Another survivor from the Pile...

[redcarpetdrew]

This one came in today. Cute. She has the Rotoswirl agitator which I haven't seen for a long time. Decided to bring her in and see what she had under the hood.

1968 Kenmore 700 series

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Multiple wash/rinse temperature settings and a optional 2nd rinse...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Closeup of the console - left side

 

[redcarpetdrew]

and the right side... The temp knob looks to have been cracked then glued back together.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Very clean. The inside lid wiped off with little effort.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Money shot...

The RotoSwirl agitator. The tub is also very clean.

 

[revvinkevin]

Wow Drew!

Very very very NICE! If this one wasn't already spoken for...... and your truck already full......... well.............

 

[redcarpetdrew]

This one's for you, Supersurgilator.... ;^)

Decided to take her for a spin and loaded her up heavy. No showy half loads here. Let's see the RotoSwirl's turn over now...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

I saw that, Kevin... LOL!

Rotoswirl of death... Did very well. I shot a little video of the agitation...

Title is "1968 Kenmore Washer With Rotoswirl Agitator Washing"

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Ever wonder what the clothes see?

Not much of a view... LOL!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

We spin nicely. Maybe a little snugging up on the belt might kick out a little more rpms... Here it is with a spray rinse going.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Here's a view under the hood. You can see a nicely cleaned up metal tub cover and also the solenoid controlled bleach tank. This also has the mercury filled lid switch.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

A little tale of the softener dispenser and a case of 'W

I wanted a better shot of the RotoSwirl and went to remove the softener dispenser. Not happening... Used both hands and still no go. At first, I thought that it was really stuck on there. Decided to unscrew the dispenser to see if I could free it. That's when I discovered that the dispenser on this washer is actually bolted onto the agitator. I guess I'm glad I didn't force it...

 

[aldspinboy]

Andrew that is a fantastic find! Soo Clean.
I love that three cycle model with prewash.
Greg ( Gansky ) owns one.
Does that one light up in the dial section...are you keeping him ?
Roto-swirling is the best... can't stop watching it, I grow up with this agitator since age 6.
Seen them in all colors and caps.
This will add nicely to your collection.
Nice washer.

Darren k.

 

[revvinkevin]

Hey Darren......

I sent you an e-mail... did you get it???

Kevin

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Did I mention there was a light on the console?

The obligatory Nite shot... Nice little washer. We'll find a home for this one with a member...

RCD

 

[aldspinboy]

Yes Kevin...I will contact you.
Nice night shot Andrew.

Darren k.

 

[peteski50]

Kenmore!

Real beautiful washer. I never realized that the softner dispenser was bolted like that. That makes it somewhat inconvient. I thought they were all removeable.
Peter

 

[mrb627]

Awesome Machine

I never knew the console was lighted on these machines. It is awesome that when these machines turn up in "The Pile" that you are able to grab them, clean them up, and offer them to the group for adoption!

Thanks for that!

Malcolm

 

[cycla-fabric]

Great Machine

A great looking machine and one to keep. That type of fabric softener dispenser should come off, but not like that. From the picture it looks like the top of the softener dispenser it is stuck on the cap that screws down the agitator. That dispenser usually just sits on the top of the agitator post and is removed for loading and unloading the basket. I think that someone pushed down to hard on it and that is why it is stuck.

Doug

 

[rp2813]

I just don't get why anyone would want to part with a perfectly good machine like this. At 40+ years old, it was taken care of very well. I mean, what machine manufactured today will still be fully operational over 40 years from now?

I also loved hearing the machine in action. Whirlpool through and through.

I'm confident this beauty will find a good home.

Thanks Drew, for all you do to save these well-built machines. Who knew greater Reno had such a stash?

 

[mickeyd]

Imagine: people throwing out perfectly good washing machine-

We need a fleet of National Washer Santas to save them.

Hey Drew, please do not let our Jason see his beloved roto swirl under-performing in an over-loaded tub. LOL

Thanks for the video, Buddy!

Great shot of the shimmering mirror image of the lighted control--a desert mirage. (last photo)

Have a wonderful machnine-filled Christmas.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

About the dispenser...I was wondering when this would come up for discussion, but there were actually TWO versions of that dispenser. The original, from the late 60s was a bolt-on, that acted as an agitator cap and was not supposed to ever be removed (dumb design in my book). It was not long that this was revised however, I think by 1972 or so. The development of the small gold agitator cap, similar in size to the original black "thumbnail" cap, allowed the dispenser to be redesigned as a press-on dispenser, which was included in many 1972 and forward Kenmores with Straight-Vane and Roto-Swirl agitators. This same dispenser was adapted to fit the large capacity Penta-Vane and Penta-Swirl agitators via an extension which is bolted onto the top of those agitators and is of the same shape and dimension as the top of a Roto-Swirl, etc.

There are two ways to tell the two softener dispensers apart. The original has the metal threaded nut molded into the top, which you can see in Andy's pic. The later removable dispenser has plastic threads that are part of the mold, which screw into the base of the dispenser. These were meant to make the machine more accessible, make the dispenser easier to clean and to remove from the machine altogether if the user so desired. Ours was only in the machine when needed, which was sporadic as we used dryer sheets a lot.

Secondly, if you compare the two dispensers side by side, the cone-shaped diverter in the exact middle of the dispenser rises to a narrower point on the fixed version than on the removeable one. My mother's 1974 Kenmore had the removeable dispenser and one of my friend's moms had a 1971 or so Kenmore 800 with a fixed dispenser, and I noticed as a kid how they differed. I tried to remove their dispenser to show his mom how to clean it, thinking it was like ours, and was thoroughly frustrated and embarrased that I clearly didn't know what I was talking about when I tried in vain to get it out of her machine! (I took my Kenmore knowledge seriously, even back then. LOL!)

If I had a fixed version of the dispenser here, I'd take some photos for comparison, but I don't believe I ever saved one.

Gordon

 

[sears9000]

Yes I can imagine people throwing out a classic perfectly wo

Thank You Andrew for saving a beautiful classic from being destroyed. It's obviously that people today, don't want anything that was not only made to last, but was made right. Not only can you see the quality in it, but you can see the American class, and pride that you don't see anymore. Look at the beauty and sturdyness of it. All you see today, is cheap junk that people are lead to believe that saves energy, when in reality, it costs more to use, because you have to wash more loads in these so called, "washing machines". If they didn't want the machine any more, why couldn't they have donated it to a thrift store?

Gordon, I also remember seeing two versions of the fabric softner. I like both versions, but one advantage of the fixed one is,that it's less likely, to get misplaced. Again, it's a beautiful machine. Well, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

 

[autowasherfreak]

NICE

The woman I used to clean house for had something similar to this model but it had push buttons for the water temperature control.

 

[yogitunes]

I had that exact machine in the first house I lived in....was left by the previous owner...that permanent dispenser was a pain, always in the way, the valave on theside of the tub got worn out and would pump water and lint back into the machine during the drain period...we gave it to a relative and got my first new whirlpool supreme matched set....also the out of balance buzzer would get stuck and you had to reach behind the machine and pop it out to finish the load, I ended up re-locating the buzzer to the lower holes to allow it to finish loads with out constant babysitting the machine..

 

[redcarpetdrew]

offer them to the group for adoption!

As I've said before. It's all for the love of the machines. If, in my own small way, I can help preserve and promote some of our history, great!

This little girl has now found a adoptive home. It seems someone who will remain nameless (although I hear his genetic code spells out Kenmore under a microscope LOL!!!) watched the video of her strutting her well aged stuff and fell in lust!

Yet another in a continuing series of successful rescues and adoptions!

RCD

 

[appnut]

Adoption

Glad someone wants her. She's a sweetheart. And practically looks show-room new!!

 

[gansky1]

Fun washer!!

Mine was never used - I loved that first load...

The one you found looks very nice - and working too!

 

[70series]

Thanks for the video. That washer is in nice shape and I hope it finds a home with a member of the club.

Have a good one,
James