retromania
Well-known member
Congratulations Todd!
Suisun City vintage Kenmore set
- Thread starter roto204
- Start date
Help Support :
OK Todd, in order to keep the vintage laundry cosmos in balance, I think the washer is going to have to kick your Wardge machine out of rotation. Seeing as how I've just helped Nate secure his dream Wardge pair, I am looking to you for vicarious atonement.
YAY TODD!!
70series
Well-known member
Congratulations!
davy1063
Well-known member
I'm not sure, I do remember ours was black with the scrubber cap/measuring cup. It also had the triangular bleach/fabric softener dispenser in the lower left corner and the full length flourescent light in the console. That machine lasted us from I'm guessing '68 until '80 when we got the BD Dual Action. If I recall, there was nothing wrong with it when we got rid of it. It was pared up with our 1961 70 Series dryer which lasted until into the '90s. Good memories. Please post a video when you can to bring back some serious childhood memories.
Dave
Dave
About agitator colors
The Roto-Swirl changed from bakelite to polypropylene (and thus from a drive-block arrangement to a splined drive link) in 1967. The first poly Roto-Swirls were black, but not for long.
In 1968 the Straight-Vane was re-engineered, not only to make it a 'propylene agitator as well, but to re-contour the vanes in shape. When the new version debuted, it came out in gold. The Roto-Swirl was changed to gold at the same time, thus we only had black splined, propylene Roto-Swirls for one year or so.
The Roto-Flex had been made from Polypropylene from 1965 onward, also in gold but it was speckle flaked material, which was pretty high-tech for 1960s plastics technology.
To my knowledge there was never a black Vari-Flex.
According to when this machine was produced, if the Roto-Swirl is its correct agitator, it could have started in 1966 with a bakelite RS, then produced in 1967 with a black plastic RS, then in 1968 with the gold version. Running changes to parts such as this always impacted ongoing models with slight variations (and thus minor changes the the model number as well).
Gordon
The Roto-Swirl changed from bakelite to polypropylene (and thus from a drive-block arrangement to a splined drive link) in 1967. The first poly Roto-Swirls were black, but not for long.
In 1968 the Straight-Vane was re-engineered, not only to make it a 'propylene agitator as well, but to re-contour the vanes in shape. When the new version debuted, it came out in gold. The Roto-Swirl was changed to gold at the same time, thus we only had black splined, propylene Roto-Swirls for one year or so.
The Roto-Flex had been made from Polypropylene from 1965 onward, also in gold but it was speckle flaked material, which was pretty high-tech for 1960s plastics technology.
To my knowledge there was never a black Vari-Flex.
According to when this machine was produced, if the Roto-Swirl is its correct agitator, it could have started in 1966 with a bakelite RS, then produced in 1967 with a black plastic RS, then in 1968 with the gold version. Running changes to parts such as this always impacted ongoing models with slight variations (and thus minor changes the the model number as well).
Gordon
Well, the new additions are safely secured and up and running in the laundry room. They are indeed 1966, and the agitator is a black Roto-Swirl with detergent cup and is definitely not bakelite, so must be polypropylene. Both washer and dryer are in pristine condition, except what appears to be a bad fuse for the dryer's fluorescent console light. After doing a few loads, I notice the sound of a solenoid going on during the last half of the normal spin cycle. Not sure what that is. (the washer has the bleach and fabric softener dispenser and the solenoids work fine for the appropriate dispensing) Anyway, pics to come soon!
Solenoid
My 1960 Whirlpool has bleach and softener dispensers, all solenoids work well and at correct time. In most cycles, the "spin/spray/rinse" is the same for 1st spin and for final, so my solenoid often goes open during that last final cycle, but by then the softener has already emptied for earlier rinse. Seems like on most, but not all cycles, it's just easier to repeat the extract, spin, spray, solenoid, portion exactly. So I do not believe you have a problem, I bet you have good machines.
My 1960 Whirlpool has bleach and softener dispensers, all solenoids work well and at correct time. In most cycles, the "spin/spray/rinse" is the same for 1st spin and for final, so my solenoid often goes open during that last final cycle, but by then the softener has already emptied for earlier rinse. Seems like on most, but not all cycles, it's just easier to repeat the extract, spin, spray, solenoid, portion exactly. So I do not believe you have a problem, I bet you have good machines.
Gordon thanks for the color info, i always wondered when the gold agitators "showed up" and why. in the used w/d stores you often see agitators and caps paired up incorrectly. Todd i am so glad you were able to save them. arthur
