A lead on a vintage Speed Queen

[turquoisedude]

I'v been working on this one for a while... There's an appliance refurb place on Ontario Street (about 5 blocks from the apartment in Montreal) and I have been using this place as a source of parts for quite some time now. The owner is a pretty smart cookie when it comes to subbing vintage parts; for nearly a year now, he had been hinting that he has a "old Speed Queen automatic". Naturally, I told him I was interested. Last fall, he told me he was looking for a new home for it. I've been trying to get to see it (well, and nag him about the Inglis dryer motor I left with him) for MONTHS. Today, being 'town-bound', I decided to hike up there to see him. The store was closed and a note in the door read that 'Due to exceptional circumstances,etc,etc' he would be closed until mid-week next week. But I took a look in the window and what did I see next to one of his vintage Moffat ranges? Yep. The washer!
I didn't remember that my new mobile phone has a camera in... I would guess it is a mid- to late-50s model. The control panel is low with the Speed Queen name on it. At the far right is a 'control box' with the timer dial and above this are four very sturdy-looking toggle switches. The writing above each was unreadable but I guess they would be for water level, wash speed, and water temperature. Even better, I think I actually have a service manual for this machine!!
I am pretty excited about this and I will be calling this place next week to be sure.
I am going to try to not get my hopes up too high, 'cause I think this feller will probably be asking an arm and a leg... We shall see!!

 

[eddy1210]

That's probably a 1957 you're seeing.  The control box on the right has a toggle for wash temp, rinse temp, wash time and speed.  That would be a nice machine to get for sure!

 

[turquoisedude]

Eddie, it's definitely a 57! It looks just like the one in your collection photos, minus some of the paint on the control panel... LOL
That should be a bargaining chip, right???

 

[eddy1210]

It should be, Paul

You'll love that SQ!  Now, the toggle that controls wash time is interesting.  You'll see an 11 and a 4 on the top line.  The bottom reads 7 and a 2.  So, with the toggle up, it will give an 11 minute wash on Normal cycle and a 4 minute wash on the short cycle.  If the toggle is down, you get a 7 minute wash time on Normal, and a 2 minute wash on Short.  How does it do this?  By simply disengaging the agitator solenoid for a period of time during the wash, so you get a soaking period (all with the pump still running!)  Very fun machine, do try and get it.