Anybody happen to possess this washer model?--Laundry Shark

How well do these wash? Were they reliable?

This is the matching washer to the dryer Jimmy (Filter-Flo) just found!! And yes, these wahers washed wonderfully. They are my next favorite top load washer behind Frigidaire.

Thread number 15070 is the thread about the matching dryer Jimmy found.

Wow that best describes it. I never saw a commercial like that one. That particular model is priceless.
Peter

I have the 1955 Kelvinator washer - wonderful machine!

Yes Bob! Those are great washers indeed!. I have a 1964 Kelvinator set and love it. My agitator does not have the rubber fins which they eliminated by the 60's, but it does have a tendency to tangle on small loads........Ive never had a tangling problem on full loads (Bob Loads!).

This video should definatly be added to the collection in this Club. I hope Robert will see it and add it.
Peter

Hi Peter, that is a great video isnt it? Hillary Brook, Kelvinator spokeslady was also on an I Love Lucy episode during the 1956 season. American Motors sponsered The Walt Disney Show and many Nash and Rambler and Kelvinator appliance commercials were featured.......That is one great commercial!

Classic TV afficianados will remember Ms. Brooke from her being a member of the cast on "The Abbott & Costello Show," and a recurring role on "My Little Margie."

That was really neat, thanks so much for posting it for us.

The old Kelvey's were really good machines. They provided good roll-over and cleaned well.

They also used copious amounts of water which provided a great over-flow rinse.

Spin speed was a bit lame------similar to a Kenmore/Wirlpool of that era.

That Do All DiaL pair is really nice.

I remember Hillary Brooke on "My Little Margie" in the role of
"Roberta". Margie's father, Vern Albright was played by Charlie Farrell, a former mayor of Palm Springs, California. Roberta was Vern's girlfriend.

Ross

I had no idea that's how they worked. Up to now, I thought that weird agitator oscillated like a Maytag.

Its very amazing to see a Kelvinator /ABC O Matic washer. I usually show folks the agitator action with the agitator operating in an empty tub, with no water. They always act unimpressed. THEN, I fill it up with water and put clothes in it, and they are amazed at the wash action and turn over. It truely is a wonderful wash action, one of my favorites to just stand there and watch! (Aspergers?) Ha. Its a shame they didnt continue to evolve the design in the late 60's. What replaced it was a joke.......

That's probably the best washer commercial I've seen as far as showing good shots of the wash action.

Hillary Brooke always spoke with a pseudo British accent even though she was from NY. She was also paired with Bob Hope a couple of times: "Road To Utopia (1945) & "Monsieur Beaucaire" (1946). I remember her best as a pro-Nazi spiritualist in Fritz Lang's "Ministry Of Fear" (1944) with Ray Milland.

Since YouTube is blocked at work I tuned into my home computer remotely from here to see that commercial, but I couldn't hear the sound remotely. It looks amazing, a must for our site, it also looks like that is two commercials (one right after the other). While I have to ways to grab that commercial and save it off of YouTube, the video itself is watermarked with "tvdays.com" which is going to prevent me from adding it to our library. :(

Kelvinators are fascinating washing machines! This is a great ad. It appears to be in remarkable condition with clear audio and very little visual interruptions.

The three methods of washing that are demonstrated are wonderful - such a good looking washer! The 1959 in my basement has been enjoyed by many people. Like Jimmy, they usually are not impressed when you give them a 'dry' agitation demonstration - but once you get some suds and water in there - they are hooked!

Here is an extra video for you Laundryshark. IIRC Eddie has the 56/57 washer and dryer set from the vintage ad.

Ben

That was a very kool video.
I sure hope you-know-who is able to restore his machine to the grandeur of the one you show! Would be nice to know there are TWO "Timeline" Kelvy's operational!

Too bad I do not have a means for grabbing at least the audio portion of those Kelvinator Washer demos from YouTube. Ben, I happened to come across your washer demo the other night while searching for Kelvinator Washer commercials. Many thanks for sharing that one. That Cheap Trick classic tune was an awesome background addition near the end. I already have copies of Robert's ABC-O-Matic demos saved here in my Vintage Appliance Videos folder, but am always open to collecting more bordom killing Splashy Kelvy demos. In my case, not worried about any lack of visuals as long as I can still enjoy the listening to it part. Therefore, in case anybody wishes to throw me some more nifty washer audios, look up my Shark email within my profile and have at it. Many thanks and Merry Christmas!--Laundry Shark

Alas, looks like Miss Brooke is no longer with us. But she has achieved immortal fame with Kelvinator fans......

Hi Jimmy...I remember watching My Little Margie with Hillary Brooke.


Ross

Hi Ross!, Wonderful Norge and FilterFlo washer there, I love them both. I remember watching My Little Margie too since we are about the same age, it was one of my favorite shows!......... Was Zazu Pitts on that show too? I have a vague memory of her on something or other in the 50's.......What a great charater actress she was......Perhaps it was the Oh Suzannah Show.........with ?Gail Storm? ???

By all means, this video should be add to the collection in this club. Lets save it.

I can't stop watching this great commercial. I tried to download it but couldn't - maybe Im doing something wrong. We have to find a way to add it to our videos.
Peter

*Unless you happen to have [or come up with] a special type of file conversion software to handle streams,* YouTube videos are streaming videos and cannot be downloaded as actual files. This explains why I prefer file downloads over audio/video streams from YouTube, Google, AOL, etc. Merry Christmas!--Laundry Shark

There is a plug-in for Firefox, name of Video Downloader, that can save YouTube files in .flv format. A free player is available.

Ashampoo Clip Fisher..

Will not only save them as a flv. file, but also convert them to WMV for you.

Somehow I got this program free before they started charging...
I use it constantly!
Brent

I have a question for all who know about ABC/Kelvinator machines.
When did ABC go out of business and American Motors/Kelvinator buy them out?
I have two ABC wringer washers, one says ABC- Peoria, Il and the other says ABC American Motors, Detroit. I was just wondering? Thanks, Gary

Nash-Kelvinator bought the ABC company in 1952. ABC built not only their machines but the Kelvinator's. Nash/Kelvinator merged with Hudson Motors in 1954 to form the American Motors company. AMC sold off the Kelvinator/ABC appliance division in 1968 to White-Consolidated. I think 1968 was probabally the last year for the ABC and Kelvinator was used on all washing machines. I remember in 1964 when my mother decided to go with an automatic she had looked at the ABC's and Kelvinator's, Easy and many others but stayed with Maytag as that was what we had as a wringer washer.
See the link below.

What was the last year of the X-Centric action in the US market? This machine is so fascinating, and it's the only alternative I know to the conventional twisting agitator except for the much better-known Frigidaire, and much lesser-known Apex.

It's a hula-hoop motion,
Dave

The last year I saw them in the stores was in 1969. It's ashame wci destroyed them like they destroyed Frigidaire. I bet if they kept it going they probably would have made a 1/18 and that would have been awsome.
Peter

I remember a neighbor who had an ABC-0-Matic with that washing action...and it was every bit as splashy as the '56 Kelvy in the Hillary Brooke ad. His, if I recall, was built around 1953 or 1954...

My mom's first automatic was a 1963 Kelvinator...no window in the lid...it had a lint filter that attached to the agitator (which probably eliminated the overflow rinse action), and the agitator was black plastic without the soft fins. It had the holes for the "water-jet action" and it splashed the way a Kelvy should!

I remember the MAGIC MINUTE feature, but not too fondly, because Kelvys of that era had timed fill cycles. If your water pressure was too low, you didn't get enough water in the tub when the timer clicked off. If it was too high, you got too much water.

I also remember the red unbalance button that popped up every time the washer shook more than a little...very annoying! Also the black agitators eventually began smudging the clothes after several years use--we ended up getting a turquoise agitator from the dealer where we bought the washer...that ended the smudges...

Interesting how all the washers made by automobile manufacturers had off-beat washing actions...Frigidaire's "jet cone agitator", Philco's "blades of water," and Kelvinator's "Deep Turbulent Washing Action" (what they called it in 1963; you supposedly could wash a paper napkin in a Kelvy without tearing it...I never tried it myself!

By the way, ZaSu Pitts starred with Gale Storm on "Oh! Susanna!", not "My Little Margie." The role was similar: "Nugey" was to Susanna Pomeroy what Mrs. Odetts was to Margie Albright...