A sought-after Kenmore found!

[kenmoreguy64]

This has been a neat day. Since getting back into my washer hobby (in overdrive) in January 2008, I have been buying Sears catalogs to go along with those that a friend I met through the site had left me. Now I've got all the 1970s, and all the 80s through the last belt-drive machines.

One machine in the 1980-1981 catalogs has intrigued me, and it looked to me like the ultimate belt-drive machine, but it is a higher-end model (essentially TOL) that I have seen few if any of.

I got one a few weeks back from that truck from Arizona that the authorities raided, but it has a 1979 70-series control panel on it. Cant' have that, so I put out an inquiry on the site to see if anyone knew of a spare, proper control panel. Well, as wonderful as he is, Andy aka RedCarpetDrew came across one on Friday and the panel is on it's way to me. Oddly, I came across a whole machine on Craigslist in Charlotte, and just as the wash-in at WebMaster Robert's was in full swing, I saluted all the attendees and the host by hauling home the nastiest, grossest in-service washer I've seen in a good while.

What was a nasty ugly-duckling has blossomed today into quite the swan though! Take a look:
[this post was last edited: 5/16/2010-15:13]

 

[kenmoreguy64]

It's hard to imagine people using something like this to CLEAN clothes. Touch the wrong spot and this washer would make them dirtier.

Yes, that is a block of calcified detergent on the back of the lid well. I had to scrape some of it off with a paint scraper.[this post was last edited: 5/16/2010-15:15]

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Just nasty...

 

[kenmoreguy64]

More...

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Yet more, and this is as removed from a laundry closet last night.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I thought this was rust but it turned out to be cigarette smoke residue.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

The worst part, wow

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Underneath

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Chech her out now!

I am not done as I want to touch-up the porcelain knicks, but I adjusted the lid hinge so the lid doesn't lay so flat, which causes the knicks. There are a few abrasions on the panel, but it's really nice now.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Posing

I am bonding with this machine already...

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice machine, Gordon, hope ya got 'er cheep!

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I made the machine wash her nasty rags. Check out that water!

She runs wonderfully, and for the first time probably in my life, I ran a normal cycle with second rinse (by using the one in the timer that is). All that soap in the machine was supplied by the residue on the washer, none was added, and it took two rinses to get it out.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

More...

As Kevin would say "Ain't she purdy?"

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Ready for real laundry...I think I'll have to run one more load of shop towels in her before I do that though, can't get the image of all that schmutz out of my head right now....

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Kenny -

The washer and a nice but equally dirty 1986 70-series dryer were less than a hundred bucks for the pair. With the way the washer works, I think it was worth it!

Gordon

 

[lebron]

Great looking control panel Gordon, glad you were able to find one... Pretty nasty looking at first but that last picture! What a difference, nice job cleaning it up.

 

[best-cleaning]

Nice! Anothe Kenmore for your collection.

Gordon, What is this inside the lid, next to water level switch?

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Rodrigo

The item you mentioned allows the machine to do the combina-
tions of soak, prewash and wash without returning to the ma-
chine to add detergent for the second wash. It holds a detergent cup. When the main washcycle is reached a solenoid
activated button hits the dispenser through the little hole below the hanger. A spring loaded door is released and the detergent drops into the tub for the main wash cycle. Not designed for liquid detergent!

 

[pulltostart]

A fitting challenge

for Mister Kenmore. Congratulations, Gordon!

Lawrence

 

[70series]

This was in a laundry closet? From the before pictures it looks like it was in an outhouse. How anybody could mess up a machine like this is far beyond me. However, once again you amaze me with your God given talent to clean and spiff these washers up so they look like new again. Hats off to you for making this once ugly duckling into a swan that looks as if it arrived off the Sears delivery truck.

Have a good one,
James

 

[aldspinboy]

Gordon it is amazing how so many people do have nasty washers!!
but you did a swell job on clean up and it is Puuurrdy lol.
I love the cycle modofier selections & auto water temp classic kenmore trait.
I did get the machines yesterday and will post later I hope you are happy with your machine Nice.

Darren k

 

[mickeyd]

The cycle modifier is

the best one ever; they put everything together--it's perfect.

See, the BOL King becomes a TOL Squire, a natural evolution at Aworg. After a while having a TOL or two become irresistible, no?

Interested in your recipe for the majestic clean-up.

 

[revvinkevin]

Congrats Gordon!

Wow that machine sure cleaned up nicely!

Congrats on this unique find! YAY!

Kevin

 

[retropia]

Many options

It looks like you have many ways to customize your wash, with that Cycle Modifier and other options. I'll bet the owners manual is thick with explanations about how everything works, and when to choose which option.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Speaking of owner's manuals, I was thinking the same thing yesterday. Back then, there was an operator's instruction booklet for each model, including a two-page fold-out view of the control panel, with descriptions on how to use the features, knob by knob and setting by setting. That would be neat to find for sale on ebay. I've found a number of 1960's Kenmore literature items, but not 1980s yet.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Mike -

I am still more of a MOL or BOL guy, but I remembered this model when I saw it in the 1980 catalog as a kid, then I paid more attention to it when I got copies of the catalogs again. Sears' focus at the time was on the electronic machines as their "Sears Best" fare, in fact in 1980 there were two electronic models offered, a left-over 1979 electronic machine (not a Lady K) and the 1980 Lady. By early 1981, the '79 model was done and only the Lady bested this machine. Since many people weren't interested in the electronic washers, this one was the TOL model in some people's minds, I'm sure.

What's cool to me is that there probably weren't very many people in town who were willing to give this washer a second glance once they saw how nasty it was, yet I have been wanting just this model, I enjoy the clean up, and it seemed to call to me. The service panel was rattling up a racket because one of the screws was missing, so if any prospective buyers tested the washer, just touching it then hearing the panel rattle could have been enough for many for say "Thanks, have a nice day" and boogie out of there.

The washer worked great during the wash of the clean-up rags, and it sounds very classically belt-drive. Once I feel like I have this thing as dissinfected on the inside as out, I think I will enjoy using it. BUT, next to it will probably be something BOL. In fact in storage I have a true BOL 1980 Kenmore, which would be neat to compare and contrast in my garage, with them both connected and serviceable.

As to my recipe for clean-up - this one took about 3.5 hours and a lot of various things to do the work, everything from a paint-scraper to Lysol disinfecting kitchen cleaner. I used 409 on the cabinet and tub ring, and saturated rags for the top. I used a Windex wipe with added Lysol for the control panel, but I usually use smooth-top stove cleaner for that as it leaves no streaks. I completely removed the panel to clean the gunk underneath. That detergent 'block' under the lid was not easy to get off. I figured it would just dissolve and fall into the tub. Well, maybe 2/3 of it did, but the rest was adhered to the top and had to be scraped off (thank goodness for porcelain, which looks un-scathed). The chunks that broke off sounded like glass or stones when I dropped them on the floor. I used Windex wipes on the knobs, which when I re-install I do so with a clean towel on my hand so as not to re-smudge them, The only thing I don't like is the clear-coat issues on the woodgrain top, but I'm thinking about auto protectant to work that over.

I painted the porcelain chips, and it looks even better now. Just got to get over the 'before' shots in my mind. I've seen similarly dirty washers, in fact my 1977 Penta-Swirl machine was at least as bad, but it had been 18 years since it was used so it seemed less related to other people's "gross-ness" after all that time.

I think it safe to say that I appreciate this machine more than anyone else who would have bought it. It was offered on Craigslist more than a week before I got it, so I guess it was meant to be?

G

 

[cfz2882]

nice job on that one and a beatiful machine!
When i got my '86 70 series running i also had to run it twice
to get all the soap out of it-it tried to suds lock on the
first spin....

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Funny! Suds locks are more probable on 1981 - 1986 Kenmore large capacity machines vs. the earlier ones, as their tubs use the much narrower drain outlet that was used on earlier standard tub models. The previous large machines use a wide-open drain hose that is probably 2 or 3 times as wide, and I'm not sure I've ever seen a suds lock in one of those. Suds locks for me in Kenmores are rare in general, but I have had them happen in models with those narrow tub drains.

Gordon

 

[mickeyd]

Windex! Thank you for your generous, satisfying post. I&#39

Was afraid that maybe the big :W: might be a bit too harsh, but it's what I use to keep the machines spiffy. So It's safe, I'm sure, if you are using it.

Very glad you got the machine. I think anyone here would love to have it. I know the MOL version very well, but it always seemed stronger and more powerful than its earlier siblings. The other day you wrote that at some point KM made a stronger transmission which these editions have. Glad to see it was not my imagination inventing their greater strength compared to the 63 LK.

Don't you get a kick out of the way the timer rushes to the rinse fill after the last spray, omitting the 2 minute spin? And when you get a chance, do these machines spin faster than their predecessors, or do they just wind up faster to 550?

 

[mtn1584]

I love your new Kenmore, will you be using this as your daily driver??? Also, was someone using this machine as it was? You did a fantastic job of cleaning it up, lots of luck. My mom used to work at a Sears Catalog Store, I remember looking at these machines when they first came out, it seems like everyone in the seventies had one version or another of the center dial Kenmores, I like this control panel style the best, before they started to color block between cycle selections, I think this was a much cleaner look, and what is the problem with the woodgrain, just curious.
Take care,
Mike

Mike