The machine that brought me to the AW door: the GE WA 850P:
and another Dream Machine arrives via Youcrate:
- Thread starter bajaespuma
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She's a Holy Grail, but needs much TLC. Can't get over the coppertone filter pan, but tub is lurching dangerously towards front and spin out of first fill is a wet carousel ride instead of a 650 rpm spritz:
Worth it for the control panel alone. To paraphrase Ms. Merman, there are no toggleswitches like pink toggleswitches:
...and the dial,the dial. I now own what I think are the two best plastic dials ever made. The pull is extraordinary; not only the prettiest hand pull GE ever made, but this thing weighs like precious metal. She ees beautiful, no? Thanks to Phil Turo for managing to get this out of his Sister's cellar and into the Youcrate. I'm so happy to have this model I can't express it in words. It even SMELLS like I remember!!!! How sick is that?
As Phil promised, the cabinet needs some serious cleaning up and I'll have to find a chrome trim strip to replace the missing one, but the porcelain top, once cleaned up, looks brand new. Another rarity: a masonite back apron intact with the schematic in near-perfect condition. With this apron, I can easily fabricate lots of others for my other machines!!
I got a kick out of the plug. Not only is it missing a grounding prong, but it's the same plug that was on practically every GE steam iron we ever owned. Probably made right here in Bridgeport (where the first GE automatics were manufactured).
Safety was a different thing in 1957. NO g-d d--n FREAKIN' SAFETY SWITCH TO DISABLE! Instead, a prudent warning (which made me chuckle as soon as I read the lid):
My first solid-tub GE Filter-flo!!!!
Will keep y'all posted as repairs progress. Next: tub removal.
Will keep y'all posted as repairs progress. Next: tub removal.
7080swashertalk
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2008
- Messages
- 115
great find
Interesting that the timer is on the left.
my first impression is, the picture is reversed.
But, if it works for dryers, it can work for washers too.
the 2 prong power cord. Thats funny.
I like the Pink too. But I think the best plastic dial would be the 1981, 2nd from top of the line, Kenmore dishwasher. I also like the Maytag "crystal" handled timer knobs.
Again, Congradulations. Another Rare Machine finds a good home.
Interesting that the timer is on the left.
my first impression is, the picture is reversed.
But, if it works for dryers, it can work for washers too.
the 2 prong power cord. Thats funny.
I like the Pink too. But I think the best plastic dial would be the 1981, 2nd from top of the line, Kenmore dishwasher. I also like the Maytag "crystal" handled timer knobs.
Again, Congradulations. Another Rare Machine finds a good home.
7080swashertalk
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2008
- Messages
- 115
spelling error
"...Again, Congradulations"
should be
congratulations
"...Again, Congradulations"
should be
congratulations
Very nice, Ken! Congratulations!
Our house was built in '52 and had no grounded outlets, I'm not sure when that became code/standard so it's understandable that this washer wouldn't have had even a polarized plug. That really is a beautiful machine - the pink toggles and dial are just eye-popping on the gray panel. Lighted dial?
Have fun playing with it - if you need any service doctrine from GE, let me know!
Our house was built in '52 and had no grounded outlets, I'm not sure when that became code/standard so it's understandable that this washer wouldn't have had even a polarized plug. That really is a beautiful machine - the pink toggles and dial are just eye-popping on the gray panel. Lighted dial?
Have fun playing with it - if you need any service doctrine from GE, let me know!
YouCrate
Nice machine!
I think I should get in touch with YouCrate, though. Maybe they can give me some sort of kickback, for mentioning them here.....8^)
Nice machine!
I think I should get in touch with YouCrate, though. Maybe they can give me some sort of kickback, for mentioning them here.....8^)
hilovane
Well-known member
I remember this classic GE model loike it was five minutes ago - my first (childhood) exposure to General Electric washing machines!
Thanks to everyone!
Doesn't seem to be a lighted dial. The fluorescent light in the control panel wasn't working. The two bulb outlets had become disconnected so I imagine the dial will be illuminated by that.Also, some of these had a pilot light in the center of the control panel. This one doesn't, but there is a "mount" for it underneath the shield. A small surprise was an invisible "push" switch on the bottom of the control panel that seems to operate the fluorescent light independently from the control as the brochure says. Doesn't seem to be a balast anywhere, but maybe the switch acts as one. Can't wait to get this operating, but have some minor but significant repairs to do first. Am dying to take the whole thing apart so I can sand and paint the cabinet, base and control panel back, but I think I want to get it up and running before I attempt a major overhaul. As I will show later, some of the plastic/rubber pieces are as good as new, but others, like the filter mount and the pink "FILTER FLO" nozzle are cracked and will disintegrate if handled roughtly. Also, just discovered that the small hose between the fill solenoids and the fill flume/siphon break has cracked into three pieces. The fill flume is absolutely solid. I'll have to find some kind of flexible air hose or braided hose that I can bend into a tight double 90 degree angle. Also, to make matters worse, that hose is flared at the siphon break end. Oy. I guess this is what you guys went through all those years ago as you attacked your first vintage machines, but I just want to watch this beauty work, at least once, before I screw up. I will cry if I do anything to damage this machine, and given my inexperience, I don't want to be careless here. As Don Corleone said, so well, "Women and children can afford to be careless..."
Doesn't seem to be a lighted dial. The fluorescent light in the control panel wasn't working. The two bulb outlets had become disconnected so I imagine the dial will be illuminated by that.Also, some of these had a pilot light in the center of the control panel. This one doesn't, but there is a "mount" for it underneath the shield. A small surprise was an invisible "push" switch on the bottom of the control panel that seems to operate the fluorescent light independently from the control as the brochure says. Doesn't seem to be a balast anywhere, but maybe the switch acts as one. Can't wait to get this operating, but have some minor but significant repairs to do first. Am dying to take the whole thing apart so I can sand and paint the cabinet, base and control panel back, but I think I want to get it up and running before I attempt a major overhaul. As I will show later, some of the plastic/rubber pieces are as good as new, but others, like the filter mount and the pink "FILTER FLO" nozzle are cracked and will disintegrate if handled roughtly. Also, just discovered that the small hose between the fill solenoids and the fill flume/siphon break has cracked into three pieces. The fill flume is absolutely solid. I'll have to find some kind of flexible air hose or braided hose that I can bend into a tight double 90 degree angle. Also, to make matters worse, that hose is flared at the siphon break end. Oy. I guess this is what you guys went through all those years ago as you attacked your first vintage machines, but I just want to watch this beauty work, at least once, before I screw up. I will cry if I do anything to damage this machine, and given my inexperience, I don't want to be careless here. As Don Corleone said, so well, "Women and children can afford to be careless..."
Wow - this is quite the GE! Looking forward to seeing the panel in all it's lighted glory, and some 3 vaned agitation! Keep us posted with the progress.
Very cool how this model really is very similar in look to the 1957 line of GE ranges - trim and all.
Ben
Very cool how this model really is very similar in look to the 1957 line of GE ranges - trim and all.
Ben
filterflo
New member
Yeah! another solid tub GE with famous Activator washing. Great washer, these should be pretty easy to fix and parts are not too hard to find........GE did such great colors on that model........
Very cool how this model really is very similar in look to the 1957 line of GE ranges - trim and all.
One of the reasons I've been dying to get my hands on this model, this star pattern:
One of the reasons I've been dying to get my hands on this model, this star pattern:
