Thread Number: 44347
1977 Lady Kenmore washer control panel |
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Post# 651661 , Reply# 1   1/7/2013 at 16:02 (4,097 days old) by redcarpetdrew (Fairfield, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 651662 , Reply# 2   1/7/2013 at 16:05 (4,097 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
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Post# 651663 , Reply# 3   1/7/2013 at 16:15 (4,097 days old) by applianceguy47 ()   |   | |
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Are we going to have a bidding war here, because I can't win playing favorites. I could list on Ebay. |
Post# 651682 , Reply# 5   1/7/2013 at 17:21 (4,097 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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Post# 651689 , Reply# 6   1/7/2013 at 17:50 (4,097 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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Post# 651701 , Reply# 7   1/7/2013 at 18:01 (4,097 days old) by applianceguy47 ()   |   | |
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I think the two responses before this one, MUST be right. |
Post# 651703 , Reply# 8   1/7/2013 at 18:08 (4,097 days old) by in2itdood ()   |   | |
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I'm sure we will see a post from him when he logs on ....=) |
Post# 651721 , Reply# 10   1/7/2013 at 19:14 (4,097 days old) by recyclewasher ()   |   | |
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I'd be very interested in the harness if you still have it? |
Post# 651727 , Reply# 11   1/7/2013 at 19:22 (4,097 days old) by applianceguy47 ()   |   | |
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Are you going to melt it for the copper? |
Post# 651743 , Reply# 13   1/7/2013 at 20:28 (4,097 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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Post# 651753 , Reply# 14   1/7/2013 at 21:32 (4,097 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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Post# 651757 , Reply# 15   1/7/2013 at 22:01 (4,097 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)   |   | |
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Post# 651762 , Reply# 17   1/7/2013 at 22:21 (4,097 days old) by bendixmark (Winchester Mass)   |   | |
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That is a pre 1981 panel as it does not have the solid borders. |
Post# 651764 , Reply# 18   1/7/2013 at 22:55 (4,097 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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Post# 651770 , Reply# 20   1/7/2013 at 23:46 (4,097 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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Thanks, James. I knew the Keyboards were still manufactured in the mid-70's but had no idea the black panels were out that early. Happy to know.
Do you have an idea what that latch on top is and what it says. I can't fathom it. Many of us have said that the Black Paneled Lady Kenmores aren't fetching enough to be worthy of the name; this one could pass. It would be nice to see a larger, more vivid picture to appreciate the detail. |
Post# 651796 , Reply# 21   1/8/2013 at 04:59 (4,096 days old) by Kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)   |   | |
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Wow folks, I am amused, enthused, and a bit flattered for the comments above (but mostly amused). I saw the notes from Andy and Kenny above while I was still at the office earlier in the day, but only had time to laugh but didn't have time to comment. I came home to a very overdue list of un-decorating tasks to be done, or I would have seen all this during the evening, but instead I never logged-on until now.
But without further yap, here's what I can tell you: This is indeed a 1976 Lady Kenmore console. It is one of VERY FEW of more than seventy black panel models which had a console light. Yes, there were over seventy distinct black panel belt-drive models from 1976 to 1986. The '76s stand out as being the first of a very highly successful design campaign, but also one that many here don't seem to find particular collectable. For me they are just one of the chapters among many in the Kenmore history. All but one of the 1976 black panel models, including this one, were unusual because they have a combined "Knit-Delicate" cycle, whereas in 1977 and later, these were always separated into separate Knit and Delicate settings, which turned all 4-cycle '76 models into 5-cycle '77 models, and on up. This machine was a considered a 13-cycle model, with the knit and delicate separation, it became a 14 cycle machine overnight in 1977. In case you are wondering --- of course you are, lol --- the one model that didn't change was the 1976 60-series, which was a single speed model without knit-delicate, which had a 'short wash' in place of the delicate. Besides the console light, this model also has a soft-padded top, somewhat like the vinyl tops found on many American cars from this era. I don't think that was used on but one or two other models either. To me vinyl tops and Kenmores didn't belong together, it was like bringing part of your Granada or Delta 88 into the laundry room. Yes, and oddly, all 1976 Kenmores had no more than 4 water levels, even the Lady. The earlier prolific use of infinite water level pressure switches of at least a decade before had yielded to cost-cutting efforts this year, where the '74 and '75 Kenmore 60 and 70 had infinite levels, as did everything above, but only four settings were deemed sufficient in 1976 for everything from the 70-series on up. This shifted back a bit in short order, as by 1979 five level switches were more common in upper MOL models, and the electronic Ladies had infinite switches again. By the 1981 models, infinite had come back to the 80-series models and all above. This machine and model year signaled in a very significant change in Kenmore manufacturing. For the first time, nearly all models used the same console geometry, and the same inner structure, which was tremendously more cost effective to make, if not very imaginative as had been Kenmore's way for so many years --- of different consoles both between most all models and from year to year. Sears must have saved countless millions of dollars in manufacturing, which I am sure made them more competitive and able to offer those weekly sale prices which sold most of their machines. This was the last year of the full-fledged electro-mechanical Lady Kenmores. The electronic 1978 Lady K came out during the Fall of 1977 or Winter 1978, and though 1978 was unusual in having TWO different Lady models, the electronic and one mechanical, the electronic model got all the advertising focus, and I hadn't even seen a 1978 mechanical Lady K until the 1978 ephemera debuted here. It is quite different in layout vs. the 1976 model. There was not another electro-mechanical Lady K until the final belt-drive Lady, the 1983 model, which was sold second-fiddle to the 1982 Limited Edition electronic washer through fall 1986. Being that it is so early, I am sure there's a tidbit or two that I am forgetting to mention, but I'll report back later if so. Thanks for the laughs and the commentary, I am glad to see positive discussion on this era of machine. They surely aren't the 1974 Lady K, the last of the keyboard models, but this was the beginning of a very significant period for Kenmore...one in which Sears solidified their place as America's #1 appliance supplier, but one in which cost and price consciousness started to become very important and a driver in product design and marketing. Gordon |
Post# 651801 , Reply# 22   1/8/2013 at 05:50 (4,096 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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This was the ONLY black panel Lady I liked. lighted console as well as separate aux knobs for extra rinse and auto soak advance. As stated, subsequent cost cutting yielded the functions of those two knobs into one signel knob and took away all symmetry of the panel. I believe the matching dryer was comparable--separate knobs for temperature (3 drying temps plus air only); wrinkle guard yes/no; signal; push-to-start. |
Post# 651824 , Reply# 23   1/8/2013 at 08:32 (4,096 days old) by in2itdood ()   |   | |
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Priceless information as usual ... I knew he'd chime in when he had some spare time! |
Post# 651861 , Reply# 24   1/8/2013 at 14:02 (4,096 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
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Post# 652043 , Reply# 27   1/9/2013 at 12:18 (4,095 days old) by JeffG ()   |   | |
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For comparison here's a video (maybe uploaded by an AW member?) of a 1977 70 Series. That agitator and the neutral drain make me drool. Start to finish wash cycle in 13 minutes. |
Post# 652045 , Reply# 28   1/9/2013 at 12:50 (4,095 days old) by Kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)   |   | |
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Jeff -
That video is indeed from an AW member, who I believe lives in Minnesota. The video was done so we could evaluate the overall health of the well-used machine. We determined that it needed a decent amount of mechanical aid, and it was transferred to another AW member not long after. Nick / WhirlyKenmore78 now has this washer and its matching dryer, last I heard. This is a fairly unusual wsaher - unusual only in that black paneled belt-drive machines were overhelmingly large capacity, and this one is standard. I'd venture to guess that there were somewhere around 20 to 1, large capacity to standard in this time period. In my own experience, between the machines I have collected to hold on to, those that I've accumulated to save from the crusher and pass along, and those that I re-built and re-sold, I have had a total of 6 black panel standard tub machines (in a 22 year period), and over 100 large capacity. Even more odd, of the 6 I had or have, two sets were copies - 2 1976 60-series, 2 1976 70 series, and two odd-ball 1979 models. These machines simply are not plentiful, and I don't think ever were, not like their large capacity mates. Gordon |
Post# 652071 , Reply# 29   1/9/2013 at 16:18 (4,095 days old) by recyclewasher ()   |   | |
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Hi Applianceguy47, my shippers zip is 33147, Miami, FL |
Post# 652459 , Reply# 31   1/11/2013 at 13:28 (4,093 days old) by recyclewasher ()   |   | |
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sooooooooooooo, what's the status now? has a member claimed the console yet? I'm still interested |
Post# 654205 , Reply# 32   1/18/2013 at 13:26 (4,086 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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