Apex, Matchbox, Now a LIBERATOR!!!!!! as well in 1 week!!!

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aquarius1984

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WELL WELL WELL! What can I say so much excitement this week has caused with not only 2 dream machines turning up but now a 3rd!

Ok so its not a real one made by Hotpoint but close enough!
The Zanussi version.
We present the Hotpoint Liberator 1826 November 1976.

Rob and Paul

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Hat tricks

Well well what a week indeed..............phewwwwwwwwwww

Excellent classic styling and looks, it is a Hotpoint (inow Zanussi made them) but it is a hotpoint liberator through through.......well done on getting one......happy parents :-)

and yes the Apex..........classic styling with extra CHROME and LIGHTS.............beuatiful.......

But i think our English classics are even more beautiful becuase they have more reserved appearance.

Yes indeed a great but nackering week

Well done and enjoy your new arrival
Gary
 
Hi gary.

Has indeed been a bit of a week!

Literally got back about 45mins ago with it and really pleased with it. Cant wait to stand it alongside our liberator dryer - different but the same.

Bloody hell Rob! Easy repair - bearings. We havent even got replacemnts yet. Fingers crossed that we find some.
The machine does work, but wea re told has the roar of knackered bearings on spin. the drum tug test results in bearing play.

We might try it once, just to check her out and then it will take its place in the restoration queue.
Still got that Microprofile to sort out yet.
Finding replacement bearings permitting, we will try for a summer restoration. Fingers crossed.

ta ta for now.
Paul
 
Hey Paul....

Nice one :)

AFIK bearings shouldnt be a problem- give me the date code and will get ya the part numbers- I believe there are a couple of different versions fitted to these models.

Seamus
 
How do Seamus.

I had searched for them on the official manufacturers websites previously i.e Hotpoint spares and Zanussi spares.

The Hotpoint site didnt even register the model number at all! obviously given up support for it a couple of decades ago.
I did a search for the S-series machines on the anussi website and it didnt list the likes of S118, S218T etc either.
What shocked me also was that they hadnt got the Z-series machines listed either.
At that point i gave up, as possibly a lost cause.

Fingers crossed then that a source can be found, be great if it could be.
The machine has been put away for the night - one of us will try and get a picky of the ratings plate over the weekend, - the one thing i didnt get a piccy of earlier this evening.

cheers
paul
 
p.s bloody hell - the door release button/handle!

am going to be nervous whenever i touch that.
fiddly to say the least.

push the surface button to the right with thumb and then pull handle towards you. sounds easy, but with old plastic involved, I had palputations (had a lot of those this week, what with everything going on) each time i opened the door.

cheers
paul
 
Hi david.

Yep the door is supposed to be that colour.
Hotpoints liberator series of machines are famous amongst us UK guys for, shall we say, their rather brash/brave colour scheme.

Silver facia, white trims, with dial(s) and buttons (excluding door release which was always white) in various shades of lilac, mauve and dark purple.

The door bowls were all dark purple, which did make things difficult to see.
The styling probably backfired on them in later years as purple didnt really go with UK 1980s kitchens, which probably resulted in machines being replaced.
A machine with less of a style statememnt about it could have lasted longer maybe. just a theory of mine as to what has contributed to make the hotpoint liberator a rather rare machine.

below is the real (as opposed to a zanussi clone) Hotpoint liberator, complete with all the purples.

Paul

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Safely collected

Hi Rob and Paul, all safely away for the night, though you no doubt will pop out to the shed to check on it several times. I can mock though, this afternoon I cleared the hall, so the hall and stairs are clear of all post and junk, and I will be looking at that several times before bed lol, no I can't qite believe it either, well it will make wheeling machines in and out easier won't it lol.

Ah so thats on the bearings list too, a busy summer yeh, I'll fetch my drift and mallet. Is it an enammel drum with a cast iron bearing spider ?, I had some zanussi bearings somewhere, will check. Paul is it 520 rpm spin, I was only guessing before? Well have a good run tomorrow, and can we have a quiet weekend without any vital finds, give our heart rates a chance to stabalise lol. Oh I only see one very proud owner, lol.

Mathew
 
Bearings

I think the bearings are still available from Electrolux, they were the last time I looked. Finding the part numbers is the hardest bit, since they have to be converted from 6 digits to the 11 digit Electrolux part numbers now.

Despite the Z series not being technically listed, alot of parts are still available for my Z9191T. The key is to download the exploded diagrams from the Zanussi site and convert the 6 digit numbers into 11 digit ones. The same can be said for the S118, S218 etc.

Don't even bother trying Hotpoint for parts for the 1826 though, they have forgotten these models even existed!

Tom.
 
Oh Mathew you know the score about cameras and where they point, far to shy still lol,

Better bring your mallets and drifts like you say, I found the required parts needed quite easily so when your up we should have plenty to do,

Would be interesting to see what its like in comparison to a Hotpoint bearing change.

Now that you have cleared your hallway I will be more than happy to bring the Hoover Scrubber/Polisher down and buff those fabulous tiles up to a high gloss shine.

Johnson Wax Klear NO SIREE!!!!

LOL

R
 
Hotpoint / Zanussi...!!!

Nice work boys, looking great, cant wait to see it!!! if you here a noise over the wall tonight it might be...???

You`ll have to check the motor tomorrow and let us know if its a Zanussi, I was told it was a UK Hottie type?? but have never proved it...

The parts are still listed in the Qualtex catalogue, BKT08 Hotpoint (1826 Zanussi made machines)its also the same bearing as all the Zanussi DL, GL, EW and FL8 series machines so will be plentiful!!! only thing is its one of those two bearing two washer jobbies...Ohh Doctor...............!!! I`ll order one tuesday with my free delivery order!!!

Quite expensive in its day for a slow spin when the Hoover A3058 was less than it at 800rpm...!!!

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Yey! Another fab machine saved!

Well done guys!!

Nice to see one again. I liked the one I had. Really quiet and if you have not water tested it yet you just wait for the water levels...You will be amazed!! Unless mine had a fault the water level on rinse is more than half way up the door.

And yes the door catch was fiddly from what I can remember plus I couldn't believe how bloody heavy it was!!!

Congrats

Mark
x
 
Mike:

The motor is a Zanussi motor not a Hottie. Quiet and powerful.

Matthew:

It is a 520rpm spin....The final spin goes on for ages!

Heres a picture of the one I had. Was a bit sorry for itself as lots of rust issues:

Mark
x

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Bearings,

Well Mike I never even thought of you when I started to search for the bearings, yes if you could order some we will be grateful.

Will give us an excuse to pop over lol,

Speaking of parts I could do with...

*Kirby Heritage brushroll,
*Hotpoint Super 800 3370 cylinder cleaner bags
*and if the Inner Tub Seals are still available for the Liberator 1826 one of those would go down a storm just in case the one on it dosnt seal once its disturbed.
*Door seal for the Liberator 1826....

LOL

May as well make use of free delivery.

Its a fab machine, not had chance to get it started but will do when we get the opportunity.

R
 
Oh yes

I can also verify like Mark for these machines having the big Induction motors fitted to Zanussis.

Ours has a fabulous example, looks mint,

R
 
Door Catch

Christ i have just recognised that door catch, it is the same as the one on my first automatic, an Electra/Zanussi, yeah you have to slide the small part to the left and then pull the whole thing forward...........and it was delicate further complicated by the bloody door opening delay mech, i bet plenty of those got broken

Part from that bloody lovely..........work work work work i need to win the lottery.........hmm dont we all
 
My god you guys have some luck!!!!

A family member had the electrolux version! And i confirm the water levels are super high!

Lol who'd have thought zanussi would help hotpoint out..now that would be a far more sucessful colloboration in the modern day than the cancer of indesit they incurred.

I love it. just love it. It's so clean for its age too! Can't wait to see more when you get it sorted!

Congrats again guys!

Darren
 
Thanks for the comments guys.

We are really pleased with it and, time permitting, will try and get a vid of it done tomorrow.

Even though its only 520rpm max - think your Bendix is faster is'nt it Mark (550rpm?) - personally i dont want to run the risk of hurting much more, by spinning it.
Will maybe do a full cycle once, to check it over, and then put it in the restoration queue.

the previous owner mentioned that the door release arrangement had already been replaced once before, so we will have to uber gentle with it.

The 70's saw a phase of fiddly door release handles/button, probably a hangover from when the machines were produced that did not possess interlocks. although Indesit had fiddly mechanisms through to the early 80's, if i remember rightly.

Hi darren. cheers for the comments - really looking forward to the high rinse levels. from the figures on the which report, posted by mike, the 1826 does appear to be a rather thirsty machine.
Purple door permitting, we will try and capture it on any vid we make.

How do Lou.
Yep - there is something about the purpole door. Make it a bitch to see whats going on, but they were smart machines nevertheless.
Thing is they are plastic, rather than glass. As a result years of washing can take its toll. We have a couple of liberator purple door bowls with cracks in them, so they are a bit fragile.

will try and do a vid as soon as is practicably possible.
cheers
paul
p.s below is the 1823 Liberator C - the other Zanussi clone. A cold fill only machine and a top spin speed of.......wait for it.........a whopping 380rpm!

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