Thread Number: 43084
The 1963 General Electric undercounter clothes dryer
[Down to Last]

automaticwasher.org's exclusive eBay Watch:
scroll >>> for more items --- [As an eBay Partner, eBay may compensate automaticwasher.org if you make a purchase using any link to eBay on this page]
Post# 633890   10/24/2012 at 07:51 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        

combo52's profile picture

Along with the 1959 WH W&D pair Jackie also delivered the pink GE Under-counter Dryer that matches the GE sink top built-in FF washer that I have had for many years.

 

The dryer was a relatively easy rebuild so it completed it over the weekend. All it really needed was one heating element, the push to start switch was bad and had been bypassed, two light bulbs, a new belt, idler pulley bearings, new rear drum bearing and I removed the worn noisy front drum rollers and installed the later style drum support slides [ by 1963 the holes to mount the newer style slides were already in place so they just screwed in]. While this dryer was not available in gas you could also see that the cabinet was also designed for gas dryer production.





Post# 633891 , Reply# 1   10/24/2012 at 07:54 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Control Dial

combo52's profile picture

dial


Post# 633893 , Reply# 2   10/24/2012 at 07:58 (4,173 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        
Aferim!

bajaespuma's profile picture

Gorgeous! More pictures of that upper trim strip and all the controls, please! And then shots of the two together! Is that red circle the start button?

 

you could also see that the cabinet was also designed for gas dryer production.

What am I missing?


Post# 633895 , Reply# 3   10/24/2012 at 08:04 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Inside view

combo52's profile picture

with door open


Post# 633896 , Reply# 4   10/24/2012 at 08:05 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Start Button Detail

combo52's profile picture

#3


Post# 633898 , Reply# 5   10/24/2012 at 08:07 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Inside

combo52's profile picture

New drum support slides installed


Post# 633899 , Reply# 6   10/24/2012 at 08:09 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Reoiled Motor

combo52's profile picture

Note, added oil holes for motor and reassembled and lubricated idler pulley assembly


Post# 633900 , Reply# 7   10/24/2012 at 08:11 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Added heater relay

combo52's profile picture

I add this to protect the timer contacts from having to carry the heating elements high current.


Post# 633901 , Reply# 8   10/24/2012 at 08:12 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Idler pulley with belt installed

combo52's profile picture

#6


Post# 633903 , Reply# 9   10/24/2012 at 08:15 (4,173 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Power connection

combo52's profile picture

Located in the right front toe panel because this is a built-in dryer.


Post# 633909 , Reply# 10   10/24/2012 at 08:50 (4,173 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
What a great find to go with your matching washer - I wonder if they sold many of these? Do you know how long they were offered?

Post# 633927 , Reply# 11   10/24/2012 at 10:17 (4,173 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)        
Holy Cow!

mrb627's profile picture
I don't think I have ever seen such a thing.

Malcolm


Post# 633935 , Reply# 12   10/24/2012 at 10:45 (4,172 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Greg, I don't care if it is a picture of an AMP, that dress is NOT flattering.

Post# 633943 , Reply# 13   10/24/2012 at 10:59 (4,172 days old) by cadman (Cedar Falls, IA)        

cadman's profile picture
John, would you mind posting pics of the matching washer. It's been awhile! -Cory

Post# 633967 , Reply# 14   10/24/2012 at 13:19 (4,172 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        
In case you missed it

bajaespuma's profile picture

There is a complete brochure for this dryer and companion Sink/Washing Machine in the Ephemera Library.


Post# 633996 , Reply# 15   10/24/2012 at 15:12 (4,172 days old) by cadman (Cedar Falls, IA)        

cadman's profile picture
Thanks Ken! I checked that out earlier but nothing beats the real-deal in living color ; )

Post# 634005 , Reply# 16   10/24/2012 at 16:16 (4,172 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )        
John...

You come up with some of the most unusual things!!! I love it!

Post# 634023 , Reply# 17   10/24/2012 at 19:06 (4,172 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture
Too cool, John! This really is a rare find - glad you were able to save it it and bring it back to servicable condition. Congratulations!!

Post# 634071 , Reply# 18   10/24/2012 at 22:05 (4,172 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

philr's profile picture

How cool! I didn't know these dials also lighted up!

And nice to see you're posting pictures here!

I hope to see more from you (and one of your matching washer!).

 

I hope to see it soon in person!

 

Smile


Post# 634074 , Reply# 19   10/24/2012 at 22:15 (4,172 days old) by mixfinder ()        
Ring Me Up Some Time

I dig the cool dial with the light and how delux it all looks. Whirlpool used a similar dial on their 1961 dishwasher. The dryer is amazing because of it's uniqueness. It'll be cool to see it in a vignette with the washer.

Post# 634096 , Reply# 20   10/25/2012 at 00:19 (4,172 days old) by A440 ()        

Awesome!


Post# 634123 , Reply# 21   10/25/2012 at 05:21 (4,172 days old) by Easyspindry (Winston-Salem, NC)        
I've never seen . . .

. . . one of these dryers -- and didn't even know they made them. Very interesting!!!

Thanks for posting the pictures.

Jerry Gay


Post# 634145 , Reply# 22   10/25/2012 at 08:02 (4,172 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
GE Under-Counter Dryer

combo52's profile picture

I will eventually get this installed next to the washer at the museum and I will paint the cabinet pink on the washer to match. Even though pink would not have been my first color choice for this pair [ I would have chosen the brown color ], but since the dryers finish is in such great shape and it is easy to repaint the washer as it is only the cabinet that has any color and the pair has no colored porcelain parts.

 

 Hi Cory the washer is currently buried in my basement and we are currently trying to remodel the warehouse so I may not be able to get very close to it anytime soon. Maybe someone here on AW has some archived pictures that can be shared.

 

Hi Ken when I said the dryers cabinet was built with the idea of a gas dryer dryer, I meant that the punch holes were in place for things like the gas pipe where it would enter the cabinet. I am not exactly sure when GE introduced gas dryers but I thought it was around 1964, I am also not sure how long this dryer was made, but I would guess it was not long. This washer and dryer would have been not only expensive to build, but would have been a pain in the A.. for a builder to install, so I would guess that this interesting new product was pretty much dead on available and who at GE approved it was probably fired or demoted LOL.

 

Through out appliance history it has seldom worked out well when a manufacturer comes out with an interesting new appliance in only model and basically tells the customer to take it or leave it. Americans are kind of funny this way they want to see at least three choices.

 

Picture of center of top door trim, you can see that it is designed to match the console on the washer.


Post# 634152 , Reply# 23   10/25/2012 at 08:46 (4,172 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        

bajaespuma's profile picture

 

 

John's painting the Combo Pink!

John's painting his Combo Pink!

When sold and bought the thing was white,

and now what do you think?

He's painting his Combo Pink!




This post was last edited 10/25/2012 at 09:20
Post# 634155 , Reply# 24   10/25/2012 at 08:53 (4,172 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        
Funny you should ask...

bajaespuma's profile picture

I would bet GE was doing really well in these years and some young Turk down in Louisville proposed these models either as loss-leaders or a gamble that quickly proved bad.

 

These two machines wouldn't have been cheap and it doesn't make sense that families that could afford these, couldn't afford enough space to house a normal washer and dryer. Maybe these were originally designed for some huge apartment complex developper. They would have been VERY appropriate for many NYC apartments, except that usually the apartment owners didn't want the added complications and responsibility of "luxury" appliances like dishwashers and home laundry. They were follies. That said, I bet they were perfect for a handful of customers and those survive to this day. They remind me of those promotional pictures GE made of Combination Washer/Dryers built into what looks like 12 feet of kitchen cabinet space. Oh well...


Post# 634158 , Reply# 25   10/25/2012 at 09:19 (4,172 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)        
Strange

akronman's profile picture
Quite unique model, for sure. Did the sink just drain into the laundry tub? So you had to put it into spin to truly drain the sink water? I'd love one in my collection, not in my kitchen.

Post# 634178 , Reply# 26   10/25/2012 at 10:05 (4,172 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

philr's profile picture
I guess it had a separate gravity drain.
Thanks for posting a pic Ken! I see that the timer knob looks like those of the faucet next to it and I also like the lighted red pointer!


Post# 634187 , Reply# 27   10/25/2012 at 10:53 (4,171 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

You had to have quite specific plumbing connections for the sink to drain into the standpipe, but it was a dedicated drain. GE never called it a bar sink, but rather a laundry sink for situations where space did not allow for a laundry sink. I think it could have been designed in response to new homes built without laundry rooms with the laundry maybe in a hall closet or something and the dryer was low enough to allow for an uninterrupted stretch of counter space on top of it for folding or something, much like the Westinghouse Space Mates could be put under a counter. It does seem rather fanciful now, but you have to remember, the early 60s were a time of great optimisn, imagination and innovation and at General Electric, Progress was their Most Important Product, second only to keeping unions out of the workplace.

Post# 634357 , Reply# 28   10/25/2012 at 23:18 (4,171 days old) by 1952Crestwood ()        
What cool things you keep finding John!

I don't often post messages, but I'm ALWAYS in awe of the beautiful machines you are always finding. Thanks so much for sharing the pics and the details/history of them you share with us all.



Forum Index:       Other Forums:                      



Comes to the Rescue!

The Discuss-o-Mat has stopped, buzzer is sounding!!!
If you would like to reply to this thread please log-in...

Discuss-O-MAT Log-In



New Members
Click Here To Sign Up.



                     


automaticwasher.org home
Discuss-o-Mat Forums
Vintage Brochures, Service and Owners Manuals
Fun Vintage Washer Ephemera
See It Wash!
Video Downloads
Audio Downloads
Picture of the Day
Patent of the Day
Photos of our Collections
The Old Aberdeen Farm
Vintage Service Manuals
Vintage washer/dryer/dishwasher to sell?
Technical/service questions?
Looking for Parts?
Website related questions?
Digital Millennium Copyright Act Policy
Our Privacy Policy