As much as I loathe the plastic GE's, the straight-vane equipped machines are pretty cool. My grandmother has a circa-1995 plastic Hotpoint with this agitator; I've put water in it but haven't seen it washing clothes (yet)...my guess is that it would be similar to a DD Kenmore with a straight-vane even though the stroke is a tad bit slower. That one is also a TRUE 2-speed machine; not sure why GE later switched to the "pulse" agitation for Gentle. I have to admit that the tub is quite big and can handle a Bob-load with ease; when we got OUR plastic GE set in 1996 (with the DA clone), I remember Mom being impressed with how much she could put in. With a wonderful new addition to the family (my sister, who was born a year earlier on Groundhog Day 1995), the White-Westinghouse TL's tub became small VERY FAST and we needed something that could handle all of the crib bedding and burp cloths we threw at it!
That particular GE lasted only 2 years, when we moved and it developed a pronounced tub index! I'm thinking that my dad might have dropped it down the stairs while moving it (and didn't say anything...).
Steve, I dare you to do a spin-drain with this machine or fill it beyond the top row of holes!! With that stupid overflow tube, you'll be mopping up water...
--Austin