Thor Automagic Washing Machine & Dishwasher (1955)

[chestermikeuk]

Thor

Morning Gary - soz I thought you knew, it was last july, me and Bob had to lift it onto his Discovery 4 tailgate, never again...its a great mechanical design and I could imagine in a laundry you could get through quite a lot with good results, yes the Messrs Leggitt did a sterling diagnosis thesis!!

Hello Lee, yes the dishwasher attachment is something in action, I couldnt work it out until I had studied and seen it working, you dont need a lot of water, just enough to form a stream and stay on the sides of the spinning pan - and enough to fly into the venturi tubes, rather like the Servis Powerglide pump action.

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[chestermikeuk]

Thor

Hi Keith, the waste and fill pipes where on but turned to dust they where thay brittle, for testing we put an "Ooovahh" pipe and a modern cold fill, have just found a "North West Hoses" outlet which makes all sorts of retro hoses and prpbably use a Grolsch stopper when finished at the spa..

Is that the 260H in the picture? how des yours compare to your later Parnall SpinWash?

Hello Rex, I bet there have been a few abandoned in their time they are a brute to move...

Hi Jerry, how long did it last in your family? was it used a a sudz saver and multiple loads washed in it?

 

[chestermikeuk]

Thor

Hi Paul, yes when you need a fix its amazing what you can come up with, like the saying goes, never throw anything out...ha ha although it will significantly increase storage space!!

Hi Andy, yes its fair to say its not a shredmore!! But I suppose in its day it was a housewifes boom, especially the sudz save and the spinning!!

 

[easyspindry]

Hello Mike

No, we did not use the Thor as a suds saver. Anything more mechanical than a pencil sharpener was, to my mother, impossible.

The Thor replaced a Maytag wringer washer. So it was a godsend to do laundry without having to deal with rinse tubs, etc.

We used the Thor only about 5 years. I don't know why we got rid of it. It was replaced with a Maytag AMP automatic which we had 15 years.

In its day, the Thor was considered one of the best cleaners on the market. The agitator was gentle, but there were twice as many fins as other machines.

Our friend Ross in Tucson has a Thor and it works beautifully.

Jerry Gay

 

[gansky1]

What a great find - and the dishwasher parts, too! I've seen them run at Ross' and Rich & Chuck's in MA two years ago when they first found theirs and got it running.

How does the suds-water saving work on these? I didn't know that was an option.

I spoke with Ross in Tucson the other day and he's looking for a home for two of these Thor washers. One needs some work and the second could be used for the first machine as a parts-donor.

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi Mike.

the Thor looks great and yet more proof, if proof were needed, about what can be achieved with hard work and elbow grease.

Love the spin drain action - always fun to watch water thrown up the drum and out.

Congrats on another excellent restoration.
Paul

 

[jetcone]

Mikey!

That is one BOSS THOR! I love that blue tub wahoo!!

And will you make that Cowpie when you come!!!!!

Was that video of the dishwash your machine or another's and have you gotten
your machine dishwashing?
I had one of these MOONS ago but it didn't have the dish attachment with it.

I think I gave it away.

NEat find- HEY HELLO JON too,nice to see you!

jon & artey

 

[keymatic3203]

great film

you've edited together Mike, sorry its taken so long to post a compliment, thanks to for the photos.

I showed mum last night to give a hint of what we get up to at theses gatherings, she got the enthusiam for the thor, the other machines and the general enjoyment, but she didnt get why we would have a photo of a line of tee shirts, well Mike we all get it and they look great, sparkling white in the sunshine.

Looking forward to seeing how those racks come up, and getting some dishes in there.

Mathew

 

[chestermikeuk]

Thor

Hi Jerry, did you ever get to use the family Thor yourself or under supervision? would certainly have been a boom over a wringer and rinse tubs.

Hi Greg, as its a solid washtub and the pump is constantly running, it has a ball stopper on the end of the outlet hose, so when washing the stopper is over the end of the hose and closed, if you want to "Sudz Save" keep the stopper over the drain hose and spin the wash water out of the clothes into the outer tub, after spinning take out the washed clothes then add more dirty washing, then place the drain pipe over the inner tub, open the stopper and it will pump all the water back into the tub, close the stopper and repeat until you need to rinse....we improvised with a wine cork until we can source a more original hose and stopper.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Thor

Hi Paul, yes lots more work to be done but was great to get it functioning, that spin throw is something coming out of the tub, would love to see Keith`s later version the Parnall Spin Washer, working and in action - after understanding how these work (Oh cue Keith!!)

John, yes cowpie on the menu!!, and the blue tub gleams, even more now after a de-scale, the dishwasher video wasnt ours, I was showing the action, I`m sure its Rich`s - where you there?

 

[chestermikeuk]

Thor...

Hi Mathew, that comment about the washing line made me laugh!! glad your mum enjoyed the Thor, and your hard work payed off, great machine to see in action again.

Yes I need to the dishwasher tub and racks and the spare doors to the chromers and see how they come out!!

 

[perc-o-prince]

Looks great, Mike!!

Such a fun machine! The Thor that you show video of was mine with the video taken by Chuck. That Thor has a new home with Ron (Kenmore58).

Enjoy!!!

Rich