Thread Number: 20623
1950 Westinghouse Laundromat in Metropolitian Tampa
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Post# 327567   1/29/2009 at 13:27 (5,536 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        

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contact: mcdonothing@tampabay.rr.com




Post# 327568 , Reply# 1   1/29/2009 at 13:27 (5,536 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        

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Post# 327570 , Reply# 2   1/29/2009 at 13:38 (5,536 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
OOO! My dream machine!

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Thanks, Robert - I am going to try contacting the seller to find out a bit more about this one for sure!!!

Post# 327684 , Reply# 3   1/30/2009 at 07:23 (5,536 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Already heard back from the seller

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So, here's the scoop - they are not sure if the washer works because they are hestitant to test it because of bad wiring. They mentioned that the washer probably needs a new door seal - there are other rubber components on a Westy that I have heard can go wrong too. The seller is stating that they are open to offers, bearing in mind that the buyer is going to have transport and restore the washer.
Open question to the board: can this be restored and are parts like the door 'boot' available still?? All advice and commentary is welcome.
This is the machine I covet most (yes even more than a 58 or 59 GE FilterFlo in turquoise) but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot!


Post# 327691 , Reply# 4   1/30/2009 at 07:59 (5,536 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

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The machine *looks* surprising clean, minus any dust or grime that we see in the photos. A shot of the door down and from the rear and with the access panel removed would give a good sign of the overall condition.

The bigger concern here isn't necessarily the boot but the speed changer. If the speed changer is shot I wouldn't touch this thing considering how far away you are from it. When I picked up my L5 I knew it was going to be a 50/50 chance that it would still work, and I got lucky. The difference in that was the machine was close (over in Chicago) and cheep.

Other members have switched out the boot for a later 80's/90's Westy boot on these earlier machines. May not look 100 percent original, but certainly is 100 percent functional!

Ben


Post# 327692 , Reply# 5   1/30/2009 at 08:20 (5,536 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Speed changer

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Hmmmm. There's a dilemma... I guess I would have no way of knowing if the speed changer was toast until I could actually try the washer. If it was shot, could a replacement be found??

Trucking it from Tampa to Montreal and having to endure the endless taunting from hubby may make this a potential bad deal...


Post# 327698 , Reply# 6   1/30/2009 at 09:42 (5,536 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Love that model

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so basic it hurts!
I wonder if it has the black door or glass, can anyone tell?

It's been my experience speed changers are pretty durable even run dry. The quickest check and the seller can get off his butt and do this is to open the back and look at it, if the rubber boot is in tact on the back bottom of the speed changer and if the changer isn't dripping oil then it should be fine.

If not then you have real up hill climb. Its a keeper, should be preserved. Gansky's clothes looked a lot cleaner after he got his up and running. Before he was a MESS!




Post# 327702 , Reply# 7   1/30/2009 at 09:51 (5,536 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

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HEY! Leave me alone! My clothes are clean but my back is a mess from the long hours of ironing. That propaganda about the extra three vanes and the "tub is the agitator" don't help the dreadful tangling one bit!

I've been surprised that the speed changers are as durable as they've turned out to be - mine needs some adjustment but when I changed the oil a couple of years ago, what came out was clean and nearly perfect after all those years.

The original boot for these are all but non-existent now and even if you did find one, it probably would be pretty dried out and brittle. I used the later, gray boot on mine and it worked just fine. It may not look like the original but when the machine is running, you can't really tell the difference.


Post# 327703 , Reply# 8   1/30/2009 at 09:53 (5,536 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

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Here's mine, tangling away ;-)


Post# 327710 , Reply# 9   1/30/2009 at 10:25 (5,535 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
OK that's it....

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Seeing the photo of the tangling in process makes me REALLY want that Westy. I'm waiting on further information from the seller...

Post# 327715 , Reply# 10   1/30/2009 at 11:30 (5,535 days old) by revvinkevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)        
Good luck with it Paul and let us know what happens!!!

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If I had the financial fortatude (for shipping, restoration, etc) I would be seriously interested in this machine!!

While my memory is not completely fog free, I am pretty sure this is the SAME washer my grandmother had many years ago. I would always want to be on the "laundry porch" watching this washer every time she was doing laundry. The problem is she would ALWAYS tell me to "get away from there... go outside and play".


Post# 327740 , Reply# 11   1/30/2009 at 13:01 (5,535 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Thanks Kevin!

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My memories of this machine were hanging around with a kid I didn't really like that much just because his family had a matching Westy washer and dryer and I thought they were the coolest things!! I remember pitching a hissy when I was about 12 because I saw a Laundromat in a second-hand store window and I wanted it so much...

Post# 327809 , Reply# 12   1/30/2009 at 18:07 (5,535 days old) by westyslantfront ()        

Here is my Westy slant front. Great machine but it has been in the repair shop waiting for a new boot to be installed.

Ross


Post# 327919 , Reply# 13   1/31/2009 at 10:00 (5,534 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Ross

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I've never seen a painted rim on the glass, is that SS painted over or steel under there? I bet its SS with paint on it.

Nice money shot Greg!
And it looks so happy showing up beside the '49 Frigidaire!


Post# 327921 , Reply# 14   1/31/2009 at 10:21 (5,534 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI)        

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I tried to use Greg's Westy Laundromat whilst in Omaha... I must've done something wrong because that thing started jumping a foot in the air! And, of course, there is seemingly no way to turn it OFF!! I opened the door expecting it to shut off like Robert's Laundromat and finally just had to advance the dial to off! I swiftly moved everything to the nearest Unimatic and felt much better with the vibration free spin! I think it's safe to say that I have a Westinghouse Laundromat phobia now!

Post# 328069 , Reply# 15   2/1/2009 at 09:27 (5,534 days old) by westyslantfront ()        

Hi Jon Charles. The painted rim came with the washer. I bought the machine almost 6 years ago from a lady in Savannah, Ga. who had just bought a house from a retired Westinghouse repairman.
The machine was in the cellar and she wanted to sell it. I bought it and had it shipped. When it arrived it was dead.
Went off the repairman who rebuilt and rewired it. He also spray painted the front and perhaps that is how the rim is white.


Ross


Post# 328073 , Reply# 16   2/1/2009 at 09:58 (5,534 days old) by appnut (TX)        

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Jamie, the same thing happened to me at about the age of 8 or 9 with the westy across the street. It was replaced with a monkey wards sometime in 1964, burt from that point on until the Wards came, I alway went into the din right before it went into spin. They did has somewhat of an off-balance switch in them that pulled/or pushed the time in the "off" position (I can't remember if ya pushed or pulled to turn it on cuz alll I ever did was turn it to 15 minutes and leave it). Anyway, the washer was just to the left of the door that went out to the driveway. I heard there were a fewe times when the lady was outside and the washer was going. She'd go to walk in the back door and couldn't open the door because the washer had jumped overr in front of the door and she'd have to either go in the patio sliding glass or or go around to the front of the house and go in the front door.

Post# 328164 , Reply# 17   2/1/2009 at 17:17 (5,533 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

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Keep us posted Paul! Would be great if this works out for you. Well, hopefully your other half knows by now that it isn't going to stop..... ;-)

Ben


Post# 328458 , Reply# 18   2/2/2009 at 21:53 (5,532 days old) by whirlaway (Hampton Virginia)        
Westlyfront

I have a Westinghouse just like the one beside your slant front.I got it off the SS United States when it was berthed in Norfolk.They also had quite a few white slantfronts all over the ship.When it was launched in 52 lots of the electric was westinghouse and they had in different ships stores parts for everthing even fan blades new for the cabin fans.Bobby

Post# 328527 , Reply# 19   2/3/2009 at 09:23 (5,532 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Waiting for a shipping quote

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I just called Craters And Freighters in Tampa. YouCrate doesn't ship to Canada... Spoilsports! My final decision will depend on the shipping costs. Wish me luck and pray that hubby hasn't been spying on the forums from Brazil!!!

Post# 328859 , Reply# 20   2/5/2009 at 08:41 (5,530 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
Got some more photos of the washer

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The door boot is pretty bad; anyone have an idea of how easy it is to obtain one of the later replacements and how much they cost?
On a positive note, the tub looks great and it is the glass-door model.
Still haven't gotten a shipping quote; I am thinking it would be around $500, but that is just a guess...
AAARGH! Don't know what to do!!!


Post# 330638 , Reply# 21   2/16/2009 at 10:12 (5,518 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        
SOLD!

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To me!! I made an offer last Friday and the seller has accepted.
YAY!
You all know that I am very likely going to be in the doghouse for this, but if hubby does any serious harm, it is in my will that my collection be left to AutomaticWasher.Org... lol


Post# 330643 , Reply# 22   2/16/2009 at 10:29 (5,518 days old) by golittlesport (California)        

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Congratulations! What a classic. I can remember seeing more of these "one-eyed" Westys than just about any other washer when I was a kid, probably because this basic style was used for many years.

Post# 330651 , Reply# 23   2/16/2009 at 11:54 (5,518 days old) by tcox6912 ()        
Congrats

Paul: Congratulations on your new machine!!! The shipping can be a bit pricey, but its worth it if you are getting a dream machine. As far as the partner thing goes, I had the same issue at home ... now, each time I get a washer, he gets a watch. Its a fair trade off and his hobby takes alot less room than mine does! SMILE Todd

Post# 330900 , Reply# 24   2/17/2009 at 18:56 (5,517 days old) by bobbyderegis (Boston)        

Nice machines, but don't they weigh in around 3 tons?
Bobby in Boston


Post# 330976 , Reply# 25   2/18/2009 at 07:27 (5,517 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

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Todd, I still haven't told hubby... I think if I did this might cost me a Labradoodle pup, but it would be worth it!
I am actually cooking up a 'Lucy Ricardo' plan to get the machine to my neighbors in Ogden and he will then fake that he found it while doing renovations in some old house locally... That might fly...



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