POD 6-25-07

[Washinsheen]

Does anyone know what year the washer & dryer pair is from?

 

[fa_f3_20]

I seem to recall that that panel style, with the big paddle switches for temperature selection and so forth, was late 1970s.

 

[pulltostart]

5400P = 1973

 

[gansky1]

"P" in the model number would indicate a 1973 production series. These are almost exactly like ours from 71-72 but our washer had the vinyl coated wire clothes guard instead of plastic and the panel colors were different - otherwise the same machines.

 

[polkanut]

My Mom's matching GE set of 1967 vintage had those paddle-type switches as well.

 

[bajaespuma]

What was most significant about this model year, at least to those of us who were interested in how washing machines worked from a young age, was that GE shifted from its metal disappearing lid hinges and adopted the "rust-free" hinges you see in the picture. These hinges lasted until the end of the Filter-flo's. More to the point was the new whirlpool-style lid safety switch that could be defeated easily by inserting a pencil, clothespin or other similar instrument. The earlier switches were inside the unit and couldn't be reached without removing the washer's top.

 

[gansky1]

Our 71-72 had these same lid hinges too.

 

[neptunebob]

I was wondering about the dryer. Is the Permanent Press part of the dial the automatic cycle? If it is, you could use it on cottons too.

 

[appnut]

The PP cycle is a timed cycle in disguise. They're just conveniently set for the user.

 

[seeitrun2006]

The activator agitator

Wasn't the activator agitator on this washer a straight vane versus the swirled activator agitator on earlier models?

 

[bajaespuma]

Many trains running...

Some were straight-6 green, some were straight-6 black with green caps, some were spiral green(especially coin-ops). GE didn't know what it was doing back then. I'll never forget around 1967, going to the late, great Kamenstein's hardware store on Stuyvesant Place in NYC. I opened up a GE like these and saw the green straight-6 activators that had replaced the spirals. Even then I knew GE was going a little mishuggeh.