Kenmore Washer

I always thought this one year machine was a pretty model, the first Kenmore washer that I did a major repair on in the customer‘s home was one of these. Sears had given the customer an estimate of nearly $100 to put a basket drive in this machine Back around 1969. I went down to the local appliance dealer and on the throwaway pile there was a 61 or two whirlpool washer in excellent shape and I took the basket drive out of it and I had my mother drive me over to this lady‘s house with the Kenmore and spent an hour or two my brother Jeff helped And we fixed this washer and she used it for many years. She was so grateful that she gave my name to at least two dozen people in the neighborhood over the years which helped to build our business, I charged her $22 to fix the washer.

Finally, when the bearings started to fail on the machine in the later 70s, somebody gave her a 74 Kenmore 70 which we kept going for many years, it was amazing how much service older washing machines needed. You only needed a small number of customers today, we have thousands of customers to keep us busy because appliances are so much more reliable. You seldom have problems with them.

But just like automobiles appliances will always break at some point and you will need expert help, appliances today are so easy to fix that you can often go online and figure out how to do it.

John L


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Post# 1228217 4/6/2025 at 23:52 by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes What's this then? hibid.com/lot/240583069/bt-1485-...

Post# 1228221 , Reply# 1 4/7/2025 at 06:24 by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)
Checkrate/Likes 2 Nice one. View Full Size

Post# 1228222 , Reply# 2 4/7/2025 at 08:01 by Combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 4 *1963 Kenmore 80 automatic washer* I always thought this one year machine was a pretty model, the first Kenmore washer that I did a major repair on in the customer‘s home was one of these. Sears had given the customer an estimate of nearly $100 to put a basket drive in this machine Back around 1969. I went down to the local appliance dealer and on the throwaway pile there was a 61 or two whirlpool washer in excellent shape and I took the basket drive out of it and I had my mother drive me over to this lady‘s house with the Kenmore and spent an hour or two my brother Jeff helped And we fixed this washer and she used it for many years. She was so grateful that she gave my name to at least two dozen people in the neighborhood over the years which helped to build our business, I charged her $22 to fix the washer. Finally, when the bearings started to fail on the machine in the later 70s, somebody gave her a 74 Kenmore 70 which we kept going for many years, it was amazing how much service older washing machines needed. You only needed a small number of customers today, we have thousands of customers to keep us busy because appliances are so much more reliable. You seldom have problems with them. But just like automobiles appliances will always break at some point and you will need expert help, appliances today are so easy to fix that you can often go online and figure out how to do it. John L

Post# 1228675 , Reply# 3 4/13/2025 at 05:47 by 70series ( Connecticut.)
Checkrate/Likes It's been a long time since this model has come up on the site. There is one in the Aberdeen Farm photos, and another in a 2006 thread with the lights on. Lit up, it looks like something you would see in a casino; the one armed bandit comes to mind. This was definitely one of the most fashionable models for 1963. I'm pretty sure it is a 700 series, with the Pregnant RotoSwirl. Hopefully someone grabs it. Have a good one, James

Post# 1228685 , Reply# 4 4/13/2025 at 08:24 by seedub (South Texas Hill Country)
Checkrate/Likes 2 *Reply #3* I have posted the link to one of the threads featuring this machine lit up like a Vegas casino machine. And yes, it featured the pregnant Roto-swirl, timed bleach dispenser, and out of balance kick-out switch and buzzer. 1963, I believe, may have been the first year that Sears rolled out the self-cleaning lint filter to lesser models such as this? I agree that it was the prettiest and most fashionable model that year. Decades ago, I listened to an article on NPR that mentioned an Italian fashion designer whom Sears Roebuck commissioned to design for them. One of his masterpieces was a refrigerator. One wonders whether he may have designed this machine also. In any case, it is my dream clothes washer that I lost a bid on the last one that came up for sale and I am heartsick that this one is far away in Ferguson and for local pick up only. Each time I see one I get a flood of nostalgia remembering my aunt's with matching dryer. My uncle bought it new and it worked for the family until 1980. I never got tired of watching it whether on or off. The first thing I would do when arriving from our 700 mi trip was run downstairs to the utility room to see the object of my affection. --Chris CLICK HERE TO GO TO seedub's LINK

Post# 1228701 , Reply# 5 4/13/2025 at 14:49 by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes 1 SeeDub's shared URL Link is coded for the mobile device version of AW. This is the computer/non-mobile device link for anyone who may prefer it. (The difference is presence or absence of letter M on VIEWTHREAD in the URL ... VIEWTHREADM is the mobile version.) CLICK HERE TO GO TO DADoES's LINK

Post# 1228714 , Reply# 6 4/13/2025 at 16:18 by seedub (South Texas Hill Country)
Checkrate/Likes *Thank You So Much, Glenn!* I also forgot to cite the Reply number, which is 166. I thought of a recurring question I have had for a long time: I have never found this KM 31480 in any of the three catalog series from "Spring 1963" to "Spring 1964". Was there only a limited number of items available for mail order and this machine could be bought only onsite at a local store? --Chris

Post# 1228737 , Reply# 7 4/13/2025 at 20:04 by pumper (SE Wisconsin)
Checkrate/Likes So someone got this for only three bucks?

Post# 1228752 , Reply# 8 4/13/2025 at 22:51 by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)
Checkrate/Likes *Kenmore models* Some were exclusive to sale catalogs, and not in the seasonal editions. Also as you mentioned store only offerings.

Post# 1228753 , Reply# 9 4/13/2025 at 22:52 by seedub (South Texas Hill Country)
Checkrate/Likes Looks that way.