Who's That Lady?

[turquoisedude]

No, not the song but the machine... LOL

When Phil was visiting last week, he helped me do some re-arranging in the Ogden Laundry. One of the machines that we hooked up is the stunning 1965 Lady Kenmore automatic that I found in Manchester New Hampshire almost a year ago, now.

She's making herself quite comfortable here, I think!

Oh, and it really didn't need the venting... The dryer vent is left over from a previous configuration of the laundry and I know better than to ask a certain hubby to remove the extra pipe... LOL

 

[turquoisedude]

I just love the way the push buttons bask in the glow of the console light!

 

[turquoisedude]

The blue and green cycle description panel glows nicely, too.

 

[turquoisedude]

Under the lid is a description of which cycle to use and the wash time, wash and spin speeds, and rinse temperatures used for each pushbutton selection. Very much the high-class Lady! This has to be THE fanciest washer I have ever owned!

 

[turquoisedude]

But this Lady has to earn her keep!

This is the first test of acutal laundry in this washer. When I first got this one, I was happy to find that it still worked reasonably well, but that it 'screeched like a banshee' when spinning. I took no chances and did a partial tear-down of the machine last fall, replacing the spin bearings.

I also had a couple of issues with the fill valve - it leaked fairly badly on the first tests and it was still giving me trouble last week. Tightening a couple of screws seemed to solve that, though!

So, fill 'er up!

 

[turquoisedude]

This is on the LOW water level - plenty of room for a set of double-size sheets.

 

[turquoisedude]

Here's some video proof of the first wash test. I can't believe how quiet this machine is!

 

[turquoisedude]

And a short demo of the spin - also very quiet (especially compared to what it once was!)

I have to keep my eyes out for the owner's manual for this beauty (I am sure it will turn up in the Automatic Ephemera!!).

But more importantly, I have to keep after the person who sold me this washer - there was a matching dryer but his aunt was not ready to part with it last year. Let's hope she's changed her mind... LOL

 

[jeffg]

Paul, gorjus. Is that the original paint?

I wish current TL's had 3-speed agitators. My parents had a similar LK (mid 60's) and the extra slow agitation was tremendously useful for certain things.

 

[danemodsandy]

Quiet Ladies:

Paul:

You have to understand, in their mid-'60s to mid-'70s heyday, Lady Kenmore washers were the Lincoln Continental * of washing machines - quiet, solid, powerful, luxurious in every detail.

Then the bean-counters moved in, but that's another story....

* I refer, of course, to Lincoln Continental in its heyday (1961-1971) - not the badge-engineered models that came later.

 

[suds14]

Paul,

A neighbor had this exact washer in coppertone. I was around 9 or 10 when I first started helping her wash. I was so amazed how the timer stopped at the cycle selected and you did not need to set a water temp. I loved to watch the wash N wear cycles because my mom never used that cycle because of all the water it used.This was one of my favorite Lady Kenmores.

David

 

[pulltostart]

Paul,

She's a very beautiful lady, and I know that is the point of this thread, however.....  that 1963 Filter Flo pair to her left is just to-die-for georgeous!!!!!

 

Now, back to your regularly-scheduled thread.

 

lawrence

 

[pdub]

Stunning!

Wow Paul, I sure do hope you get the dryer that matches this washer. The color is one of my favorites and I love the clear buttons for the cycles. Thanks for showing it with the lights on as I never knew the blue and green cycle part of the panel lit up. The pair sitting together will be nothing other than show stoppers.

Great collection you have going Paul.

Patrick

 

[philr]

I remember the first time you plugged it, the noise level certainly changed since!

 

[70series]

Great job in getting this one back to top performance. It really is a beauty. Enjoy.

Have a good one,
James

 

[revvinkevin]

**Jealous**

Wow Paul, WHAT a beauty! You lucky dawg! CONGRATS on getting it up and washing again!

YAY!

Kevin

 

[westingman123]

She's boo-tee-full

I love the contrast of that white interior with the turquoise. Just a gorgeous machine. Listen...do you hear...it's the dryer calling for its mate!

 

[frigilux]

Great washer--and in such wonderful shape, too. Has the water level been tampered with? There can't be much difference between low and high if the low water level is that...high. The lowest water level on our 1960 Model 80 was just a bit over halfway up the rows of holes. A very stylish console, too.

 

[jetcone]

Thats one

tarted up Kenmore for sure! 

 

[oldskool]

Congratulations

That is one extremely nice machine!

What type of agitator does it have? The turnover and movement of the items being washed is impressive.

John

 

[swestoyz]

Beautiful, just beautiful! Love it Paul. Congrats again!

Ben

 

[mickeyd]

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever!" The Buddha ~ L

I love it and love how the the vid shows the supreme agility and economy of the Rotoflex with its so slim, stream-lined structure. Bet it yields another pound or two of room for laundry. I so envy and delight in your Lady with the Flex, all the lights, and the fine clear-lacquered fingernails--for me, the most beautiful of all the Ladies K.

Wish I lived next door: we could trade our Ladies back and forth.

Everyone says you can turn a screw to lower the LOW. I've left mine, and it's the level I most use. Always get a kick out of the irony that the factory set low is so high on our machines, while on the new machines the high is so low-- ah the contrariness of life; it never ends! ;'D

Thanks, Turquoise Man.

 

[frigilux]

The Buddha----you're a riot, mickeyd!

Wow, so that really is the factory-set low water level. I wonder why so high? Is it right above the top row of tub holes? Were they trying to avoid splashing?

My mom always ran a Rinse & Spin cycle at the end of wash day to clear out any traces of detergent and bleach. She'd use the low (or 'LO' on our machine) water level and water would splash everywhere, frequently popping the interior's light bulb. Same thing used to happen during the suds return. Eventually, the Sears repairman (who was a frequent visitor to our Model 80) put a foil shield in front of the bulb, which blocked the light and ruined the effect.

I always made sure there were several extra appliance bulbs in the house, LOL.

 

[mickeyd]

LOW WL: Was shocked the first time, waiting, waiting, waitin

Infinite water level, my foot! You mean pretty high to very high. And even better, there are a ton of little dots on the slider between low and hi, each dot giving you about another CUP of water. LOL.

Maybe they figured if you're spending the bucks for the Lady, what do you care how much water you're using; and in mine, with the mega-finned super Rotoswirl, there would be less chance of damage to fabrics with high levels of low water, (chuckle).

I think John told me something about this, but I can't remember, Gene. I'll ask him again.

 

[lebron]

wow

OMG that is an absolutely beautiful Lady Kenmore. Congratulations. I could spend hours and hours playing with this machine.

 

[gansky1]

One of the prettiest LK's, and in turquoise! I knew you had this washer but it's spectacular, such good condition.

I've noticed how high my low setting in the '67 70 series, too. I prefer the high level to be just under the tub cover, full load washing! The Roto-Flex is one of my favorite Kenmore agitators.

 

[combo52]

1965 LKM Washer

WOW it looks great Paul, glad you can finely have some clean lint free clothing, LOL.

 

WP & KM used a fairly high minimum water level because it is not only too splashy if the level was any lower but you really can't effectively wash a load of clothing with a smaller amount of water, remember all WPs & KMs were still standard capacity tubs at this point in time and the wash basket was not all that deep to begin with.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

On KMs and WP - minimum water levels

I read something very recently which really surprised me. In literature that Kenmore prepared as a service familiarization document to the field repair guys on upcoming new models, there was mention that water levels had been adjusted on certain models. I always thought they were the same for all the standard tubs, but apparently not.

This was a 1967 or 1968 document, I don't recall exactly. It was pointed out that models equipped with certain agitators had their levels adjusted by one-inch either in minimum or maximum, or both. This pertained only to Roto-Flex or Vari-Flex equipped models, but I want to verify that before I say for sure. I do know for sure that the straight-vane and Roto-Swirl equipped machines did not get the adjusted levels.

Our 1961 Kenmore 70 with the original Roto-Swirl filled somewhere I'd guess about 2/3 full on the LO setting. Well below the start of the ramps on the agitator, which always was fun to watch as the suds ramped up and down. As John says, these baskets aren't all that deep, so some of the much lower settings that were common in the 1979 and later models (the "Energy-Saver" notated models) would not have been seen in the 1960s.

I'll have to see where I got that document, it may have been an ephemera offering.

Gordon

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Oh my gosh, pardon me Paul...

I was really enjoying the water levels discussion and I failed to mention how great the machine looks!

It looks pristine, and it surely landed softly into your collection. Great job on the bearing re-do - looks like its just truckin' along, BD style.

We do need to find you that dryer! Congrats on a great re-do!

Gordon

 

[mickeyd]

I do know for sure that I have a 1963 Turquoise Lady Kenmore with a Super Roto-Swirl whose LO water level identically matches Paul's. Although the vintage Kenmores I've enjoyed always filled rather high on the LO, this one is way over the top, so to speak.

The Keyboard Lady K I enjoyed for 2 years at the Fleckenschteen filled on LO to the typical 2/3's level reported by other members. It had a Vari-Flex agitator. I'm sticking to the theory of less chance of damage to fabrics as an explanation for this oddity in water levels till we learn otherwise.

It also interesting, Paul, that our cycles and lid scripts are identical except for the extra slow on your woolens and position of the 2 PP cycles.

By the way, I hadn't heard "Whose That lady,"in years and now it's happily back in my head. ;' D . So Thank You.