Thread Number: 39363
Westy L-5 moves to Michigan's west coast
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Post# 583333   3/18/2012 at 17:48 (4,392 days old) by in2itdood ()        

I was up with the birds this morning ... and headed to Michigan's East coast to fetch home this "needs attention" Westy L-5. Cosmetically she needs some help for sure. Her internals do not look too bad ... just encrusted with years and years of laundry spills and by products. The drum interior is really nice other than one dime sized bit of surface rust. All the wiring looks to be in good shape... though there are a few loose connections. This gal was in the house when the current owners bought it. I'm really glad they already had moved her from the basement into the garage! She's a heavy gal.




Post# 583336 , Reply# 1   3/18/2012 at 17:54 (4,392 days old) by in2itdood ()        
From the back

Internals with the back off... that floor panel needs a good cleaning with a stiff brush and Lemon soft scrub. Gotta get that spring and belt back in place too.

Post# 583337 , Reply# 2   3/18/2012 at 17:56 (4,392 days old) by in2itdood ()        
Internal Contol close up

Not bad looking ... and not too scary.

Post# 583339 , Reply# 3   3/18/2012 at 18:00 (4,392 days old) by in2itdood ()        
Unloading the beast ...

Who said I needed help? I just built a quick 2x4 ramp and slid her right down into the garage. All done for the night!

Post# 583364 , Reply# 4   3/18/2012 at 19:32 (4,392 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

arbilab's profile picture
Is that an imbalance cutoff in the upper left control shot? We had the W'house before and after this one and neither had a cutoff. They were known to samba across the floor on occasion. They were also BOL. Even with employee discount dad always bought the cheapest. (But he also sent 4 kids to college.)

And there's the mighty earthquake solenoid in the first shot. Scary loud even when you know it's coming.


Post# 583378 , Reply# 5   3/18/2012 at 20:06 (4,392 days old) by moparguy (Virginia)        

Is this the model that had the hard plastic-bound manual that slid into the top? A very very awesomely cool machine Scott! They were the industrial strength-looking, yet streamlined machines. I remember growing up, an elderly neighbor had a set (w/d) in her basement, put up on a big slab to keep them secured and stable!


Post# 583379 , Reply# 6   3/18/2012 at 20:11 (4,392 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

wayupnorth's profile picture
WOW, that one looks like the one a relative had with the smaller switch below the timer. Is that the water level control? I remember they would be sitting in the living room talking and I would be sitting on the floor in front of it being good (as a kid really could) watching everything thru the beautiful glass door.

Post# 583410 , Reply# 7   3/18/2012 at 21:48 (4,392 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

arbilab's profile picture
I pulled a kitchen chair up in front of ours. Which I jumped up out of when the spin solenoid went off. And I was usually there for the imbalance samba to shut it off and put the snubber arms back on their plates.

Post# 583426 , Reply# 8   3/18/2012 at 23:02 (4,392 days old) by pdub (Portland, Oregon)        
Congrats Scott!

pdub's profile picture
Great machine you got there. I look forward to seeing more pics as you go through this machine and get it into working order.

Looks like lots of fun ahead!

Patrick


Post# 583433 , Reply# 9   3/19/2012 at 00:30 (4,392 days old) by alr2903 (TN)        

Looks to be in very nice shape, best of luck.  alr


Post# 583467 , Reply# 10   3/19/2012 at 07:11 (4,392 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
SLANT FRONT WH WASHER

combo52's profile picture

WOW Scott that machine is in good overall condition and I would guess that not only has it not been used in a very long time, It doesn't look like it was used too long or hard in its first life.

 

All the suspended WH Slant Front washers till the 3belt models had A mechanical off-balance shut off. But like other washers , [ MT Frigidaire  and others ] they didn't always work as the tubs swinging motion would sometimes be in a different obit and miss the cutoff lever.

 

These are fun machines I have the L-4 which is the same except for minor trim differences and we have the dryer that matches your new find. On my L-4 the motor has stopped working, so I will have to get into it one day soon.


Post# 583803 , Reply# 11   3/20/2012 at 00:55 (4,391 days old) by arbilab (Ft Worth TX (Ridglea))        

arbilab's profile picture
All the suspended WH Slant Front washers till the 3belt models had A mechanical off-balance shut off.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Beg to differ, neither of our BOL models had offbalance shutoff. First aprx 1947 (2-belt) and second aprx 1956 (3-belt no potato).

I have also had TLs with offbalance shutoff which could bang themselves to death if left unattended because the tub doesn't always choose to sway in the direction of the shutoff lever.


Post# 584039 , Reply# 12   3/20/2012 at 21:21 (4,390 days old) by bendixmark (Winchester Mass)        
westy

That is the same washer my mother had when I was very young that started my interest in washing machines,I loved that machine.The big question,how is the door boot?

Post# 584041 , Reply# 13   3/20/2012 at 21:28 (4,390 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
thats the way to do it!

jetcone's profile picture
never lift anything! Its in nice shape, you''ll have that running in no time! Post vids, love that machine!

jet



Post# 584167 , Reply# 14   3/21/2012 at 13:03 (4,389 days old) by turquoisedude (.)        

turquoisedude's profile picture

Congratulations - those are fun machines and surprisingly not that bad to work on!    I have lots of service information and hard-learned lessons that I'd be happy to share with you.   My first 'tear down and restore' on a vintage washer was an L5!!

 

If the door boot needs to be replaced,  that is probably going to be the biggest challenge but substitutions are possible.

 

All the best with your 'new' machine!!

 

 


Post# 584169 , Reply# 15   3/21/2012 at 13:13 (4,389 days old) by in2itdood ()        
Thanks and update!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the comments. I have not had much time to work on it this week ... but I have tightened a few loose ends and did some cleaning. Interestingly. I found some missing bolts and one missing "shock mount" .. ( pretty sure one can be fashioned from a car/ tractor part ). I did some deeper cleaning on the front ... and it turned out nicely. I will try and post a picture in the next day or so. She was glowing pretty brightly in the morning sunshine. Yes, the little white knob is water level. I took that knob off and lost its tiny flat tension insert last night ... Hurray ... I found it on the floor of the garage this morning. The door boot seems to still be in good shape and malleable ... at least it is not crumbly. The basket is in nice shape too ... but I have found a few minor chipped/ rust spots that will need to be repaired. All in all she is a pretty good old gal. Once my buddy reconnects some of the loose wires (electricity scares me a bit) ... I'll give her a test wash.


Post# 584375 , Reply# 16   3/22/2012 at 08:25 (4,389 days old) by in2itdood ()        
In the sunshine

Hi Guys,
Here is the picture I took yesterday morning after a good cleaning to the front. Overall, I think she is going to clean up nicely. A little of the interior boot is showing ... seems to be a little stretched.


Post# 584389 , Reply# 17   3/22/2012 at 10:22 (4,389 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)        
WOW!

revvinkevin's profile picture

 

 

What an awesome find Scott, CONGRATULATIONS!!   I would LOVE to find one of these (same model) within driving distance some day!  

 

This is the same model washer my grandmother had on her "laundry porch".   The small pass through between the kitchen and sun porch, it was only big enough for the washer, a utility sink and water heater.   Every time we'd go to my grandparents house I would find my to the porch to see if she was doing "a load of wash"!   I can still remember the smells.....

 

I'd stay there, watching the washer until my grandmother would yell at me, telling me to "Get out of there, go outside and play".   Even then I would find my way back until she'd yell at me again.

 

I hope you get it up and running soon!

 

Kevin


Post# 584400 , Reply# 18   3/22/2012 at 11:34 (4,388 days old) by macboy91si (Frankfort, KY)        
Laundromat

macboy91si's profile picture

Such a simple and classy design, i would someday love to find this or a spacemate. This machine looks to be in great condition, even the paint. I'm looking forward to reading as this project unfolds.

 

-Tim


Post# 584408 , Reply# 19   3/22/2012 at 11:48 (4,388 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)        

revvinkevin's profile picture

 

 

Hey Tim, if you find an L-5 like Scotts I'll trade you my Spacemate!    Wink

 

Kevin


Post# 584625 , Reply# 20   3/23/2012 at 13:53 (4,387 days old) by in2itdood ()        
This just in ..

Forgot I took these 2 pics .... the Pump

Post# 584626 , Reply# 21   3/23/2012 at 13:55 (4,387 days old) by in2itdood ()        
2nd pic

Basket and Boot:

2 Small areas on the basket need some help ... and the boot is a little stretched, but in decent shape from what I can tell.


Post# 586321 , Reply# 22   4/1/2012 at 08:58 (4,379 days old) by vivalalavatrice ()        
Unloading the beast ...

Very clever way to land washers!!
just to try.... I've always been landing by hand... harder of course!

Diomede


Post# 586474 , Reply# 23   4/1/2012 at 18:57 (4,378 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )        

petek's profile picture
I saw one advertised in Mt.Clemens, is that it?

Post# 586627 , Reply# 24   4/2/2012 at 11:47 (4,377 days old) by in2itdood ()        
thanks ...

It was pretty easy to unload .... it is BEASTLY heavy. oh and yes it did come from the Mt Clemens area just north of Detroit.



Post# 586724 , Reply# 25   4/2/2012 at 18:50 (4,377 days old) by in2itdood ()        
Combo52

Hi John .. Yes , the tub on this machine does have the 2 "fins" that you asked about on Saturday.

scott


Post# 586733 , Reply# 26   4/2/2012 at 19:19 (4,377 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
Ooo Lucky you

jetcone's profile picture
its got the extra two wisdom fins in the tub! Thats a early design and I have never washed in one, but I bet the tumble pattern is completely different!




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