hans -

These may be the machines you've been looking for. Something "a little different" kind of thing. Very cool!

Bob -

I won't correct you on that. I am still discovering models from the 60s that I was unaware of. This machine, at least I think, is already the second in a family of similar looking and funtioning models, the first having blue hues on the panel and knobs vs. the gold. The only machine that comes to my mind (surely there are others?) with a separate selectable speed switch is the alternate 1966 Lady K. One 66 Lady is the one many of us are familiar with - having the first of the piano key set-ups. The other had a timer and three separate knobs where the piano keys would be. This model had automatic temperature controls and separately selectable wash and spin speeds. The catalog billed it as the most flexible washer in the world. That was a phenominally expensive model too - something like 40-bucks more than the standard Lady, and it did not have the flushed detergent dispenser. At nearly 300 dollars in 1966/67, that was a pricey beast!

I am nowhere near as familiar with the less-common 60s models as I am 70s and 80s, so I am sure there are others with speed switches, but they were rare regardless.

Gordon
 
That is!

That is a beautiful set indeed. Someone will enjoy them for sure!

Does that agitator have no base to it? Strange. Never seen one like that!
 
 
There apparently was several versions of it. My aunt's had a gold poly Super Rotoswirl with scrubber cap. Exact same console --
fluorescent
alphabet A thru H
infinite water level
temp Auto/Cold Wash/Cold Rinse
rotary speed Auto/Slo-Slo/ExSlo-Slo
timed bleach & softener

IIRC, Normal cycle dropped to slow agitate at the 4 min mark (coincided with bleach dispense). I think for one increment, back to full speed for the final 2 mins. Or am I remembering that wrong?
 
Ah, if only my parents had opted for that pair instead of the cursed '68 Signature pair they ended up with.

Speaking of which, someone here has been a very naughty boy and brought a Warge home recently. I'm still reeling from the news. Perhaps scary pictures will be forthcoming. 'Tis the season!
 
Ralph I think you're the only one wqith a bad experience with a Warge!!!

Glenn, I thihnk you may be remembering incorrectly. I do not know of any Kenmore that shifted from Normal to Gentle agitation speed on normal or Perm Press/ W'n'W cycle after 19670 or 1961. Every Kenmore I used from 1962 on did not do theat shift, only Whirlpools.
 
Naughty?

Why is it naughty to shop at Wards? :-) All the cool kids are doing it!

Sears is for squares!

(Photo from Pleasant Family Shopping)

wards+appliances+1971+pleasantfamilyshopping.jpg
 
My next door neighbors had the 1966 set like this. That is the set that had the Super Rotoswirl as opposed to the Flex agitator.

Appnut: The only Kenmore model from this era that I recall having the 5 black wash/rinse temp knobs was the 1965 Model 800, except I am fairly sure that did not have a seperate speed selector.

Congrats on finding this great set, and if nobody speaks up for them, enjoy.
 
I learned how to do laundry with this particular model.

As I've mentioned in the past, my parents had this model in alvacado, but not the matching dryer. It was an easy machine to learn, just properly load your clothes, add bleach,fabric softner if desired, select the proper letter for your speed, and water temp, and push the timer in, and there you are. The cycles were the following.

A. Cottons Linens White.
B. Cottons Linens Colored.
C. Permanent Press White.
D. Permanent Press Colored.
E. Delecate Fabrics.
F. Washable Woolens.
G. Pre Wash Or Rinse.
H. Spin only.
Yes the agitation would change to slow during A, and B, cycles when the bleach would be added in, then change back to normal for the last 2 minutes of the wash time. On C, and D, it would change to slow agitation during the cool down, it would even drain on slow, then would agitate while filling up with cold water about 2 or 3 times before the final drain which would be normal.
The Kenmore direct drive I bought in 2000 changes agitation speed during the normal cycle. They sure don't make them like they used to, that old alphabet machine ran until 1993.
When you have time, would you please make a video of the machine going through either A,or B cycle ? Thank You, and have a nice day.
 
Bleach at 4/gentle/back to normal at 2

Jim, well I'll be darn. I can still learn someting new after all these years. I had no idea. Like I said above, never knew a Kenmo would do that shifting down & up on normal cycles for bleach. Yes the Lady Kenmore/Alphabet washing guide was hjow I learned to set proper wsah/rinse temps and wash/spin speed guidelines. Did you eve use the speed control knob to modify anything other than the auto setting? On the cold water lever option, was your parents just auto and cold water wash or was it auto, cold rinse (but kept hot or warm wash water temps selected by letter), and a 3rd setting for all cold water wash/rinse? Some models had auto or all cold water washing and some had the addition where it was cold rinse but letter-temperature set wash temps.
 

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