Hotpoint Automatic 1600/1830

[HooverJames]

Hi,

Sorry if I excited you lot but no there's nothing to be excited about Though I'm trying to... I don't know if anybody has contacted Hotpoint about the possibility of probably the last 1600/1830 being around their premises but I did and I got a reply from a kind lady who has passed the info on to somebody that could know more. Apparently I should get a reply in a few days but I'm not going to think positive as rumour has it all the history of Hotpoint inc. past machines have been dumped but how could they know for sure? Hoover has Widebody's and Keymatics they intend to keep at their premises for historical purposes so there couldn't be a definate no for Hotpoint. They still have the ancient brochures, for example. The big question is... If there is a 1600/1830 or even two and if they are willing to give, who do they go to? I think I should get it or one anyway as I contacted them. I shouldn't really be talking like this anyway LOL!

I will keep you updated and DONT STEAL MINE LOL!

 

[keymatic3203]

Hi James

oh if only it were that easy, obviously it would be great if Hotpoint did have an example of one of these machines, or any of the back catalogue of appliances.

But I can assure you several uk collectors will have contacted the major manufactures about such possibilities over the years, and as you say Hoover are hanging on to theirs, so I suspect the best we could hope for is to be alowed in to see what machines they have.

On a posative note whilst your concentrating on one of the uks holy grails, the other being the servis automatic top loader, many other rare/early machines are out there in preservation, and hopefully through youtube and get togethers we can all get to see and use these great machines.

So well done on all your research, look forward to seeing what you come up with, and it's for all of us to keep our eyes open for what may still be out there, we are a lot more interested in appliance history than the manufacturers.

Hope your still enjoying your single tub washer and a spinarinse will soon come your way

Mathew

Also don't forget the `super searchalator' to find out information from past threads, about many of our classic washers.

 

[HooverJames]

Am I wasting my time then???

Hi Matthew,

So there wasn't really any point of emailing them to begin with? Well they have taken my query to somebody who may know something so I may as well wait to read their reply since they are going to the bother. There might be one undiscovered in and old warehouse yet. There at least has to be one out there. But like the Widebody Keymatic they thought they would never find, it turned up eventually.

The Hoover Single is in the shed again and I made room for more and that Spinarinse to find. The shed is nice, dry and warm, has good space now to do until I'm 20 and I plumbed it. Now it only needs some Oust to freshen it up a bit LOL.

James

 

[keymatic3203]

Not at all.

Sorry James,
I didn't mean to imply you were wasting your time asking for information, just not to get your hopes up about finding a machine and being given it, in terms of information it probably depends on who you get through to and what they know, thinking of how staff may come and go, it certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

And well done for asking, it's certainly more than I have done espeacially being within an hour of Hoover at Merthyr.

Mathew

 

[74simon]

Hey James,

Mathew's right - no harm in asking them! Even if they had machines they weren't willing to sell, it'd be nice to know of survivors.

Persistence can pay off, you never know what could turn up! In the last year quite a lot of rare Hoover washing machines have turned up, like Paul and Rob's Automatic Deluxe and Seamus and Matthew's late model Keymatic, to mention just two, and in the last few years five or six slope front Keymatics have emerged.

One thing your location might have in its favour - I reckon in rural areas properties are more likely to have outbuildings where old things are left, like your auntie's washing machine. Might be worth putting an ad in the local paer or something?

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi James.

Yep - people have asked the questions before, but it will be interesting to see whether you get the same answer!

See what comes of it.

Paul

 

[keymatic]

Hi James,

I hope something comes of your inquiry, i never hurts to let them know that you are looking for a vintage machine, however saying that I remember sending endless letters to Hotpoint, probably 1 every 6 months to let them know that i was interested in any old washers that they may get offered from old customers..and I think over a 5 year time frame they referred 3 machines to me, Hotpoint weren't great, and Hoover even less so..Servis were the best, and had quite a few from them..no auto's though !!
Hoover were the only company I know that kept a sample of each machine, Hotpoint never did, and i even went to see the factory at Peterborough back in 1997 before the company was bought by merloni. They use to have a few old machines in a training room that i went too, and Servis use to have all their old machines in the reception of the head office.

Well enough of me waffling on, and the Hotpoint 1504 is on the last rinse and needs softener adding..so good luck with your search !!
Keith

 

[HooverJames]

Still waiting...

Hi all,

Hopefully I get a reply either tomorrow or Monday. There might be something old lurking about in warehouses but I'm getting hopes up looking at the responses you's got. Still one could be sitting anywhere stranded. If there is one , can I avoid the storm and get it? LOL! Id pay up to £150 to get it and ship it here LOL! Fingers crossed... SERIOUSLY!

James.

 

[liberator1509]

Hotpoint HQ

Hi James

Like everyone else has said, it is well worth giving them a try - although they are pretty much faceless corporations, you may just get in contact with someone who cares enough to actually look into the matter for you. That said, I was under the impression that when GDA was sold, much of the old hotpoint material was destroyed - I'm sure I can recall a story that they even had a showroom condition Empress in Peterborough that got scrapped, though I could be imagining that!

The 1600 is a very elusive machine - it wasn't in production very long, largely because Hotpoint had been taken over by GEC just before it was introduced and they embarked on a big restructure of their many company activities. In washer terms this meant abandoning Morphy Richards and English Electric laundry appliances (both part of GEC at this point) in favour of one brand, so the whole lot were redesigned and rebranded as Hotpoint Liberators in the early 70s.

The different sales output in Ireland has been mentioned in another thread - in the 60s a limited range of Hotpoints were sold under the Gala brand - the 1500 Automatic, the twintub and the wringers and these were sold by the ESB. In the 70s the Gala brand was dropped and branded Hotpoints were introduced, but not through the ESB (who sold Hoover front loaders and twin tubs, GE american top-loaders and various Electra washers), so Hotpoints were only available from independent retailers. Their coverage was very patchy as a result. Hotpoints were also considered more expensive than other brands in Ireland - the top loader being the most expensive UK -made machine available over there, though it remained a top seller. Mathew mentions the Servis top-loader, again I'm not sure if this was every sold in Ireland, though hundreds of Servis twintubs were sold there - one of the most popular washers in the 70s in the country.

If you are on the look out for an early Hotpoint, you should also keep an eye out for Galas. I never knew of a 1600, but an aunt had one of the first Hotpoint Liberator front-loaders in the 70s (which replaced her 1960s English Electric Liberator). There is a chap from Ireland on here who has come across a few older Hotpoints and Galas I think, but I don't think he has come over the very rare stuff.

Best of luck with the search!

David

 

[HooverJames]

Update...

No reply yet so it will be next week or so. Not getting my hopes up but fingers crossed anyway, there could be anything hidden away in a 50+ year old factory.

James.