Came across this Visi-matic beauty

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vintagevillage

Active member
Joined
Sep 11, 2012
Messages
27
Location
Morehead, Ky
I found this lovely lady, and had to have her! She purrrs like a kitten, but washes like a lion! The only thing I am missing, is the hook for the drain hose to attach to the wringer post. Would anyone know who to contact, or where to find one? Thanks!!

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Thanks Frigilux!

I was told it is a 60's model. I have a service manual, but can't seem to find my model number- 6402500. If anyone would have any information, it would be appreciated! Also, are there any other Kenmore agitators, that would be interchangeable? Mine has the Roto-swirl (which is my favorite), but I would love to be able to change every now and again.
 
Nice Wringer Washer

Your Model # should have a 110. in front of 6402500 [ 110.6402500 ] The 64 would indicate it came out around 1964, but with the serial# we could tell you when it was actually built.

WP-KM WWs like their automatics were the best performers overall of all major US brands built in the same time period.

You could also use the straight vane agitator from a basic WP or KM WW if you can find one, the agitators from the automatics are similar but do not fit properly.

John L.
 
Serial Number

Thanks Combo52,

I was wondering if the 64 in the Model Number pertained to the year. The Serial# is: 12105C348. Thanks for the info on the agitators.... I will be on the look-out for a straight-vane. The Visi-matic has always been on my wish list, but I could never find one close enough, or in good condition. This one popped up about 45 minutes away, and I snatched her up. Just one owner- an elderly man, that had owned her since the purchase. The performance of this machine totally blew my GE wringer out of the water!
 
You've struck gold.

What a beauty! And a rare 62. Mine is a 61. Would love to see a close up of the control panel, a white one, no less. There are so many models of Lady Kenmore Conventionals out there, both Visi-matics and the Closed top wringers. Have never seen a 62 before. Did you get it for a good price?

About the goose neck: Have seen universal steel ones somewhere, but it won't come to mind just now. Maybe you could adapt or retro-fit one if you find it. Swapping out the old for a whole new hose is pretty easy.

An Easyspin Spiralator will perfectly fit in your Lady.

Could go on and on about the wonders of these machines till people start beating their breast and tearing out their hair.

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I think so too!

Thanks mickeyd! I absolutely love this machine. It is so quiet, it is almost eerie. I paid $75.00 for it, so I think I got a pretty good price. Plus, it is pink!! Now, if I came across a turquoise on, I might just faint. :)

Thanks for the info on the gooseneck. I will see what I can find.

I was wondering if an Easy Spiralator would work- That would be so awesome to see. I am on a new mission now to find one. lol I could listen for hours on end of someone talking about wringer washing machines! I will get a photo of the timer up close.
 
Meant to say 64, of course--brain flatulence

Always found the original hoses too short, and thus had no problem exchanging them. Interesting to note that the earliest conventionals usually had very ample hoses, easier to reach toward a more distant drain, beyond the rinse tubs. Then many makers, Whirlpool/Kenmore, Norge, and more started making short hoses with little slack. Theorize that they were copying Maytag whose machines always sported the abbreviated hoses. Bradross's early 50's Kenmore has just such an ample hose.

Here's my 66 with a user friendly hose replacement.

Your filter is also unusual and new to me. How about a close-up of that, too. Thanks

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Love the scrubber top on your 66

This lint filter is a new one for me also. It just lifts up, then snaps back in place. I may add a longer hose in the future. You are correct- hardly no slack. I was a die hard Maytag wringer fan.....until I came in contact with this gal. The sounds and roll-over; just memorizing. Also love the control panel on your 66!

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amazing the changes through the years.....

as with Mickey's machine, with that type of lint filter setup, you would see a hole in the tub for the hose to hang for storage as well as for the function of the lint filter.....

seen older ones with the lint filter built into the lid....

curious how your filter functions....doesn't seem to have any ports for the drain hose...

the only downside I see to the tub mounted filters is losing water level capacity...
 
Not sure what you mean, Martin. The 4 paddle spanker Norge and the SQ agitators are interchangeable, until Norge made a higher 3 vane sometime in the very late 60's which won't fit the SQ. Is this something we talked about at the Museum, the summer before last? Exchanging agitators all the time, it's had to keep track or remember, necessitating another "fitting" sometimes. Enlighten me.

Joseph, 75 bucks was a very generous ask. And what low low mileage the tub and agi show. Envisioning a sweet old man doing his wash once a week, or every other, no overnight soaks, rinsing carefully after each washday. You lucked out. The scrubber cap was a delightful gift from John Coldspot66. When I found the machine, it sported a rusty old nut in lieu of an agitator cap, and when John saw its sorry state, he offered me a brand new cap.

Martin & Joe: Here's the lid mounted filter hole, and the oldest version of the straight vane in the 62 Pinkster.

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@Mickey......I didn't remember if you got around to getting the agitator from a solid tub machine to fit the wringer...

I can imagine that churning some serious water in a wringer.....would love to see a video with a several water levels....

this was the original thread that we came up with ideas to make it fit your wringer...

was curious too if the SQ agitator fit the Visi-Matic?

Joe, I believe I have a scrubber cap, if your interested, let me know...

I understand the use of the scrubber as I used one on the automatics, except it always seemed to unscrew....

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?49666
 
Thanks for all the info guys....

Mickey- Love that straight vane in your 62- beautiful! Glad to see a Maytag peeking around in the background!

Martin- I would love to get hold of a scrubber cap. That would be awesome! Would definitely be interested! On the lint filter.... it does work (I still don't really know how), since the pump does not attach. Just by looking though, the water line is about half way up. When the wash is turning over, it is also going in a counter-clockwise direction. It looks as if the water then passes through the filter? I am stumped on that one, as I have never seen that set up before.
 
I can get this out to you....

probably best to become an upgraded member so we can exchange addresses...or add your email to your profile.....but there is a great advantage to becoming a paid member...its opens up so much....

your choice...
 
Thanks, Joe

Would trade my scrubber for your rich black cap in a minute! Don't really use the scrubber, and yours has caught my fancy. You might like it just as much and wouldn't let it go.
 
Surprise, Guys!

Well, here's the thing. Remember when machines in general changed the tub size from 10 pound capacities to 12? Around 1964 or so.

I remember my Aunt Margaret's 64 Frigidaire had the new 12 pound load size. Likewise, the conventional wringer washers changed their tub sizes as well. The KM 61 is 13 & 1/2 inches deep, while the 66 hops up to15 inches; the 61 straight vane will not work in the 66, nor will the 66's Root-swirl properly fit the 61. Since Joe's machine has the Roto-swirl, that must have been the year of the change over in capacity for Kenmore Conventionals, 1964, the same year for many automatics.

Sweet surprising irony in the fact that you can switch among many brands, but sometimes, not within them. What we need to find and see is the Agitator used in early Whirlpools before the Surgilator. You're seeing the solution here, gentlemen: The Surgilator and the Roto would be interchangeable, so would WP's early 3-vane with the KM 3-vane; but not the other way around. John is right in that the Automatics are not interchangeable with the Conventions. I've tried them all to certain disappointment.

I wonder if we have pictures anywhere of this first Whirlpool agitator.

Pic talk: The first mark is the 15 inches the tub depth measurement of the 66; the second, the 61. Here's the Roto-swirl in the 61 whose business end can't bridge the gap.

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the same machine, but a different filter

I have the same visi-matic, but mine has the brush style filter, with the goose neck that runs into the top of the wash lid. Any info on this would be great, thanks Bill the drycleaner
 
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