Hi Tom ....
Ben sent me an email explaining the pulsator differences awhile back. I'll copy it here for AW prosperity.
“Bud, here's the scoop on the 1947-1951 and 1952-1954 pulsators.
The 47-51 pulsators are a three piece assembly - an upper aluminum top, rubber ring, and an aluminum cup on the bottom, and all three pieces come apart as separate items. I do have one but at the moment it's up in Minnesota at a friends house. The black rubber ring (5433557) is the same black and sheen as the later black caps. It seems the black rings survived but they are susceptible to cupping along the edges.
In 1952 when GM introduced the WO-65-2, they created the first one piece pulsator - 5417486. This can be used on the 1949 WL-64 with the "modernized" tub, which is the same tub as the WO-65 and WO-65-2.
And, in 1955 GM redesigned the base of the tub which required the new 5432199 pulsator we all know and love. The redesigned tubs have a taller base/pulsator, so if you try to use a 5432199 in a WO-65 machine the pulsator will slam against the bottom of the tub, and the 5417486 doesn't come down far enough on the later machines to properly move clothes.
It seems mostly that folks run into issues trying to find the later black version of the 5432199 for the 1955 WV-65 or a grey 5432199 for the '56-'64 machines.”
So to answer your question Tom, I have thought about making a mold for the pulsator you ask about, the 5417486. But to be honest I have to balance the amount of money it would take to make the mold vs how many people would be asking for this pulsator. It took nearly $300 in materials to make the mold for the 58-64 pulsator. And since they are the same size, the cost would be the same.
Maybe this would be a good time to take a poll to get a barometer reading on the number of people who would like to have a new 52-54, 5417486 pulsator? If I hear of people needing more than say, 6, it would be cost effective to make the mold. Maybe Tom, you or someone else already have an idea of the number of this pulsator that people need?
If everyone who wants/needs this pulsator, please chime in so I can get an idea of the actual number.
Bud - Atlanta, GA
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