March should be Kenmore month!

[westytoploader]

Look what I found in the Land of Rust...a 1968 Kenmore 518!!! It needs a little TLC and a new paint job and control panel redux (of course, being down here) but does currently work. Check out the 18 lb. tub with an agitator I've never even seen before!

Here's shot #1...looks much better in the pictures...

 

[westytoploader]

Here's the interior...bigger tub than my '82 I believe, and check out the agitator!

 

[peterh770]

I've ALWAYS wondered what the agitator looked like in these machines! Thanks for posting the pics and CONGRATS!

 

[repair-man]

GREAT FIND ! ! !

Love the control panel with the curved top. I don't think I have ever seen that agitator or cap either. Is that a common hole pattern on the bottom of the tub?

How and where did you find it?

Ed

 

[jmirawm]

Thats beautiful Austin

I really like the control panel and the knobs.....SUCH FLAIR! I wish they would put some FLAIR back into our appliances again. To much of that theory of "less is more" I guess. <P> The agitator is different for a Kenmore. I have never saw one like that one. I notice the sets of holes in the bottom of the tub also instead of a ring of holes.

 

[westytoploader]

How I found it is an interesting story...

I was off at school when Mom got a call from someone saying they had an old Kenmore washing machine and they were going to take it to the recycler. After chatting with the guy, it turns out his mother had used it for many years (didn't even want to use her modern machine which is approx. 9 years old). So he brought it over here, and when I got home, there it was! Needless to say I was very excited...oldest machine so far!

 

[repair-man]

When they start following you home. . .

You got the magic going, Austin.

I probably wouldn't have hated school so much if I could have come home to a new (old) washer.

 

[DADoES]

I would never have figured Kenmore to have an agitator like that. Very kewl!

 

[jdinstl]

Add another vote...

...for the control panel. The use of ovals is cool, I especially like how the theme is carried into the filligree to the left of the controls!

Great catch, I'm happy for yah!

John

 

[Compwhiz]

DUDE!!!

That almost looks like my dream machine only mine was the 1966 kenmore :-(

 

[retromom]

Say Yay for Moms!

Boy, am I a sucker or what? I also can't say no to stray dogs and cats.

 

[agiflow]

WOW

How cool is that, my mom had a kenmore that had this same style control panel. Hers i believe was a standard capacity model with the straight vane black agitator.

The design of this control panel took me back. EXCELLENT find Austin!! My childhood washer,only difference is yours is the large capacity version

Pat

 

[pulsator]

My great aunt had this exact washing machine, I have an old photo of my uncle as a baby standing in it, I have always wondered what the agitator looked like. Thanks for the flashback!

 

[scott55405]

How fun! I remember that machine, but never realized it had that type of agitator in it. Enjoy Austin! What was I saying not the other day about a convention in Texas in future years...

 

[david]

Correct me if I'm wrong

But I seem to remember this model being the 'anything goes with it" washer similar in concept (but not styling) to the anything goes with it dryer which was introduced in 1965. By that I mean neither had a designated mate and were supposed to match any KM machine one owned. Some of the earlier models which looked similar such as the 64' 800 had a matching dryer.

 

[golittlesport]

Congratulations, Austin! I am not a huge Kenmore fan, but that machine is COOL! What an unusual tub and agitator! Does the agitator produce good action?

 

[appnut]

Parents of a boyfriend mty oldest sister had in 1966 had the same control panel, but was a model 70 or 700 witht he rotoswirl with scrubber cap and self-cleaning filter. Ya brought back fond memories.

 

[westytoploader]

I'm going to wait until I get it further cleaned up and mechanically sound (change the belt, check the transmission/wig-wag & clean the manifold trap; surprisingly it looks brand new underneath with no rust whatsoever) before I try it with water. However, I'm itching to see how that agitator works too, so I'll "wrestle it out" (better whip out the WD-40 and the Agi-Tamer...) and try it in the '82 this weekend and post pics (maybe even do a video since it looks pretty effective. One thing for sure, this agitator feels HEAVY compared to the plastic Super Roto-Swirl in the '82.

Btw, this machine and my '82 Kenmore have the same size tub...just an optical illusion at first. And did I mention HEAVY? It has to weigh 250 pounds or more...nearly as much as the White-Westy!

--Austin

 

[Cwheeler]

Tub

That tub is the same from my parents' old 1977 Kenmore (110.72891610). Brings back some interesting memories...