I don't even know where to start.
Combolicious Dream: 1957 Bendix Duomatic!
- Thread starter swestoyz
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OMG, how fabulous Ben! What, just one little picture? You know we're all dying for more.
This story starts back on December 9th, 2008. I don't actually recall that evening, but I must of had Chinese. Like always after Chinese I cracked open the fortune for a good snack and found a surprising note. The fortune struck me so much that I took it to work with me the next day and put it in my Outlook calendar at work.
"Three months from today a good thing will happen to you"
Honestly I had been so busy with the house, work, and life, that when I got to work on 3/02 I I thought it was going to be a normal day. I opened my calendar and saw the fortune. I laughed and thought, sure.
Check my personal mail a few hours later and find an email from Mary. Mary's message was simple but clear. Her and her husband had recently bought a house and found this Duomatic washer/dryer in the basement, and wanted to know if I wanted it.
I asked for a photo and received one back almost immediately. It was as if the stars had aligned or the Earth shifted - 4 photos of my dream machine were in my mailbox!
"Three months from today a good thing will happen to you"
Honestly I had been so busy with the house, work, and life, that when I got to work on 3/02 I I thought it was going to be a normal day. I opened my calendar and saw the fortune. I laughed and thought, sure.
Check my personal mail a few hours later and find an email from Mary. Mary's message was simple but clear. Her and her husband had recently bought a house and found this Duomatic washer/dryer in the basement, and wanted to know if I wanted it.
I asked for a photo and received one back almost immediately. It was as if the stars had aligned or the Earth shifted - 4 photos of my dream machine were in my mailbox!
For the past three weeks I have been working with Mary, her husband, and Bobbie over at You Crate to get this thing to Iowa. It was in Central NY State, on a farm up in the hills. Unfortunately they didn't have a solid driveway nor an easy exit for the Duomatic to leave their basement.
Thankfully they enlisted the help of their nephews. Honestly, I don't know how they got it out of the basement, but I'm sure to each my spinach tomorrow!
Thankfully they enlisted the help of their nephews. Honestly, I don't know how they got it out of the basement, but I'm sure to each my spinach tomorrow!
Fast forward to today. I'm bracing for the best!
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
Presenting the 1957 AVCO produced Bendix Duomatic.
Let this be a lesson to everyone that wants to ship a Duomatic via You Crate. Our washers are about 1 inch taller than the 40x40 crate. When it was loaded they had to cover the machine and strap the top down to keep it all together, causing the crate to rest on the panel.
Thus, when you travel 1300 miles like that, you're going to find breakage somewhere. So, if you want to ship one of these, please get the taller crate. You'll thank me later.
I'm not bitter, so let's move on!
Let this be a lesson to everyone that wants to ship a Duomatic via You Crate. Our washers are about 1 inch taller than the 40x40 crate. When it was loaded they had to cover the machine and strap the top down to keep it all together, causing the crate to rest on the panel.
Thus, when you travel 1300 miles like that, you're going to find breakage somewhere. So, if you want to ship one of these, please get the taller crate. You'll thank me later.
I'm not bitter, so let's move on!
Even with the cracked panel, the rest of the machine is complete. The things that needed to be in good shape are - the door boot, the soap boot, all the panels are not rusted through.
Avco model number tag. So, is the first part of the serial the date? If so, I'm not sure if it would read June 1st 1957, or January 6th, 1957.
Yes, that is right. 4.6Kw (thanks for noticing Cory!)
Yes, that is right. 4.6Kw (thanks for noticing Cory!)
Cool door!
Bendix close up.
Model tag on back of the machine.
Back panel.
Beautiful controls, back side.
wiring diagram.
Yes, I was crazy enough to plug it in. Did not start the machine, but I wanted to turn the light on. Needed some feel good.
The rest of the photos are glam. No words necessary.
Never realized my name was part of Bendix.
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