Thread Number: 20212
A Graveyard of Washing Machines
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Post# 322354   1/4/2009 at 05:01 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        

mayfan69's profile picture
Hi guys,

I was contacted by a washer repairer who said he had a "graveyard" of machines, some of which he said i might be interested in.

So, on a recent trip interstate, i decided to pay him a visit. Here are a couple of pics of some of the more older machines.

This first pic is a Wilkins Servis 506 (pretty much a helical drive Maytag) in Avocado. I have already purchased it. Defintely will require some work and more than likely a re-spray. I already have a nice spare control panel which hasn't faded.

Cheers
Leon





Post# 322355 , Reply# 1   1/4/2009 at 05:02 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
2nd pic

mayfan69's profile picture
Interior of the Wilkins Servis

Post# 322356 , Reply# 2   1/4/2009 at 05:06 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Another machine

mayfan69's profile picture
This is a 1967 Malleys Whirlpool Model 1292. No money shot sorry, but the interior has the all black bakelite agitator.

Post# 322357 , Reply# 3   1/4/2009 at 05:07 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Another machine

mayfan69's profile picture
1970's Hoovermatic Twin Tub in Coppertone!!!

Post# 322358 , Reply# 4   1/4/2009 at 05:12 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Another machine

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1965 Frigidaire Multimatic "Master"

Post# 322359 , Reply# 5   1/4/2009 at 05:13 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Another machine

mayfan69's profile picture
1965 Frigidaire Multimatic "Deluxe"

Post# 322360 , Reply# 6   1/4/2009 at 05:14 (5,562 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
Zodiac

ronhic's profile picture
Leon...

In the top left of the picture above looks to be one of the first Australian Hoover Zodiacs...

your thoughts?


Post# 322361 , Reply# 7   1/4/2009 at 05:15 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Another machine

mayfan69's profile picture
A Lightburn "King Size". Nathan (Brisnat81) has a similar machine

Post# 322362 , Reply# 8   1/4/2009 at 05:17 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Another pic

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Picture showing the graveyard from the road...
Yes, the shed had machines too, but mainly newer ones and some parts.


Post# 322363 , Reply# 9   1/4/2009 at 05:21 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Hoover Zodiac?

mayfan69's profile picture
Hi Chris

Yes, that's a Hoover Zodiac. He had a few Hoover's there, plus lots of Simpsons and Kelvinator's of various vintages.

Unfortunately, we were both on timetables, so i couldn't take pics of everything. I will more than likely be going back sometime this year and decide exactly what else i might want....defintely one of the Frigidaires above thats for sure.

Cheers
Leon


Post# 322372 , Reply# 10   1/4/2009 at 05:39 (5,562 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
sigh...

ronhic's profile picture
What I wouldn't give to have a nice keymatic....

I actually wonder if there is some little old lady that has one stashed away...

Leon, the 4spd Fluid Drive that you have...does it work and do you know the history of it?

c


Post# 322373 , Reply# 11   1/4/2009 at 05:45 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
4 speed Fluid Drive Auto

mayfan69's profile picture
Hey Chris

Well....you could always try and advertise for a Hoover Keymatic. Nathan found his that way, although it wasn't initially the machine he wanted, but there are still some out there.

As for the Four Speed programmed Fluid Drive: Yes, it does work, however, the timer will need a repair as apparently its not completing the entire cycle and the gearbox will need to be swapped over with a spare one i have as during transit, it unfortunately leaked oil on the way back from interstate.

The owner was an elderly woman who bought it new in about 1970 and when it started give timer problems, bought a new one and put this one in the shed.

Cheers
Leon


Post# 322375 , Reply# 12   1/4/2009 at 05:58 (5,562 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
timer...

ronhic's profile picture
Well mum got hers in 1968...August to be exact as they moved into the house on the bank holiday long weekend (she worked for the Bank of NSW)

...and it is interesting that mum did the timer in hers at least twice in the time she owned it and then something happened to the 'spin'. When it was fixed it would spin rather slowly and you could still wring water out....so that coupled with the hotwater solinoid going meant the machine went...



Post# 322376 , Reply# 13   1/4/2009 at 06:07 (5,562 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Slow Spin

mayfan69's profile picture
Hmmmmmm

Sounds like the clutch lining had worn away. That was one of the issues with that type of mechanism or maybe the fluid drive itself needed replacing. To replace the lining is fairly simple...i did it on a 1976 Simpson and its spinning to full speed now.

Leon


Post# 322378 , Reply# 14   1/4/2009 at 06:19 (5,562 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
Question...

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What exactly was the 'fluid drive'?



Post# 322416 , Reply# 15   1/4/2009 at 12:11 (5,562 days old) by revvinkevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)        
Wow!

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That looks like a very interesting place to wonder around! I would love to rescue some of (or all of?) those machines! Being that they are all out in the weather, it looks like some (most?) are not in that great of condition.... but hopefully with a little TLC.......?

That Lightburn "King Size", I've never seen anything like that, pretty neat!

And the photo of the 1965 Frigidaire Multimatic "Deluxe", what is that growing out from around the lid? Mold, fungus, moss? Eeew! LOL


Post# 322435 , Reply# 16   1/4/2009 at 14:00 (5,562 days old) by aussie-plugs (Melbourne, Australia)        
Where, oh where?

Hi Leon,

I'm amazed - I didn't think there was still Gold in the Goldfields, but I was wrong. What an amazing place to find nowadays when everybody is so environmentally conscious that things like this have to be carted off to a "correct" disposal station and crushed.

As to the Lightburn, I have very vague recollections of having seen something like this in my childhood (late 50's/early 60's). I believe they were Australian designed and manufactured, but I'm not sure.

The Hoover Zodiac is from the early 80's. I bought a similar machine in white in 1979 and the colour scheme you see here came out a few years after that. I think mine was one of the first made here - I say this as I had friends who had Hoover front loaders bought around 1975 and they definitely came from the UK and looked somewhat different.

Cheers,

Nick

Cheers,

Nick


Post# 322457 , Reply# 17   1/4/2009 at 15:57 (5,562 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)        

sudsmaster's profile picture
Yikes!

That Lightburn looks like a bathroom fixture, lol!


Post# 322458 , Reply# 18   1/4/2009 at 16:04 (5,562 days old) by blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)        

blackstone's profile picture
Looking at that yard, it makes me want to catch the next (long) flight to Oz. Got an exact location, so I can Google Earth it?



Post# 322488 , Reply# 19   1/4/2009 at 19:27 (5,562 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
Zodiac

ronhic's profile picture
The main difference between our machines and the British ones were that we kept the basic design of the post 'slant front' keymatic and ditched the detergent drawer. A shame really as we didn't get it back until the Electra 530/535....

A really good Zodiac is a very good and capable machine with its' 5 rinses....


Post# 322668 , Reply# 20   1/5/2009 at 19:57 (5,561 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)        
o WOWO

jetcone's profile picture
Shades of South Dakota ten years ago!

Wow that brings back memories! We had fun in our graveyard.

What a terrific find! Enjoy it , washer graveyards are a dream come true!

jon


Post# 322677 , Reply# 21   1/5/2009 at 21:04 (5,561 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Those Lightburns look like so much fun to wash in. I saw our Sacred Appliance Grounds in South Dakota after half of it was already crushed but it was still a wandering wonderland of washers!

Post# 322692 , Reply# 22   1/5/2009 at 22:12 (5,561 days old) by phamq ()        

There're got to be close to a hundred to choose from. Most probably just need painting job. There should be 1 in the state.

Post# 323860 , Reply# 23   1/12/2009 at 20:42 (5,554 days old) by arrrooohhh (Sydney Australia)        

WOW! Where is this "graveyard"?

What is growing under the lids of those Frigidaires? I wonder if the owner would be tempted to repair them for a paying customer?


Post# 708539 , Reply# 24   10/11/2013 at 04:06 (3,821 days old) by BlogShag ()        
322361 is so ugly

OMG! No. 322361 is sooo ugly. It looks like a freakin' toilet

Post# 878250 , Reply# 25   4/23/2016 at 02:40 (2,897 days old) by Hoover525 (Sydney Australia)        
Hey Leon

hoover525's profile picture
Where is this place ?

Post# 878261 , Reply# 26   4/23/2016 at 06:30 (2,896 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
My secret

mayfan69's profile picture
My secret. I'd prefer not to say.

Cheers
Leon


Post# 878264 , Reply# 27   4/23/2016 at 06:57 (2,896 days old) by brucelucenta ()        

Places like this are almost a thing of the past now. There was one on the outskirts of Thompson, Iowa several years ago where I picked up some machines. Found an old '54 Hamilton among others there. Last I heard, either the state or some form of government was trying to make him get rid of all of them. I'm sure they probably succeeded and that place is no more. He had many old Frigidaire, Maytag, Kenmore and various other machines of the 50's, 60's & 70's. Still, the place where I saw and found the most was right here in my own home town back in the early 70's. That place had nearly everything as far as washers and dryers! There was even an old Apex like the one Robert has now, although I did not pick it up. But there were lots of matched sets of ABC omatic machines and Leonards, a rebadged Kelvinator washer. Lots of Frigidaire and Philco machines too. The odd ball ones that service guys didn't like to mess with were all there. They were all hauled to the dump or the crusher by the early 80's. Sad...

Post# 878387 , Reply# 28   4/24/2016 at 15:55 (2,895 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

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This place disappeared a few years ago.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO goatfarmer's LINK

Post# 878393 , Reply# 29   4/24/2016 at 17:25 (2,895 days old) by simpsomatic (Melb, Aust-now Palm Springs,US)        
Graveyard

If I am not mistaken this graveyard is in plain eyesight along a major thoroughfare
in Melbourne. Growing up those Frigidaire's and our Thor trimatic were my favorite machines.


Post# 878397 , Reply# 30   4/24/2016 at 18:15 (2,895 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Not on a major thoroughfare

mayfan69's profile picture
Actually, you are incorrect, it's not on a major thoroughfare in plain eyesight in metro Melbourne.

Post# 878421 , Reply# 31   4/24/2016 at 23:00 (2,895 days old) by Hoover525 (Sydney Australia)        
Any other Hoover top loaders there?

hoover525's profile picture
I could see one 720 near the fence in a couple of pics, but no others. I'm looking for some parts for my 620 (nearly impossible to find interior plastics now), and of course am interested in any other old Hoover top loaders!

What a cool place to find! I'd say it's still there too ?


Post# 878431 , Reply# 32   4/24/2016 at 23:49 (2,895 days old) by Tolivac (greenville nc)        

Makes me think of the appliance graveyards in Aberdeen, motive parts in Rapid City South Dakota.Pthose are gone,now.

Post# 878433 , Reply# 33   4/24/2016 at 23:58 (2,895 days old) by simpsomatic (Melb, Aust-now Palm Springs,US)        
Secret location

Since there is so much uncalled for secrecy the graveyard I am familiar with is off the Tullarmarine freeway before you reach the International airport in Melbourne. I returned to Melbourne for my mothers funeral last August and noticed a huge area of graveyard appliances under the eucalyptus trees that are evident in these photographs on my way for return flight to the US. Come hell or high water had the circumstances been different I would have scaled chain link fences to investigate and share. Sorry that "mayfan69" is not willing to share.

Post# 878544 , Reply# 34   4/25/2016 at 18:19 (2,894 days old) by Blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)        

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Using Google Earth, I scanned around the Tullarmarine Freeway. Couldn't find the graveyard on the current images.

However, I did find something that I would consider to be unusual--how close the houses are to each other. Barely just a driveway separating them. One normally thinks of Australia as being a land of wide-open land. Not everywhere, I guess.


Post# 878546 , Reply# 35   4/25/2016 at 18:43 (2,894 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        

I'm sorry, I think your response to Leon is unfair.

He puts a huge amount of Time, effort and Money into building relationships with people who are generally quite elderly and not easy to deal with or open to people just coming in to try and take their treasures from them. These arent generally people who are open to just anyone coming on site. Leon has spent months and in some cases years corresponding with these people before he's invited to meet them.

There's always two sides to each story and it would be useful to think about the bigger picture before throwing stones.


Post# 878555 , Reply# 36   4/25/2016 at 20:50 (2,894 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Thanks Nathan

mayfan69's profile picture
Thanks for your comments defending me Nathan, you've described the situation very succinctly.

Cheers
Leon


Post# 878874 , Reply# 37   4/28/2016 at 07:44 (2,891 days old) by Hoover525 (Sydney Australia)        
We're polite and tactful too

hoover525's profile picture
Please dont assume the other members of this board are sledgehammers. That's not nice.

Post# 878942 , Reply# 38   4/28/2016 at 18:12 (2,891 days old) by washer111 ()        
Like With Anything...

If a person prefers to retain their anonymity, or prefers not to disclose certain details about themselves or those they associate with online, that is entirely up to them.

Its also why when the topic of "filling in my profile" here comes up, I often make a rather blatant post defending my reasons for not doing so.

This is the internet. Anyone can see the information you post here. Does Leon really want the privacy of these contacts invaded and trust breached?
Could these washers end up on the back of trailers headed to scrappers for reasonable sums of money?

"No" is an answer we have to put up with every so often.
To be fair, many members here do put an excruciating amount of effort into finding and then restoring their machines.


Post# 879229 , Reply# 39   5/1/2016 at 15:28 (2,888 days old) by Hoover525 (Sydney Australia)        
Some kids never shared their toys

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And I can guess who here!


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