1961 Frigidaire Custom Imperial washer - restored!

[@wmalden]

Beautiful machine! It always amazes me how quickly the water disappears when the spin starts. I love the unique control panel design. None of the plastic junk made today compares to this GM classic!

[@ThemeParkSoCal]

That's because most washers back then like this one don't have holes at the bottom of the basket that's why the water drains while it spins. My grandparents had something similar like this but that thing that bounces was a bit different

[@petermaz701]

What a gorgeous beautifully restored machine. There was actual artistry to these vintage washers unlike what we have now.

[@jaydeeess8996]

What a beautiful machine is right!!!! I don't believe I've seen a Frigidaire washer so perfectly refurbished!!! Congratulations and thank you for putting it on your channel!!!

[@inwiththenew]

I literally laughed out loud when the cycle started and the agitator started hopping along... but it actually makes sense

[@jimtomassetti8928]

When I was a kid my grandmother had this machine same agitator . I would stand watching till it was over. Fridgedare wish they still built them like this today❤

[@KevBear715]

Excellent restoration and video! Looks brand new! I don't understand why manufacturing of these washers was stopped. They did a great job. One of my Aunts had one and loved it. Thanks for posting this!

[@patcola7335]

These were expensive machines to make from what I understand.

[@dorabolick9275]

@@patcola7335 There worth it in the long run, last forever.

[@robertwhite9898]

That has style & better built & outperforms any of newer junk with complex computer junk . I like that that machine. Great roll over action. You’ll know your laundry will be clean. That the best wash action. By far .that washer proves you don’t need a control board . I like the plain & simple straight forward washer like that one .

[@mariaprado4291]

Si bonita y practica lava muy bien las de ahora ni tallan 😊❤

[@Ififitzisitz]

That timer with the bar dial is SUPER cool!!

[@Marie-ts8rp]

Amazing, thanks!!! Cant imagine findingan old warehouse loaded w all new washers from that era!!

[@littlegreeny8510]

This is seriously one of the coolest washers ever! And you did an absolutely gorgeous restoration too!

[@chnalvr]

When I was a kid, my parents and grandparents both owned this Frigidaire model, so I thought all washers worked just like this one. I remember how the control panel would light up. This is unusual and high quality today, which was usual and common in the 1960s.

[@patcola7335]

Yeah just about all manufacturers back then of washing machines had panel and dial lights on machines in their higher-end models. It was those niceties that we took for granted.

[@randyc8171]

My Mom bought a 1957 Control Tower Frididare washing machine. It twisted all the clothes into a rope and left sand in the bottom of the drum. But it did spin clothes almost dry.

[@darrylowens59]

Love these machines!!!!!!

[@darrylowens59]

Control tower's too

[@travis7310]

This is a beautiful washing machine! I love the agitator! This is very satisfying to watch! 😀

[@maturaSigma]

What an fantastic machine! It looks perfect!

[@samaddison5891]

What a stunning machine

[@rahilraza1344]

Honestly this agitator action is niceee

[@MsKelsieJH]

Too bad Frigidaire seems to have absolutely no idea how many people would line up to buy a washer with this wonderful pulsator deep action jackhammer-♤♡◇♧ing agitator. People who actually pay attention and don't just believe the superquiet gentler on your clothes high efficiency hype are sick of crazy expensive machines that don't actually get laundry clean! Better yet, combine this agitator with the GE Filter Flo in a super large capacity machine with deep fill. A washer that can actually remove all the dirt, lint and pet hair from a comforter, what a concept.

[@Susan70003]

ikr My mother in-law had one of these pulsators and the clothes came out so clean. then it broke and then went for a newer model. I wish they would produce these again. I would buy one too.

[@lukaszds8935]

The washing Mashine looks nice but is no longer up to date. Buy a european washing machine - a front loader with a drum. Could be bosch, siemens or any european brand. Everything will be washed perfectly with 3 times less water. And with a spin speed of 1,600 rpm the laundry is almost dry.

[@Warp2090]

@@lukaszds8935 Front loaders don't wash well buddy

[@paulam408]

I always wondered why Frigidaire quit making this kind of agitator. It seems to rotate the clothes better than the usual agitator that just goes sideways.

[@russ5024]

Required more water to circulate the clothes

[@russ5024]

Other brands were increasing capacity Frigidaire lagged behind the competition until 1970 with the introduction of the 1-18 models (Jet Cone agitator).

[@darrylowens59]

The Cadillac of toploaders from the company that makes......CADILLAC!!!

[@tyronlemons5203]

I like the low speed spin motor sound sounds like a washer from back then

[@hoagie1978]

Beautiful machine ! Maybe you will find the matching dryer one of these days.

[@jamesstout3430]

Great machine, Ben!

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

Thanks for making this video! Your restoration is top-notch. These are such unique machines! That clamshell control panel is epic. They obviously cared about how it looked, even when not in use, as well as cared about the functionality. The two-speed spin functionality is very neat. The high speed seems to be very high compared to many washers of the era. On par with some of the modern high-efficiency ones. I bet the drying time after washing is not bad at all with this. Is the two speed function a dual ratio belt design, or is the motor running at two different speeds?

[@swestoyz]

You're welcome! And that is quite the compliment coming from someone who I admire for your amazing refrigeration restorations. GM was clever with the spin cycle on these high speed Multimatic units. For agitation it uses a single pulley and two reversing speeds from the motor, but for spin it does use both belts to shift the spin speed using only the high speed of the motor. the time delay relay is activated on the second increment of spin (after 60 seconds), during this time voltage is carried across both the resistor and the bi-metallic relay and the solenoid. It takes roughly 15-20 seconds to heat the bi-metallic before it pulls the resistor out of circuit to then activate the solenoid. At the end of spin the timer continues to engage the time delay relay to allow the full mass of the mechanism to come to a complete stop; if not the trip arm would throw the clutch down against the agitate pulley and would potentially cause damage to the interfacing fingers between the sliding clutch and the lower agitate pulley.

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

@@swestoyz Very neat engineering! It is amazing that they had a nearly 900 RPM spin speed back in this day; when high speed spin extraction seems to only be a recent selling point in washers. And unlike some of the stuff today, these aren't known for disintegrating at speed and flying apart in the laundry room!

[@CBF1]

@@davida1hiwaaynet Older machines did 1140 RPM... Direct drive Unimatics! So no pulleys at all, motor is directly connected to the spin shaft.

[@jaimemarkin8680]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT WASHING ACTION!! EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS UNDER THE WATER!! EXCELLENT HIGH SPEED SPINNING ACTION!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@jacobchristmann640]

This machine looks like it just came off the assembly line in a box. How does one find parts for a total restoration that looks like this ‘61? Truly amazing!!

[@swestoyz]

I got really lucky. It was already in almost new condition when found. Some elbow grease and tending to a few mechanical issues, and it was up and running again!

[@wyzemann]

@@swestoyzYou struck gold with this one. I've never seen a 60+-year-old machine this pristine. You are an artist and a special caretaker.🫡

[@intelboydj1]

Nice vintage washing machine

[@Anthony-co4go]

gorgeous!

[@mdavid1955]

That machine "flies in spin mode" What rpm is high speed spin?

[@electronicsfixer]

850 rpm

[@sharipuckett6923]

Absolutely gorgeous. You did a wonderful job on your restoration of your 1961 Frigidaire Custom Imperial washer. I do have a question though. I noticed that you have another washer next to the 1961 Frigidaire Custom Imperial washer. It's beautiful though. And it's white. Is it a GE filter flo washer?

[@swestoyz]

Yes, it’s a 1958 GE. Check out my other videos for a clip of the GE in action.

[@sharipuckett6923]

@@swestoyz Okay. How do I do that?

[@swestoyz]

@@sharipuckett6923 Here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/baS8XpyVrbybe5I

[@harrypretzel2587]

It would be cool if you dropped a gopro camera in there when it does the spin cycle.

[@AddieKirt]

Why does the agitator hop around like that on 60’s washers instead of the agitator actually moving?

[@Warp2090]

Because it washes very well.

[@AddieKirt]

@@Warp2090 I agree!

[@craigster1234]

I wonder if GM purposely put the name 'Imperial' [a competing brand for their Cadillac brand] on a washing machine?!

[@JohnAK72]

Is this coming from the future??

[@CBF1]

From 62 years ago. These machines should certainly represent the future yes, they at least represent the future we want. We know our shit when it comes to proper appliances.

[@JohnAK72]

@@CBF1 Man I want to wash my dirty laundry in this machines so bad. Maybe their famous pumping action can take care of the scum and dirt out of my work cloths. Of course with a fresh cold rinse, everything comes out nice and brand new.

[@CBF1]

@@JohnAK72 So do I, the world would be nicer with all of the old 1960's glory and so on. Good thing for me I do have a 1959 Hoovermatic 3174 of my own, but it'll need new rubber parts before it can wash and spin again.

[@JohnAK72]

@@CBF1 Oh yeah man, so you’re from UK! Seen those machines I mean keymatic. Anyway, heard there are some Australian versions of GM Frigidaire washers still around there?

[@CBF1]

@@JohnAK72 Yes, there was a British rollermatic sold as well. Nobody's found it as of now.

[@Thedonsmoney25823]

Do you have any vintage maytags

[@henrydoesstuff213]

9:12 SPIN 1140 RPM?

[@intelboydj1]

The speed may be 900 rpm as you can hear accurately.

[@TobyMarston-s9e]

How does the spin cycle work if there’s no drain holes in the tub?

[@Warp2090]

Syphon

[@zac7062]

Is The Spin Speed Is 1000 RPM

[@m.v.5425]

When GM sold Frigidaire, the product went to trash, like all the other brands WCI bought up. This certainly is not a water conserving machine.

[@djplonghead5403]

Where in the world does all that water go?

[@tyronlemons5203]

in a huge outer tub which is them drained away just my guess

[@atlmartinb]

@@tyronlemons5203: Absolutely! Notice that there are no holes in the inner tub. Water continues to fill during the rinse cycle and overflows at the top of the inner tub to skim away lint. A similar thing happens when the spin cycle starts. The water is slung over the top of the inner tub. Unfortunately if the clothes had sand or debris in them, this could still be at the bottom of the inner tub when the machine finished. There was no water level sensor. The machine filled on the timer. After the inner tub was full, the water would just run over the top until the timer advanced to turn off the water and start the agitator. The detergent was inside the agitator so that it wouldn't get diluted by all the wasted water. If the water was off in your home or had a drop in water pressure, the washer would start agitating even with no water or not enough water in the inner tub. The design wasted a lot of water, but it is from a different time with different priorities.

[@simpsonauto850]

What the spin speed and the slow spin at the start of spin?

[@swestoyz]

Start of spin - 330 RPM High speed - 850 RPM.

[@Anthony-co4go]

If you ever want to sell....

[@coolrobuxgaming]

Awesome

[@sebertstover2788]

That to many items should use hot water makes clothes easier on machine this is just to much it is hard time moving the items

[@jaimemarkin8680]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@marthafoppe6964]

☝️ ｐｒｏｍｏｓｍ

[@robertdemaio5663]

Hopper

[@edsonbarros97]

I HATE THIS VIDEOS

[@patcola7335]

Stop watching them then. Problem solved

[@4HBirtcher]

Attention all KZbin users, please ignore the title name because he didn’t restore it all the way and I watched it! Of all the Frigidaire washers he repaired in terms of the motor that operates the agitator is quite, this washing machine agitator motor is not quite and needs to be fixed like use some kind of sound insulation to quite it down! So this needs to be deleted and the machine needs to be fixed again then reupload the video when the machine is fixed and quiet!

[@swestoyz]

I'm surprised you didn't dislike the video, as well, Henry. Were you in the workshop while I had the machine torn apart?

[@4HBirtcher]

@@swestoyz No but I don’t have to be to know exactly how loud the agitator is and needs more work done to it cause I watched the video on my smart tv as well as your other Frigidaire washers knowing the other Frigidaire washers were quiet but not this one! Find some sound insulation at your local hardware store and it’ll quiet down!

[@automaticwasher]

Videos do not seem to record the sounds of washers properly, some of my quietest washers sound much louder on video than they do while you're actually standing in front of the machine.

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

Quite a bold statement from someone with zero uploads of your own.

[@4HBirtcher]

@@automaticwasher That’s totally fucking TRUE!

[@russ5024]

Which transmission/mechanism does this machine have?

[@brandonsvlog8533]

Multimatic