Something interesting for the GE fans - especially Lawrence/Pulltostart

[kenmoreguy64]

A new co-worker, who sometimes is in our warehouse storage area where I have the Kenmore storage, put two and two together and asked if I knew anything about washers, and recently asked me if I could help him with a GE FF. Apparently he tried to wash throw pillows in it - big ones - and it gagged on them and stopped.

Through some instruction, it sounds like we got it back to reasonable health, but he's not going to be washing any throw pillows anymore. He said he'd send me a picture of the machine so I could see it as he thought it was pretty old.

"Well I'll be!" I said when I saw the pic. Check out the dryer next to it - these are in service as daily drivers in Charlotte.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Sorry, I don't have a money shot. He wanted to know what that funky pan thing was though....lol.

Maybe I'll get my hands on these one day.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Any ideas as to age, etc?

 

[bajaespuma]

The dryer is a Y, A or a B which means its from 1964 to 1966.

 

If the washer's model number is WWA8420NJL WH (White), then it's from 1972 which makes sense given the black on black dial and the features. It's an oddball; a step-up model from the WWA8400 which was in the catalogue, featuring separate wash and spin speed controls and the "mini-quick" cycle and an extra-rinse cycle added.  Probably has a blue Straight-8 activator and a blue straight-sided mini-basket. Might even have a timed bleach dispenser and that wonderful activator-mounted dry detergent dispenser that was replaced with the "Dispensall". Nice machine.

 

[minermike]

Ok now im asking for alot I know but does anybody have a picture of a wwa 8400n console? looking at the scans above that looks like the console of the GE my gram had for a long time. The only thing is they werent the type to buy top of the line anything so that has me puzzled! I dont remember the knob in the center of the console but the script on the upper left is right and the heavy duty 18 tag in the middle is right. I'm also pretty sure hers was a 1971 or 1972 model.

 

[yogitunes]

for the washer I was thinking more closer to 1976/77....mainly because thats the only machine I saw the "mini-quick" button which made the timer run faster.....my brother got this when he got married in 1977....but I could be wrong

Sweet just the same....

 

[bajaespuma]

???

<a name="start_34941.523167"> ...does anybody have a picture of a wwa 8400n console?</a>

 

It's the washer at the top of the page.

 

[appnut]

Gordon, what's the dryer to the right I'm spoze to be checkin out that I cannot see hardly a thang of?

 

[pulltostart]

Gordon,
I agree with Ken's comments above about the washer. It was in 1973 that GE switched their graphics on the timer, so 1972 would be the last year at the latest. Nice washer! And, I agree about that dryer - can't tell anything about it!
Lawrence

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Lawrence and Bob - The dryer is a GE, almost or exactly like the one you got from me Lawrence, with a full-width console light on top. From just that little bit of the console I can see the top light, the left side of the console and parts of four push buttons or toggles. I need to ask if it has a push pedal to open the door. I will also ask for a full dryer pic, and a money shot on the washer.

Gordon

 

[cleanteamofny]

Can someone tell me if this FF has a lighted control panel!?
This machine is like the one that was used in my Home Economics class back in junior high school with a matching dryer.

Thanks.

 

[pulltostart]

This washer does not include a lighted control panel. If you will look back up in the thread, where the catalog pages from 1972 are reproduced, the first dryer does have a lighted control panel. If the any of the washers had one they would have the same appearance (light bezel is across the top of the console).
Lawrence

 

[pulltostart]

More

Ken has page 21 of the 1972 GE catalog pictured, and the opposite page (p. 20) shows washer "AMERICANA MODEL WWA 8500N" which is almost identical to the one Gordon found (missing the Mini-Quick option), and with a lighted console.

L

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Here's the dryer pic I promised (finally)

Is this the same as the dryer you have Lawrence? I don't remember exactly. Neat that this set is in service as daily drivers, and check out that paneling - straight out of the early 70s or so.