late 1970's to early 1980's Fedders Norge washers and alike brands

[tbolt25]

I was wondering if anyone had a video of a late 1970's to early 1980's Norge by Fedders or a Montgomery Wards or an Admiral or a Western Auto Citation washer in operation. I have forgot how loud they were, and I would like to see a demonstration of how quickly the tub stops when you lift the lid during Spin and a washing-spinning demonstration as well.

 

[washerlover]

Montgomery Ward Washer

Hi,

I wish I had a video camera, I'd tape my 1975 Wards Signature washer in action!

Yes, it's loud, but it does a fantastic job. I love the burp-up filter, and of course the LOUD safety brake that stops that high-speed spin in seconds.

These machines seem to be under-rated on this website, Norge/Wards machines are a LOT of fun!

 

[pumper]

Hagatha?

Get rid of her!!

 

[laundromat]

norge

Even though they were quite corse when it came to washing and spinning,most of the Norges(and the brands they manufactured for)were real workhorses.They are now a bit different but still around(the new maytag top loaders are made in the old Norge factory and have the new transy with the air brake instead of the solenoid)and come with a stainless steel tub.The ones they make for Sears have the agitators with the flexible fins.The others don't.They also have the lid switch that can be fooled and allow you to watch it wash with the lid open.I still have customers come in to find them for sale and when I show the the Admiral or the Maytag they can't believe their eyes and buy them first sight.Those are customers who have had them anywhere from 10 to 20 years with few if any repairs."Knock on any Norge,Knock on any Norge,Hear the sound of silent quality,knock on any Norge.Years from now you'll be glad it's a Norge!"LOL

 

[user 12105]

My parents had an early seventies Fedders Norge washer and dryer-both 20 lb. capacity machines. Yes they were very loud machines but real workhorses.

That tall burpolator really got the clothes moving in that machine. I would say more of a back & forth motion if the load was large. Powerful agitation to say the least.

That machine lasted about 9 yrs. without any problems. I would take another one of those machines in a minute.

 

[lightedcontrols]

It's What I'm Using!

Lot's of washers have passed through my laundry room this year.....
Frigidaire 3 ring agitator - washing turns into ropes...
Maytag 806 - Great washer but not very exciting...
Kenmore HE3T - gave it away...real POS...
Frigidaire Jet Action - Great washer but small capacity...
New Maytag Neptune TL - Really hard on the clothes...
Westinghouse Front Loader - one of the first White brands...
Lady Kenmore - ho hum.
Speed Queen - Nice & noisy but very little rollover...
And NOW THE FEDDERS NORGE!!!... It burps, farts, & bangs but washes a really big load of clothes with ease. Lot's of rollover! Mark

 

[jmirawm]

Drying Center

I am admiring your drying center (maytag?) that you have there. I have looked at these when I am out and they look very convienient to use. How do you like yours ? Tom

 

[lightedcontrols]

....the drying center

Hi Tom! I really like it. I have some rugs drying in it as I write this. The upper cabinet is a nice feature as items (like my rugs) can be dried without the tumbling, saving on the backing and mess that it makes in the tumbler. The dryer is the Norge - Tragic Chef design. The Maytag Dependable Care dryer would have been a much better choice for the lower dryer, but Maytag went with the cheaper design. Still dries good though. Had a roller replaced within the first month. Other than that, no service calls. Mark

 

[jetcone]

Oh Mark!!

I can't wait for Robert to see this one!
"Frigidaire 3 ring agitator - washing turns into ropes... "

You're in for it now!

20 years ago I rebuilt two Norge machines a washer and a dryer which I really didn't want to sell at the time but they were sold to a friend who shipped them to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, some small island country there, and she used them for years and then sold them to someone else and last I heard they were still doing laundry!

Our laundromat in Chatham at the Shop Ahoy had these in Avocado and they were fun to watch and got the clothes really clean after a year of washing in our 1956 GE Filter Flo!

 

[user 12105]

lightedcontrols

Is that model the 20 lb. capacity version? I can not believe this--that looks like the exact washer my mother had except for the color. Looking at your machine brought back a flood of memories---very,very nice.

btw Mark,..if i remember correctly, there was a choice of 4 water levels: Reset, high, med, low, ex-low, 4 temp combinations and 3 speeds. Is this the same machine?

Pat

 

[tolivac]

I remember a Norge "Burpilator" as a small child-loved to watch it much to my Moms dismay.Managed to sneak peaks anyway-was so cool.It had the shiny metal lint pan.And that thing did collect some lint-miss it so much-the search for one like it goes on---sort of hopeless around here.It also had the big bladed agitator with the holes in the lower vanes.Its action was very powerful.sort of like the "forward-Reverse" of those old Vita-Mixes.Tooriginal bad they aren't still around today in that "Burpilator" form.

 

[lightedcontrols]

control panel photos

Agiflow,
Here's some photos of the control panel. Hope this answers your questions and brings back memories. Mark

 

[lightedcontrols]

the control panel

...other side of control panel

 

[user 12105]

lightedcontrols

Thanks...this is the machine she had. These were great washers then or now.

 

[lightedcontrols]

This Washer

By the way, this washer was found in the woods and only needed a pump. I have been using it for about three months and really like how it washes those really big loads C L E A N ! ! ! Mark

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Now Mark,
You want us to beg don't you....
Why not show us your Norge Tub?
Nice machine! I remember them well.
Brent

 

[tolivac]

does the "Woods" washer have the burpilator?Looks like a very nice machine.

 

[tbolt25]

lightedcontrols' avacado Fedders Norge washer

Could you please post a good picture of the inside(agitator, tub, tub ring) of the avacado Fedders Norge washer you have lightedcontrols, I'd greatly appreciate that.

 

[lightedcontrols]

.....here's the photos !!!

.....here's the tub photo

 

[lightedcontrols]

washing away!

 

[lightedcontrols]

...burpilating!!!

another photo of the water spray...(sorry the photos aren't the best....it's not the camera...it's the photog) Mark

 

[lightedcontrols]

filter pan

here's a filter pan shot....

 

[tbolt25]

neutral drain or spin-drain?

Did these particular washers have neutral drain or did they do a full spin-drain?

 

[westytoploader]

Norge Burpalator...how fun!

Great pictures Mark...thanks for sharing! This machine looks like LOADS OF FUN to use and I bet it cleans well too! I've never seen a 1970's Norge in action, but I played with the yellow 1959 at the Convention (one of two machines I actually washed my clothes in and the one I was constantly using) and it had incredible water action. When CR tested washers in their 1972 or 1974 report, they noted that the straight-vane agitator of the Norge cleaned better than the Roto-Swirl. How are the oil seals?

I'm pretty sure these did the neutral drain and then released the brake (with a BANG) when the water level was low enough...wasn't the tub ring designed to where you couldn't spin-drain or else the water would go all over the floor?

 

[jasonl]

The Norge definitely did a spin-drain. My friend had one of the last of the Tragic Chef machines and it spun and drained at the same time.

Was it only Whirlpool/KM that had neutral drains back then?

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Great Pictures Mark!
I love how they kept the bottom holes on the agitator to keep the burping working!
The tub looks huge!
Thanks for the photo's!
Brent

 

[DADoES]

If I am not mistaken, taking a couple Catalina machines I knew from the 1970s, there was a partial neutral drain, until the water level reset, then spin-drain for the remainder.

 

[lightedcontrols]

Glenn is correct....

The machine partially drains and then spins. Once the water level drops, the water pressure switch disengages the spin brake and off it goes! You do have to be very careful with this machine as it does have an overflow tube that is just a little higher than the top of the washtub tub. I've run it over once, and so has Roanoke Robert. Mark

 

[bostonwash]

nice machine.

looks good as new.

What a quaint laundry area too. like that big window overlooking the yard. Love the Avacodo.

For having been "in the woods" the control panel looks to be in very good condition.

 

[knitwits1975]

Is there some chance we might get to see some videos of the Norge? At least some spin-drain photos. Give us the full Fedders-Norge experience.