Harvest Gold Kenmore

[autowasherfreak]

I'm getting a harvest gold Kenmore washer and dryer from a friend of mine. I'm not sure what model it is, but on the washer there are two rows of large push buttons on the left hand side of the control panel, then the main timer dial in the middle, and the water level on the right end. My friend couldn't remember what exactly was wrong with them. There is also a dial on the top of the agitator. This will be my first attempt at restoring, and hopefully not my last. I won't be able to use the dryer for awhile I don't have a 220 outlets in the basement.

I'm going to get some pictures of them tomorrow afternoon, and I will post them as soon as I can.

Jim

 

[swestoyz]

Sounds like a Lady Kenmore set Jim - keep us posted!

Ben

 

[autowasherfreak]

I'm sure once I get them here, will calling for help. They are Lady Kenmore I remember seeing that on the door that comes down to cover the controls.

Jim

 

[70series]

It sounds like you are getting a Lady Kenmore set circa 1969-1972. The agitator you describe is the Vari-Flex which enables you to adjust the length of the fins, thereby adjusting the agressiveness of the wash action. Yes this set does have the fold down console cover.

Good luck,
James

 

[mattl]

It's a great machine, lots of fun stuff. I got ours new in'73 and it ran like a champ till '96. Had this site been around then I'd still have it working, but I got to say I like my electronic version too.

Good luck and enjoy!

BTW, I do have the manuals/parts list. I scanned and posted them for someone else a while back let me know if you want a copy.

 

[chaskelljr2]

Jim:

From a resident "Kenmorestorian"...... the set that you are talking about is in fact a Lady Kenmore set.

But be advised though, this set overall, was produced between 1969 and 1975.

Now..... about the differences......

If the washer you are talking about has two rows of push buttons with colored stips on the top and bottom of them (depending on how the buttons are positioned on the panel), has a curved metal handle on the lid and has a color matched detergent dispenser that is protruding from the rest of the washer top and is at your right when you are facing the washer, then it is a 1969-71 (they were first introduced in the Fall Of 1969 as a 1970 model) model.

If the washer you are talking about has a notched lid instead of a lid with a curved metal handle, has a Vari-Flex agitator instead of a Penta-Swirl agitator and had a Triple Dispenser on the right when you are facing the washer, then it is a 1972-73 model. Also note that the 1969-71 model has colored strips on the push buttons, the 1972-73 model does not.

Also, it is worth noting that the 1969-73 models had a three speed motor on it.

Finally, if the washer you are talking about has wood looking push buttons, has a Penta-Swirl agitator instead of a Vari-Flex agitator, has a larger tub and wash basket than the 1969-73 models and has a two speed motor instead of a three speed one, then it is a 1974-75 model (the last models of this series).

All the Lady Kenmore models that I have just described DO have a wood looking flip down cover to conceal the controls when they are not in use. The flip cover also lights up the control panel when the cover is raised.

I thought I have mentioned the covers as well, because from 1969 through 1971, the #2 Kenmores also had the two rows of push buttons with a click stop cycle timer (just like the Lady Kenmores of that era did), but they looked more like the 1966-67 Lady Kenmores (with exception that the 1971 dryer was a further departure from the 1966-67 Lady Kenmore version of the same dryer).

But as you have mentioned, your machines have flip down covers on them. So those are in fact Lady Kenmores.

Just thought I give you a history lesson on these fine machines before you get them, so you know what to look for to determine the exact vintage of your particular models.

Good Luck and Enjoy Your Machines...... Those were some beautiful machines back then....... and they are still beautiful even today.

--Charles--

 

[chaskelljr2]

Matt:

If you don't mind me asking, but what did go wrong with your 1973 LK that has caused you to toss it back in 1996???

I know I was seeing them being tossed out for a while back during that time.

I know I remembered seeing a Coppertone one sitting on the curbside (in my city.... that is) the day I was coming home from a Washington Redskins football game that same year.

--Charles--

 

[autowasherfreak]

I will be going to my friends later today with my digital camera to get some pictures. The buttons on the left of the control panel have a swirled pattern on them and the dispenser lid is plastic is the same color as the washer. The lever to control the water level is chrome and slides up and down, and I believe that the timer has letters on it for the various cycles.

I'm going to a late lunch with some friends that have a van, so I might be bringing them home today. There is a non-working Maytag (newer model) that I might be brining home as well.

There is a 220 outlet on the 2nd floor for an air conditioner that no longer exists. I was wondering the wiring could removed from the breaker box and new wire installed to have a outlet for the dryer.

Jim

 

[xyz]

Why don't you just for the time being hook it up on 110 volts until you can get a 220 supply? That's easy enough my friend. Dry time will be longer but you wil get good results.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I didn't know it was possible to do that. Is that easy to do?

Jim

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Jim -

I can't say much about your washer that hasn't already been said here at this point, especially thoroughly by Charles, above, except the one I brought back to life this past summer has been quite a fun and interesting machine. Some of the things I like about mine:

1) The detergent/triple dispenser - a very cool idea, if not a leaky topic if the dispenser is bad.

2) The Vari-Flex agitator - I had never seen one in use, though mine is a bit more cumbersome to use than I expected. Giving it a good cleaning underneath helped a lot.

3) The quiet-pak belt is AMAZINGLY quiet. I hear nothing but a hum from mine and the solenoids doing their things.

4) The machine is incredibly heavy and well built - try 250 lbs! The extra 20-25 lbs. as compared to other 1972 machines comes from the control panel, which is robust beyond belief.

5) The console can be lighted anytime the door to it is opened, not only when the timer is in an active cycle, as in many other lighted Kenmores.

Something I hope you don't have to explore into much - many of the parts in that machine are either still available direct from Whirlpool or can be found on ebay. Belts are plentiful, pumps are still sold by WP, even the console's full-width flourescent light is sold by WP. I was able to find a couple dispenser related items (the water control valve and the dispenser itself) online. There was a timer change somewhere in the early 1972 time frame, but both the 1969-1971-ish timer and the later 1972-1973 timer are still out there on ebay and possibly even Sears (for a King's ransom). If you find you need something for your washer or dryer, chances are pretty decent that something can be located.

Of course, we're here to help too!

Regards!

Gordon

 

[xyz]

Jim, I'm not very good at explaining in detail as to how to do this. I have done it before and watched it done many times. To make sure that I don't lead you astray on this application, I know for a fact that there are several on this site that can technically tell you step by step on how to do this. I would hate to make a typo error and blow your machine to smithereens.lol. But it is easy enough to do when in such a bind as you are in.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Jim -

I think I found some pics you were looking for. Go into the 2006 archives and look for the 1/11/2006 post entitled "New member....Lady Kenmore". You can find them fast by using the "control F" feature and entering part of that heading. There was a couple other posts on the same machine at about the same time.

I hope that helps!

Gordon

 

[autowasherfreak]

Silly Me

I forgot to take the camera with me to get pictures of them this afternoon. I would forget my head if it wasn't attached to my shoulders. I can't wait to get them and start cleaning them up and find out what exactly is wrong with them. I'm more interested in the washer.

 

[mattl]

Jim, it sounds like you got yourself a '73.

chaskelljr2, about '91 the agitator stripped out and I replaced it with the recommended unit. It was not as good as the original by any means. In the end, if I recall correctly, the agitator shaft went bad, stripped out. sorry my memory isn't too clear as to what exactly was wrong.

I know over the years i put in many lint filters, the design changed quite a bit over the years. I did replace the timer once and the belt 2 or 3 times.

As to the sound levels my experience is the opposite of Gordon's. I recall the washer being quite noisy, but the dryer was almost silent. My replacement the Sears Electronic 90 is the opposite -- the washer is all but silent, but the dryer is extremely noisy.

 

[chaskelljr2]

To Jim......

(Your Quote(s)):

(Quote # 1): "I will be going to my friends later today with my digital camera to get some pictures. The buttons on the left of the control panel have a swirled pattern on them and the dispenser lid is plastic is the same color as the washer. The lever to control the water level is chrome and slides up and down, and I believe that the timer has letters on it for the various cycles."

(Quote # 2): "There is also a dial on the top of the agitator."

(My Answer): That's a BIG affirmative on Matt's part. Your washer is a 1972-73 Lady Kenmore. The LAST model in that series with a Vari-Flex Agitator and a Three-Speed Motor. Show us some pictures when you can of both machines. Let us know when you finally get them going again.

Good Luck......

--Charles--

 

[autowasherfreak]

Pictures--Well Maybe???

I took some pictures of the Kenmore set with my cellphone, unfortunately I don't know enough about the phone to upload them to my computer. I tried emailing them to my email address, but they would go. So I guess I will have to use the digital camera, which would give me better pictures anyway.

Jim