Justin, when I was making a "restoration" list I was considering replacing the rusted steel with stainless steel, it won't be original, but it will hold up to the heat from the burner.   Obviously I didn't get any further than making a list, however.

Kevin

John Lefever will correct me if I'm wrong, but on this one there is no clutch, the blower runs all the time.   However there is a damper door that opens for "dry" but closes for the wash / rinse / spin part of the cycle.

The blower ran all the time.  My bedroom faced the "side" back door to the house next door (driveway with side entrance into the house).  The washer/dryer was right next to the outer wall.  I'd lay in my bed at night (which was next to the wall and kinda under the window) and listen to the machine go through wash & rinse cycles.  when it would begin to spin, the pitch/tone noise of the blower would go down a bit until it reached full spin speed.  And sometimes I'd cry myself to sleep because I wanted to be over there watching that machine.  Never did get to see an even complete wash cycle in the 5 years it was next door.