Kenmore Plastic Tops.

[volvoguy87]

These washers hold a special place in my memory, but I know next to nothing about them. The only members of my family who had Kenmores all had Kenmore plastic top washers, and I rarely ever got to see them. The washers are all gone now, but 1 dryer is still going. I never saw the bases of the agitators, but I did see the tops and they were gold. I think some had some sort of screw-on cap on top, some didn't.

Where did the plastic tops stand in the model lineup? When were they offered? What features (or lack of features) did they have? What agitators did they have? On the rare occasions that I see a plastic top, the plastic is always yellow. Is this original, or did it turn yellow because of UV light damage?

I would love to have a plastic top someday when I have the space, but until then, I'll have to dream and hope for pictures and answers to my questions.

Curious,
Dave

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Plastic tops

Dave - you've made me grin. I like these machines too, but it seems to take a certain sort here for that. Check out my current thread 17771 - "72 Lady K Washer Owner's manual" for a couple plastic top pictures of the two style types Kenmore offered.

There were basically two generations of belt-drive plastic tops. The first came out as 1972 models and lasted through 1975 or so. These had fairly bulky panels with a hump in the area surrounding the timer and switches. From what I can tell, there were at least 7 different models, all 50 and 60 series machines, otherwise middle of the line.

The second generation started in 1974 or so, and was slimmer, more streamlined and I hate to say, cheaper looking. These had control inserts on the far right of the panel. Some had woodgrain or black inserts on the left, the far BOL machines didn't. These started with the 1-cycle machine up to mid-line. This style panel was used until only a few years ago (so it seems anyway) on the DD washers.

The washers with the screw-on agitator caps were standard capacity, and could have been straight vanes or Super Roto-Swirls, but only one or two models had the rotos. The machines without the screw-on caps were large capacity and had penta-vane agitators. The agitators were gold by design - Kenmore made bazillions of gold agitators after using black for a decade or more, then they slowly switched to white. The last BD plastic tops from 1983 or so were equipped with white penta vanes.

Most of these machines were painted white, and came with Ivory/Cream panels. The later editions were white only, however there were some gold and green in the earliest editions (these had matching colored panels) A walnut shade debuted in 1982 or so. The cream/ivory has a tendency to darken and yellow in heat. Later in the DD machines, pure white was used, as was the walnut, as well as a puke colored orange, which was quite recent.

I have six or seven plastic top machines that I'll be looking for homes for (and probably not easily finding) so if you want one someday, look me up, I may still have one.

I hope I answered your questions! If you'd like some more pics of these, I can get them.

Gordon

 

[alr2903]

the std caps rocked

Hi, there was a 73, 74, or 75 std capacity, gold str vane, if my memory is correct the script for "normal",perm=pres" was in green, i remember lo, med, hi water level to left of timer. One of my aunts had one, i always admired its simplicity. the water temps were on the timer, at the time my family had a new lg cap. with the pentavane, i always thought the std cap. with the str. vane was much better at turnover. alr2903

 

[volvoguy87]

1972 60 series is close.

Kenmoreguy64, your picture of the '72 60 series is close to what I remember. The panel is in the right shape, with the slight hump at the controls, but my relatives' had woodgraining on either side of the controls. What lint filtering systems did the plastic tops have? Were they self cleaning, or waterfall? I don't remember seeing how they worked, but I do like the waterfall! Please take some pictures. I am interested in learning about the differences among these models, they are my favorites. Presently, I haven't got the means or space to have one of my own, but I'm hoping to change that at some point in the future.

Thanks a bunch,
Dave

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Dave,

I have two models, a '73 and a '75, that have woodgrain on them. One has a straight vane and one has a Roto-swirl but otherwise they look very much the same. The models with the fake wood are a little higher up in the line than those without.

Most of the plastic tops like the one you identified in my picture had self-cleaning filters, but a couple of the lowest models had waterfall filters.

I'll snap some pictures soon - right now my camera is at a family member's home getting pics from a recent trip cataloged.

 

[volvoguy87]

Configuration question.

If I could choose, I would guess my favorite incarnation may not have ever been made. Did they make one with woodgrain on the sides of the raised control section, a gold Super Roto Swirl agitator, a waterfall lint filter, and 3 knobs (one timer, one water temperature, and one load size)? Could I find a machine with all the above features, with a different agitator, and then replace the agitator?

Thanks for being so patient,
Dave

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Not sure that exact beast exists Dave, but....

Dave, usually by the time a model was adorned with a Roto-Swirl agitator, it would have a self-cleaning filter, at least in the mid-70s. The only model that I have seen in plastic top form that had a manual filter had timer controlled temps (meaning no temp knob). That model didn't have a porcelain top, and it did not have the woodgrain, and the knobs were white.

There was one model that had the woodgrain and the roto-swirl, but it has a self-cleaner. I would not be difficult to transplant a manual filter, but one would have to be located to use, and the top would have to be transplanted as there needs to be a cut-out in the steel to fit the filter bezel. Maybe easier would be to take a whole manual filter machine, transplant on the woodgrain panel and it's wiring harness (if different) and swap the agitator. Swapping a straight vane for a Roto-Swirl is a one for one swap.

If we don't customize something, you may have to choose what is most important - the agitator or the filter. All the machines I have right now have self cleaners in them.

I'm not sure I am aware of all the machines, and I recently got two plastic tops, so one may still be out there that I haven't seen!

 

[70series]

Gordon:

My aunt had a model that had the woodgrain paneled model that otherwise matches your 72 model 60. As I remember, hers had 4 cycles: Regular, PP, Delicate, and PreWash. 5 temp combos and 3 load sizes. It came with an agitator mounted softener dispenser, which was rarely used. Otherwise the gold str8 vane had the small screw cap. Could this have been a 600? It was standard capacity, and it may have a 73 model, but I think she got it sometime in 1974. It was a washer where the dial needed to be pushed in to start, perhaps one of the last ones to do so. I actually watched from a distance when it was being repaired. It was not really much of a repair though. It was not spinning due to a clogged lint filter. It would start up, but then slow down to neutral. The grrind-click-clunk of the solenoid must have repeated about 10 times during a spin cycle. I was at her house for a week while my parents were away getting my brother settled in at college. While I did not diagnose the problem, I was the one who called her attention to it.

Have a good one,
James

 

[kenmoreguy64]

James -

Yes, there is a model exactly as you say, and it was a '73. Very good! That was a very common model I think, and I have three of them right now, one in avocado and two white. One of the white ones was found in the woods lying on its front and mildly parted out. I have accumulated the necessary parts, but am not sure when this machine's time will come at being fully rescued.

There is a '75 version of that same model which uses the same timer. The machines look nearly identical, however the '75 has a Roto-Swirl. I have one of those as well, and it looks very odd next to the '73 but I initially could not figure out why, then it occured to me - the woodgrain pattern on the '73 is vertical, while on the '75 it is horizontal. I have checked this on subsequent 73s and 75s to find the same situation.

The '73 model survived for a long time - long enough to have about 5 minor revisions made which changed the model number by one digit. I am sure therefore that it is very possible that your aunt's machine was built in 1974. The original issues of these had the metal and porcelain tub rings, while the later editions had the new 1974 style plastic tub ring.

This wasn't the last model to have the push to start configuration, but for sure it was in the last group. My mom's '74 made this way also, the '75 counterpart was as well (same timer as I said) as was the '75 model 70 I have. I think they were all "push to stop" by the '76 revamp. Interestingly some of the newer designs in '74 and '75 WERE push to stop, so there were some of both those years, which had to be confusing to the service guys....

 

[70series]

Hi Gordon:

I am glad you mentioned the tub ring. My aunt's washer had the porcelain/metal tub ring, so from that I guess hers was built in 1973.

Funny you should mention the vertical and horizontal patterns on the woodgrain. I remember seeing that as a difference between the two models you referenced when I first saw the warehouse photos. The question of whether those were different models occurred to me and was based on the pattern of the woodgrain, but then I thought, 'nah it must just be a difference between individual washers'. I have seen the 1975 version. It was sitting out on a curb, and when I first opened the lid, and saw the plastic tub ring, my first impression was that it was a large capacity model. To be honest, it was not until I found AW.ORG that I realized that tub ring was also present on standard capacity models.

Now I know which model in the warehouse is the exact match to my aunt's. Also, the 72 Model 60 was very popular as I recall. A few households in my neighborhood had them.

Have a good one,
James

 

[kenmoreguy64]

The '73 model, with the vertical woodgrain, seems to have been everywhere. I have 3 now, and I sold 3 or 4 back in the 90s and my friend had more than a couple as well. I would see them at other stores too.

I have seen far fewer of the '75 model. One of the first machines I acquired to work on was a '75 version, and it was in the first group I sold as well. I remember it CLEARLY - it was Tawny Gold and somewhat beat up at least in the paint chip department. The previous owner had used it for I don't know how many years with a badly leaky centerpost gasket, until the water fried the wig-wag and the machine would only spin, full-time. I pulled a lot of rust off the baseplate (I'd be leary about that now), re-sealed the tub, gave it a new wig-wag and painted the paint chips, along with a new belt and pump. Last I heard about 5 years ago (I sold it to a neighbor of a friend) that machine was still going 11 years after I sold it. That's what is fun for me in this - extending usefulness of a machine for a long time vs. it being junked.

My friend/mentor who helped me start in repair work knew I would be happy with most any Kenmore, and that I could sell some of the older models that he either couldn't or didn't want to try selling. I got my choice of any of his cast-offs. One day in 1993, I arrived home from work and three plastic top machines had been deposited on my driveway - two were 73's, both of which I worked on and sold nearly immediately, and the other was a 24-inch '82 model, which was spoken for that night. I had a person ask for a 24-inch the day before.

I haven't seen many without the woodgrain, and there are a couple models that I've seen only in pictures. There was a very cool looking '73 18lb. machine that I'd love to find, and a '74 large capacity that I only ever saw one of - my friend had it, and he used it as a fall-back if supply ran low (he made his living at re-selling) but it didn't run low because we were the designated Sears "hauler off-ers" so the machine wound up growing algae in the tub one summer in the southern heat and he took it dumpside.

A friend in Charlotte whom I met through this site has suggested that we do a Straight-Vane vs. Roto-Swirl comparison, using identical loads, and I figured that when I get one of the 73s and the 75 percolating again, they'd be cool to match up side by side and do a big video. Time will tell.

Gordon

 

[70series]

Now that would be an awesome comparison. Each agitator has its strengths and weaknesses, and it would be fun to watch both. That would be a first here.

In addition, you could do a comparison between both versions of the Rotoswirl; pregnant vs. Super. Of course that may be too close to call, since there is such little difference in the design.

Have a good one,
James