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Thread Number: 97701
/ Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Servis becomes reality...... |
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Post# 1226235 3/10/2025 at 11:01 by keymatic  (London / UK) |
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Good afternoon all,
My dream has finally happened, after nearly 25 years of searching, I have been able to get my hands on one of my all-time wish list washing machines from the 1960’s. I was contacted many months ago by a lady in small village called “Newall” just outside Burton-on-Trent, the lady said that her mother had recently moved into a care home and they were clearing the property and had an old washer, not wishing to chuck it, she did some searching on the web and found my website and dropped me a line, when she contacted me she was vague on what model was, but just said it was an automatic, she couldn't give any dates or anything about it, so i went off to collect it in a half-hearted fashion - however my jaw hit the ground upon entering the kitchen and after nearly passing out I pulled myself together, with some back breaking lifting it was in the car and on the way home, and well the rest is history !! This is a 1966 Servis "All Fabric Automatic" Mk41h – production ran for about 2 years from 1966 – 1968, this was the 3rd model of top loading automatic’s from Servis (Wilkins & Mitchell Ltd) The basic construction of the machine had been perfected on their first model the Mk22 two years beforehand in 1964 when Servis entered the automatic market here in the UK, albeit this machine had 9 pre-selected programmes, the next machine that followed was the Mk38 and appeared in 1965, this machine had the pre-selected programmes removed which allowed the housewife / user to select the desired wash time and temperature independently, then in 1966 the Mk41h was launched, cosmetically quite different from the previous models, however the internal structure was virtually the same. The machine was in generally good condition when I collected it, however some of the cabinet panels were a little rusty from where it had been sitting in a slightly damp corner of the kitchen for many years so I have had these re-powder coated, I have had to strip it down completely as the drive / clutch shoes had worn, however now it is mechanically ok and works well, pump has a bit of a weep but nothing to major and will sort this over time. I will do a full video at some point to really show case this wonderful rare machine in all its glory, but for the time being here are some of pics of the beautiful Servis All Fabric Automatic !! Cheers Keith | ||
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| Post# 1226241 , Reply# 1 3/10/2025 at 13:06 by cfz2882 (Belle Fourche,SD) | ||
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Oh my... ...that thing is cool :) a big transatlantic congrats to you! | ||
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Post# 1226243 , Reply# 2 3/10/2025 at 13:09 by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK) |
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Servis MK 41 Top Loader  | ||
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Post# 1226253 , Reply# 3 3/10/2025 at 14:52 by appnut (TX) |
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| Post# 1226256 , Reply# 4 3/10/2025 at 15:51 by Agiflow (Toms River) | ||
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Congratulations Keith ! That is a beauty ! Looking forward to videos ! | ||
| Post# 1226260 , Reply# 5 3/10/2025 at 16:57 by GRNAppliance (Whakatane, New Zealand) | ||
Great Find! | ||
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Post# 1226286 , Reply# 6 3/11/2025 at 00:05 by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis) |
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Post# 1226290 , Reply# 7 3/11/2025 at 04:57 by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia) |
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Congratulations Keith! | ||
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Post# 1226291 , Reply# 8 3/11/2025 at 05:37 by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands) |
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Post# 1226293 , Reply# 9 3/11/2025 at 06:45 by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!) |
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Post# 1226298 , Reply# 10 3/11/2025 at 07:39 by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA) |
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Post# 1226300 , Reply# 11 3/11/2025 at 08:38 by keymatic (London / UK) |
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Afternoon All,
Thank you so much for the lovely comments on my acquisition of the Servis All Fabric Automatic. I am so over the moon with it, the styling and finesse is second to none, the engineering of the time was so high, everything on it is so precision made, i guess this is what made it quiet expensive back in the day !! A few members have commented on the agitator, it was a 2 stage agi, in its single state (no booster) it offered a gentle wash action for woollens and delicates, however once the booster was put on, it created a vigorous wash action which have been tailored towards robust fabrics like cottons and linens. It also doubled up a soap dispenser albeit not as effective as Hotpoint's filter tray. I am surprised there are not more of these machines around as it was made so well but looking back through consumer reports of the time (Which magazine) they didn't have a very reliable reputation. When Servis launched their first auto the MK22 in 1964 - the consumer magazine at the time that was testing the machine had 3 samples to test as the first 2 had serious faults, not a great start !! The styling is everything for me, the gorgeous baby blue, which was very much an in colour at the time, my mum had everything in the kitchen in that colour. I will upload some video's at some point. Thanks Keith
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Post# 1226305 , Reply# 12 3/11/2025 at 10:22 by appnut (TX) |
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Post# 1226330 , Reply# 13 3/11/2025 at 14:17 by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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You have to have a dream to make a dream come true | ||
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Post# 1227900 , Reply# 14 4/3/2025 at 02:36 by keymatic (London / UK) |
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Morning All,
I am not sure if anyone will be able to help with this but I thought I would throw it out there just in case anyone has any bright ideas. So following on from finding my all-time favourite washing machine, the Servis All-fabric Automatic from 1966, I think there maybe a small leak from the inner seal which is surrounds the spin tube and the outer tub, i think it is a double lipped seal. However, the problem i am facing is the removal of the drive plate which screws to the underneath of the wash basket, it is a cast alloy plate in which the spin tube comes up through, as you will see in the pics the top of the spin tube it is threaded then there are interlocking teeth which slot into the drive plate. I have tried everything to prise the dam plate off but to no luck yet, I have tried a bearing removal tool to pull it off and also brake calliper's inserted under the drive plate to push to plate off from underneath, i am slowly running out of ideas - yesterday whilst i had the calliper's on (x2, one either side of the plate) i applied some heat from a blow torch gently - but still no movement. Looking at the service manual, i am sure it is not fixed in any other way and it is just age that has set in on so hard. | ||
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Post# 1227937 , Reply# 15 4/3/2025 at 15:12 by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK) |
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Servis MK 41 Top Loader
Hi Keith , have you got pics of the tub underneath ? I thought from your first post you had done a tear down and renovated it before new painted cabinets put back on so wondered if the leak was just a tightening up issue ? .
Am sure many on here doing the Speed Queen fluid drive repairs will be able to help , penetrating oil is a good start , but if it starts to get difficult just "Walk away and have a cuppa" having found your holy grail you don't want an issue like your 1504 Hotpoint. If in doubt take it to Mark Hill , you know you'll get a job for life done well !! Cheers , Mike | ||
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Post# 1228001 , Reply# 16 4/4/2025 at 10:29 by keymatic (London / UK) |
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Hi Mike,
I have added a pic of the tub pedestal which encloses the spin tube and agitator drive shaft. I didn't do a complete strip down, only as far as the drive plate as the friction blocks had worn and I replaced them, it wasn't until I looked further at what I thought was a simple tightening of the emptying hose leak that I could see a slight drip was coming from a purpose hole (don't ask me what the hole is for) in the tub pedestal and thought, arhh the seal between the outer tub and spin tube must be perished. I will have a play at the weekend and see how far i get, failing that I will reach out to Mark to see what he thinks and there maybe a trip on the cards..lol - having awaited some many years for this machine I am not going to give up now, come hell or high water ! I will keep you posted. Cheers
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Post# 1228299 , Reply# 18 4/8/2025 at 11:31 by Marky_Mark (From Liverpool. Now living in Palm Springs and Madrid) |
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Post# 1228386 , Reply# 19 4/9/2025 at 16:17 by Keymatic (London / UK) |
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Thanks Paul & Mark,
I will update the thread as and when I make progress, it is such a highly engineered machine, everything is made to the highest standard - very intricate!! I have now removed the drive plate and tub to spin tube seal, tine to get a new one made :) More info to come. Cheers Keith | ||
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