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Here's the confounded thing... Ben brought up the point of making sure that the timer is getting 120V, however I do not have a volt meter or immediate means of hooking it up to power so as of now I am stuck. The dealer I bought the machine from said he attempted to get it to work, so I assume that is just plain dead. If anyone knows what kind of motor this is and where I can get one let me know.

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Call Bruce Chapman, owner of Mid-West Timer Service.(269)849-2800. You may have to get past his typically OBNOXIOUS old shrew that answers the phone. She thinks she is the boss and likes to "screen" his calls. If you can't get through to him without an explanation, just leave your name and number for him to call you back.

I know Mid-West has moved away from repairing these old timers, but perhaps they will have the parts you need for you to do so, or will know where to find them.
Its worth a try.
 
Wow Jed, congratulations!!!! That is the only specimen of the very first Whirlpool Automatic that I know of (unless someone has one here and I missed it).

You pulled both the escapement (larger round part at top) and the timer motor off (tall black round part), all you need is that little black part. I have some newer timer motors which I have had success (not always but sometimes) at retrofitting to replace the earlier black motors, those seem to be particularly susceptible to age.
 
Wow, what a fab find! Try Midwest timer, for sure - they found a timer for me that I was ready to give up on looking for. Keep us posted!
 
Beautiful machine Jed! Love the metal Surgilator too! Never knew they made those of metal. Your collection just keeps on growing. Congratulations on another rare classic, and thank you for the great videos also.
 
Classic Whirlpool Washer Videos

In order to convert these through Online.Movavi.com, I had to scavenge the actual Youtube links. As soon as the online utility is back in service once again, I will have collected virtual demos of this 1950 Whirlpool top loader. It's the oldest Whirlpool washer in my video collection. Congratulations on finding this classic machine and thank you for sharing your demos.--Laundry Shark
 
That is one beautiful machine. That is the first time I've ever seen a metal agitator. I hope you can get the timer fixed.
 
This is inovation! This is revolution! This is the best of engeneering! Look how everything is well designed! And the best thing is it still works after all those years! Can you show how that sudsreturn thing works?:D I like the idea of saving water.
 
Oldest?

Who made the bolt down top-loader for Sears in 47or48? My manual for Whirlpool shows one similar in the water valve adjustment section.The oddest thing of all it shows the water pump on an earlier model driven by a seperate electric motor.Does your button on the lid opener glow blu from the germicidal lamp.I luv these machines.Mine has a red cap on the agitator,its either a 53 or 52.
 
The oddest thing of all it shows the water pump on an earlier model driven by a seperate electric motor.

Whirlpool produced those machines under the Kenmore brand starting in 1947. There were two pumps, the drain pump was mechanically driven from the drive belt, but the Suds-Saver Return pump was a separate electrically driven pump.
 
Memories:

We had the Kenmore version of this machine, plus the matching dryer, in the early '60s. Mom and Dad were in the early years of their first mortgage, plus raising three kids, so there wasn't a whole lot of extra money kicking around. Dad somehow found the Kenmores used. Northwesty (where are you, guy?) has the same pair as his daily drivers today.

I don't remember a heck of a lot about the machines other than their outward appearance; Mom was one of those who believed that children should never so much as touch a major appliance. But I do remember their imposing, rounded Truman-era good looks.

We used those machines until '65 or so, when Mom got her apron in a bunch to get new Kenmores. BOL machines with absolutely no glamour they were, too.
 
Frigilux, i remember rows of speedqueens, Ladies with hair up in curlers, prouring a "glug glug of bleach in them. i would imagine the exposure was not long. especially in coin ops, but it did discolor and take the glossy shine off the agitator, otoh, you know SQ home machines may have been subjected to chroline soak overnight that i would guess make it worse. IIRC sq went to the plastic gray agitator by the early 70's maybe the chlorine bleach contributed to the decision to go plastic/ as well as cost. What member here says"speed queen Clean"? words to live by. alr2903
 
sorry to double post: i lost my train of thought or lack of it, Jed was the "loading shoot down to the the washtub plastic or metal, I was wondering if the mechanism and tub lower in the machine lowered the center of gravity, decreasing vibration during spin. alr2903
 
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