Can you tell me more about this???

[revvinkevin]

Hello All, I am new here and only discovered this website about 3 weeks ago... I LOVE IT!!! Looking at all the photos, videos and other info has revitalized a suppressed intrest from deep in my soul!

Anyway, can you tell me more about the toy washer and it's companion (green) in the photo?? It's from "GANSKY1", "south room, west side" photo. I had one as a kid and loved playing with it. I am pretty sure it's mid - late 60's

Thanks much!!!

 

[davy1063]

it's a Suzy Homemaker Washer and Oven

Kevin, it's a Suzy Homemaker washer and oven from 1967 if I recall correctly. It was a wonderful toy indeed. The thing about these toys is they actually worked (blender blended, washer actually washed, iron warmed up). I don't recall who the manufacturer was (Topper rings a bell), but the washer resembled a GE as far as the functioning toggleswitch selectors and the non-functioning "timer" dial, however it had a perforated tub. Looked a little like a WCI-58 in the control panel. it would drain out from a little hose tucked in the back of the unit above the battery cover. IIRC it took 4 "D" batteries. The little bugger actually agitated, spun and even had a recirculating filter that spurted water in the tub like it had a prostate problem. You'll never see anything like that in the toystore nowadays. Just a show of hands....how many of you guys out there had this?

 

[rocketeer500]

How many of you guys out there had this?

I did!! I did!! (Ok, I have to admit it)

The washer, stove, the sink/dishwasher combo, up-right vacuum, iron and matching ironing board, blender, and the pop-corn popper. They were made by Topper and the first of these appeared in 1967. They were, to say the least, my favorite toys (I never wanted Tonka trucks). All of these worked. All ran on batteries, with the exception of the stove, iron, and pop-corn maker. Just imagine today, a toy that you actually allow your child to plug into an electrical socket (can we say "law suit"?)?? If you can find a NIB or MIB of any of the Suzy Homemaker line, grab it!

 

[chachp]

I have the dishwasher.

It's great fun to play with. Mine is in pretty good shape given the age. I'd love to find a washer but the really nice ones go for pretty big bucks on eBay. I've seen a few at Antique stores but they are generally really expensive or not in very good shape.

 

[revvinkevin]

WOW, really...Suzy Homemaker, huh?? Who'da thunk it? LOL

Thanks Dave!

Yes I vividly remember playing with it... filling, washing, draining, spining for many hours, then changing the batteries and going until those went dead too. Also if I remember correctly the tub and agitator was one piece like the more recent Frigidaire stacked, top loading washer/dryer units.

So Dave, did you have one??

And yes, who else out there had or currently has one??

Also, if anyone has any detailed photos, I would love to see them.

THANKS!

 

[scoots]

... A guilty secret that can only now be told....

Ever since I was a kid, I've always had a fixation on machinery. When I was in grade school (K-5) I used to drive my teachers crazy during art period. Instead of drawing dogs and trees, I'd draw appliances, phonographs, and Volkswagen engines. Over and Over again. Every day. For variety, I'd draw only a single part like a tone arm or a generator...

So when Topper came out with the toy washer, I was able to finagle this very expensive toy out of my folks. Didn't have to wait for Christmas or my birthday. Mechanical gratification on demand.

I remember being asked a few "screening" questions, especially from my Dad. I think he wanted to be sure I wasn't turning into some kind of second grade housefrau -- remember this was 1967 and I think Paul Lynde (or at least Felix Ungar) was on his mind.

But I guess I passed his test. My closet was full of he-boy toys like G.I Joe, and Tonka, and Hot Wheels and when he discovered I was interested in just the Washer, not the refrigerator, vacuum, or easy-bake oven, I got the green light and that very afternoon we trooped down to Sears Torrance and bought one in the basement toy department.

Well, I'm sorry to say it didn't last more than a few months. I loved taking things apart to see how they worked at this age, and it was only a matter of time before I pried the Suzy Homemaker Washer apart, and only after I had reduced it to a pile of gears did I discover that I had seriously over-estimated my skills and was now clueless how it went back together.

I concealed the evidence by putting the whole pile back in the shipping box and the dismembered Washer quietly spent the rest of its days in the back of the closet since I could not admit what I had done or throw it away with out a major questioning...

Scoots

PS, I was seriously pissed that the agitator was molded to the tub, instead of being separate units..... grrrr.

 

[washerboy]

I got the washer for chrismas

I got a washer and stove for Christmas one year...I think it must have been 1964 or 1965. Anyway I asked "Santa" for them. I think my father was so embarassed I wanted "girl" toys...he made me play with them on the back patio...whatever...I washed and washed. Not to mention all the pies and cakes I baked in between loads. It was great fun...funny both those items disapeared...I dont know what happened to them..but I have wonderful memories..now that I think about it..there's not even any pictures of them in the family album...LOL!!! Guess my father should have been grateful I dit'nt ask for a Betsy Wetsy..I was really fasinated with that peeing thing..LOL!!

 

[davy1063]

So Dave, did you have one??

In reply to Kevin's question......YES. LOL I have to admit I did. Scoots, we must be twin brothers from different mothers!!! I almost fell off my chair after reading your post. I would do the same things in art class. I would draw pictures of Reel to Reel tape recorders and RCA 45RPM record players, engines and design cities "a la Jetson-esqe" architechure. I got the washer for Christmas in '67 and my parents new off the bat that it was a purely mechanical desire. My grandmother used to say that before I would go to her house, they would have to hide the wind-up clocks because they didn't stand a chance with me. As far as the VW engines, LOL I just restored a 1967 Beetle. My recent mecanical fix was my recent resurrection of a WCI-59 which I posted pictures of here. Yeah, the SH washer was a miniaturized "Agitub" with a non-Synchro-swing mechanism. I wonder what would happen if you used the same SH mechanism principal in a full-size machine?
Man....childhood memories........

 

[DADoES]

Yup. We had one, and the stove too. I gave the washer hell. Ran it 'til the mechanism wore out, then ran it more by spinning the tub with a stick. I remember being disappointed on Christmas morning upon discovering that the "timer" was non-functional, and didn't pull-to-start/push-to-stop.

 

[exploder3211]

I wanted an Easy Bake oven and nobody ever bought me one... I did have a fisher price kitchen set, a play microwave and dishwasher. Great items

 

[revvinkevin]

I cannot remember if I received mine for a B-day or Christmas or.....?? Yeah... I think I also wore out the transmission as well.... (also remember turning the drum by hand or stick or….)

Hey Scoots, Sears in Torrance, huh? I think that is also where my parents bought mine, as I grew up in Torrance!! Lived right by North High!

Yes I also had a strong attraction to all things mechanical and still do! I guess that's why I am so into cars, other machinery and steam locomotives... talk about ultimale mechaical complexity!!!

 

[scoots]

Howdy Kevin

Yes, I lived two blocks north of North High on Floorwood Ave. Went to Edison Elementary, Magruder Middle. Would have gone to North High (with Chuck Norris), but my folks moved and I went to school at Rolling Hills (with Tracy Austin).

Moved back to Doty Ave. in the 80's when I left home... my next door neighbor was the man accused of killing Bob Crane.

No, I'm not a name dropper. Really.

Going to Sears was always a treat. Me and my Mom always stopped to buy popcorn at the free-standing candy counter and Sweedish Fish for later (if I was good). If I was *very* good, before we left the store, she'd take me over to the washing machine department, open the lids, and hold me up so I could see the agitators. Mechanistic Voyurism I guess. Dr. Freud would have so much fun with me.

 

[revvinkevin]

Wow a neighbor Torranceian (is that a word?)

Hey Scoots, I grew up on Felbar (runs directly to the North High stadium)! Yup, Doty and Floorwood, neighboring streets!!! Cool!! I also went to Edison Elementary, Magruder Middle, but I went to West High.

Mechanistic Voyurism....... I love it!!

Cheers!!

 

[veg-o-matic]

Never had the washer, but I do have the SuperOven ("No more kiddie-cakes! The SuperOven is here!") and an Easy-Bake oven.

Would definitely like the washer and dishwasher, though.

veg

 

[lesto]

I had the washer. My father almost killed my aunt for buying it for me.

 

[duetboy]

Dishwasher

Does anybody have pics of the dishwasher? I remember my sister had a dishwasher that hooked up to the kitchen sink. You'd put the dishes in it and it basically worked like a "roto-rack". There wasn't a true wash arm but a little plastic pipe while holes in it. It ran half way across the bottom and up one side (after all, it had to wash the backs of the plates, cups, saucers and plastic silverware.)

We were out in the country and Dad didn't want that much water being pumped or running down the septic tank so it was seldom used...until she got tired of it. Then I found out that when I hooked it up to the garden hose outside (different well!) that I could really get those dishes to spinning!

It really worked well after I had baked my mud pies and had the dinner party out in the back yard!

Later,

Duetboy
aka Jeff

 

[revvinkevin]

Dishwasher pix

I found these pix on ebay... there is one up for aution, but they want $94 for it ($69 + $25 shipping)!!?!!?!!!!??

 

[revvinkevin]

Another..........

 

[revvinkevin]

And another.............