I dug out the Frigidaire today

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GM Frigidaire!

Hi David this is definatly GM Frigidaire. WCI was different inside!
You also see the GM sticker on the control panel if you look closly!
 
GM

Hi Peter

Yes it says GM....but.... when did WCI take over...did I read in another thread about WCI keeping the GM name during the transition.... everything is less quality than the previous

Upper rack glides, gauge of wire on racks, plastic door...or was GM just getting cheap
 
GM to WCI!

GM kept making the stuff for frigidaire for 2 years after wci bought it. The origional plan was for wci to have production moved to their site and production was to continue that way. As we all know unfortunately it never worked out that way. WCI really didnt change anything during this transition, and GM just kept production going as is and they were paid by wci to continue to make the products much the same way sears paid whirlpool to make some of their products.
As for this dishwasher this is even made awhile before wci came into play because you can tell that the bottom wash arm is attached to the tower. The later GM models had a detached tower!
 
GM Frigidaire!

The nice thing about thes dishwashes is you could get tons of stuff in it.
Here is a picture of my aunts but hers was a built in - early 70s

peteski50++2-12-2011-17-15-32.jpg
 
David, that was the same dishwasher a buddy of mine in college--his parents had.  Peter, they had the PotScrubber II dishwasher in their home in a small town in East Texas.  they had a weekend home  outside of Hotspring, Ark. which had the Frigidaire exactly like that one David.  Granted, the SuperSurge design was far better than the spin tube machines.  but the last of these, like yours David, were actually quite good.  I was very impressed.  We stayed a couple of times at the house in Arkansas and I thrwe stuff at that dishwasher that I never would have expected a Frigidaire to tackle.  That triple wash worked wonders when set for Pots & Pans.  Something that machine did that I could never figure out why and always puzzled me.  It would add more water while it was circulating water during the Pots & Pans phase and during the main wash phase too.  Just freaked me out the first couple of times it did it.  I can say that Frigidaire finally got it right when it came to cleaning extremely heavy soil with this last series of dishwashers.  I mourned the death of this dishwasher, the 1/18s, their fridges, and their ranes when WCI took over. 

 

 

And you're very right Peter.  Those Supersurge style Frigidaires held an absolute ton of dishes, particularly if your dishwasherr had pieces that fit all the unusual nooks and crannies of that upper rack.  Peter, thank you for posting the pics of that 1976 Custom Imperial.  I've never seen one of those.  I have no doubt that with the Extra Hot Wash Temp turned on and the Pots & Pans cycle selected, this machine could kick butt in cleaning with the best of them!!!  And I actually didn't consider the machine like yours David to be all that noisy either.  I was plesantly surprised the first time I turned it on.  It was quieter than his parents PotScrubber II. 
 
FRIGIDARE DW

David your portable is all GM D&M had no hand in that machine what so ever. These later 1970s Frigidare DWs were pretty quite, held a lot of dishes and didn't rust out as fast due to the solid plastic inner door panel. The bad part was poor pump and motor durability and no filter system they would leave some redeposited food in glasses etc in corners of the top rack and in other places depending on the load and how it was loaded. The wash tube machines were really better machines in many ways they had a much more durable pump, they had a good filter system and the porcelain interior was much better. The loading was unusual however. If you take a critcal look at Frigidare washers, dryers and DWs before about 1970 they all had major design and or performance flaws that kept any of them from ever being top selling appliances. GM struggled with and lost money on Frigidare appliances since the 1950s and even then talked of selling the division. That said they did make some very cool and interesting appliances and now us collectors are having fun reaping the rewards of thier foolish decisions.
 
I agree whole heartedly with Tom.The Frigidaire line was beautiful to look at,fun to watch but a true bitch to have repaired.There were many companies back then that would show fear and refuse to repair any of the Jet Action washers,laundry centers and compactors.They weren't that upset if it was a GM frig or A/C.But,if you even hinted that your washer had an "up and down" agitator, they either cussed you out or hung up saying "Don't ever call back!!".There were loyal,trustworthy,authorized Frigidaire dealer/service companies out there that really knew and promoted Frigidaire Appliances but,they were few and far between and,once the WCI deal was in stone,these dealer service companies disapeared into thin air or went belly up bankrupt.The three companies that I remember that were in that category were Eckes Appliance in Southeast Baltimore City, RUDOLF'S,Read's Refrigeration,and Robert's Appliance.Rudolf's is still holding on to many loyal customers but do not do service anymore. They do installation of built in and free standing appliances sold but,no technical service unless it pertains to an installation issue or scratch and dent issue.
 

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