Found 1972 GE Range Info!

[danemodsandy]

And it was in the place I should have looked first - my own hard drive. It seems that at some point, I squirreled away the 1972 GE catalog page shown below, perhaps even from here on AW.

Anyway, the reason I'm so pleased is that it confirms my new range's model year, and its place in the GE 30-inch range lineup.

As with the 1971 catalog, the J 757 takes first position, with every feature GE had available. A look at all the ranges on the page shows that mine, the J 370, was the model after the J 757 - all the other ranges have lesser backguards and controls. This confirms information that was previously guesswork based on the 1971 catalog.

So, it was in my computer all along! Good thing I was looking for something else today; that's when I ran across this. P.S.: If anyone knows where there's a copy of the full catalog, I'd be very grateful to hear about it.

 

[danemodsandy]

I'm Ready For My Close-Up, Mr. De Mille!

Here's a detail of the page, enlarging the shot of the J 370. Interestingly, the range was also available without P*7. I have to wonder if the non-self-cleaner had the Sensi-Temp burner. I know some ranges came that way; I remember a Whirlpool a relative had. The automatic burner on that one ceased to function very shortly after the warranty expired, and was never repaired; the range was highly unsatisfactory in several respects, going to an early date with the Salvation Army people. [this post was last edited: 11/29/2013-12:00]

 

[danemodsandy]

So THAT's Where It's From....

A little Googling led me somewhere the Searchalator didn't - back to AW, where our own Ken (bajaespuma) posted most of the '72 GE full-line catalog about three years ago. I found that the page I'd archived to my hard drive came from it, and now I have all the scans copied.

The specs page for free-standing ranges, reproduced below, shows some interesting things. My J 370 was the model directly after the J 757. It shows that the electrical specs for those two models were pretty much identical, even though the J 370 used a different architecture than the J 757, which was essentially an Americana with the upper story sawed off.

The griddle was optional on the J 370, though standard with the J 757. Interestingly, both ranges used the same one; GE was evidently through with dual-burner griddles that required ganging of the Sensi-Temp burner to the Calrod unit behind it. If, for some lunatic reason, you wanted the J 370 without P*7, you could get it as the J 330, but you also sacrificed the Sensi-Temp burner in the process. And the rotisserie and meat thermometer were not available on any model except the J 757, which had them standard.

For those who want the '72 catalog, a link to it is below. And belated thanks to you, Ken! That old posting of yours cleared up a whole lotta mysteries. I like knowing everything there is to know about my goodies.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?32097

 

[circlew]

It's interesting to see that some models had knob type surface unit controls, while others still had the pushbuttons.

As Sandy notes, the J757 was based on the Americana frame (introduced in "62), while his J370 and most of the others used the standard frame that had been in use since the "57 restyling. However, the J731 model is based on Hotpoint, as the top is totally different, and the switch on the door is on the left.

 

[pulltostart]

Sandy

One thing to note about all of the ranges with the P-7 oven - according to the Feature Chart they did not have a "removable oven door".  Although not impossible to remove the door, it was sufficiently complicated that GE stayed away from making that claim about those ranges.

 

lawrence

 

[danemodsandy]

Lawrence:

Oh yes, I got that lesson during my J 370's spa treatment! LOL

I needed to get the door off for dis-assembly so that I could clean some things that were very grungy. I looked at the hinge assembly and saw that while it resembled today's lift-off hinges, each had a retaining screw in it. I removed the screws, lifted the door, and felt very smug indeed. Until -

I saw that two weird-ass little clips had fallen from the hinge assemblies and there was no obvious way they went back in. I studied and studied, and looked and looked, but I could not figure out where the clips went or what they did.

It took a very helpful email and texted picture from John combo52 to unravel the mystery. The clips improve the fit of the door on the hinge arms. But if you don't know how they go in, you're never ever ever going to figure it out!

What stumps me is how engineers invent such things in the first place. They must have minds that work very differently than those most of us have.

 

[danemodsandy]

Got A combo52-Type Question!

Does anyone have any idea what GE plant this range would have come out of? I'm assuming AP2 at Appliance Park in Louisville, KY. AP2 was finished in 1952, I think it was, and made ranges until 2000.

Her full model number (as opposed to her "J 370" catalog number) is J 370002 WH, and her serial number is F N268442 G, if that helps anyone.

 

[circlew]

GE range plant locations

Sorry I don't know where your range was made, but wouldn't doubt it was A.P. in Louisville.

Does anyone know where the range manufacturing locations were before completion of Appliance Park? I seem to remember from the repair manuals something about a facility in Columbia, MO or maybe Columbia, MD. Seems like there may have been a plant in southern California also, but that may have been for other products. I wish my manual was easily accessible, but its in a box somewhere at the storage place.

 

[appliguy]

Circle W

That range was probably made in Appliance Park KY where most GE appliances were made in the 1970s...as for the plant in Columbia...it was Columbia MD and it was called Appliance Park East and that opened in 1970. Appliance Park East made air conditioners till 1974, microwaves until 1986, and ranges until June 30, 1990....PATRICK COFFEY

 

[appliguy]

Circle W

That range was probably made in Appliance Park KY where most GE appliances were made in the 1970s...as for the plant in Columbia...it was Columbia MD and it was called Appliance Park East and that opened in 1970. Appliance Park East made air conditioners till 1974, microwaves until 1986, and ranges until June 30, 1990....PATRICK COFFEY

 

[magic_clean]

Manufacturing Plant

locations are noted on the tag. The letter "L" (Louisville) would be stamped on the plate. Seem to recall there would be a circle around it.

Nice range.

 

[danemodsandy]

Thanks, Leslie!

A circled "L" it is, confirming Louisville, which means AP2. The serial works out to March of '72, so I now know where and when she was made.

I really appreciate it!

 

[combo52]

1972 GE P-7 Ranges

Hi Sandy, GE ranges were being made in three locations in 72, I think in addition to the two already mentioned Bridgeport Connecticut may have been the third.

The griddle that used both the front and rear was usually only on 40" ranges and you will notice they were not included in Kens catalog, GE stopped promoting 40" ranges long before they stopped making them.

Sandy did you notice how much power your P-7 range uses when heating in the bake mode ?, over 4,600 watts, you can see why they preheat so fast and baking temperatures recover so quickly after door openings. Interestingly the oven draws much less power when heating during the SC cycle, in fact you can connect a 120 volt cord to one of these ranges and it will clean fine.

 

[danemodsandy]

Hi John,

I had noticed the power draw on the spec sheet reproduced above. Pretty odd, huh?

You have a PM from me, by the way.