Look what my brother did!

Here's the plan of attack I'd use:

First, the top of the machine is porcelain, so paint remover should get the white paint off without damage. HOWEVER, spot-test the remover first, to be sure. Yellows and reds are sometimes sensitive to paint remover, even when they're porcelain.

Second, I'd begin haunting hardware stores (preferably older ones) for some matching Harvest spray paint. This used to be a common colour in hardware stores and Home Depot, but you will probably have to find some old cans that are unsold stock, since the colour is "obsolete". These can be used to re-spray the cabinet. Personally, I'd want to strip the cabinet completely, prime, and re-paint. Caution- some of these appliance paint colours came in epoxy paint. Please read the can instructions carefully and follow them to the letter, particularly the part about recoat time. If you shoot a second coat too late, you may get a lovely leatherette effect, since the second coat will try to dissolve the first. Again, there's info on the can about this.

Third, you probably need to find a new control panel, since there's a lot of overspray on that one. Someone here can probably help you with that, and with the buttons.

All this is doable, but be patient. Best of luck to you. If you don't want to tackle the repaint yourself, someone here may be able to point you towards a paint facility in your area willing to tackle the job. I personally never had much trouble with repainting appliances back in the day- I once redid a GE portable dishwasher in Coppertone, including the shaded edges, and it turned out perfectly (paint companies used to sell both the base colour and the shading colour).

Again, good luck!


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Post# 244890 10/27/2007 at 21:16 (6,024 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes This was our mothers 1975 Maytag A606. My mother gave it to him in 1992 when she moved out of the big family home. He thought it would look like the new washers at Home Depot if he spray painted it white. He just did the top and the front. Original color is harvest gold. The water level buttons are broken off. There is soap in the fabric softener dispencer that has been there for years. I sold him my first generation Maytag Neptunes and in return I got Mom's old maytag back.Would like some suggestions on.... A. The paint. Can I scrape the white paint off? Do I need to repaint the whole thing? Where do I get matching Harvest Gold? B. Where can I get new water level buttons? C. It needs a new safety/unbalanced lid switch. Where do I get that? It still runs and I will have fun cleaing it up. Would like to make it look like new again. Any suggestions would be great.

Post# 244891 , Reply# 1 10/27/2007 at 21:17 (6,024 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes more photos

Post# 244892 , Reply# 2 10/27/2007 at 21:19 (6,024 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes more photos

Post# 244893 , Reply# 3 10/27/2007 at 21:20 (6,024 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes more photos

Post# 244894 , Reply# 4 10/27/2007 at 21:21 (6,024 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes more photos

Post# 244895 , Reply# 5 10/27/2007 at 21:25 (6,024 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes *The matching dryer ? See what else he did!* When the heating element went out (easy fix)..... He took it apart piece by piece and threw it away in the apartment complex dumpster he lived in.

Post# 244917 , Reply# 6 10/27/2007 at 23:59 (6,024 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)
Checkrate/Likes *Spankomatic:* Here's the plan of attack I'd use: First, the top of the machine is porcelain, so paint remover should get the white paint off without damage. HOWEVER, spot-test the remover first, to be sure. Yellows and reds are sometimes sensitive to paint remover, even when they're porcelain. Second, I'd begin haunting hardware stores (preferably older ones) for some matching Harvest spray paint. This used to be a common colour in hardware stores and Home Depot, but you will probably have to find some old cans that are unsold stock, since the colour is "obsolete". These can be used to re-spray the cabinet. Personally, I'd want to strip the cabinet completely, prime, and re-paint. Caution- some of these appliance paint colours came in epoxy paint. Please read the can instructions carefully and follow them to the letter, particularly the part about recoat time. If you shoot a second coat too late, you may get a lovely leatherette effect, since the second coat will try to dissolve the first. Again, there's info on the can about this. Third, you probably need to find a new control panel, since there's a lot of overspray on that one. Someone here can probably help you with that, and with the buttons. All this is doable, but be patient. Best of luck to you. If you don't want to tackle the repaint yourself, someone here may be able to point you towards a paint facility in your area willing to tackle the job. I personally never had much trouble with repainting appliances back in the day- I once redid a GE portable dishwasher in Coppertone, including the shaded edges, and it turned out perfectly (paint companies used to sell both the base colour and the shading colour). Again, good luck!

Post# 244925 , Reply# 7 10/28/2007 at 05:07 (6,023 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)
Checkrate/Likes Oh, that machine looks horrible, quite a job to get that back to it's original state. BTW, is that detergent in the softener dispenser? Good luck with restoring this machine.

Post# 244939 , Reply# 8 10/28/2007 at 08:28 (6,023 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)
Checkrate/Likes *A suggestion:* The buttons are available, or at least, were available, at RepairClinic.com. You might also find a cycle dial there as well. This machine is definitely worth salvaging. Next, bitch slap your brother.

Post# 244940 , Reply# 9 10/28/2007 at 08:30 (6,023 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)
Checkrate/Likes *Model?* Also, that's an oddball A606. Wouldn't an A606 have a blue grill on the panel with a pilot light? Is this actually an A607? An A608 would have a bleach dispenser.

Post# 244949 , Reply# 10 10/28/2007 at 10:13 (6,023 days old) by northwesty (Renton, WA)
Checkrate/Likes Actually paint remover is pretty "hot" and will remove that thin spray paint in a jiffy. I'd try Goof-off first, it will be slower but will probably work okay. Might even work on getting the paint off the cabinet without too much damage. Both products smell so have plenty of ventilation or wear a resperator. Ethyl rubbing alcohol has some acetone in it and is really mild if there is some overspray on the panel. Also, something with a mild abrasive like car wax-cleaner can take off overspray. Don't push too hard and check if it is scratching frequently. We're talking hours here.

Post# 244952 , Reply# 11 10/28/2007 at 10:47 (6,023 days old) by wmlask (Spring Grove, IL)
Checkrate/Likes *Looks Like a A-608* I think this machine is an A-608 not 606.

Post# 245011 , Reply# 12 10/28/2007 at 17:56 (6,023 days old) by cycla-fabric (New Jersey (Northern))
Checkrate/Likes *Paint Removal Suggestion* Oh Boy, the machine looks bad, but not that bad, some of the guys have given some good suggestions on removing the white paint. It will take some time, if possible put some paint removal in a spray bottel and work with it slowly. Get some "000" fine steel wool, that will help alot in the removal process of getting the white spray paint off. Good luck in finding harvest gold paint, pretty hard to find. I am having my car guy repainting the cabinet of my kenmore 800 in harvest gold, as I couldn't find the paint around at all. Just take your time, and clean up the rest of the machine. Soak the softner dispenser and clean up the control panel. Then cover it while you work on the rest of the machine. Good Luck Cycla-Fabric

Post# 245068 , Reply# 13 10/29/2007 at 00:03 (6,023 days old) by 70series ( Connecticut.)
Checkrate/Likes *Model No:* It must be an A606. Those generally have 3 temps, 2 speeds, and 4 levels. Also they have Regular, Perm Press and Timed Soak, as the cycle options, just like this one does. It was probably toward the end of the 06 series. Good luck with getting back to it's former glory. Have a good one. James

Post# 245183 , Reply# 14 10/29/2007 at 17:51 (6,022 days old) by bpetersxx (laf in on the banks of the Wabash River)
Checkrate/Likes 606s

Post# 246414 , Reply# 15 11/4/2007 at 22:45 (6,016 days old) by spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)
Checkrate/Likes These suggestions are great! Thanks for the input!!! Will post updated photo's when I can. Jim