Thread Number: 76943
/ Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
So How About This Kenmore? |
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Post# 1008476   9/24/2018 at 22:03 (2,011 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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I got a text from someone I got a ‘76ish Whirlpool set from a year or so ago asking if I’m interested in this machine. He said it works (as does the Whirlpool set) and that this belonged to his parents. I already said I want it, but any idea of vintage? I haven’t seen one exactly like this before. The console is interesting with the knobs on the very top...judging by the style of the font and dial, should be mid- to late 70s?
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Post# 1008479 , Reply# 1   9/24/2018 at 22:15 (2,011 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )   |   | |
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Post# 1008484 , Reply# 2   9/24/2018 at 22:34 (2,011 days old) by washdaddy (Baltimore)   |   | |
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I wonder if maybe this machine is from our dear neighbors up in Canada? Would anyone from that side of the border care to chime in and give their input on the possible history to this model? |
Post# 1008485 , Reply# 3   9/24/2018 at 22:48 (2,011 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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Post# 1008494 , Reply# 4   9/24/2018 at 23:11 (2,011 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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1974-75 Gordon will know for sure, but was just looking at the 74 S&S and F&W catalogs last week.
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Post# 1008526 , Reply# 5   9/25/2018 at 10:21 (2,011 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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Post# 1008537 , Reply# 6   9/25/2018 at 13:17 (2,011 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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That was my mom's exact machine -- in San Jose! It was purchased in 1975 from Sears at Vallco shopping center in Cupertino.
This machine has the penta-swirl agitator (gold) and quiet-pack transmission. It served my mom well for 25 years, only needing a new belt early on (the green ones were infamous for early failure) and an upgraded filter.
Get it Todd! This is just a notch below a Lady Kenmore. Extra points if it still has its (powdered) detergent dispenser for the automatic advance from soak cycle into pre-wash/wash cycles. |
Post# 1008558 , Reply# 7   9/25/2018 at 19:15 (2,010 days old) by Kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)   |   | |
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Hello everyone!
All comments above are spot on. This is a 1974 Kenmore 70 series. For much of its model run which I believe was only one year, there was nothing between this machine and the lady Kenmore until that no guesswork model was introduced as seen above in the catalog. I have never seen that particular no guesswork model above in the wild, especially in large capacity. This model seems to have been in production for only one year, and was followed up by 1975’s model 70 that have the controls moved to the console itself, and lacked the second rinse. That machine seems to be much more common even today. Both had a gold Penta Swirl agitator, I believe the only models to ever have this, as the Lady Kenmore had white ones, and they were white across the board in 1976 and thereafter. The 1974 Kenmore that my family had was the model on the bottom of the second page, the five cycle model. We really liked that washer and it was the first one I worked. Ours had a premature basket drive failure that could have meant it’s demise, but I insisted on a repair attempt. That’s another story for another day. Gordon |
Post# 1008577 , Reply# 8   9/25/2018 at 19:50 (2,010 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 1008597 , Reply# 9   9/25/2018 at 21:37 (2,010 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )   |   | |
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Post# 1008654 , Reply# 11   9/26/2018 at 09:41 (2,010 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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Post# 1008683 , Reply# 12   9/26/2018 at 16:14 (2,010 days old) by Searsbest (Attleboro, Ma)   |   | |
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Post# 1009035 , Reply# 13   9/29/2018 at 21:43 (2,006 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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I found my way to San Jose (and back) today to pick this beauty up. Haven’t cleaned it up yet — I did plug it in and the light came on and it did kick into spin. I was told it was lightly used — appears to have been sitting in the garage unused for years. The dark spots in the photos of the tub are just dirt/dust balls. No rust anywhere! Will give it a once over tomorrow along with a water test.
Never saw a PentaSwirl in any color other than white. Also, what on earth is the tray contraption in the upper left corner of the tub? It appears to have a switch behind it, but I can’t tell what it is supposed to do. It rests on a little notch (see photo) and extremely easy to remove. Worry about an off-balance load and it falling into the tub? Once I get it up and running, I’m sure I will find out. |
Post# 1009037 , Reply# 14   9/29/2018 at 21:49 (2,006 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 1009040 , Reply# 15   9/29/2018 at 21:52 (2,006 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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Post# 1009044 , Reply# 16   9/29/2018 at 22:11 (2,006 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 1009064 , Reply# 17   9/30/2018 at 01:13 (2,006 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Todd, that's the detergent dispenser I mentioned further up, and the information from Glenn is 100% correct.
There's one more thing you should know, since I presume you don't have the owner's manual. The only ways that dispenser will work are 1) If you set the Soak & Wash selector to the "on" position (and set the timer dial for the soak or prewash cycle of course), or 2) If you set the timer dial to the maximum of, IIRC, 14 minutes of "Normal" wash time, which is sort of a "why bother" scenario. It's easier to dump the detergent into the tub yourself.
My mom rarely used the dispenser and it just sat on a shelf near the machine. It was left behind when she had the machine replaced in late 2000, and I ended up sending it to a member in New England who had also found this same machine, but I don't think he ever showed up again with a progress report.
The weak link on this machine, and likely other Kenmores using the same design, is the fabric softener dispenser. Dilute, dilute, dilute or it will get gooey in there and the mechanism will get stuck. The solenoids for the bleach and FS dispensers may (have) develop(ed) a buzz, but it only lasts for about a minute.
This machine will last you a long, long time, and you'll barely be able to hear it agitate on full loads (Mom's used to make a weird "snorkeling" sound out of the drain hose on low water levels). I'm glad you found it. If I had been cruising CL, I'd have alerted you to it, but right now I'm in the midst of downsizing, so CL and thrift stores are two places I've been avoiding. |
Post# 1009109 , Reply# 18   9/30/2018 at 07:37 (2,006 days old) by akronman (Akron/Cleveland Ohio)   |   | |
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I have an incredibly similar 1974 machine as far as features, but you have a rare console for sure. And congratulations, that Penta-Vane and huge tub will turn over anything.
Take some closeup pictures of the console and various knobs across the top please. I never found a detergent dispenser for mine, darn it, but it would be extremely rarely used anyhows. And as stated above, the Fabric softener dispenser and bleach dispenser are easily clogged, try some cleanup on them first. Also, in loads where you may not use the softener, pour 3/4 cup of warm water down the hole, it helps keep it flowing clean. Also,. with Kenmore's, I have found that towels and blankets don't get as much suds out during the 4 short sprays, I switched to a low-suds HE detergent and all works well. This post was last edited 09/30/2018 at 11:08 |
Post# 1009142 , Reply# 19   9/30/2018 at 10:52 (2,006 days old) by Repairguy (Danbury, Texas)   |   | |
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Post# 1009222 , Reply# 20   9/30/2018 at 21:34 (2,005 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)   |   | |
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Here are the photos of the console per Mark’s request. The Kenmore sitting next to her Amana sister. Some chrome, etc. a little pitted from sitting in a garage in San Jose — Bay Area is a little humid being next to the coast and bay.
Anyway, did a tune up today and ran a maiden wash. Interesting to note the model number begins with “72” leading me to believe it’s a 1972 model? Also that the way to stop the washer is pull-to-stop, not push-to-stop...could it truly be a vintage 1972? The machine is a dream — so quiet and I forgot about how great the Penta-Swirl does such a great job! |
Post# 1009224 , Reply# 21   9/30/2018 at 22:17 (2,005 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)   |   | |
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Post# 1009226 , Reply# 22   9/30/2018 at 22:43 (2,005 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Todd, be careful when cleaning up the top of the console where the knobs are. That brushed finish and lettering is just painted on and is easily removed, so be gentle with it.
I had forgotten that the soak selector options were "Soak Only" or "Soak & Wash," but do remember the backwards nature of the push and pull action on the timer knob. The vast majority of machines use a pull-to-start design, so this Kenmore is again showing its unusual oddball side with that function.
I don't remember the model number of my mom's machine, but I think it's been stated here before that some model numbers that indicate the year actually were used beyond that particular year. I don't think your washer is older than 1974. It was only produced for a couple of years IIRC. Yet another quirk, I guess.
I'm glad you like this machine. It was absolutely the best one my mom ever had, and I helped her pick it out. It lasted longer than every one of her previous automatics (all Norges, btw) combined. The whole family loved it because we could actually hear the TV again in the adjacent den while the washer was running. That simply wasn't possible with its Snorge predecessor.
I'm betting this is one machine you'll never let go of. |
Post# 1009228 , Reply# 23   9/30/2018 at 22:47 (2,005 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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Post# 1009231 , Reply# 24   9/30/2018 at 22:57 (2,005 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)   |   | |
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Was on every Kenmore Automatic Ever Built up and including this washer, even though it makes more to push the dial in when you want to stop something I always loved the authoritarian feeling of starting a KM automatic by just pushing the beautiful dial compared to struggling to pull out the dial on a Maytag etc.
PS, Frigidaire washer built by GM also had the PTS timers till the mid seventies.
John L. |