Bendix Washing Machine

[hassney]

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">Hey gang, just catching up on a certain washing machine. I really don't know the history about Bendix washing machine's. Can someone fill in the gaps and also where was Bendix originated from? Is it a UK, US or is it a European machine?</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">Cheers</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">Hassney </span>

 

[buzzman1982]

Bendix

Bendix was an American company and made brakes, radio's, TV's, components for planes i think. I also know that by about 1948 they made front loading washing machines as my grandmother had one from that year and was imported over to the UK from America.

Im not sure on the exact dates but definately by the 70's Bendix and Philco collaborated together, building the machines in italy, Bendix had the square silver door and Philco had a round door but im sure they where pretty much the same mechanics. Very robust and quiet, used a pully belt system i think and no brushes.
i think the Philco was a stronger brand in the rest of europe then here in the UK.
In about 1980 both machines had a brown facia, and round buttons and both had a round door.
(the same machine in the old advert from 1984 with the baby asleep in front of it becouse its so quiet)

Im not completely clear what happened to Philco or Bendix in the end, but in 1989 the collaboration ended i think becouse Philco got bought out. Then somewhere along the line Bendix became Tricity-Bendix and we got machines that where nothing like the quality there was before.

I hope what ive said is accurate, and anyone please correct me if im not, im just going on my memory!

 

[akronman]

Bendix

Use the searchilator function of this website for BENDIX, TONS of info, original automatic washer was produced before WWII.

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Bendix

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Bendix

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Bendix

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Bendix

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Bendix

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Bendix

 

[cornutt]

The history of Philco after Ford bought it in 1961 is confusing to me, as is Ford's purpose for buying Philco in the first place -- I guess they thought it would become their equivalent of what Delco was for GM. Most car radios that went into Fords in the '60s were branded Philco. Ford started breaking up Philco in the early '70s, and that's where it gets confusing. Apparently they sold the car radio and consumer electronics divisions to GTE, and the appliance division went to WCI, and some other pieces went elsewhere. Ford kept one bit, the avionics division, which became Ford Aerospace. (If you were to go into the preserved 1960s flight control room at the NASA Mission Control Center in Houston, and look at the backs of the consoles, you'd see Philco serial number plates on them.)

They sold Ford Aerospace to IBM in 1990, and it became part of IBM Federal Systems. A few years later, IBM sold it to Loral.

Philco seemed to have a bunch of international divisions. Apparently at least one is still operating under the Philco name in Brazil.

 

[hassney]

Thanks guys

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">Thanks for sharing the info and pics guys, you've been great...  </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">Didn't Bendix become Tricity-Bendix in the late 80s early 90s? (correct me if I'm wrong) but weren't they brought by Zanussi later on in the years? Reason why I say this, is because, Tricity-Bendix machine's were another generation of machine's to have included jet systems, other than Zanussi.  </span>

 

[jetcone]

I've just assembled the whole history of

Bendix from 1936-1960. I am writing it up for the club and will post it when it is done. Philco as I recall sold off its washers to Dexter not WCI. Dexter machines became the "double loader" standard in laundromats here in the US in the 60-80's. That machine was based on the Bendix Duomatic which is why so many parts from that machine fit the Dumoatics today.

 

[buzzman1982]

Great will look forward to that Jetcone, seems that there was a long tie with Bendix and Philco around the world not just Europe with the machines we had.

Hass, im trying to think back to the 90's. I have a feeling that by the mid 90's it was Electrolux that owned Tricity Bendix. Mabie someone in the know could comfirm one way or the other.

Paulinroyton, those Bendix leaflets where like porn to me!! I used to have one of those given to me when i was 4 by a friends mum who had a Bendix i used to go and watch!!

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix

Hi Buzzman 1982,

Yeah, the Bendix info are great to read and hard to come by them now. Such a shame they don,t make them like that anyomre, :-(.

Paul

 

[superelectronic]

Tricity Bendix

I'm pretty certain that once Tricity had been tacked onto the Bendix name the products were part of the Electrolux Group, hence the appearance of the Tricity Bendix Jetsystem in the vein of Zanussis by that name. Zanussi was also associated with Electrolux by that time...which was certainly the early 1990s if not the end of the 80s.

 

The much revered Philco-designed machines by Bendix disappeared at the end of the 1980s in the UK. Philco lived on for a while as a more budget brand as I recall, sold at Currys.

 

I'm sure there are others around who can give you definitive dates!

 

 

[samsungfl]

Bendix!

Such a great thread so far guys, keep posting This is without a doubt one of my favourite brands ( some may even say I like them more than Miele, and if you know me, thats saying something LOL )

Fantastic to see the old brochures on here too, its so difficult finding material like this these days so thanks to "paulinroyton" for taking the time to put these up

I was lucky enough to grow up with one of these machines myself and Ive been facinated with them ever since and was gutted when it got replaced with a Bosch Maxx - as a kid back then I was always suprised at how the Bendix was between 14-16 years old, yet the Bosch was brand new yet was MUCH louder, though this was before learning about different types of motors - all became very clear many years ago LOL.

In February I also managed to save an old Bendix Autodrier De Luxe, 7442 very similar to the drier in the picture above although the door on mine is hinged on the right, and has the third heat option - Quarter Heat. They truly are built like tanks, I use mine most days and it runs so smoothly

Would be interesting to know whether my model came out before or after the ones in the brochures however, any others that I've seen either on here or on ebay have their doors hinged on the opposite side to mine and dont have the quarter heat option - maybe one of you guys could shed a little light on that ?

Great Thread

Rich

 

[paulinroyton]

Bendix Leaflets

Hi Guys.

Yes my gran and my mum had the Bendix 7147 and was so quiet in operation. I remember I use to clean the filter for my gran as she could not bend, bless.

on the back of the leaflet it says, Thorn Domestic Appliances (Electrical) Ltd, New Lane, Havent, Hampshire, PO9 2NH, and a number, B/1016/12.77 REV.

Paul

 

[paulinroyton]

Hi Rich.

Love your Bendix dryer. My gran had the matching dryer to her 7147 washer, and again, it was so quiet. Think these machines were fantastic machines and lasted for years.

Paul

 

[ultimafan]

...

The machines looks great, they certainly don't make them like they used to. I'm sure I saw a Bendix in 'Open All Hours' when Arkright was trying to trick Nurse Gladys into thinking that he'd splashed out and got an automatic.

One thing though, did Bendix make a washer dryer for this range? I know they made a Bendix washer dryer back in the 60's and there was a Home Laundry centre version.