Thread Number: 37073
1963 Frigidaire!
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Post# 551465   10/23/2011 at 21:54 (4,539 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Hey gang -

I wanted to share a clip I've been waiting ages to make.

A few years ago QSD-Dan and I worked out a deal for his 1963 Custom Imperial Frigidaire washer to travel across the country and find residency here in Waterloo. Once we had the deal worked out, I had the machine shipped to Omaha during the my visit there for New Years, and we had a blast playing with this wonderful example of General Motors goodness.

I haven't done much with the machine as the pump pees after it sits. I have the parts to fix it, I'm just too lazy (or busy, the verdict is still out). I pulled it out of rest a few weeks ago and washed a few loads of towels in it.

Captured prior to pulling it out of service, the following clip was certainly fun to film! It was shot in HD (1280x720 60fps) so make sure you turn it to 720p to fully enjoy all the splashy wash-drama!

Enjoy -

Ben






Post# 551471 , Reply# 1   10/23/2011 at 22:55 (4,539 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
OH MY GOD and HOLY FECES

mickeyd's profile picture

This is pretty much beyond words. Never saw this control panel--a timeline. STUNNING! Loved being able to watch the movie and still see the whole panel; it was amazing. And the click and roar of the high speed spin--TWICE--it was heaven. Now if I had a million dollars.......

 

So glad I caught this before bed. First Bob, now this. Life is sweet. Thank you, Ben.

 

PS: And I absolutely loved how you kept pressing all the buttons--WONDERFUL!!! and DAZZLING!!!


Post# 551472 , Reply# 2   10/23/2011 at 22:59 (4,539 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        

unimatic1140's profile picture
Absolutely beautiful machine Ben, I remember it well in Omaha and your amazing video is the total future of digital washing!

Post# 551473 , Reply# 3   10/23/2011 at 23:05 (4,539 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
Frigidaire!

peteski50's profile picture
Ben this is absolutly awsome
Thanks for posting
Peter


Post# 551474 , Reply# 4   10/23/2011 at 23:06 (4,539 days old) by A440 ()        

The Sturdy Washer!
Thanks for the video!


Post# 551479 , Reply# 5   10/24/2011 at 01:13 (4,539 days old) by PhilR (Quebec Canada)        

philr's profile picture
Awesome machine! Nice video Ben!

Post# 551480 , Reply# 6   10/24/2011 at 01:24 (4,539 days old) by spinmon (st. charles mo )        

My mom had the '63 Imperial. Had the 3 ring agitator,not the 'Jetcone' shown here,which is a '64 ''improvement'' if I'm not mistaken.
Always wanted to put the Jetcone in our washer,but,seeing it takes up more room and,to me,has less 'character',the 3 rubber ringed version is cool.
I rememember our machine shifting right from spin-up 'slow' speed to 'normal' speed with no interim cruise on 'slow'. Just a nice shift as 'slow' reached it's full rpm. That's how I remember it anyway & I liked it!


Post# 551483 , Reply# 7   10/24/2011 at 02:17 (4,539 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
wow

jetcone's profile picture

Thank you Ben for the memories. This was my very first Frigidaire which got me going in this hobby back in 1979! I had the CD model which never had the lights. This machine is what made me realize the beautiful construction behind Frigidaire, it was the STURDY washer for sure. I was able to buy one of the last new tubs from the factory for this machine, which will now go into Roberts Super Duty Unimatic.

I think this is the most GM of all the Frigidaires ever made, it went head to head with the GE machines in construction and style and function!  And its the most 1960's of any machine- love the shape of those buttons, who wouldn't want that in your laundry room waiting for wash day!
Very cool video!

 

jon


Post# 551500 , Reply# 8   10/24/2011 at 04:26 (4,539 days old) by StrongEnough78 (California)        

strongenough78's profile picture
Beautiful machine and video! I watched it through my blu ray player since it has youtube access. Looked great on my 32 inch tv! Is the spin 1000 rpm on that model?

Post# 551504 , Reply# 9   10/24/2011 at 06:28 (4,539 days old) by Easyspindry (Winston-Salem, NC)        
Thanks for sharing . . .

. . . that video. What a beautiful machine!!!!! There will never again be anything like the GM Frigidaire.

We had the jet cone agitator, and it never seemed to tangle the clothes like the three ring.

Jerry Gay


Post# 551508 , Reply# 10   10/24/2011 at 07:05 (4,539 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        
Ben.

toploader55's profile picture
Great Video and what a Handsome Machine.

Looks absolutely Pristine. Thanks for sharing. Hope you are wll. Eddie


Post# 551509 , Reply# 11   10/24/2011 at 07:07 (4,539 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )        
63..

I got a coppertone 63 WCI from a friend in Lenoir who bought it new and other than a new agitator, never had a repair and was still working when I got it, Steve Riley now has it and uses it daily!

Post# 551511 , Reply# 12   10/24/2011 at 07:11 (4,539 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
1963 CUSTOM IMPERIAL WASHER

combo52's profile picture

Nice video Ben that was fun to watch, I may have to pull my 1962 FCI out of storage. I do believe that the 1963 Frigidare washers were the most durable Frigidare washers ever built with the possible exception of the 1-18s. Unfortunately in mid 1962 Frigadare eliminated the Rapid-dry 810 RPM spin speed on these machines, leaving this one to spin at 710 RPMS, still not bad as it was still the fastest spinning US built washer. In 1964 they reintroduced the faster spinning 1010 RPM again in the Roller-Matic machines.

 

 

Ben I wonder what happened to the original three ring agitator? The Jet-Cone did reduce tangling but as all can see they don't wash well unless you put a full load in the tub, a smaller load like in the video also wants to go out of balance at the start of spin, where as a full load will spin perfectly from the start in one of these great machines. 


Post# 551518 , Reply# 13   10/24/2011 at 07:42 (4,539 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )        

polkanut's profile picture

Speaking of QSD-Dan, where is he?  I've not seen any posts by him in ages.  I miss his depth of knowledge regarding all things Maytag.


Post# 551521 , Reply# 14   10/24/2011 at 08:43 (4,539 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
I didn't know the 1962

jetcone's profile picture

spun at 810!! Hmmph!


Post# 551524 , Reply# 15   10/24/2011 at 08:59 (4,539 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Thanks for the kind words guys! The video was really fun to make. Filmed on a Canon T2i DSLR, and all the post was done with iMovie '08. Someday, if I get a nicer lens, I may upgrade to FCP.

Jon - I'm in agreement about this being the most 'GM' of the Frigidaire washers. The early 60's were very much a transitional period for GM cars - just look at the drastic difference from a '60 Chevy to a '64 Chevy. The designers were looking for a new, more modern look during this time and it certainly blended over to the Frigidaire line. No other washer had this look before or after, providing for 3 years of a very uniquie and modern appearing appliance.

Yes the washer in the video may be considered under-loaded, but I only had 5 dirty towels to wash! Plus I wanted to give the mechanism support a good test. :D

John is correct about the spin speed - 710. Clothes are a bit more dry after the final spin in compairson to say a Maytag, but a bit more damp than the 59-62 850 RPM machines. The transmission in this washer was used up through the early production '64 models, with the Rollermatic being introduced in the late fall in 1964. These later modeled 63/64 Multmatic machines had the 1 year only pulsator with green rings, similar to the one Robert has had in the Super Unimatic for quite sometime now.

Ben




This post was last edited 10/24/2011 at 11:42
Post# 551532 , Reply# 16   10/24/2011 at 10:25 (4,539 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
Multimatic varirties.

mickeyd's profile picture

Trying to figure out if your machine is a 10 or 12 pounder. What year did the 12's come into being.?

 

The '62 CD I have spins at 870rpms, pretty sure. Robert once posted the specs for it, somewhere in the archives. Did I mis-read?

 

After Aunt Margaret's '47 Easy took its last spin, she bought a Frigidaire with a 12 pound tub and a three ring agitator with the classic ring colors. It was the first time I experienced the two-step spin, and I was just bonkers over it. I think the year was 65, but I'm not certain.


Post# 551536 , Reply# 17   10/24/2011 at 10:40 (4,539 days old) by rollermatic (cincinnati)        
love it!

rollermatic's profile picture
love those rollermatics!!! and your video!!!

Post# 551555 , Reply# 18   10/24/2011 at 12:16 (4,539 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Hey Peter -

She may look like it from the pulsator, but this girl is a Multi-Matic, not a Rollermatic! Just another example of GM constantly changing their minds/drving their service fellas crazy.

Mike - '62 was the first year for the 12 pound tub. This load would have been perfect in the 10 pound tub, and was slightly underloaded as I'm not used to washing with such capacity! :D

I'll scan in the doctrine tonight if someone doesn't beat me to it on the spin speeds for 1962, 1962 1/2, and 1963 model year washers.
Ben


Post# 551558 , Reply# 19   10/24/2011 at 12:32 (4,539 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

foraloysius's profile picture
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!

Post# 551559 , Reply# 20   10/24/2011 at 12:45 (4,539 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        

bajaespuma's profile picture

Thank you for the close-up of the incredible control panel. I've always wanted to know what the cycle bars looked like. Is this one of those control panels that folds down like a clamshell?


Post# 551589 , Reply# 21   10/24/2011 at 14:36 (4,539 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
Clamshell design!

peteski50's profile picture
I had saved a few specs from this design that someone had posted awhile back and I thought I would share!

Post# 551590 , Reply# 22   10/24/2011 at 14:37 (4,539 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
Clamshell design

peteski50's profile picture
2

Post# 551591 , Reply# 23   10/24/2011 at 14:37 (4,539 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
Clamshell

peteski50's profile picture
3

Post# 551615 , Reply# 24   10/24/2011 at 15:52 (4,539 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

goatfarmer's profile picture

Loks good, Ben, never hurts to have a STURDY washer or two......


Post# 551616 , Reply# 25   10/24/2011 at 15:55 (4,539 days old) by pdub (Portland, Oregon)        
Ben,

pdub's profile picture
What a great video. Excellent editing job. Wish I knew how to do that.

Of course, fantastic washer too. One of my favorites!

Patrick


Post# 551624 , Reply# 26   10/24/2011 at 16:13 (4,539 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)        

revvinkevin's profile picture

 

 

Hey Ben,

 

CONGRATS on getting that washer from Dan, it's absolutely BE-U-TI-FUL!!!

 

Awesome job on the video too!

 

Kevin


Post# 551636 , Reply# 27   10/24/2011 at 17:22 (4,539 days old) by rapidry1000 (San Francisco)        

Great videos. Brings back a lot of memories of my Mom's 1963 WCDA-63. I remember the spin speed kicking up from low to high speed unlike her previous Frigidaire 1951 unimatic that ramped up immediately to the 1150 rpm. Missed both machines.
I remember that in 1963 there were still many stores selling Frigidaire appliances in San Francisco.


Post# 551643 , Reply# 28   10/24/2011 at 18:09 (4,539 days old) by miele_ge (Danbury, Connecticut)        
very nice job.... thanks for posting

miele_ge's profile picture
Content like this motivates me to keep my membership up to date!



Post# 551644 , Reply# 29   10/24/2011 at 18:16 (4,539 days old) by yogitunes (New Jersey)        

yogitunes's profile picture
Three words.....FAB-U-LOUS........THE VIDEO, THE MAN, AND THE MACHINE.......

excellent job as always Ben....thanks for all the hard work on everything.....


I am gonna have to find one of these.......dag gone it you guys, getting me hooked on machines I never thought about before....first the 1-18, and now these....I love that agitator the best......odd how its shaped like the space capsule of the time period....


Post# 551659 , Reply# 30   10/24/2011 at 19:29 (4,539 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Ken - the fold-down clamshell was a 1961 Custom Imperial feature only. Certainly expensive to cast and manufature, I'm sure those conditions kept GM from continuing this in 62 and 63. 1961's also featured a similar button selector of that from the 1960. Simple push-buttons, found on the '62 and '63, would have been another cost savings point.

Kenny - yes, sturdy is the word. Unless this is on a wet floor, then it decides to dance!

Patrick - if I can figure out video editing, anyone can! Give it a try and don't give up at first. Eventually the light bulb will click and it's a piece of cake after that.

Jim - very cool memories to share with us! Seems quite a few folks here had a '63 Frigidaire in their past.

Thanks Martin for the kind words!

Peter - holly cow, I forgot I had posted those awhile back!

I learned something from the discussion today. For some reason I figured the 12 pound tub came out in '62, but I was wrong, per the doctrine (see below). Enjoy the craziness of speed changes year by year! I forgot to note on the chart the changes in 1962. At some point in the year (I believe towards the end) they changed the mechanism to that of what was in the '63. Changed the timer, motor, pulley's, clutch, etc.

The quality isn't the greatest, but that's what happens when you cut from multiple places in each table from each scan, then go from Illustrator to pdf to jpg.

Ben




This post was last edited 10/24/2011 at 19:51
Post# 551668 , Reply# 31   10/24/2011 at 19:52 (4,539 days old) by jetaction (Minneapolis)        
Great Video!

jetaction's profile picture
And a great machine, Nice to see it in action!

Post# 551686 , Reply# 32   10/24/2011 at 21:56 (4,538 days old) by washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

washerlover's profile picture
Absolutely gorgeous! We had the '62 or '63 Custom Deluxe when I was a kid with the three-ring agitator...no back-lit panel or push-buttons. I see someone earlier in this thread confirmed that the Jet-Cone agitator is authentic to your machine? Great video. Thank you so much!

Post# 551688 , Reply# 33   10/24/2011 at 22:21 (4,538 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Good question Todd - the agitator that would have came with the machine would have been identical to the one in Paul's WDAC-63, shown below.

Anyone out there got a spare? ;)


Post# 551706 , Reply# 34   10/24/2011 at 23:38 (4,538 days old) by spinmon (st. charles mo )        

Sorry I didn't mention in my earlier post,beautiful Fridgidaire! Now,thinking about that low-high spin speed shift,it DID go to high 1 timer click into spin.

How about an empty tub,timer advanced into high speed speed spin segment,0-top speed video with good sound. I think many of us would love to hear the low-high shift as it's accelerating. PLEASE!


Post# 551709 , Reply# 35   10/25/2011 at 00:12 (4,538 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

My parents had a set of these when I was growing up. As you all agree this is one of the most beautiful washers that was ever made.
Those panel lights were so bright! Our laundry room at the time was where our house's back door from the garage was. My parents used to leave the lights on the washer and dryer so they could see when entering the house from the garage late at night. Our machine also had the 4 ring agitator in it.
You must have paid a fortune for those machines. I haven't ever seen any for sale. And they are so clean!


Post# 551872 , Reply# 36   10/25/2011 at 17:46 (4,538 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Spinmon - as I mentioned before, I pulled the machine out of service for the time being. I want to repair the pump before putting it back in daily use. Someday I may get around to filming this machine again.

Allen - wow, another family with this set! I would have left the lights on all the time as well. Heck, I've gone down in the basement many times before the next day having forgotten to turn the lamp off. It looks so nice you don't want to turn it off!

Ben


Post# 551878 , Reply# 37   10/25/2011 at 18:23 (4,538 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Gorgeaus Ben

mayfan69's profile picture
Gorgeaus Ben.....

What else can one say!

Cheers
Leon


Post# 551901 , Reply# 38   10/25/2011 at 20:36 (4,537 days old) by maypool ()        
mad video

That was one of the best vids, clear and beautiful keep them coming thanks for sharing man.

Post# 551905 , Reply# 39   10/25/2011 at 21:21 (4,537 days old) by rickr (.)        

rickr's profile picture
Great video Ben, thank you! Beautiful machine too. The first washer I ever owned was a 1963 Custom Deluxe set. The Flowing Heat Dryer and the Sturdy Washer. Well, you what luck I have always had with the Multitragic.... I replaced the washer soon after getting the set, with a 1971 1-18 and used the 1963 dryer with the 1-18 until 2002. I always loved the dryer. The only thing I had to do to it was replace the blower fan once. It came loose from the shaft and destroyed itself.

Post# 551945 , Reply# 40   10/26/2011 at 03:44 (4,537 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

Another thing I remembered about my parent set was the smell. They had a smell to them that was similar to a new car smell it lasted for several years after they bought the machines.

They kept the machines until about 1972 when I was in college. I came home to find a GE Filter Flow set in their place. You know, I never asked why they got rid of the Frigidaires. But they did get heavy use. My sister as a teen was famous for washing just one blouse or just one pair of jeans at a time before a date. My dad kept screaming at her about the water bill.


Post# 552038 , Reply# 41   10/26/2011 at 14:33 (4,537 days old) by washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

washerlover's profile picture
Thanks swestoyz for the pic of the green & blue ring agitator...just like the one in the Frigidaire we had when I was growing up.

Post# 552076 , Reply# 42   10/26/2011 at 16:16 (4,537 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
One of my favorite Frigidaires - too pretty not to install in the kitchen, Ben!

Post# 552875 , Reply# 43   10/30/2011 at 21:15 (4,532 days old) by Autowasherfreak ()        

Nice video, and a beautiful washer!!!

Post# 553270 , Reply# 44   11/1/2011 at 02:24 (4,531 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Ben

jetcone's profile picture

I love how the slogan "The sturdy washer" was screened on top of thick clear plastic so that the letters float above the curly-kew background. The CD I had just screened them on top of the metal backsplash. All the neat little details of the TOL models GM was meticulous back then.

 

"Special" cycle, on my 1-18 the special cycle gave slow wash with high speed spin for pillows, does yours do that?

 


Post# 553584 , Reply# 45   11/2/2011 at 10:11 (4,530 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        
"Special" cycle

swestoyz's profile picture
@ Jon - Yes, I believe it is slow agitation will normal speed spin. A favorite!

Ben


Post# 553596 , Reply# 46   11/2/2011 at 11:16 (4,530 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
HI Ben

mickeyd's profile picture

Could I trouble you for the charts and doctrine mentioned in Reply 30.

 

That'd be sweet, and if you can, Thank You.


Post# 553604 , Reply# 47   11/2/2011 at 11:41 (4,530 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Hey Mike - the chart doesn't appear to be loading anymore. I'll repost when I get home tonight.

Post# 553611 , Reply# 48   11/2/2011 at 12:39 (4,530 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        

mickeyd's profile picture

It'll be fine night time reading. Thanks, Ben.


Post# 553621 , Reply# 49   11/2/2011 at 13:35 (4,530 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

There aren't too many of these left, are there?
I'm a pursist, I prefer mine with the original agitator.

Maybe someday, some way.....


Post# 553656 , Reply# 50   11/2/2011 at 15:45 (4,530 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
Regional differences?

mickeyd's profile picture

My Aunt Margaret's early sixties Multi, identical ( I think !) to the one featured in Paul Turquoisedude's thread, had a 12 pound tub with the classic yellow and coral rings, the same one that was in our Tower Unimatic. Isn't that weird?


Post# 553699 , Reply# 51   11/2/2011 at 18:34 (4,530 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        
I prefer mine with the original agitator.

swestoyz's profile picture
I would too... *dreaming* lol

Mike - hopefully this copy works for most browsers.

Ben


Post# 553833 , Reply# 52   11/3/2011 at 11:27 (4,529 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
Ben & Pete

mickeyd's profile picture
Ben, now the scans are appearing in Reply 30, and above. Thanks, the variations in speed are amazing.

Pete, that's the first time I've seen the 62 custom Deluxe in print. It's the one I have, but I added a light, not as bright in person, just really nice. Excuse the flash. Next time, I'll make sure it's off so you can see everything.



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