General Motors Makes A Strange Washing Machine?! The Story of the Frigidaire JetCone Washer!

[@craigroach8297]

I’m 77 years old and grew up with Frigidaire . My father sold the brand starting in 1950 . Back in the 1950’s , owning a Frigidaire was a status symbol . People would refer to their refrigerator as a Frigidaire even if it wasn’t! Back then , many of their Refrigerators were quality porcelain. One big selling point was the compressor . All other brands had piston compressors while GM used the ‘Meter Miser ‘ compressor with only three moving parts . The compressor was quieter , used less electricity , and was far more reliable . Their washers used a pulsator verses an agitator and was more effective cleaning cloths ; however, the early models twisted cloths into pretzels - a big flaw customers hated ! By the 70’s the problem was solved with a redesigned pulsator . In its hay day , Frigidaire was the king when it came to appliances . Thank you for a trip down memory lane . I could write a Novel about my dad and Frigidaire 😉 .

[@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we]

If you ever get around to writing it, I'll buy a copy

[@phantom0456]

Sounds like your dad taught you all of the selling points for Frigidaire products!

[@craigroach8297]

@@phantom0456 he taught me a strong work ethic !

[@slicksnewonenow]

My Aunt and Uncle had a Frigidaire washer and dryer that they bought new in probably 1960... Turquoise blue and had "dashboard" control panels like a Cadillac. Uncle Mike called the washer The Tangle-O-Matic😂

[@cardo1111]

@@phantom0456 Indeed. All about the features and benefits.

[@vanceblosser2155]

My late wife and I were married in 1973, and my parents had a 1954 Frigidaire washer. They asked if we wanted it as my Dad had purchased a new Westinghouse and we agreed. That thing was BUILT! It took two healthy people to move it. It had an early version of this agitator and the high speed spin dry. But the high speed was absolutely necessary because of another feature of this washer - it was water saving! If you look at the one in your video you can see it's typical in one aspect - there is a wash tub with holes in it inside of a larger outer tub that really holds the water. With this setup the washer always needs more water than just the inner tub would need since you have to fill the bigger tub. On the model we had, the inner tub did NOT have holes in it on the sides. This tub was totally watertight. It was slightly conical in shape, it was larger in diameter at the top than it was at the bottom. At the top the tub came inwards and there was a grille with holes up there. During washing the inner tub only would fill and washing would take place with the vertical agitator. At spin dry time the very large motor on this machine would start to spin the inner tub at high speed and as it picked up speed the water would go up the walls to to centrifugal force and out the holes at the top. The grille prevented the clothes from going out. Due to the weight of water the torque required to do this was enormous, the lights would dim for a couple of seconds and then come back as the water started to leave the tub making the load lighter. There was an outer tub but it's only job was to catch the water coming out of the inner tub and direct it to the water pump at the base. There was NO pumping for the inner tub. If it didn't spin out it wasn't getting out. It did get the clothes clean. It also tended to compress them into a kind of clothes sandwich. This wasn't as big of an issue until permanent press came along. And it knotted the clothes up periodically. It did have a lid safety switch, but the lid was hinged at the rear, and when opened the lid would lean against the control knob. In the center of the control knob was a small button connected to a switch. When the lid touched this the washer would stop. Very handy for checking progress or adding a forgotten item without stopping things. It had no belts, it had a motor on the bottom, a transmission on top with a protruding shift lever on the side, a solenoid connected to the shift lever, all sealed. When the solenoid was down it was in agitate mode, when it pulled up it shifted into spin dry mode. It's possible the motor reversed but since it was sealed I don't know. We used it for many more years until it started leaking. You could get seals but the service folks we spoke to said it was a lengthy process to replace them due to the integration of the drive assembly and the tub. We tried a couple of other brands, we were going for a Frigidaire but they had been purchased by this time and there was no distinction from the other brands. We ended up with a Maytag in 1982 which still works fine but a modern Maytag is no better than the others. Amazing how the crappy companies seem to always manage to buy the good ones and instead of using the information to build a better product, just crap up the good one.

[@johnlandacre767]

You are so right. The lousy companies buy the good brand, completely change the mechanics to perform less reliably, but trumpet the name as before, after it has been bastardized to barely resemble anything similar to the original.

[@mattrowan2680]

That is an outstanding writeup on your old Frigidaire. Sometime around 1965 my parents bought a new Frigidaire washer and use to tell us kids (I was 8 at the time) that we were not allowed to go near it because it was an expensive "top of the line" very powerful machine that had "an agitator that could pull our little arms off" if we got caught by its powerful action. LOL. Anyway, the guys who delivered it said it was by far the heaviest washer they ever had to move and they hated it when they saw one on their delivery list. I don't remember much about all the bells and whistles but as I got older I was allowed to learn how to use it so I could wash all my jeans and high school sports stuff....but I do remember that it had a lot of heavy chrome on the control panel that had a ton of push-buttons and a big fluorescent light on the back panel. Whether it really was their "top of the line" I don't know but this thing could definitely put out a very clean heavy load of clothes. It was very impressive and I do not ever remember it requiring any service up to the time I left home at 20. My parents sold the house in 75 and because of its age they left the washer/dryer as part of the deal thinking it would start needing service due to age. My dad told me he always regretted not keeping it because its quality was second to none.

[@vanceblosser2155]

@@mattrowan2680 Ours had chrome on the control panel but no lights.

[@kaybroughton9004]

@@vanceblosser2155 WOW your post is so full of good information!! Thank you so much!!

[@vanceblosser2155]

@@kaybroughton9004 I was always fascinated at the thought that went into that washer and that they achieved all of this so long ago. But in order for it to be appreciated I needed to explain how it got rid of the water.

[@davidgold5961]

Yes, please do more videos like this.

[@alanblanes2876]

Ditto that...

[@thomasromero5873]

Yes, keep 'em coming!

[@JasonBratcher-n9p]

Have any 'full cycle' vids of any? I'd like to fall asleep to one - or two...?

[@bryanmcgowan8449]

I can't get enough of this kinda stuff, so thank you for showing us. It's great to show the value of vintage appliances, and how they can be just as efficient & effective. They're SO MUCH more durable than anything offered today!

[@djplonghead5403]

Not really efficient

[@tdvandy2]

@@djplonghead5403 If you consider that the clothes came out almost completely dry and required much less time in the dryer, then yes...efficient! If you consider that they would last 20 years or more and could be serviced and not just thrown away after 5 to 10 years, then yes...efficient!

[@djplonghead5403]

@@tdvandy2 I guess in that regard, that is not awful. These still use a lot of water compared to modern washers. Modern washers also do a fantastic job at drying, and with modern detergents, they also get clothes clean. I think the main problem with these old washers is they wear clothes out rather quickly, although I can not speak if this is true or false myself. Fast fashion was on the rise back then so people didn't really care anyway. Can't argue about their build quality though... superb- although they were rather expensive. You can buy a speed queen or commercial washer for the price of them back in the day and they should last just as long.

[@932stretch]

@@djplonghead5403 Who cares. It did its job as designed and for many many years. You can keep the "Hi Efficiency" washers of today. They don't work and only last a few years. Just how "Efficient" is that?

[@tshackelton]

Best feature is that big ole schematic sticker on the inside.... like it was meant to be serviced or somethin.

[@Michael-iw4ru]

But of course it was meant to be serviced - do you expect people to throw out the broken machine? :)

[@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we]

​​​@@Michael-iw4ruI'm 49, I've tried to pick up on this over the years, asked my parents questions, don't know where else I've heard of little bits of info, but I used to ask my parents : "there used to be more of a market for used appliances in the '50s, '60s, '70s, right ? " Unless I'm mistaken. It has sounded to me at least, that the quality back then like these Frigidaire washers and refrigerators, not everyone had the money to buy new, but for say $50 to $85 which still a lot of money, you could get a Frigidaire or Maytag or GE that still had many, many years of service left in it, and could be fixed if you were handy like my father. Am I wrong in thinking that in those decades there was much more of a market for used appliances. ? Even my sister in the '80s, a very young couple, had 2nd hand or used appliances, I don't know the last time I've heard anybody buying a used washer dryer freezer refrigerator Etc

[@johnhpalmer6098]

This included most TV's, radios etc, especially when made with tubes instead of solid state as tubes likely had to be replaced periodically or the service man could see how to diagnose the set for repair.

[@ceciltrane5418]

​@@Michael-iw4ru boy, if that doesn't contrast the change in culture...

[@darrengarcia4937]

@@ceciltrane5418because it’s easier to buy another than go through the trouble of fixing it. Production of things are a whole lot bigger than the 40s

[@groovy1937]

My Dad bought my mom a brand new set of Frigidaire Washer and Dryer in 1974. Top of line models, Harvest Gold to match our brand new 1970's house. My Dad always said those were the best you could buy and that they were over-engineered - so they would last. I remember the badging on the washer/dryer did state that Frigidaire was a product of General Motors. My Mom loved them. That agitator really cleaned the clothes and she loved how dry the clothes became during the spin cycle. I wish I still had them, but they did eventually wear out and instead of replacing parts, they bought a Maytag which my Mom still uses at the age of 95 and she still mentions how the Frigidaire spin cycle was better than her 40 year old Maytag. Loved this video! brought back a lot of memories! This and the 1973 Cadillac Sedan Deville! Oh to go back in time!

[@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we]

Considering the reputation the original old-school Maytag washers and dryers like my folks bought(and lasted a long long time) and how good they were, that's really saying something that the Frigidaire your mom and dad had was that good ! I was born in '74, I wanna go back too😁

[@groovy1937]

@@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we The Frigidaire set was really good, they just replaced it because they moved to a new house and the Harvest Gold was getting out of style, the Maytag came in Almond and in mid 1980's that was the new style. Also the Frigidaire washer lid opened to the left side and it interfered with a walk way in her new laundry room, the Maytag lid opens up - otherwise she would probably still have the Frigidaire - it was built like a tank as I remember and it had a lot features/control options. They really made good stuff back in the day.

[@MarinCipollina]

@@groovy1937 Pretty sure you could mount the lid on either side..

[@groovy1937]

@@MarinCipollina Not the one we had, it had an indention for your hand on the right side and hinge mounts on the left. Adam's video has an almond one that has the lid the same way as ours was.

[@MarinCipollina]

@@groovy1937 That's entirely possible.. It wasn't a universal feature then, but I think it is now, or nearly so.

[@broiledhobbit]

Not only did/do they work brilliantly, they're also beautiful. Designing a laundry room around a W/D set in the '70s must have been pure pleasure.

[@jetcone]

Ive been restoring Frigidaire washers for 35 years now and have more videos on the subject if anyone is curious. Nice video you show the fine points of the machine for sure. One statement I have to disagree with the first washer to use a timer to make it automatic was the 1937 Bendix Home Laundry. Developed my Mr Bassett and Mr Chamberlain in 1936.

[@sjs1965442]

Great example of when engineers were free to design. Thanks for sharing.

[@joesinkovits6591]

I remember that my folks bought a Frigidaire refrigerator/freezer in 1961 when I was five years old. It was beautifully designed, a work of art, made with quality parts. Although it was demoted to second-refrigerator status in the early 80s, it still ran perfectly until about 2005 and had never needed service. Its replacement, of which there have been four since the early 1980s, got progressively shoddier and less reliable-and Asian.

[@timothywackerle2374]

I’m 56. My parents had this washer when I was about 6-8 years old. There has not been a washing machine since the Fridgidaire that cleaned clothes as well. It was fascinating to watch. It made a chugga chugga sound too. Such a great memory. Thanks for doing this video.

[@mlconley]

I have the exact same story. Loved watching it do its thing!

[@edwardallan197]

The best ever by a healthy margin.

[@ChuckPrewett]

We had one when I was a kid too. In contrast to prior comments I remember my mother saying, after we later got a Maytag, “I didn’t realize how dirty our clothes were until we got a new machine? “ As a kid it made no difference to me. Dad was an engineer and fascinated by the unique design of Frigidaire (plus it cost less)

[@5lombardis]

As a kid I used to be able to hear it from across the house. At 60, thanks to this I can hear it across the decades. Loved holding the safety switch down so I could watch the agitation.

[@edrickoerner2758]

Ohhh YES. At 81, I grew UP fascinated by "the appliance department: because 10-15 companies competed for post-way "labor-saving" with different technologies, features and even COLORS so you'd want all one brand "to MATCH". Many OWNED a TV show. It was a WILD time! I switched to cars when I laid eyes on the '53 Studebaker Commander Starliner !!! I never miss an episode... you're GOOD. Do more of this, too. And you're spot-on about current junk... so I switched to Speed Queen in 2019.

[@captaintoyota3171]

Dude ive seen one of these as a kid. I was so baffled why it was so different than washer my mother had. I took apart so many things like this as a kid. And just rebuilt my 1980s whirlpool washer

[@southernfriedshenanigans3639]

I love vintage appliances as much as I love old cars! Keep the videos coming!

[@robertkeeney3898]

Those 70's era appliance colors though. Greens and yellows and oranges, whew!

[@PhilRacicot]

About lid switches, most Frigidaire washers had lid switches, even my 1957 Unimatic with a "control tower" timer. Many were cancelled by owners who wanted their washers to operate with the lid up. I had just one 1960 Multimatic washer that didn't have a lid switch as it was a very basic "deluxe" model. I gave it to a friend as I got a top of the line Custom Imperial set from that year. In the seventies, some of the 1-18 models had a lid switch that stopped the washer only in certain portions of the cycle. So you could open the lid to add stuff while it agitated. The switch became effective during the spin cycle. The washer you show has a lid switch in one of the lid hinges. As it's a fairly low end model, I think this particular one might have been cancelled. I have quite a few Unimatic, Multimatic, Rollermatic and 1-18 washer in addition to the 1973 compact GMini washer. These agitub machines were the first to use a plastic outer tub and the whole tub agitated. Quite unique machines that were more or less the equivalent of Chevy Vegas but I have to say mine still works! And the set I use daily is a Custom Imperial 1-18 set from 1976, the dryer is one of the very few made in Ohio specifically for the Canadian market. Many of my machines are Canadian made too but Frigidaire stopped making appliances in Canada in the early seventies. Frigidaire also pioneered quite few things like the Touch N Cook appliances in 1973, Frost-Proof refrigerators in 1958 and quite a few more appliances with unique features. I have the complete lineup of GM Frigidaire appliances in use at home with quite a few extra spares in my basement and more in storage!

[@edstevens1435]

The GMC motorhomes from the 70's are impressive.

[@andrewg.spurgeon1736]

I remember those washers as a kid, though my family never had one. My mom always had Kenmore appliances. We did, however, have a Frigidaire upright freezer in our utility room my parents got when they got married in 1959. I came along in 1970 and that freezer made many moves with us over the years and I still have it today. Still works perfectly and it's never been serviced. I had to replace the electrical cord and plug a few years ago. When you open the main door there are 5 separate compartments inside with doors you pull down to access each compartment. That's also a great design because when you open it all of the cold doesn't spill out of it. I only have to defrost it once every couple of years. I live in Florida and it's in the garage. My mom probably defrosted it every 5 years at the most, but it was inside then. It's still pretty amazing that it still works as intended all these years later. It's also kind of an art piece now in the garage with my Corvettes and 78 Lincoln Mark V, but it's full of meat and working in addition to being a cool piece of history. Similar to GM with Frigidaire, Ford owned a company called Philco that made consumer products..........all of the radios in Ford cars through the early 80's (until they went digital) said Philco on them. You could also buy Philco transistor radios, console radios for the home and TV's back in the day. Ford purchased Philco in the early 1960's, so none of the vintage Philco radios people had in the 30's and 40's before TV came out had anything to do with Ford, it's still interesting to see how the car companies diversified back in the day.

[@toddschwabe8831]

As a kid my neighbor had the Frigidaire set. It was called "Imperial" and had the same kind of agitator It was made of rubber and had 3 colored rings that were on the upper part of the agitator. You also had a rubber cap on top vs plastic as seen in these videos and you would put your soap in there and then place the rubber top back on .These were a washing machine. If only they could still make them like that today. I would gladly pay more than need to replace every 5 years and fill our landfills. Great video. Keep it up

[@charliesandoval9277]

I was a kid in the 70’s and loved all GM cars. I was blown away when I first saw “A Division of General Motors” on the chrome detail of a Frigidaire appliance. I thought it would be so cool if my parents were to replace what we had, but they didn’t. I guess I could always find and buy my own vintage GM/Frigidaire appliances now. I hear the new Frigidaire, a division of Electrolux, is not even close to the classics - like everything else. Great video and memories - thank you!

[@glennbaxter4507]

Yes, Frigidaire is just a nameplate now, just like most of the other brands that we used to know and love.

[@MG-sj1em]

These washer worked so well. A couple of brilliant things, glass see thru lid, an easy to clean lint catch in the washer not at the end of drain tube. Access doors for motors etc. We had one of these same color as here avocado green. The only reason in the 90's my mom replaced it was the color, it was "So out". What a work horse of a machine. When I was a kid, Frigidaire/GM was a mark of excellence, quality. Kinda like a "Cadillac" of appliances. Great video. Thumbs up on more.

[@viciouspoodle5543]

As kids, we were absolutely FASCINATED with the JetCone washer! My Aunt Edith (God rest her) had one and we wanted our parents to get one because it seemed so cool!

[@gordonmacqueen8694]

Absolutely love this content. I've been fascinated by automatic washing machines forever. Growing up, we had a 1-18 washer and my mom swore by the thing. She would make us kids sit on it while it went through the spin cycle because it would get out of balance and dance around otherwise. It survived a couple of floods and finally broke down when I was in high school. It was LOUD towards the end; thinking about it, probably had some bearings failing. Knowing what I know now, I would probably have tried to learn how to fix it, but alas, no youtube existed at the time.

[@johnandrus3901]

Our's would walk across the basement floor, when it was out of balance. It wasn't too difficult to move it back, though.

[@captainahab4325]

My mom had a Frigidaire GM washer and it lasted forever. I was American built and well built. The agitator went up and down and when I was little I liked watching it.

[@billnasburg1361]

I am now 75 years old and clearly remember my family had a Frigidaire refrigerator and as a kid I called ALL refrigerators Frigidaire. Also, we had a BENDIX washing machine. Life in the 1950s was great

[@darrellsaunders4267]

It definitely lasted

I also grew up with a Frigidaire refrigerator, and also a Bendix washer, dryer set. Kalamazoo range, and Speed Queen vacuum. All from the mid 50's. My dad had to replace the heating element on the dryer, a couple of times. Good stuff.

[@DinsdalePiranha67]

My grandmother always referred to her refrigerator as a Frigidaire. I never saw fit to point it out to her, but her fridge was actually made by General Electric. :) I don't know how old it was, but it was one that had a huge freezer drawer underneath the refrigerator, and she had that thing for decades. I was probably in my mid 30's by the time she replaced it, and I'm pretty sure that fridge was older than me.

[@gcfifthgear]

The funny thing was that GM had to run an advertising campaign which claimed "Every refrigerator is not a Frigidaire. Every Frigidaire is not a refrigerator."

[@charlesdiggs5297]

I was going to say the same thing. We called all refrigerators frigidaires back then.

[@IanCliff-h8p]

My dad and our family lived in Pontiac (MI) and he worked for Pontiac Motor Division starting in 1949 (skilled tradesman, tool and die). He bought my mother a 1963 Frigidaire Flair double-oven range with a pullout electric cooktop and a bronze Frigidaire refrigerator (a bottom freezer model). They cost over $4K in today’s dollars, quite the financial investment for a family of ten children! My mother was so proud of that range and insisted on keeping it clean, clean, clean! It had a rotisserie in the main oven and we used to enjoy watching the chicken roast! He also bought several Frigidaire washers over the years, but had to switch to Kenmore in the late 70s and the newer models just couldn’t keep up with a family that washed three loads of laundry a day (7 days a week!) She also used a Hamilton dryer that they purchased new in December of 1952 and it ran flawlessly for over 50 years. Great trip down memory lane and I thank you!

[@muziklvr7776]

Those Hamilton dryers were really overbuilt and ran very quietly.

[@rchrisutoob]

I have often wondered: as a member of UAW, did your Dad get the same discount on Frigidaire appliances as he got on automobiles owing to their being "built and backed by" GM?

[@CVTaxi]

Please make more of these, along with Ford/Philco, and Chrysler's other ventures.

[@haroldb2663]

Yaaass, Philco! My first house came with one and this was 1995, about, so it was old and I kept it close to 8 years. It was still running when they drug it out the house, exposed grids on the back and all. Not to mention it wasn’t frost free.

[@user-pgchargerse71]

One of Chrysler's other ventures was it's marine division which made some very interesting boats in the 60s and 70s. many using marine adapted versions of Chrysler's automotive engines.

[@glennso47]

Chrysler Air Temp was a brand of air conditioner.

[@Drknnja]

Tappan was also part of the Chrysler Corporation

[@williamjones4483]

@@Drknnja I'd like to see your proof of that. I have done countless hours of research on the old companies and nowhere I have I found a shred of evidence that Chrysler had anything to do with Tappan.

[@wayneburch3775]

12:55 Thank you Adam. I remember Much of this video content and really enjoyed it. I'm washing as I text This in a New washer I hate..almost no water..hot setting is not even luke warm.. have to push the clothes under the water to get them wet.. and almost no agitation. Yes This type information is very interesting...I Always enjoy your Auto videos as well.

[@jjsradioman4876]

My grandfather was the general manager for several Pontiac-Buick stores he had a Frigidaire washer/dryer pair. I can definitely remember the unique agitator and the "GM" logo on the backsplash. It was blue in colour and they had it a long time. The competing Chev-Olds dealership owned a furniture store and it probably was sourced from there.

[@pijiudu]

Thanks for the video, and please do more like it. Frigidaire made some awesome appliances. My granny lived in the U.P., and had a Frigidaire refrigerator in her kitchen. In the basement, she had an old Maytag gasoline powered wringer washer that she bought before electricity became available to her house in the 1950's. It had an exhaust pipe that went out the window and a foot pedal starter on the front.

[@michaelsullivan2361]

I remember this design in Kenmore washers. Sears must have used Frigidaire as one of the manufacturers for the Kenmore line. I’d love to see more of these videos! EMD would be a great study. Ended the dominance of steam motive power. The great thing is, not only were EMD E and F units mechanically effective, GM had a beautiful sense of style. The slant nose E units in particular, are the most beautiful diesel locomotives ever made!

[@gcfifthgear]

Whirlpool made washing machines for Sears at the time that commercial at the end of the video aired. At that time they had introduced the dual-action agitator with the augur that screwed the clothes to the bottom of the tub. In fact, the washer on the left is a Sears Kenmore with that type of agitator. And it was the "best-selling brand's best washer" that was tested against a Frigidaire in the tests mentioned in the ad!

[@patcola7335]

​@@gcfifthgearThey clearly had that Kenmore overloaded in that video. I remember seeing that commercial when I was about 10 or 11 years old in the late '70s. Throw a full load of jeans in one of these 1-18s and you will see the disappointing results.

[@gcfifthgear]

@@patcola7335 I often wondered why the Kenmore was making that ratcheting noise (snick, snick, snick) as it agitated. Our Kenmores only did that when they were falling apart! 🤣

[@jst7714]

Ah yeah, my Kenmore agitator washer my grandmother brought from Sears 25 years ago is starting to click. I inherited the washer from her but it still cleans wonderfully.

[@mattrowan2680]

@@jst7714 That Kenmore unit is actually a Whirlpool "Direct Drive" unit. It has no belts and is a very excellent design with good longevity. If you're mechanically inclined, it is very easy to repair yourself and pretty much all parts are still available. I believe they started using that design sometime in the late 80's or early 90's. I personally own a Kenmore top of the line direct drive unit that was built in 1992. We have had this unit and the matching dryer since new and over its 32 year life I have replaced the motor in 2023 and one of the fill solenoids in 2020. I am very impressed with this machine and I refuse to replace it with any of this newer "EPA inspired garbage". The dryer has never needed a repair of any kind including the lint filter. It still looks brand new! The only real criticism that I have is that the lower cabinet (not the top section with the lid) assembly of the washer is not porcelain enamel. The dryer has no porcelain enamel whatsoever. It's just white enamel paint and if you chip it, it will rust. The Frigidaire that I grew up with was a full porcelain enamel machine as was my grandma's double oven Roper gas range from the late 40's. Both of these appliances needed two big dudes in order to budge them!

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

Thank you for showing the connection between Frigidaire and General Motors! I have been into the Frigidaire fridges for a while now. The model shown in the historic photo at 1:44 in your video is almost like the 1931 W-5 Frigidaire I have in my kitchen. It has a beautiful ornate belt-drive compressor with porcelain clad hardwood cabinet. One of my friend has a 50's Unimatic. It has an insane spin speed and does a great job washing clothes. I helped him get it going. I am so happy that others see and appreciate the connection between cars and appliances. I love working with both. Recently I acquired a 1924 Frigidaire solid oak cabinet refrigerator. It is one of about 3 known to exist and I am looking forward to restoring it! I have shared quite a few videos on repairing old fridges. Sorry about the incident with the puncture of the fridge at your place. I could have fixed that so easily!

[@jamespolcyn8441]

I love vintage appliances.

[@santafetrucker1596]

I remember my grandparents having a 118 (harvest gold with window in the lid) back in mid 70s. As a child, I would go to their house and beg my grandmother to wash something in it so I could watch the Jet Cone agitator in action; I was memorized. Wish they still made washers like this...one that used adequate amounts if water and recirculated through a lint filter. I remember cleaning that filter...sooo easy...just a couple if inverted taps on top of a paper towel. Would LOVE to find one like my grandparents once had. Thank you for sharing. :-)

[@michaelpfaff6009]

This was great!!!! I moved from a 3 story house in MD (and rental properties there) into a condo in Cocoa Beach FL. Thank goodness for a good appliance man because I needed him to work on all of the washers and dryers as they all needed something. I got a new GE Profile Combo washer/dryer that is 110 and needs no penetration through the wall to vent. Its spin cycle is a max of 1300 rpm. This is how most of the water is extracted from the clothes. It sounds like a jet engine spooling up as it enters the spin cycle. Then it slows down and tumble dries with warm heat. It has a built-in heat pump. No heat is discharged into the condo. The front-loading machine has a clear plastic window to see inside as it washes and dries. It is a 4.8 cubic foot capacity. It always finishes a load within 2 hrs. I fondly call it "The Beast."

[@gregordiseth6651]

Be prepared, as the condenser for the dryer will eventually clog with lint, and you will have to take the machine apart to clean it. Search some youtube videos

[@jrbon4619]

This was great! I grew up with Frigidaire appliances, and they were the best. They definitely cleaned your clothes. Please post more of these types of videos. The Frigidaire Flair range is another great GM design and appliance.

[@Rick1959]

GREAT idea!! We had a 1955 Frigidaire refrigerator that lasted 30+ years without a problem. Sadly it went to the curb for no other reason then it wasn't needed. I regret that... 😞 Looking forward to hearing more about Frigidaire and anything else you find 🙂

[@johncampbell5880]

My father owned an Appliance store in our home town. He sold Frigidaire appliances. The video brought back so many memories of him and the store (which was part of the house). My mother’s kitchen basically became his demo area as there were many times we’d come home from school and either the washer, dryer or refrigerator were sold to a customer. The washers were great, better than anything available today. Thanks for showing this, would love to see more in addition to your classic auto reviews.

[@adalb137]

Really enjoyed this. Keep this content coming. Big fan of vintage appliances. I have a 1962 Frigidaire built in double oven in my kitchen (original to the home) that works beautifully including the clock/timer!

[@musicnerd72]

Dang! That would be something to see. They sure don't make them like they used to.

[@kelvinsullivan6299]

You have proved that you could even talk about washing machines and keep my interest

[@kaybroughton9004]

I loved watching this and boy...it really brought back wonderful memories. My grandmother had a Frigidaire washer from 1953...then lived at my parents house until 1970. I was mesmerized by the up and down motion an how yhe clothing disappeared from the top to bottom with such pounding! And you are correct...at the end of the wash, those clothes were very close to dry! These days, there are extraction cycles because so many times the clothes are still too wet to go into the dryer. We also had a beautiful and unique Frigidaire stove. The "Flair" with a retractable cooktop and see -through top oven which you can stoll see on old Bewitched reruns of the 60s... General Motors being a huge sponsor of Chevrolet... absolutely beautiful appliance that if you can still find one, it's a fortune! Thank you so very, very much...more of these PLEASE...! ..

[@932stretch]

Bewitched also had a lot of Zenith products displayed throughout the home. Console stereos, TV's, radios; another GREAT company, renown for quality.

[@johnlandacre767]

@@kaybroughton9004 Those ovens like on “Bewitched” had the strangest oven door that lifted up and out of the way. Have never seen one like it to this day.

[@kaybroughton9004]

@johnlandacre767 they were gorgeous and saved space too! It was sold with my mom's house... Such a memory. There was another company that made stoves like this ... I believe there was a model from Tappan.

[@kaybroughton9004]

@@932stretch yes... Absolutely!

[@deanpackard6065]

My parents had one in the seventies. Really cleaned your clothes well. Thanks for the video . Watch all your videos! Keep it up Adam!

[@druballard8929]

Thank you Adam. It is very interesting to see how our manufacturers actually produced things and leaded the world in technology and manufacturing. Sorry I missed those days being 50! I was at the tail end of our greatness. Keep them coming!!

[@stank1974hole]

Yes would appreciate more content such as this.

[@cycleguy666]

My aunt had that washer when I was young......it was fascinating to watch it work!! Excellent video!!

[@fleetwoodpup8328]

Bringing back memories! My Aunt used her green 60's jet cone for decades! Her father was a longtime employee of Frigidaire. A video detailing the Allison Division would be very interesting.

[@nancyphillips7558]

I had one of these in 1976. It got clothes really clean. You didn't have to have stain remover products.I loved mine.

[@barryburkholder4000]

Being a boomer, I like anything retro. Do more like this. I remember those washing machines. Lots of movement. My grandmother had a Maytag washer in her cellar from the twenties. It looked like a barrel with a wringer on it. A set up similar to what you might see at a 60’s gas station to wring the chamois’s they wiped the windows with.

[@PhiloVance-yl2ko]

@@barryburkholder4000 I think the wringer was also called a mangle. Later washing machines had an electric wringer but you had to be careful not to catch your fingers in it!😵 Also mangle ironers where the clothes/material were pressed between heated rollers. You sat in front of it like it was a small table and fed the material into it.

[@randyfitz8310]

@@PhiloVance-yl2koA mangle was an ironing machine with a heated roller - fabrics made prior to “permanent press” seemed all to need ironing especially with high rpm spin cycles pressing wrinkles deeply into sheets!

[@martinbirdwell7986]

Same Here

[@edwinmassie]

My mother had one of these in the 60s. I remember she loved how it cleaned, but not how it tangled the clothes. I also remember she had to adjust the load on the spin cycle washing towels because it would frequently be unbalanced and the washed would "dance" across the floor!

[@kroge007]

Wow!! Did you end up with my Mom and Dad’s old avocado green Frigidaire washer and dryer? Hahaha!!! Growing up with 7 brothers and sisters these lasted for a while. My parents when on to buy an avocado green Frigidaire refrigerator that lasted 35 years!! Love the video, brings back memories.

[@Bill_Ivins]

My Mom had a Frigidaire washer in the 60s. It was yellow, along with all the other Frigidaire appliances that we owned. That washer was fascinating to watch!

[@SuperCommando60]

Prob most car guys are interested in anything mechanical. I have enjoyed watch vids of guys repairing vintage and new appliances, and seeing how things have changed. Like the current cars, appliances have traded technology wizardry for value and maintainability

[@RichardMichel-m3g]

Adam, loved the video. We had and still have an old Frigidaire fridge at our family cabin. We grew up calling it the ice box. We also have an old Gibson that my parents bought in the late 40's after they were married. It's still working too! My first job was detailing used cars at a Pontiac/GMC dealer in Denver. In our "annex" where we cleaned the cars we had a pink Frigidaire washer like the one in the video. It certainly did get our cleaning rags clean. We also used a 30 gallon drum with an old wringer on it for getting the water out of our chamois. Love your channel. --Dick.

[@worldtraveler930]

I remember as a kid Everything in the house was Frigidaire and the Quality was Rather Excellent to the point that I don't remember any of the artifacts having to be replaced in Less than a 25 year Lifespan!!! 🤠👍

[@scottls]

My Grandmother had one of these Frigidaire machines and it did work great for years and years.

[@Sedan57Chevy]

This was absolutely fascinating! I adore learning all the "lore" that goes alongside the automakers. They were massive industrial concerns, and were involved in everything from home appliances to defense contracting.

[@oriontaylor]

Yes please, more of this type of video! The other areas the auto manufacturers branched into were often fascinating, since the same companies that brought us Imperials, Mercuries and Cadillacs often brought us E6 diesel-electrics, excellent refrigerators, and nuclear missiles.

[@nateo2131]

Thank you for that content. I did not realize their leadership in innovation for washing machines. One Frigidaire appliance type that I remember several relatives having in newer homes was the Frigidaire Flair range. The only range type where the oven door is truly out of the way for access without a hot door to bump into. I have much of my spine fused and I can no longer use the oven on a conventional range. I now have a wall over, but how I wish someone would have made a retro version of the Frigidaire Flair with convection oven and induction burners.

[@ljdavick]

Best oven doors ever!

[@gcfifthgear]

And the Flair has become legendary unto itself as the stove which Samantha conjured up many a dinner (pun intended) in the first years of "Bewitched!"

[@jamesbulldogmiller]

@10:56 Mom had that exact model in 1964. I always wanted to see how it worked. And, now 60 years later you have shown me. Thanks for that.

[@muziklvr7776]

1964 model used the Multimatic transmission which was different than this 1-18 model...which was different than the Rollermatic model that had no transmission and used rollers only.

[@adamsneidelmann8976]

It’s a great idea to diversify content.

[@HHH22229]

My mom had a Frigidaire Washer-Dryer set and it lasted for over 20 years. I've washed many items in that wash machine bought in 1978. AMC sold Kelvinator refrigerators. My neighbor had one that suddenly quit working after a lifetime of use. They also had a Frigidaire Electric Range.

[@932stretch]

I presently work for a TV and Appliance store. I have two of these Jet Cone machines purchased new in the 70's. Upstairs to do family laundry; the other in the basement to do carpets, huge blankets/comforters, dirty work clothes; even car covers. Nothing stops these machines. When the console said Heavy Duty, GM meant it. And, they were built like Buicks. And I'm going to keep them for as long as I can; they may even outlast me.

[@TheDanno210]

I’d LOVE to see more stuff like this - old machinations and automatons are fascinating to me.

[@madmike2624]

Adam, I'll bet if you dig deep enough, you'll find that all 3 major car companies owned all kinds of other consumer products that would surprise anyone. Great content. Keep up the great work my brother!!!!~

[@PhiloVance-yl2ko]

Philco = Ford Airtemp = Chrysler International Harvester = International. (I think if you look closely you'll see that Rachel, Monica and Phoebe have an International refrigerator on Friends). Kelvinator = Nash (?) automobiles Crosley = Crosley/Jeep. They made refrigerators and, I think, stoves. A friend in high school had a Crowley refrigerator. This was in the 1970s.🙃

[@donaldfoley7581]

@@PhiloVance-yl2ko Crosley

[@gcfifthgear]

@@PhiloVance-yl2ko Nash merged with Kelvinator to get the technology that helped make the legendary Weather Eye heating system (and later the All-Weather Eye air conditioner) on Nashes and Ramblers

[@josephkanowitz6875]

ב''ה, and now all the people who make your food and cars are back to washing in the tub or creek

[@scottgfx]

My family had a Frigidaire washer and dryer model probably from the late 1950s. A few years back, I went looking for information on them as I remember the agitator being special. I eventually discovered that there's a community of people that collect and restore vintage appliances and do videos. I of course found a video of the model our family had and also learned about Nash-Kelvinator (Later AMC). They had their own washer with an even stranger agitator. My theory has been that the Frigidaire and Kelvinator agitator designs were done to avoid patent disputes.

[@jonathankleinow2073]

Keep this kind of content coming! You mentioned the lint filter -- I remember a washer we had when I was in high school, I want to say it was a mid-80s Maytag, had a lint filter in the form of a round tray that sat on top of the agitator, kind of like a colander but with much smaller holes, and it recycled the water through it during the wash cycle. I should look up some old Consumer Reports archives and see how they rated the Frigidaire JetCone agitator versus the others.

[@pcno2832]

Most washers made since about 1990 don't have a real lint filter, though some have little prickers that catch lint when the water is being circulated, then let go of it when the flow reverses to empty the tub. I assume that they were counting on everyone using the dryer to catch the lint, but if you hang clothes to dry, they come out with more lint on some 1990s models than their 1960s counterparts. I should say in all fairness that modern machines are gentler, so they don't generate as much lint as the older machines.

[@cdstoc]

That round lint filter on the agitator was a feature of GE washers, my parents had one from the early 60's until the '80's. As a kid I loved watching the stream of water shoot from the side of the tub and land perfectly in the filter.

[@muziklvr7776]

GE Filter Flo kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2GQgpWqiMqpiKM

[@henrygelzer]

My Mom had one of these washers. She said it was the best washer she ever had. The only issue we ever had with it is that the starting capacitor for the spin cycle kept blowing until my Dad replaced it with a very large one. Please do more videos like this one!

[@davevolkman9185]

Fascinating stuff here..I say keep them coming!

[@judgegixxer]

This was great. The green coloured washer/dryers at the beginning reminds me of the ones in the old house I grew up in thru the 70’s. I laughed when the agitator video started.

[@hutchcraftcp]

It's interesting to see how the auto industry diversified. I don't know much about Chrysler but AMC and Ford definitely did household appliances

[@gcfifthgear]

I remember working at a drive=in theater that used a Chrysler Airtemp floor unit to cool the concession stand--complete with the Forward Look "floomerang" logo on the cabinet!

[@Teestar22]

My mom had one of their washers. I used to enjoy watching the agitator "jumping"up and down. The spin cycle was very fast and noisy. It lasted 10 years.

[@Sta2200]

My mom had one of these washers...maybe about 1970 or so. I LOVED to watch it wash !! That up and down agitating action intrigued me...and at 6...I learned how to load and use it !! It lasted to at least 1990...when we left it...still working well at a house..as my mom was going to an apartment and me and my sister...to another one..

[@jetsons101]

Fun watch, back when I was a kid people used the term "Frigidaire" for the fridge no matter the brand, maybe that's why we use the term fridge today no matter the maker.

[@machpodfan]

Yes, more please! Vintage appliances are fascinating to me--the styling and ornamentation (like cars, even), the various quirky improvements on the standard, the dead ends of design, too. I had a 1957 Frigidaire fridge/bottom freezer that lasted until 2010, and I still vacuum the house with a 1960 vintage Electrolux canister that works and sounds great!

[@domecrack]

Design is design and I'm here for the design

[@mylesschlicher965]

I love this video. I recall my aunt having one of the Frigidaire washing machines with the Jet Cone agitator, probably back in the mid 1950's. We had a Westinghouse washer at home and I thought the Jet Cone bobbing up and down surely looked strange. We had that Westinghouse clothes washer for well over 20 years - they sure don't make them like that any more. Our next door neighbor had one of the 'dual tub' units with the washer on one side and the extractor on the other, and I thought it was pretty neat too. I've had one of the old style clothes washers by Kitchen Aid (Whirlpool) since 1997 and it still works great. I rue the day I'll have to replace it. I enjoyed reading all the comments below and look forward to more of your videos about appliances.

[@scanman975]

My Grandmother had a Jet Cone washer for years until it started leaking and was replaced with a standard Kenmore.

[@RA-wl1vt]

I remember these washers as a kid growing up in the 70's. I had completely forgotten about this style until the video popped up in my feed. Thanks for a trip down memory lane.

[@richardbertovich6134]

I remember as a kid people used to call their refrigerators the Frigidaire. “Just put it in the Frigidaire”!

[@markdc1145]

Some people still call them Frigidaires!

[@davidroberts6594]

Brings back memories, as a kid we went to the laundromat and they had this style masher with the window in the lid. I watched the entire cycle. Years later, at home we got one, they had a safety switch on the side and all I had to do is hold my finger inside the switch hole and I would watch our laundry cycle. How the simple things would entertain me as a kit, I was fascinated with any type of machine and fortunately this was one I did not take apart.

[@chrisclements1169]

In 1973 mom went from a ringer washer to a Frigidaire Jet Cone washer that came with the new home dad and mom had built. That thing washed clothes for a family of 9 kids and a blue collar dad for 10 years. Somewhere along the way I read that the Jet Cone washer was hard on fabrics and shortened the life of your clothing. Love the idea of vids on appliances produced by the automakers.

[@MsJamiewoods]

My parents bought a new house in 1968. Typical suburban three-bedroom ranch house in a half-filled subdivision. The house came with a Frigidaire "drop-in" range (stove/oven) in the brown color of the avocado green/harvest gold era. The GM logo was present alongside the Frigidaire name plate. I was aware GM owned Frigidaire by the time I was about age 7.

[@michaelatkins9780]

If you put four of these washers together, do you have a quadra-jet cone?

[@RareClassicCars]

Haha. Maybe. But two would need smaller cones and two should have larger cones

[@michaelatkins9780]

@RareClassicCars spread bore.

[@Paramount531]

I love this! I thought the Jet Cone principle was excellent, though I never had one. I did have a late 40s Frigidaire refrigerator at my office/shop until about 2005. My dad bought it in 1960 for $25, the outside looked like crap, the inside was pristine up to the original factory sticker inside the door. You could barely hear it run. When it died I was really sad, I replaced it with a little bar refrigerator and life was never the same.

[@joshgreen2164]

I want to know all the odd stuff from all the auto companies

[@SquishyZoran]

Same here!

[@61rampy65]

My mom had 2 different Frigidaire washers, the first was yellow, and the other was a turquoise color, both were 60s colors. Both were bought used, and both gave us at least 10 years of service. I think both were from the 60's and weren't as full of gadgets like the one in the video. I remember my dad taking the transmission out of one of them and rebuilding it. We sold the blue one after about 12 years of use, and only because were moving to a house already equipped with a washer. Amazing washers, and ultra reliable! Yes, Adam, more videos like this, please!

[@61rampy65]

Bit of a side story: That first washer had a long cord and water hoses. One time the washer tub was off balance on the spin cycle. It shook the washer so bad that it walked itself halfway out the door of the laundry room! Came out to see half the washer outside, the other half inside, and still going!

[@muziklvr7776]

@@61rampy65 That's hilarious!

[@discerningmind]

Reading through the comments here I've been moved by the wonderful stories that people shared. The stories are ultimately about how great we American's were, and how well we were doing when things were built here in the USA, pre-1970s. People shared wonderful stories about life before corporate America turned on American consumers and workers with hateful contempt that has lasted to this day. Part of this contempt is the corporations changed to building junk because corporations make more money building junk, since junk needs to be replaced frequently. And another part of this contempt is that our politicians sent our jobs overseas, and American corporations happily went. I truly hope that someday we can get back to the way things had been for all of us, including corporations, so American's can once again work, and build good well-made things here again, and also have one job for decent pay. I have the highest hope that the administration coming-in on January 20, 2025, will be able to set things right for all Americans.

[@k4106dt]

What you are describing about corporate America is what I call the race to the bottom. First you design it, then you perfect it and then you engineer the quality out of it until it breaks, then you add a little bit of quality back in so it lasts just as long as the warranty period. As far as going off shore, can you imagine an American company moving manufacturing to the U.S.S.R or China back in the 50s, 60s or 70s? It would have been considered sacrelige. Then in the 90s Politicians, corporate America and Wall street decided that to maximize profits and to "engage" with China, going offshore and sacrificing millions of jobs would end up paying great dividends with a more free China. How has that worked out?

[@michaelc9287]

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. You can keep your rusty, unreliable, unsafe cars from the pre-1970s era even if they looked a lot better. Without foreign competition, we would have been stuck with the crappy, ugly cars of the 1970s-80s for decades longer. And robots and computers have displaced more manufacturing jobs than outsourcing, which has helped many millions of people to escape grinding poverty, and all the while median family income in the U.S. still increased.

[@GarthGoldberg]

My college roommate bought one of these clothes washers second-hand for our shared house in the late 1970's. The machine was super heavy, and powerful. It tended to twist the clothes together. The spin cycle was direct drive to the motor, and spun the clothes at space-ship level G-forces.

[@LongIslandMopars]

Rare Classic Cars and Appliances.....🤣

[@thomasnenneau2487]

I'm 73 years old and can remember being at friends and seeing their Frigidaire refrigerator with, underneath the brand plate " Frigidaire" seeing another one right below, "by General Motors."

[@eb8696]

My parents had an avocado green stove from early 70’s they donated a few years ago as it still worked. I grew up with the stove lol . The old stuff was everlasting!

[@howardjlogan]

I would absolutely love to hear more about GM history and all of the non automotive ventures they were involved in. Particularly GM' EMD division. Also, please don't leave out Ford, Chrysler and AMC. Thanks for sharing your unique insights and historical perspective.

[@WUStLBear82]

Coincidentally, White Consolidated eventually owned the appliance divisions once owned by AMC, Studebaker, and Ford, as well as GM. Philco had an intermediate owner after Ford spun it off but before WCI bought it. Now they're all part of Electrolux's portfolio of brands. If your washing machine is only lasting five years or even ten, you bought the wrong brand or a model not designed for your loads and duty cycle.

[@bobmonty1733]

Adam great video My parents owned one of these In the 50’s and 60’s. I own one purchased in 1979 when I owned my first home. Love to open it up and watch that agitator work. It cleaned great but it was rough on clothes.

[@cavalcadeoffood]

Hi Adam - wonderful video! I'm a vintage appliance collector here in Michigan and there's a rich history that melds automotive manufacturing and large appliance manufacturing. When I give tours, I point out these relationships: Frigidaire & General Motors, Crosley Appliance & Crosley Motors, Philco & Ford Motor Co, Norge & Borg-Warner, Kelvinator & Nash/AMC. There were parallels in some of the manufacturing processes and engineering. The appliance "Big 3" were General Electric, Westinghouse and Frigidaire. I always enjoy your content!

[@Ozark_Bule]

We had a Frigidaire washer. It worked pretty well but would sometimes tear a garment or the cone would jam (especially with big items like sheets) and you had to clear it and re-set the machine. There was a pop up button that had a red section to alert you that it needed attention.

[@dominicfong6341]

I have always loved watching our old side loading washing machine doing its things since I was little, now I am in my mid fifties and still enjoying it. Thank you for the video bringing back old memories.

[@heronimousbrapson863]

The first automatic washer my mom used was like this; it dated from about the mid-1950's. I was about four years old (I'm 72 now).

[@olebelrngr]

Had one of these purchased in 1964, sold it with the house in 1980. The model we had was a "Suds Saver". It pumped the wash water into a separate tub, did the rinse and spin cycles. Pumped the wash water back into the washer for the next load adding some hot water as needed. The drive mechanism was very simple but worked well. Were disappointed that they stopped making them. I do not know how long the next owner used it but it still worked well at 16 years old.

[@fixman88]

I spent 10 years working for Electrolux building freezers and refrigerators; our plant was owned by White-Consolidated at one point (and back in 1964 was owned by Studebaker for a short time!) And yes, we did make Frigidaire freezers sometimes. We also made ones for Sears. The plant closed a few years ago. I helped build the very last freezer we ever made. And yes, please keep making videos like this.

[@anderander5662]

China now I guess😢

[@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we]

"White" , I can't keep track, if it doesn't exactly trace back to the same origin----i.e. White Corp, but White bought up other truck builders, and bought up 3 farm equipment brands only to scrap the 3 names and just go with White, and then disappear some years later. Seems like all these companies that built stuff would have been better off if White had never acquired them. Are there different White 's plural, or do they all go back to the same company, that built sewing machines

[@califdad4]

My mom and dad bought a Frigidaire washer about late 1966, they really liked it, if you found you dropped a sock taking laundry to the washer and opened the washer and dropped it in you saw it get pulled it down to the bottom. It was a great washer. About 10 years later a boot went out on the washer and mom said her previous GE washers she only got about 4 years out of so we went to a store in town that sold them and bought a new set washer and dryer, mom had that until the 90s