Frigidaire Custom Imperial

[imperialdw]

Moved to Imperial 12/23/13

I'm not sure the value of this, but I'd rather see it sold than trashed. We are getting a new dw this saturday and it's for sale. Email if you have any interest.

It came with the house we just bought, it runs. Our dishes are very spotty with it, I've been told it's because of the hard water our city has and we haven't hooked up a softener yet.

Needs to be out of our house by Sat 12/21 in the morning or paid for for a later pick up or the Home Depot guys will take it for free.

Cheers!

http://https//www.dropbox.com/s/fvo321sy9qpofvq/dishwasher.jpg

 

[imperialdw]

A few more photos

There are some interior shots here. It's very clean and in great shape.

http://https//www.dropbox.com/sh/cyxta215kstdo2c/zZtkqN15lr

 

[washdaddy]

Looks like it's in relatively good condition. Considering its age and the type of washing system that machine uses and that it's still functioning I believe that someone will express an interest in it.

 

[philr]

Oh, I'd like to have it!

I emailed you about it![this post was last edited: 12/19/2013-03:06]

 

[tomturbomatic]

Thank you for offering this machine

The Custom Imperial in the spray tube machines was the only one to have a dispenser for the possibility of two washes. This model should also have the spinner spray at the top of the tank which was very effective in preventing redisposition of particles on top of things in the top rack.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Fred and I are going over there at 6:30 tonight to take a look, I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[polkanut]

Waiting cautiously.

 

[Unimatic1140]

We got it home safe and sound, it's in the Kitchen. Tomorrow I'll get it running, I need a few hardware store parts.

What was interesting was that copper was soldered all the way into the water valve, so we had to Saws-all off the water line. Even more interesting was the drain line was soldered copper line as well all the way up into the nipple where it clamps to the drain valve.

Ben, his wife and his dad were all there and everyone was so very nice.

I'll get pictures up after once I put a unicoupler assembly on it so we can play with it at the sink, hopefully tomorrow evening.[this post was last edited: 12/19/2013-21:33]

 

[philr]

Robert, if you ever decide to sell it, let me know! I really want a dishwasher like that, even if it doesn't work! As long as the door, the wiring, the dispensers and the drain valve are there I should be ok...

And if you are tempted to cut the door to put a viewing window there, please wait! I'll provide you something better for that (a Deluxe door!) and I'll buy you this one! [this post was last edited: 12/19/2013-23:40]

 

[bluejay]

I'm glad someone was able to save this; what a great looking dishwasher!

 

[turquoisedude]

Soldered connections

What a funny coincidence - the '58 Frigidaire I rescued from a reno in Hamilton Ontario also had soldered drain and water connections! Since that incident I carry a hacksaw with me at all times... Airport security just love that... LOL

 

[combo52]

Soldered Plumbing Connections

Robert and others that was the proper way to install a DW back in this time period, we even did the soldered water lines when we installed DWs 30 years ago.

This was the best of the spin-tube Frigidaire DWs as Tom mentioned, we have the portable version of this DW that will be hooked up as part of the
Great-Wall-Of-Dishwashers at the Museum.

 

[Unimatic1140]

A soldered inbound water line doesn't surprise me John, what surprised me was 1/2" copper pipe soldered into place for a drain line.

Phil if we do decide to get rid of the machine, I will let you know and you will be at the top of the list. As for your other offer no, I'm not interested in a deluxe-lower end model door, I would want the window in this Custom Imperial, if we decide to install this in the kitchen, then it will need to have a window (it's a house rule lol).

Here are some pictures of the machine. The reason for the spotting on dishes that old old owner complained of was the old water valve was clogged up and not letting in enough water, once I changed the valve the machine works beautifully. The drain valve was also leaking, but I was able to repair it with spare parts I've saved from other machines.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Custom Imperial!

 

[Unimatic1140]

The racks, a bit different from the earlier models I had...

 

[Unimatic1140]

The instructions on the door, love that!

 

[Unimatic1140]

Here's my "Anaconda" Uni-Coupler so I don't have to move the machine temporarily and can use it right where we plopped it down!

 

[Unimatic1140]

Even has an upper spray arm, the first I've seen in a spray-tube Frigidaire...

 

[gansky1]

Dish minder dial!

Can't wait to see this in action, perhaps I'll be persuaded to like spray tube dish washing after all the good comments here. Nate had a mobile version of this in turquoise and IIRC he thought it was a rather good performer.

 

[philr]

Thanks Robert! Nice to know I'm on the top of the list! And if you ever decide to cut the door, please email me before doing so, I think I have other alternatives for you! 

 

Phil

 

[washdaddy]

Is there anything in the bottom of the machine to assist with the spray tube?

 

[philr]

It depends of what kind of assist you're talking about! There's a fine screen filter that does assist the spray tube in not getting large food particles during the washes and rinses... But not the kind of assist that could spray water on anything!

 

[imperial70]

What an amazing find. I wonder why that technology doesn't come back. It seems like it is a good idea for modern low water use dishwashers. Less moving parts and perhaps less energy too. In any event, seeing that Custom Imperial makes me want to be on the prowl for a spintube dishwasher.

 

[bajaespuma]

Aferim! (and, of course, now I want one)

The thing that always gets me with vintage machines like this one is the high VALUE of the product.

 

This machine, which I assume was made sometime around 1960, has what appears to be a simple dial control yet it seems to hold a huge load of dishes, has most of the important bells and whistles (the dispensers), and the quality of the graphics on the door alone says that somebody who put this machine together and brought it to market gave a sh*t as to how well it would work for the customer and how it would reflect, after the sale, on the Frigidaire brand. I'm looking forward to your evaluation of its performance but IIRC, the spin-tube Frigidaires did a good job if they were loaded properly.

 

Could we get a couple of detailed pictures of the control dial? Also, where in tarnation did you find a unicoupler with hoses so freakishly long? Or is it a do-it-yourselfer? Which shouldn't surprise me since you're able to put windows in appliance doors.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Also, where in tarnation did you find a unicoupler with hoses so freakishly long? Or is it a do-it-yourselfer?

Hi Ken, no this is the unicoupler assembly that came in that 1976 Kenmore D&M dishwasher we had for a while. It really is that long! I'll work on full Dish-Minder Dial pictures tomorrow.

 

[tomturbomatic]

This was made later than 60, only a year or two before they redesigned the whole builtin DW line. This is a great machine for cleaning plates after a buffet. It will hold about two dozen dinner plates. For this design, Frigidaire also changed the small circular heating element to the more stretched out, semi-perimeter shape that was less likely to burn Melamine plates.

 

[firedome]

We had one

as our first dishwasher, in yellow, around 1971, replaced in '74 by a new KDC-17, wish now that we'd saved it.

 

[philr]

The heating element was changed before the top rinse was added. My Canadian 1962 Deluxe already has the large heating element. The top rinse was added in 1963 for all models. Another change of the 1963 models is the design of the upper rack (which had a few revisions over the whole production period) and the Bakelite tracks were replaced by stainless steel tracks with rollers. The Custom Imperial also had a new drain valve for 1963-64 but the DeLuxe models kept using the older style solenoid-actuated drain valve.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Note the bars running front to back at two positions in the outer sides of the lower rack to hold platters, broiler pans and skillets in the best washing position. Then note the stepped outer side of the two rows of outer pins. These held bowls and saucepans at the proper angle for washing.

In spite of the filter in the bottom, food particles would get blown around inside. When the old style solenoid opened the drain, the filter would bob up a bit to let solid stuff go down the drain, but it did not deal with a lot of solids well, sorta like a baby. I would get clean dishes out of a 1960 Deluxe model without pre-rinsing, but I would add detergent in the first of the 4 rinses to give two washes. And you talk about hot, that machine got so hot, even before drying that it's a wonder those vinyl racks did not fry in the drying heat. You could not handle anything for a long time after the cycle ended. The family that had it used to wash all of the dishes in a sink full of sudsy water before they stacked the dishwasher. I showed them that it was not necessary. If you pay attention to the water pattern, it is possible to get a lot in these with their restrictive loading patterns, but it was like doing a jigsaw puzzle. It was another example of male-oriented GM engineering.