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Thread Number: 31164
P.O.D. 10/20/10 |
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| Post# 470501 10/20/2010 at 10:14 (4,936 days old) by ingliscanada () | ||
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Is this washer the very first of the DD KM/WP? It looks narrow. | ||
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Post# 470502 , Reply# 1 10/20/2010 at 10:36 (4,936 days old) by KenmoreGuy64  (Charlotte, NC) |
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Is the POD the first DD washer?
No, this is one of the last 24-inch belt-drives.
This is a 1981 60-series machine. There were a number of BD 24-inch models that year, including some fancier and some more basic, and they replaced ALL the 1980 29-inch standard capacity machines as well as the 1980 24-inch models. The 29-inch standard machine became no longer available from Kenmore (though 29-inch standard capacity machines continued with WP for severl years if not through to the end of the BDs). Sears' volume was so concentrated on the large capacity machines that they consolidated models and thus warehouse space from two smaller volume lines into the one 1981 24-inch line which was expanded in scope from the previous year. The last of the 24-inch BDs were issued with the 1983 line - I believe there was only one 24-inch model. During 1981 and 1982, the DD progressively took over for the 24-inch BD, starting with some common non-suds models first, then the more high and low end stuff, followed by suds models and finally by 1984/1985, all of the 24-inch machines. In 1982 for example, if you picked a similar machine to that in the POD, you got a DD washer in non-suds, and a BD in the suds version. The last BD 24-inch model I saw had a white Straight-Vane agitator instead of gold - would LOVE to find one of those now. Gordon | ||
| Post# 470507 , Reply# 2 10/20/2010 at 11:15 (4,936 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
The things you learn here
First excitement by the POD led next to confusion. The signature control panel we all recognize was on the machine in the basement of the double I moved into in 1988. It was a 29 incher with a huge white DA agitator and was belt-driven, and held an 18 pound capacity, 5 water temp combos and extra-lo to extra-high water levels. To this day, one of the most capable and entertaining machines in my history.
And now to find the same panel on earlier standard size washers and to learn that DD's also featured this panel. Wondering what year this panel first appeared and what year it went away. Always stunned by the huge varieties of models, colors, widths, and agitators of the Kenmore family. You just can't get the answer wrong. They made and did everything. Those engineers and production people mast have had a ball. | ||
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Post# 470509 , Reply# 3 10/20/2010 at 11:28 (4,936 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC) |
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Mike -
This print style or "font" on the panel first appeared in the summer of 1981, and coincided to some degree with an internal minor re-design of belt-drive baseplates that allowed commonality between the two 29-inch capacities. What this means is an 18lb. model with this style panel is internally revised over the previous edition. This panel existed in production until the fall 1986 when Kenmroe closed the BD line. Not sure exactly when the last machine was made. Mine was produced in mid-August, but I just learned of one 4 weeks newer. They were gone off the sales floor by November. Gordon | ||
| Post# 470511 , Reply# 4 10/20/2010 at 11:33 (4,936 days old) by ingliscanada () | ||
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Canada Followed Later I believe that the 29" BDs continued throughout the 80s here in all makes (Inglis, KM, WP, Admiral, Kitchen Aid), and I don't think we ever had 24" BDs. I think the DD first came over the border around late 80s or early 90s. | ||
| Post# 470522 , Reply# 5 10/20/2010 at 12:49 (4,935 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
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HI Gordon, Thanks! but, re: signature control panel
I meant the panel itself, not the lettering fonts. I was talking about the faux woodgrain, the black panel, the center dial and then the control(s) on either side. Weren't they around for longer than that? 81-86, only 6 years of manufacture? Of course, I could have been stuck in time for a decade and not known it ;->
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Post# 470540 , Reply# 6 10/20/2010 at 15:00 (4,935 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC) |
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Mike - OOPS, my bad....
The center dial panel began in Fall 1975 with the introduction of 1976 models. The previous 1974/75 models had at least five various design panels, all from different 'eras' of Kenmore lineage. The Lady K was the garage door design from late 60s/early 70s, some BOL models had 1974 plastic panels while some mid-line machines had 1972 panels. That all changed for the '76 models with everything 60-series and up having the same framed console - black face, faux wood top, chrome lower trim and black/dark walnut end caps. These are easy-service panels that with the removal of two simple Phillips screws, allow the whole console to be removed from the machine for servicing without moving the entire machine. A timer swap in these can be done in about 10 minutes, start to finish. The one thing many don't notice about the first edition of the black panels is that the level and temp switches are much closer to the center on the first generation and further out on the second. Attached is a pic that shows this. Front left are the two machines I'm talking about - The machine on the far left is a 1979 built 80-series, and the Almond one next to it is 1983 built 70-series. 
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Post# 470550 , Reply# 7 10/20/2010 at 15:44 (4,935 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area) |
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Hey Gordon, my former neighbor Thelma had a 24" Kenmore washer and matching 24" dryer in the Toast color. Do you know if they made both the BD and DD models during the run of that color? I don't know when she got hers, and don't know which type it was. | ||
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Post# 470559 , Reply# 8 10/20/2010 at 16:26 (4,935 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC) |
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Tom -
I am sure that some 24" models were made in Toast, probably the 70-series models anyway, but whether or not they were BD, I can't say for absolute certain. My hunch is that no, they were DD only. The reason for this is that Toast and Platinum debuted in 1984, and I'm pretty sure that the one 1983 BD 24-inch model had been discontinued by then in favor of a DD equivalent. It may have lasted longer, but this was a 60-series model, which was usually only available in more 'usual' colors. I checked Sears' website - the 83 model shows as being available in White, Almond, Golden Wheat, Avocado and the most awesome Coffee. Gordon | ||
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Post# 470593 , Reply# 9 10/20/2010 at 21:15 (4,935 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area) |
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Gordon, thanks for checking. I always liked these machines, and they were still like new when she and her husband died in 2005. I would have liked to have gotten them, but didn't want to ask their daughters about them at the time. They were sold with the house, and the new residents gave them to relatives. | ||
| Post# 470695 , Reply# 10 10/21/2010 at 12:15 (4,934 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
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Thanks G, I have two thoughts:
First, ironic that once they standardized the control panel, beautiful as it is, all the variety vanished, Yes? When I think of all the oh-so-different panels produced over the years, it's mind numbing.
From the photo, it looks as if you're on your way to collecting all of them, and when retired will make a a grand showing. Just a few weeks ago, another one came up, stunning, a semi-circle of lighted glass with a needle in the wheel. You'd think I'd have seen them all, being almost 100 now. And there was another too very recently, but I've forgotten it. Second, and in a playful vein (me) did Kenmore suffer from a short case of Maytag Wannabee-itis, copying their center dial style? Didn't they (Maytag) abandon it in the late 70's or early 80's moving it to the side. | ||
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Post# 470696 , Reply# 11 10/21/2010 at 12:17 (4,934 days old) by neptunebob (Pittsburgh, PA) |
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Post# 470720 , Reply# 12 10/21/2010 at 13:57 (4,934 days old) by KenmoreGuy64 (Charlotte, NC) |
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Mike -
Agreed, mind numbing is a good phrase to describe the variety of control panels that Kenmore had over the years. Some of the parts-control issues involved with that from a managerial and manufacturing point of view, at least to me, are even more mind numbing. The set-up cost, the tooling charges, the storage of old tooling, etc. makes custom panels grossly expensive and inefficient. With the advent of the 1976 models, this all changed. Only the facia of the panel differs model to model, and this even involves dryers. The gain in efficiency and economies of scale there are staggering. As to the center-dial thing, no, I would doubt they had Maytag-envy. Kenmore had center-dial models in the 1967-1968 era that lasted in various forms into 1974. Other center dial designs came in 1974 before the black-panel machines. As it applies to Kenmore, controls are limited with the lid configuration - major controls can only be centered or right-side placed anyway, so there isn't a lot of choice. I think users liked the central locale of the timer, and it finally stuck in the mid-70s. The black panel models were so popular that once in vogue, Kenmore didn't mess with success for a long time. G | ||
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