Frigidaire GM Washer

[jessed]

I decided to create a new thread. I am looking to find a Frigidaire 1-18 washer close to me. I would prefer to have one with the bed of nails filter system. Avacado, Gold, or white are my color preferences. I need a machine with normal and permanent press cycles. I would like this machine to be in good working condition. I can onlay use one day to get the machine which is why it sort of needs to be closer to me.

Also I am looking for a Frigidaire unimatic washer from 1957 with the control tower or a wo-65. I would like to obtain a unimatic because of the high speed spin as I line dry most of my laundry. The 1957 washer has always been interesting because of the control towers.

Any information would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.
Jesse D.

 

[trainguy]

Location, Location, Location

Jesse,

I have contacts in Butler, Pottsville, and Buffalo. One is a salvage yard that has an adjacent 'appliance graveyard' to it. One is an appliance repair place that keeps vintage stuff. The third is a metal recycler. On a side note, none of them will have working appliances.

You have to understand that these vintage items were still quite common up to 10 years ago. My friend in Pittsburgh used to get one in a week. Now he might only get one in every 3-4 months. But again, these are be non-working.

One member close to you in State College is SHARPLES. Check him out under the members section.

I know you want a 1-18. Once very common, these are really getting to be as scares as hens teeth. I realize that Bob's place might be a little bit of a drive for you, but he's offering a free 1-18. When I was lucky enough to get my WI-57 & DI-57 from the original owners, I had to drive 10 hours each way.

Best of luck in your search.

 

[gregingotham]

keep checking craigslist near you

that's where mine popped up, a couple months after I started looking. Haven't seen another one on there since and that's been two year.

 

[bendixmark]

Frigidaire

My advice to you is if you find a nice one of these machines that is working is to grab it because they are rare.I got my first on last april and it was on ebay .I paid $300 for it and it was more than worth it.The most important thing I should point out is I had it shipped for another $700.This is a big bite but if you can swing it you wont regret it because most of these machines that are still around have problems and they aren't fun to fix. the one I got has the window lid and works like new and has given me hours and hours of pleasure,I just love to watch it run.Its quite too which is also rare.I have seen many of these over the years that work but the motor is noisy nad humming its brains out.Hate that.

 

[jessed]

1957 Frigidaire science-57

I was wondering if there is anyone who has the 57 unimatics would want to sell them. I would really like to find a good matched set of the control tower Frigidaire machines. If anyone has them and would consider selling them I would pay a very fair amount for them.

 

[firedome]

1970s 1-18 machines are hard enough to find...

while control towers are far harder, very few are left, and 1:18s are rapidly joining them as machines that are rare as hen's teeth, you are very smart to search for one now while some are still around.

My Avocado washer/dryer pair was free from a good friend here in NY, the washer has a stuck clutch and cosmetic challenges so I'm parting it out for my Harvest Gold machine that came from Appliance Unlimited, via my great friend PhilR who went to the auction that I was unable to attend.

When I was at AU about 3-4 yrs ago they also had a Poppy Red washer/dryer pair that I should have snapped up, but didn't due to room in the truck on the day we were there. It ultimately went to another member here, which is great.

Jesse you might want to call AU, they still had a bunch of stuff after the auction and may still have something, or may have gotten some more in the last several years as they take trade-ins regularly. The owner's name is Hans, and he can be a bit gruff depending on the day, but he does seem to like the fact that appliance collectors appreciate and are preserving these machines. It's well worth a try.

 

[gyrafoam]

I don't think '57 Frigidaires sold in as big a quantity as did other years.
'55, '56 in particular had pretty high sales figures. And the '55's had a mostly pot metal console that looked cheap. The '56's bumped it up with the lighted glass timer and heavy chrome dials/switches along with Copper shaded trim.
I think the '57's proved to be a tad "edgy" for a lot of folks. Also, people had become used to full rear consoles that did not allow for pieces of clothing to fall behind the machine easily.
So the '58's came along and had a very sophisticated and refined console that would have been right at home in a new Cadillac.
Once the two-speeds were offered in '59 it leveled the playing field and Frigidaire offered a full range of models.

Somewhere out there is a '57 in near-perfect condition.
And you know what they say about "everything has a price". Make an offer that cannot be refused!

 

[swestoyz]

55's had a mostly pot metal console that looked cheap

I believe it was stamped aluminum, not pot metal.  There is plenty of chromed pot metal for everyone in the tower of the Control Tower. 

 

Ben

 

[gyrafoam]

Thanks Ben,
I stand corrected. GM must have gotten a deal on flashing!
I always thought it was too bad they did not spend the money to match up the console to the badge on the front. They saved the pot metal for the pump, nuts and bolts.

 

[jessed]

Update

I am going to contact Appliances Unlimited asap to see if they have a 1-18. I am wondering just how rare the 1957 Frigidaire are in white. I would love to buy a working set if anyone has duplicates or would want to part with them.

Thanks
Jesse D.