Cute 60's Filter-Flo GE!

[swestoyz]

A single word sums up the day: SORE.

A few weeks ago I was tipped off by my aunt that my uncle's father was moving out of his house in Waterloo. The family is quite aware with my obsession of old appliances and wanted to know if I wanted a GE fridge from the basement. The kicker? It is a 2 door 1951 GE. But more on the fridge later.

While in the basement I spied this CUTE mid sixties GE Filter-Flo. I've seen similar low-back MOL panel models similar to this one, but not in this very cool 2 tone blue! So I hauled the fridge and washer out of the basement, along with other tedious moving tasks of the day. Woo, I'm beat!

I'll play with it for a while but the motor and clutch assembly will end up in the 1969 3-Speed GE. Thought everyone would enjoy a few shots while the Filter-Flo enjoys being a Wall-Flower in the basement. Getting busy down there!

 

[swestoyz]

Everyone loves a toggleswitch! And a two speed machine to boot.

 

[swestoyz]

V-16

nice to see a fixed water level control. Almost always see variable water level controls on GE's. Scoured the basement for the mini-basket but came up empty handed.

 

[swestoyz]

Timer controls. Love how it is "Wash 'n Wear Permanent Press Cycle". A lot to say! Chrome styling on this machine is very fab as well.

Timer is very funny on this machine. The center control floats when you pull it in and out. Not the familiar clunk in either position.

 

[swestoyz]

Tub shot. Too bad the missing 3rd speed can't tame this beast of an agitator down!

 

[westyslantfront]

Hi Ben. That looks like a real nice machine in excellent condition.

Ross

 

[swestoyz]

And a preview of the fridge. More tomorrow on that.

Ben

 

[gansky1]

Awesome Filter-Flo

Possibly a year newer than the one I grew up with - ours was a step down from this with one speed and three water levels.

Can't wait to see the refrigerator! Will this work for the kitchen?

 

[tuthill]

Score indeed!

Nice machine Ben, GE's are just brutes!

 

[mayfan69]

Nice GE Ben

Nice GE Ben,

I can see why you are sore! I don't have any GE's in my collection yet, but know they are heavy!

Cheers
Leon

 

[bajaespuma]

Nice catch!

Would you be willing to post the model number? I'm willing to bet this is a 1969 model but GE always fools me.

 

[jetaction]

Ding ding ding

Hey Ben, I believe I have the matching dryer, or something really close! Nice find!

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice washer, Ben! Ya gonna part it?

 

[bajaespuma]

If you do break it down for parts, I'd like dibs on the activator and the control panel.

 

[jons1077]

Ben

Love the washer! Very similar to a neighbor's machine when I was growing up. Bet we could find you a mini-basket somewhere too so I'll keep my eyes open for one. By the way...not sure if you can get that agitator out but you should put it side-by-side with the green one you have. Notice the vanes extend beyond the base on the older models. That actually helps quite a bit with turnover if I'm not mistaken.

Bajaespuma, I posted my model numbers on my recent thread "What's better than two?". Are you able to know what year a washer was made with its serial number? I have those too and would love to know the year models of some of these machines.

Congrats again Ben! Hope to see some video of this one. I'm curious about where the water levels fall on this model.

Jon

 

[cadman]

Ben, why part this one out? Looks like it's in great shape in your pics....

 

[swestoyz]

Poor Dear!

Ben, why part this one out? Looks like it's in great shape in your pics....

Today was the first time I was able to actually take a look at the washer. I was told it was leaking, but other than that - the sisters weren't sure if it worked at all.

I plugged it in and threw it into spin. The clutch sounds beautiful, but instantly the tub was going out of balance. Was a suspension cable broken? A pop of the top panel disclosed the suspension cable was fine.

Signs of a transmission seal gone bad were all over the underside. Everything was coated in grease.

Then I noticed the tub.... hum.... what is that giant hole?

 

[swestoyz]

Good grief - this thing has fangs!

I'm not sure if the balance ring on GE's are filled with iron fillings or cement. What ever the material, it no longer was living in the ring causing the tub to bang against the outer tub.

With the discovery of the severely damaged wash tub, it will be best to move on and grab what is still good on it. I'll get a shot of the turquoise and the bakelite straight vane agitators for you Jon in the next day or two. A shame too, was curious to see what the water levels were going to fall at.

 

[swestoyz]

Ken, here is a shot of the model number tag.

Decoding the serial number tells me that the machine was made in May of 1967.