GE Dishwasher

[intern]

Hi, I'm a summer intern with a small local museum in coastal North Carolina. An area resident offered a GE Dishwasher to the museum as a donation. Here is the model and serial numbers:

Model Number: SP390A4
Serial Number: LA7-07341

The house that the dishwasher came from dates to the 1950s, and pictures of the dishwasher seem to match GE Ads from around 1959. I have included a picture of the machine’s front in this post. Any information would be helpful. Thank You So Much.

 

[turquoisedude]

It's actually a mid-60's model. The square cabinet design and 'power shower' were the big selling points of the Mobile Maid dishwashers at that time.
Could you get a picture of the interior? Seeing the washing mechanism would help pin down the date.
Is the musuem planning on keeping this item??

 

[soberleaf]

from the picture

it looks very much like the g.e. mobile maid top loader i picked up recently. same front, same handle. same power shower logo and control knob.

does it use an impeller or a spray arm at the tub bottom to spray the water. i am assuming it has the same pump and spray arm that mine has?

can you post more pics of the interior? and the top. would love to see them.

i can tell you this, don't discard it! if the museum doesn't want it there are many people out there who collect old dishwashers like myself and someone would love to give it a loving home! i know i would.

as for it's age i am not sure. i am still trying to find out the age of mine as well. anyone here know about these beautiful mobile maids?

 

[turquoisedude]

Pete, I was actually thinking that this one looks like the one you just got, too! That's why I was asking if the museum was planning on keeping it...

 

[intern]

Washing Mechanism

Here is a photo of the washing arm. Hope this helps. Will also try to post a pic of the top.

 

[intern]

GE Dishwasher-Top

Here is the top. Thanks So Much.

 

[turquoisedude]

Looks like a 1966 or 1967 to me - the three-level wash tower was only introduced around then.
Pete, this looks like a slightly later model than yours...

 

[soberleaf]

not that it matters

but why is this a later model than mine? looks identical to me. same pump and spray arm. same tub.

late 60's huh? i was wondering how old mine was. no wonder i can't find a pump seal (yet). not even sure if the seal is what's leaking on mine, matt told me it leaked, have not used it yet.

thanks for the pics, if museaum doesn't want it i am interested (prob along with others as well).

thanks

pete

 

[turquoisedude]

The push buttons look different from yours, Pete (well, to me anyway!)
Still haven't gotten an answer re: the pump seal - stay tuned!

 

[soberleaf]

thanks,

just curious, still want to know the year of mine and i know a pump seal will turn up here eventually.

i think i'm gonna tear into mine tonite to see what exactly is the problem with leakage. maybe i'll luck out and it won't be a pump seal leak. my luck with dishwashers and washers is usually very very good! someone up there in heaven is smiling down on my dishwasher collecting, probably my mother, aunt and uncle who always knew how much i loved to tinker with appliances!

 

[syndets2000]

I stole the knobs....

This unit is , I think, probably from 1962, to 1964- but I would have to see the printing on the knob to be sure-
the three apartment buildings where we lived had nothing but this style machine (the built in versions)- I used to steal the knobs from the ones they were still installing in the unfinished apartments above us- there were three, maybe four specific styles of knobs to these guys, ( from my ....er...experience, & observation in the other earlier two buildings) & I think these were as early as maybe 1961! There were also two types of silverware baskets I saw used, & two different colours of racks- white & blue I think? Can anyone tell from the serial # on it? I would love to know exactly!

 

[dishwashercrazy]

Build Date

I'm looking at my G.E. Parts Catalog sheet (this is from the archives that I acquired from an Appliance Repair Man in the north suburbs of Chicago in April). This particular page represents Models SP308A3, SP390A3, and SP390A4. This page is dated April 1965 and superceeds the page dated March 1965. Therefore, I think we can confidently say that this model was built in 1965.

The next Parts Catalog sheet to mention of the SP390 model represents Models SP380B1, SP390B1, SP390B3, and SP391B3, and is dated May 1966 and superceeds the page dated April 1966.

Mike

 

[soberleaf]

the one i have is model

sm301d2 and the knob looks like this