Thread Number: 16407
Australian-made Simpson "Fluid Drive" |
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Post# 272515   3/28/2008 at 03:36 (5,844 days old) by fluidriver (South Australia)   |   | |
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I thought I may have been the only person in the world who rebuilt his 1967-made washer, until I found this site! My everyday use washer is a Simpson brand Fully Automatic Fluid Drive. It has a fluoro light in the control panel, which showed me it was no ordinary washer when I bought it as a replacement for another, earlier Fluid Drive I'd had for about 15 years. It's pretty much the same as the "Speed Queen" marketed in the US. I took it all apart last year and had the main shaft re-chromed, replaced the bearing, replaced the hose from the bowl to the pump (found the last new one in Australia, I reckon!),replaced the belts and generally made sure it was running like new. I should be able to keep it going for as many more years as it has been already, and the water consumption is better than some new ones. Looking forward to any comments. |
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Post# 272517 , Reply# 1   3/28/2008 at 04:12 (5,844 days old) by dadoes (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 272524 , Reply# 2   3/28/2008 at 05:38 (5,844 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 272526 , Reply# 3   3/28/2008 at 06:22 (5,844 days old) by fluidriver (South Australia)   |   | |
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Post# 272528 , Reply# 4   3/28/2008 at 06:33 (5,844 days old) by mielabor ()   |   | |
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Wow, there is some heavy scrubbing going on with those corrugated tub walls... |
Post# 272537 , Reply# 5   3/28/2008 at 07:08 (5,844 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)   |   | |
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Post# 272684 , Reply# 6   3/28/2008 at 20:48 (5,844 days old) by blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)   |   | |
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If you need any parts for this machine, I have Speed Queen parts available, including pump and fluid drive. You can have them for shipping costs, whatever that would be. Got a picture of the machine without the front panel? The parts are left over from our store. We sold and serviced Speed Queens, especially after Blackstone stopped making appliances in the mid 1970s.
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Post# 272710 , Reply# 7   3/28/2008 at 22:56 (5,844 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)   |   | |
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Hi Alan, Great to see another Aussie saving one of these great machines. I currently have 6 Simpson Fluid Drives in my possesion, including 2 of this series. I have a Semi Automatic Simpson Fluid Drive on its way. Another Aussie member, Arrrrooooh, recently bought one like yours off Ebay for AU$5.00!! Attached are some pics. Ive been able to get a number of parts to keep these machines going for years to come. If Chestermike reads this...I have a lead on a Wilkins Servis "Mark 22" Model 3....you'll find it in the manual i sent you...just awaiting pics to be returned. This is a 1963 2 Speed Fluid Drive. Cheers Leon |
Post# 272711 , Reply# 8   3/28/2008 at 22:58 (5,844 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)   |   | |
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Post# 272712 , Reply# 9   3/28/2008 at 23:00 (5,844 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)   |   | |
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Post# 272714 , Reply# 10   3/28/2008 at 23:01 (5,844 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)   |   | |
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Post# 272715 , Reply# 11   3/28/2008 at 23:04 (5,844 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)   |   | |
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Post# 272716 , Reply# 12   3/28/2008 at 23:14 (5,844 days old) by rickr (.)   |   | |
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I love the look of those Simpson machines! The chrome, the large fancy font, the pushbuttons, the hooded lighting, the timeline, the ribbed solid tub, just everything about this model is just way too cool!! I would LOVE to own one of these beauties! Thanks for the pixs, Fluidriver. And may your fantastic Simpson keep on washing! |
Post# 272718 , Reply# 13   3/28/2008 at 23:25 (5,844 days old) by rickr (.)   |   | |
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WOW!! They ALL are just awesome! I do wish I could find one of those babies in the US! Our Speed Queen is ok, but the control panels on the SQ are too conservative by comparison. The Simpsons design just blows the SQ away. Thanks for posting these machines. I love the vintage brands that were built in the US, however it is really nice to be able to see these vintage toploaderstoo. |
Post# 272748 , Reply# 14   3/29/2008 at 02:26 (5,843 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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Post# 272750 , Reply# 15   3/29/2008 at 03:32 (5,843 days old) by fluidriver (South Australia)   |   | |
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I love the way that by removing just two front panel screws, then two at the top/ back will reveal all! There isn't much that a serviceperson (or I) can't get at when this is done. Took me about three months on weekends to carefully disassemble, clean and rebuild this baby. When I had finished, I took it back inside on a trolley, and when attempting to lift it upright, it slipped and the very corner of the heavy chrome control panel landed on my right big toe, and I ended up in emergency to have X Rays to determine if there was a break. Luckily there wasn't, just bruising. And a smashed wall tile! Who says we don't suffer for our craft?! |
Post# 273249 , Reply# 18   4/1/2008 at 06:43 (5,840 days old) by fluidriver (South Australia)   |   | |
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Thanks for your reply, Ash. Your idea about a procedures list is a good one I would be happy to help with. In my experience, the part most commonly needing replacement is the solenoids for the diverter valves, and the valves themselves. I'm running out, and the machine does drip some water from one of the hoses during the wash cycle. My source of old household goods- an auction house- has recently closed down, and I'm not sure whether I will be able to find any more... Here's another photo from the machine in question, prior to restoration. The wiring is neater now. |
Post# 1194328 , Reply# 19   11/29/2023 at 05:57 by astorobsession (Melbourne Australia )   |   | |
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Do you have any machines you’re willing to sell? |
Post# 1194333 , Reply# 20   11/29/2023 at 09:36 by rinso (Meridian Idaho)   |   | |
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I always wondered why more manufacturers didn't use a fluid drive, AKA as a viscous drive, instead of a dry clutch. To me, it seemed like a perfect way to allow needed slippage in the first part of the spin cycle. |
Post# 1194468 , Reply# 22   11/30/2023 at 20:16 by astorobsession (Melbourne Australia )   |   | |
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I see what you’re saying, although these machines do seem to be washing away 60 years later without failing. They are the best quality with metal gears and parts. |
Post# 1194653 , Reply# 24   12/3/2023 at 18:43 by astorobsession (Melbourne Australia )   |   | |
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Good question. As both sides of the driving mech are insulated with screws, you would think so! I have no experience in this however... |
Post# 1194673 , Reply# 25   12/3/2023 at 22:20 by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Was a pretty reliable system, but it was expensive to manufacture, and often slipped too much, Speed Queen had a lot of trouble with machines that would not get all the way up to Speed.
I don’t think this washer has been washing clothes for 60 years, the only time you see a 60-year-old automatic washer. It’s either had a huge amount of repair work done on it, or it has not been used for a good part of that time. John |