MORE HOTPOINT

[lesto]

I found this photo of me and my mom's Hotpoint while cleaning out my laundry room to paint. Thought I'd share my first exposure to a classic top loader. Here's where my obsession all began.

 

[geoffdelp]

Les ... that is a GREAT picture!! I love the Hotpoint and the curtains!!

That's a priceless photo!!

Geoff

 

[bobbyderegis]

Great photo, lesto. What year is the Hotpoint from? My grandmother had one from 1970, and all I can remember is that it would buzz loudly if you lifted the lid during the spin and that there was a neat bleach dispenser in the back right corner under the lid. I can't remember the control panel to save my life.
Bobby in Boston

 

[gyrafoam]

Geoff is right! That is a priceless photo!

I remember those machines well. Don't you wish you had one like that now? I know I do!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[lesto]

Hi Bobby. This Hotpoint I believe is a 56, same year as Robert's. It has the Hotpoint spider clutch tranny. It had a fluorecent backpanel light which my mom used as a night light. I wish it had been on when this photo was taken. This machine lasted a hard ten years. It was already about five years old when I was born and it went on to wash my diapers and baby clothes, my two older sister's clothes, my dad's workclothes (he was in the scrap iron and metal business so he got really dirty), etc. When the tranny finally died (servicemen hated working on those spider clutches)mom replaced it with a new, mid-60's Hotpoint "silhoutte" two-speed with a burpalator agitator and filter pan.

 

[gansky1]

Wonderful photo! Did your mother have a dryer at the time?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Les that is such a cute picture! You should have it blown up and framed in your laundry room.

 

[lesto]

Hi Greg. Yes, my mom had a Westinghouse dryer at that time. It was very similar to the one in Gary Weibel's collection with the half white/ half turquoise control panel. I'm guessing ours was circa 1960.

 

[westytoploader]

Great picture Les, and cool Hotpernt! Proof that we all start young!

 

[christfr]

aww

how cute.. both of you..

 

[rickr]

Great snapshot of a cute kid

Les that photo is just priceless!! You should post that one on the "vintage photos" thread too.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Les, you are cute as a bug's ear in that picture. It's funny how the front of the washer has that "pregnant" look that the oven doors on the Hotpoint ranges had at that time also. It's amazing the treasures you find when you clean out. Fortunately, I have taken a vow of poverty. Did you like watching the laundry tumbling in the Westinghouse dryer?

Where were you living at the time?

Do you know where Monroe Drive is? For non-Atlantans, the proper pronunciation is MUNroe. Off Monroe, there is or was a street by the name of Dutch Apple Valley Way. There was a business back there in the early 70s where I used to buy parts for my Duomatic. Not that I had any money then, but I sure wish I had bought a lot more parts.

Thanks for sharing.
Tom

 

[mayken4now]

Well, lesto that is a great picture. Thanks for posting. I know you wish you had that machine now. I know I would. Where did it end up if you know?

Steve

 

[lesto]

Hi Tom. I've lived in Atlanta all my life except for when I was away at school. I cross over "MUNroe" everyday going to work and Dutch Valley is still there too. I sure wish I had that washer today. So glad Robert has one in his collection now.
Les

 

[mickeyd]

Our universal urge

I saw myself in your photo, thinking, instead of "Toys R Us, " U R us and we R U. The photo is so perfectly composed, it looks like an ad. Were you standing on your nice little stool, or were you that tall? What a heartwarmer! Thanks.

 

[lesto]

I'm standing on my little stool. BTW, the agitator was red but the black cap you see in the photo was a replacement. I recall the red cap wouldn't stay screwed on tightly so the serviceman replaced it with a black one since by that time Hotpoint had discontinued the red ones.

 

[mickeyd]

Do you remember any of the cycles?

For instance, our unimatic had two rinses, no over flow, and when I was a little older, I noticed that the first two spins were really short, and a lot of water stayed in the outer tub. Then during the rinses, it would pump the rest of the water out. Everthing was fast and short on that machine, except the wash and final spin.

 

[lesto]

As I recall it had the same cycles as Robert's. A "short" cycle (3 min wash) and the normal cycle with the adjustable wash time from 15 to 3 min. Very short first spin and the infamous Hotpoint water-guzzling overflow rinse.