A lead on a vintage Speed Queen

I'v been working on this one for a while... There's an appliance refurb place on Ontario Street (about 5 blocks from the apartment in Montreal) and I have been using this place as a source of parts for quite some time now. The owner is a pretty smart cookie when it comes to subbing vintage parts; for nearly a year now, he had been hinting that he has a "old Speed Queen automatic". Naturally, I told him I was interested. Last fall, he told me he was looking for a new home for it. I've been trying to get to see it (well, and nag him about the Inglis dryer motor I left with him) for MONTHS. Today, being 'town-bound', I decided to hike up there to see him. The store was closed and a note in the door read that 'Due to exceptional circumstances,etc,etc' he would be closed until mid-week next week. But I took a look in the window and what did I see next to one of his vintage Moffat ranges? Yep. The washer!
I didn't remember that my new mobile phone has a camera in... I would guess it is a mid- to late-50s model. The control panel is low with the Speed Queen name on it. At the far right is a 'control box' with the timer dial and above this are four very sturdy-looking toggle switches. The writing above each was unreadable but I guess they would be for water level, wash speed, and water temperature. Even better, I think I actually have a service manual for this machine!!
I am pretty excited about this and I will be calling this place next week to be sure.
I am going to try to not get my hopes up too high, 'cause I think this feller will probably be asking an arm and a leg... We shall see!!


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Post# 495986 2/12/2011 at 15:51 (4,820 days old) by turquoisedude (.)
Checkrate/Likes I'v been working on this one for a while... There's an appliance refurb place on Ontario Street (about 5 blocks from the apartment in Montreal) and I have been using this place as a source of parts for quite some time now. The owner is a pretty smart cookie when it comes to subbing vintage parts; for nearly a year now, he had been hinting that he has a "old Speed Queen automatic". Naturally, I told him I was interested. Last fall, he told me he was looking for a new home for it. I've been trying to get to see it (well, and nag him about the Inglis dryer motor I left with him) for MONTHS. Today, being 'town-bound', I decided to hike up there to see him. The store was closed and a note in the door read that 'Due to exceptional circumstances,etc,etc' he would be closed until mid-week next week. But I took a look in the window and what did I see next to one of his vintage Moffat ranges? Yep. The washer! I didn't remember that my new mobile phone has a camera in... I would guess it is a mid- to late-50s model. The control panel is low with the Speed Queen name on it. At the far right is a 'control box' with the timer dial and above this are four very sturdy-looking toggle switches. The writing above each was unreadable but I guess they would be for water level, wash speed, and water temperature. Even better, I think I actually have a service manual for this machine!! I am pretty excited about this and I will be calling this place next week to be sure. I am going to try to not get my hopes up too high, 'cause I think this feller will probably be asking an arm and a leg... We shall see!!

Post# 495995 , Reply# 1 2/12/2011 at 16:30 (4,820 days old) by eddy1210 (Burnaby BC Canada)
Checkrate/Likes That's probably a 1957 you're seeing. The control box on the right has a toggle for wash temp, rinse temp, wash time and speed. That would be a nice machine to get for sure!

Post# 496140 , Reply# 2 2/13/2011 at 09:05 (4,819 days old) by turquoisedude (.)
Checkrate/Likes Eddie, it's definitely a 57! It looks just like the one in your collection photos, minus some of the paint on the control panel... LOL That should be a bargaining chip, right???

Post# 496206 , Reply# 3 2/13/2011 at 12:05 (4,819 days old) by eddy1210 (Burnaby BC Canada)
Checkrate/Likes *It should be, Paul* You'll love that SQ! Now, the toggle that controls wash time is interesting. You'll see an 11 and a 4 on the top line. The bottom reads 7 and a 2. So, with the toggle up, it will give an 11 minute wash on Normal cycle and a 4 minute wash on the short cycle. If the toggle is down, you get a 7 minute wash time on Normal, and a 2 minute wash on Short. How does it do this? By simply disengaging the agitator solenoid for a period of time during the wash, so you get a soaking period (all with the pump still running!) Very fun machine, do try and get it.