Full video: 1967 Australian made Stampco Fluid Dive

[mayfan69]

Hi everyone,

I recently acquired this 1967 Stampco Fluid Drive automatic that were only ever made and distributed in Victoria Australia.

This machine was from a deceased estate and even had the original owners manual with dates of the repairs up until 1987. The machine sat in the laundry for many years before acquisition.

I do have two of these already but they were in poor condition compared to this one.

This machine has a perforated inner bowl bolted to a solid outer bowl like a Maytag AMP to permit an overflow rinse as seen in the videos.

Specifications: it is a 2 directional fluid drive. On Normal cycle: 72 OPM 200 degree arc. 600 RPM spin speed.

The 'clicks' you hear when it slows is the little 'stopper' attached to the fluid drive to stop the bowl from moving in the wash cycle.

Cheers
Leon

 

[aussie-plugs]

Fascinating

It seems odd that something would be built for distribution only in Victoria, when there's an entire country of homes in need of a washing machine. I wonder what their logic was there ...

 

[rp2813]

I really like that console.

 

 

 

[Unimatic1140]

That is a very cool vintage machine Leon and very interesting to see the cycle, great video as well!

 

[gizmo]

OH, WOW!

I have always wanted to see one of these. I haven't watched the video yet, I will soon.

 

Stampco were made at Clayton, a southern suburb of Melbourne. I grew up about half an hour south of there. It was a small operation.

 

My best friend when I was a kid lived a few doors up the hill. His Mum liked old-fashioned things, in the 1970s she still polished her lino floors with hard wax from a tin. She had a Stampco wringer washer and thought it was great. One day she told us she had a new washing machine on the way, I was expecting an automatic but what she had bought was... another Stampco wringer washer. She said they were solidly made and wasn't interested in an Automatic.

 

It wasn't so unusual to have appliances marketed only or mainly in one State, though Stampco may have continued this longer than others. I remember reading Choice magazine in high school and they sometimes had brands in there that were exclusive to one state or region. They had Atlas electric stoves that were only in South Australia for example.

 

[combo52]

Wow what a fun rare piece of Australian history

Hi Leon what a really great find, the machine runs very smoothly, when do you think it was built?

Would be really need to see some pictures of the internal mechanicals of the machine.

Hopefully I’ll get to see it in person in the next year I think I have Todd on board board with coming for a visit.

John L

 

[simpsomatic]

Not around for very long

Originally manufactured by the Turner Company and rebadged as Stampco

 

[simpsomatic]

Turner factory

1962

https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3425340

 

[aussie-plugs]

Even more fascinating ...

... that Stampco was rebadged ... and to be able to find a photo of the factory floor!

 

[DADoES]

 
Please run-up a video of a gentle action cycle.

The spin tubs in that factory photo appear to be fiberglass or plastic?

 

[simpsomatic]

Fibreglass

Turner's first version of their automatic washer had fiberglass solid tubs. You can see the escutcheon in the distance on the earlier model which was subsequently rebranded as ASTOR with fiberglass tub and only sold at H.G. Palmer stores in Victoria.

 

[swestoyz]

Leon, what a cool washer! Thank you for sharing the videos with us. I will second John's request for shots of the mechanicals. Curious to see what variation of Fluid Drive arrangement this beauty has.

Ben

 

[peteski50]

Stampco

Leon thank you for the great video

 

[mayfan69]

Mechanicals

For John and Ben,

Best shot I have of the mechanicals is here. The base frame hides a lot. Will get more when I'm back at the shed.

Cheers
Leon

 

[combo52]

1967 Stampco Automatic Washer

Really neat design Leon, design wise it looks similar to solid tub Speed Queens.

 

Does it use two solenoids? from the pump design it looks like the motor does not reverse, love all the colorful wiring .

 

The drive motor is similar to Westinghouse motors but not the same.

 

John L.

 

[mayfan69]

One solenoid

Hey John,

It uses only one solenoid to engage and disengage the agitate stage.

It does have two belts and the motor is two directional.

Cheers
Leon

 

[gizmo]

Hi Leon

Is it the same mechanism as anything else you recognize? Simpson Fluid Drive?

Chris.