Full Cycle - 1958 Frigidaire Custom Imperial Unimatic Washing a Load of Whites
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- Опубліковано 21 жов 2024
- Full Cycle wash in the 1958 Frigidaire Unimatic. This machine was the last year of the domestic Unimatic line. This machine took alot of work and adjusting to get it running. It has an electric pump on it as well. It is one cycle and 3 wash temperatures (Hot/Warm/Cool) and 3 rinse temperatures (Warm/Cool/Cold). Hot wash selected with cold rinse and Ariel detergent used. I hope you all enjoy the video! Thank you for watching.
I wish they still made stuff like this, this washer has more style than most people's entire laundry room
And more style than many people
Here I am. 3:30 AM. Still awake. Watching a video about a 70 year old Washing Machine. What am I doing with my life?
I'm here watching this too. so ill be here wondering the same thing
Wasting life is not a good thing.
Join the crowd wishing they still made them like this.
Deliberately lost control... (me too) 😁
Why beat up on yourself? It’s mesmerizing that’s why you watch and they’re fun to see an action.
I love the fluorescent light and separate water temperature settings for wash and rinse. This machine is a dream!
I feel cleaner already just watching this 🧼
look how fast that water gets dirty
I have a Maytag washer from 1960
Still going strong the matching dryer sadly passed away a few years ago.
These were when stuff was made to last.
bens aplliance and junk channels has good buyer info, will tell you what will break on brands and models. there is even one fridge still made without computers in it. as in has good info and repair info and brand new models too
In todays products companies build products with something called planned obsolescence. This is the practice of making things break after a certain time so companies can keep selling newer and newer models to maximize profits. BUT Americans decided to do away with regulations that stopped that sort of thing because regulations are bad. 🙃🙃
I had heard there were washing machines that utilized a vertically oscillating agitators like this but this is the first one I have seen. It's fascinating. The panel light's a nice touch too, something I have only ever seen on electric ranges. That machine is in really good condition and quite attractive for something that's 66 years old at the writing of this comment.
Mom had one of these around 1963 or 1964. She hated it. She said it tied the clothes up in knots. It would “walk” out of the bathroom in our trailer during the cycles. As a young child, it would scare me when it started to move out of its spot.
My grandparents had a washer with a built in light. The washer and dryer were at the back of an unlit pantry and I can remember seeing the washer light on in the dark room while it was running.
So much style in that era!
As soon as I saw the thumbnail and read the title, I knew I was in for it. No one can ignore a vintage Unimatic in full action.
Watching that pulsator decimate the filth was the highlight of my day. I’m always amazed at how lucid the rinse water starts off in those Unimatics.
You make us laundry machine addicts proud🫡.
Thanks Gsohoover👍🏾👏🏾.
I wish I could have a washer like this. Worse thing GM ever did was to sell off Frigidaire. One of the best, most unique washer ever.
The design is amazing - it draws you in and you can’t stop looking at it. A far cry from the soulless gizmo junk we make today.
IVE SEEN WASHERS LAST LIKE 5 YRS
NEW ONES THAT RUN ON COMPUTER
@@ekop1778 You've seen new computerized ones that actually last THAT long? WOW
I had one that was in the first house I bought, in 1982. I eventually replaced the motor starting capacitor to fix it blowing the circuit breaker. The transmission is very ingenious. Motor goes in one direction, = agitation. Goes the other direction, = spin. I wish I would have taken it with me when I moved. It probably would still be running today.
by far that's one of my favorite washers of all time
samee
The fluorescent light on this is pretty nice. No need to turn on every light in the house to start a load of wash.
Im SHOCKED at how quickly it drains 😮
It spins the dirt off the top of the clothes before it drains, part of its engineering. Washers that drain before they spin leave the dirt on top of the clothes,
The pump has 1" tubes, really big module, powered by the main (and only) machine's motor.
That pump has two operations (set through a valve), during the washing cycle it constantly reflows the water, and at drying cycle the valve sets it to drain the tub.
No they don't. They spin against the tub and are spray rinsed.@@zAlaska
The correct answer to how this drains the water so fast is this is called a solid tub washer. The solid tub has no holes in it except for one row at the very top of the tub, right under the rim. During spin acceleration centrifugal force rapidly forces the water out of the holes at the very top of the tub, then water is sent into a large outer tub where it is slowly drained away. It takes 2:30 to drain the machine fully.
I bet this machine gets clothes even more clean than any modern washing machine can do.
These old fashioned machines are nostalgic and tough (and mesmerising), but it’s not the case that they wash better. A high quality front loading washing machine (such as Miele) have been proven in independent testing many times to wash clothes cleaner than top loaders can, while also being much gentler on the fabric (and the environment). Sometimes progress really is progress (the trade off is they take longer to do so).
@@sjb2471 Top loaders more water but less detergent= better on your skin. Id rather be the one the machine is gentler on. once you start to see what some of those bootseals look like on the frontloaders this argument almost goes out the window if were gunna argue washing abilities.
@@sjb2471it's weird how things change over time. Our testing agencies in this country since the beginning of automatic washers favored the top loader. Now top loader=bad front loader=good . Shrugs🤷
I remember as a young boy my aunt having one of these machines. I was fascinated by it then, and I'm still fascinated by it now, decades later. 😀
OMG!! That machine is so amazing! It reminds me our washing machine back in the years 78 ~82
Ours had the exact same cycle, and I remember it started the drying cycle with its tub all full of water, progressively draining through its powerful pump, making the clothes fall into a perfectly even distribution.
So nice memories...
Thanks for posting this video ❤
My Mom had the 1965 model and I loved that machine so much, Even my most dirtiest play clothes always came out clean in that machine with just one wash!!! How I wish they would bring back the machines of yesteryear and get rid of the junk they have out there today!!! Thanks for the video Gso and have a good night...
Some people listen to beautiful music or sounds of nature to go to sleep. This could be one of my most popular videos to listen to at bedtime.
When you flicked on the light I literally yelled "Whoa..." lol - What vintage class!
When appliances were built tough to work and last.
I wud easily surrender my modern washer for one of these!
If they would make them whereby they can handle a queen sized comforter and it would be overbuilt like this one, it would be a big seller.
PC RICHARDS WORST RETAILER TO GO TO
AFTER 4 MONTHS YOU NEED NEW MOTORS
@@ekop1778It's not. P.C.R.ichards fault, if you brought a washer that has a defective motor. The company that made the appliance is responsible under warranty.
When I was around four,I was fascinated by the machine! The action and sound,I found very relaxing!
I wrote the same kind of comment. Freedom time for mothers, similar to what q on TV with secret features not advertised. A perfect babysitter. I bet you're a laundry expert that never had soap still left on top of the clothes after they were done, as I've seen with some people complaining their machine must be broken as they overpacked it, the laundry powder still on top of the clothes after the washer has finished.
Love the quality of these old appliances and the names were bizarre.
Our neighbor had a large chest freezer in her basement and i remember walking down the basement steps to retrieve items for her as a child and the handle was illuminated in the dark and displayed the name
"BEN HERR" on the floor.
That freezer worked up till about 10yrs ago and my memory of it goes back 50yrs.
The last one I bought, a whirlpool top loader, only lasted approx 4 yrs. It never cleaned the clothes properly, probably due to the fact that 50% of the clothing barely got wet while washing. I defeated all the "safety interlocks" to see actually how little water was on the wash and rinse cycles; probably only 20% full. When I used "deep water wash", it may have been 25% full. It was only due to the spin cycle as why all of the clothes got wet. Now I am happily using a 20yr old or so used washer, all the clothes come out clean now.
Planned obsolescence my friend.
Just out of curiosity, how long ago did you buy that Whirlpool? I was told by our long time appliance repairman that they were phasing out all manual washing machines. So we bought a new top loader, the last year of the mechanicals. It's a Speed Queen and it's supposed to last at LEAST 20 years. I think that was probably 8 years ago now.
These old machines are beautiful!!
I have a 1958 WCI-58 as well. This Frigidaire automatic is my favorite of all of my vintage machines. If I could only have one washer this machine would be it.
My mother's friend Rachel had one of these. They would let me stand on the footstool downstairs no doubt upon my insistence and watch this washing machine work. Total satisfaction for a long time, washing machines are one of my fine Topix of understanding. This allowed mother and her friend to enjoy each other's company without interruption. As I Grew I took everything apart, successfully putting everything back together again, when mother would come home from the few times she ever left the house leaving me to watch my sister and please do the dishes. I learned how to clean the seasoning off of the cast iron skillet which didn't please her that much either, coming home and not a dish done.
I would recommend this machine to everyone, especially those with little boys like I was.
You can't even open a lid today because God forbid some kid decides to go inside.
You loaded it just right and the rollover was instantaneous. We had a 1969 Rollermatic in our trailer house. The spin cycles caused it to walk itself into the hallway. Linoleum floors and Frigidaire washers aren’t very compatible. Great video.
Best washing machine video out there in my opinion. Actually had one with that type of up and down agitator. Interesting motor and transmission on it.
Holy crap, I've never seen a Unimatic do its job so beautifully. That spin is beguiling. Thanks for posting!!
So quiet and effective - we really used to build some great products!
I have never seen one of these in action. The turn-over is through the roof!
66 yr old FRIGIDAIRE WASHING MACHINE WITH A LIGHT!!!! WAS A EONDERFUL BRAND BACK THEN. DIDNT HAVE AUTOMATIC DRAIN . Drained as it was spinning.
Pleasant memories of going with my mom to the laundromat. It was one of the few times I was allowed a sugary soda and I would get an orange or grape Fanta.
I can smell the soap when that wash cycle goes on 😁
I am now convinced there is a UA-cam video of everything.
That's an interesting agitator design, but it does pretty damn well!
Ah yes the days before lid safety switches.
How are you supposed to add something to the load if you find something you forgot?
@@sa3270 Gotta be quick if you don’t want your hand turned into ground beef 🤣
What an impressive machine. Same year I was born. That agitator action is amazing. Clothes get a ton of movement in that for sure👍👍
Wow I LOVE the way that agitator bops up and down like that! I was trying to see if it also spun at the same time? It sure does suck all the clothes into it good!
Also I LOVE the light under the controls! I wish they wouldn't have done away with things like that. But cut any little thing to save a buck I guess!
Yes sir, this is the kind of content you can only find on UA-cam
My mom had one similar to this - a couple of years newer. Somewhat different operator panel, but I do remember the flourescent light. Under that big rubber cap on top of the agitator is a plastic softener dispenser. If I remember right, it had a little door on it that popped open under centrifugal force during the first spin cycle.
I wondered where the softner went!
The rinsing and spinning is impressive.
Love that machine -- and that nifty light!
The sound is very satisfying. It's kind of like an ASMR video.
ASMR....lol. No such thing. Was marketing BALONEY.
Can’t believe how well this is working
wowza! I thought our late 80s maytag was nice but this is just art
Amazing how Frigidaire had so many different front panels it's like they changed it completely every year.
I have noticed this theme of the "small updates" in stuff from the 1950s, take the GM cars for example
What GM used to do was basically redesign their cars every 3 years, they used one body style for 3 years then completely replaced it for the update
During those three years, GM used to give their cars a different facelift without changing the body, and add new badging and colora etc for the new year
So it goes:
Body style A for 1957:
For 1958: new badging on body A
For 1959: new face grill and chrome trim for Body A
For 1960: Redesign to Body B
And so on so forth. I think this is such a good system which produces much less waste than the constact plastic redesigning of cars every year
@@syedkhalid2993 I totally agree I remember when I leased all my cars back then I always started on the year that they did the redesign this way I would always have a new fresh car when they did the redesign again.
@syedkhalid2993 finally you were talking about GM, because not alot of people knew GM actually owned and built frigidaire from the late 30s until the early-mid 60s lol
@@OzzF16Right up to 1979.
That washer looks like one my Grandparents had in their kitchen in the 80’s. I don’t think that my Grandmother didn’t get a new washer until the mid 90’s. Electric items were certainly made better back in the day.
I have heard of restored classic automobiles. I have also heard about old computers being restored. This is the first time I have seen an old restored washing machine that is back in use. Nearly all of these old washing machines eventually wore out and were scrapped.
Thanks for sharing this. I remember watching one of these as a kid at Grandmas full cycle. Can't believe they had the strength to spin out full of water. And the sound, love it. 😊
I had one that really worked well and got my clothes very clean like new.
Fascinating machine. Never seen an agitator work like that before.
That's a serious machine for sure 👍🇺🇸
They were excellent washers. The fluorescent light takes me back. The motors in these washers must have been quite powerful to go the spin cycle with a full tub of water, along with a very efficient pump to get the water out at that rate. They also had the fastest spin cycle.
My mother had that washing machine when I was a kid. I had no idea it was from the 1950s.
I have 19 year old Kenmore washer and dryer, based on a basic design that's at least 50 years old. I'm sure I'll be upset when I have to replace them. Make Appliances Great Again.
Trump tried to do that at Whirlpool before he left office.
@@patcola7335 Whirlpool today makes some of the worst equipment. The rest are also junk that are now owned by Red flag corporations. LG are probably the only washers that can last and they're at least from Korea, an ally.
@@Official-Comments I have a fairly new Whirlpool top freezer fridge that's chugging along fine after 2 years. I bought a Whirlpool non-vended commercial washer in December of 2022 which still has not had a problem. Unless I'm forced to go with a foreign company I'll try to buy from American manufacturers. I know GE is now Haier. Have a portable dishwasher by GE that's been working well for the past year now. The one thing I do have to say I like from Samsung is their new slide in gas ranges. They look nice and seem to be pretty well built
@sa3270, If it's a direct-drive design, those date to no earlier than the fall/winter of 1981, which currently is 43 years. Original belt-drive WP/KM dates from the late 1940s to 1986 or 1987. Belt-drive and direct-drive were produced concurrently for approx 5 years. The design that replaced WP direct-drive was introduced in 2010.
Awesome machine!!
Couldnt hardly give me one of these fancy newer machines , dont care for em. We had old hand me downs , and bought at least one newer machine. First sign of trouble it left and the old one back from the shed. Washers an older Frigeadaire Commercial HD Extra Cap. Has served us well for years after my Grandmother got a new set around 87 and served her and 2 kids well before. You cant beat em It threw a tub spring awhile back and have never fixed that yet , no need. Our older first Dryer ate elements , and we found another old Gen. Electric , Commercial Extra Cap. HD and still using both. They have room , work well for years , back when they were manufactured. Slowed up on wash , in our mid 50's and no kids at home. But no way would I find anything different. Cool vids of how things used to be made.
My Grandmother had something like that, definitely a Frigidaire with up/down agitator in her house that she had built in 1960. On a side note, a refrigerator, Fridigidaire that you had to open the main door then on the bottom a blue clored door that contained the freezer. Of course a cooktop with the large thick coils and the wall oven with the door held by cables.
We had one of these it was fantastic
My parents had a Kenmore washer in the '60s and '70s that had a 30W fluorescent light on the control panel but Mom never used the light. I think I was the only one that turned it on.
Beautiful machine I want it!
Still more reliable than my previous washer built in 2007, died in 2019...
Hey nice washer
Awesome video tutorial
What an amazing agitator nothing like the crap we have now.
Wow, this takes me back. My ex belonged to a washer club and we went to a wash-in in Omaha one year. I was the "washer-widow". LOL I thought the machines were cool and everything, just not quite as much as everyone else.
Isn't technology just grand? Who could've imagined 30 years ago, when the internet was in its infancy, that we'd be watcing videos of old appliances just doing their thing? 😄
Old technology is grand, yes. Technology can be amazing when it isn't weighted down with planned obsolescence and an insane amount of "efficiency" features that end up making something incredibly ineffective.
@@FrederickTheAnon14W I was also surprised that for all intents and purposes, this is a modern washing machine despite being made 66 years ago. I didn't know that the basic design was nailed down that early.
30 years ago we didn't have these overpriced, oversized washing machines that run based off computers and only last 5 years! So we would have never THOUGHT we'd be watching videos of the old mechanical washing machines that not only did a better job, but that lasted 30 years or more!
I'm still using my parents old Maytag dryer from like 1982. Not a thing wrong with it!
@@retroguy9494 Maytags are good washers and dryers. There's a reason why laundromats like those.
Well that’s beautiful!
The roll over action was the best in the Frigidaires
All mechanical and no electronics. Frigidaire was part of the GM Corp.
This washer look like a cross between a antique car and a vintage washer machine lol 😂😂
I love up and down motion and Neon Lights I bet these got things cleaner .
This machine harkens back the days when consumer products actually had style, unlike today's cookie-cutter products which all look the same, dull and boring...
Everything today is also a piece of crap. Let’s see if the machines today last this long!
I respectfully disagree. The newer units are absolute focal points of a room often with the homeowner adapting the decorum to the new washer and dryer and a laundry space. The problem with the new units is NOT how they look, it’s how they perform.
We have top load washers with zero ability to roll clothes over. There are little discs in the bottom of them that often try to wash clothes without adequate water. Front load washers take 30 minutes before they even since how much water to use for the first load in your clothes after being in there for an hour and a half still are not adequately cleaned. what’s missing? Isn’t the style is the performance for sure.
Hahaha that's really funny that you said that but that's true though.
Not only style, but practical functionality as well. They were made in the USA, and were focused on pleasing consumers instead of satisfying endless government regulations. They lasted a lot longer too.
@sa3270 It's less satisfying government regulation than it is satisfying shareholders. Why sell a product that lasts 20+ years when you can sell one that might not even last 10 and then force consumers to buy a whole new one.
Great wash action.
I wish they would makes these things again.
Quite an engineering marvel, this 66 year old Frigidaire washer.
With old-school safety features - none! It's remarkable that it would operate with the lid open. I bet the power cord doesn't even have a ground lug! It might not even be polarized.
It's amazing we survived, isn't it?@@BradThePitts
I wished I had this machine or they still made them like this. 😪
What a brilliant machine, I love it
We had a '59 Frigidaire washer that had a similar agitator. The control knobs were arranged a little differently.
Thank you!!! Very nice machine!!!!! 😊😊
The anticipation of it starting after the fill had me on the edge of my seat! ... what am i saying?
Beautiful,too much better than todays digital crap this is a real washing machine.😊👍
Tyler this is a really great washer Thanks for the video!
What a beauty!!
I never knew there were agitators that go vertically
Frigidaire full-size topload washers had vertical (reciprocating) agitation from the first model in the late 1940s until General Motors sold the Frigidiare appliance division to White Consolidated Industries (WCI) in 1979 and WCI discontinued the design.
They need to make them like they used to!
Great 66 years old washer but 40 gallons of water per cycle wow
This thing can really pump off.
What a beauty❤❤❤❤❤
That cycle panel
design resembles
those 1954 and
1956 Whirlpool
Imperial models.
Hopefully, that
matching Frigidaire
dryer gets shown
in the next video.
Great machine. Another good job well done.
GM mark of excellence 😊
I remember my parents having this type of Frigidaire washer, my mom loved it as my dad was a trucker and his uniforms got filthy with grease and stuff. When it got to the point of the tub rusting to the point of leakage, they went to replace it. Mom was upset when the salesman at the appliance store said that Frigidaire did not make them like this anymore. He officially said that they did not make them due to the noise they made, unofficially he told us that GM owned Frigidaire back then, but had since been sold off. GM actually had the patent for the transmission that made the "whomp whomp whomp" center section, and the deal of the sale did not include the rights for it. So, Frigidaire became the boring "twisty" center section that everyone else had.
My mom had this in the late 80s
We had a Frigidaire washer with a vertical agitator like that. Different model. I could never fill my new POS LG washer with that many clothes.
Relative to the time, I bet people were more excited about this machine than they are about the $4,000 machines they sell today.
Aah, now that's the way a washer should work! 😉👍
DIRT had nightmares about the 1958 Frigidaire Custom Imperial Unimatic!
We had a General Electric top loader “Speed Queen” and it lasted many years.🇿🇦