Something's on it's way to Ogden...

[mixguy]

Just below TOL

This washer was just below the top of the line. The top of the line had one button control for choosing one of 6 options. One of my aunts had this model pictured and it lasted over 20 yrs! She replaced with another GE filter flo and hated it! Needed 3 repairs in the first year and replaced it with a Maytag since that was what most of her friends had.

 

[turquoisedude]

Just got back from Ogden and I have the pictures to prove it! I managed to get the latest GE Filter-Flo find out of the car and into the garage for inspection. I did some hunting and from what I could see - the 57 US Model had the timer dial on the left. I'll get back to the exact pedigree of this washer in a bit, though....

 

[turquoisedude]

Yep, it's telling me that it's an 'automatic washer'.... LOL

 

[turquoisedude]

Lots of fun toggles to play with!

The 'water saver' switch is interesting - it is used to cut off the fill part of the cycle for smaller than full 10-pound loads. A little backward of GE - I had a 1950 Westy with a water level control and the 53 still in the Ogden Laundry has one too, and the 56 Whirlpool has a three-setting level control... But I digress!

 

[turquoisedude]

The Copper filter-flo pan needs a good cleaning.

 

[turquoisedude]

The Money Shot!

And there you have it! A solid tub with a set of overflow drain holes at the top of the tub. The agitator is soooo different from the 'ramp' style GE's of my childhood (and the 63 V-12 that joined the collection this year).

 

[turquoisedude]

The motor looks a bit rough....

 

[turquoisedude]

An early version of the suds-return pump - that cooling fan at the end of the motor drive shaft was removed on later models. It looks a tad rusty, too...

 

[turquoisedude]

No surprise - the power cord's shot and will be replaced....

 

[turquoisedude]

Cabinet's in pretty poor shape - definitely needs to be repainted!

 

[turquoisedude]

The model number on the lid does not match with the nameplate - most odd...

The lid says it's a model 855P; the nameplate said FWA857P1W (Serial number: YN111935) and it said it was made in the US, but also had a CSA certification tag.

So it's not a Canadian-made model! Gasp!!

 

[turquoisedude]

So, after a round of the last estate sales in Stanstead, and some very exciting progress with another appliance of mine (I'll be posting in Super about that!) I did manage to get the power cord changed to see what would happen.

Alas, the control panel light seems to be the only thing that does still work on the 57 GE... Oh, and the timer seems to work, too. But the main drive motor just buzzes, as does the suds return pump.

So, I've got my work cut out for me - it will be a challenge to do a tear-down and rebuild of a GE machine, but I am sure I'll get through it. The question is when... sigh!

 

[bajaespuma]

It was probably made in Bridgeport CT

Was the power cord you removed one that had the waffle and clothes iron plug (bakelite with no ground lead)? Please don't throw that away!

 

The filter pan and the activator are in great condition! The activator collar is a little droopy, but that will actually help with the filter-flowing. Tub looks pristine too! The 855 -857 difference may be that yours was a model made for export to Canada (GE had special Chicago models at one point because of different plumbing codes).

 

At any rate, it's gawgeous and I hope it will be an easy fix. If you need weird bent hoses for the suds return system, you can find them at auto parts stores. Aferim!

 

[philr]

Nice lighted panel!

 

[tomturbomatic]

This was the TOL for 57. The 5 program keys came in 1958. The water saver was necessary because of the solid tub. Do you see the ridge on the agitator? You had to let the machine fill at least to that ridge before triggering the water saver because of the sediment hole under the agitator. Water drained through that to the outer tub and if the tub were not filled to the level of the ridge, there would not be enough water left in the tub by the end of the wash period. When the full water level was used that was not a problem, but on the water saver operation there was not enough water to operate the FilterFlo system and there were loud gurgling noises during the agitation. The pressure switch to shut off the water was in the sump of the outer tub. The nubs to hold the filter pan in place on the collar of the Activator wore away relatively quickly and then the filter pan tipped backwards toward the water stream. The plastic pan was an improvement and kept water away from the top of the transmission shaft before the advent of the one piece agitator and cap. I think it was our TOL 1958 that was found without the filter pan. That was a big concern and then I was looking through the "reject" pile behind the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop in Sarasota, FL and found the pan. I figured it was a treasure hidden especially for me.

Note the stated capacity at the top of the instructions on the underside of the lid:
GE was the first to rate a machine for 12 pounds and it began with the 1956 FilterFlo model.

 

[jamman_98]

Love your machine!

So here's my story. When I was a kid in the early 1970's, I found a couple old washing machines. One was GE FF Solid tub and a Philco from the mid 1960's.  Since I could not drag them home to play with, I took them to the nearby woods to play with. Mostly just to admire their design and see how they worked. I was very facinated with them. Jump forward about 35 years and I decided to go back in the woods to see if they still were around. After years of rusting there was no sign of them except the agitator from the GE. I brought it home and turned it into this lamp. I have the lamp still and it's in my living room. At least I was able to save something of it from my childhood.

Joe

Jamman_98

 

[tomturbomatic]

Joe, what a genuine, touching story. The "woods" offered a non-judgemental haven for many things, not just sex.

When I found my Bendix Duomatic, I arranged to have it delivered to the house of friends who let me hook it up in their basement utility room.