1959 Maytag washer for sale

[tomdawg]

I found a 1959 Maytag washer for sale about 30 min from me. I’m considering adding it to my collection. The thought of a pretty decent washer that is 65 years old is pretty cool.
They said the washer was retired in 1970 and hasn’t been in use since. They have no idea if it works or not. Other than rubber hoses- how readily available are parts for this machine? I realize I might have to look harder as this machine is pretty old.

 

[countryford]

Just an FYI. I had originally reached out to the seller about this washer and the Westinghouse Dryer that is to the right of it, in the picture. We made an agreement on both of them and I was to go down a couple of days later. Night before I was to drive down to get both of them, I contacted the seller to verify my arrival the next day. She told me that she had already sold the washer, claiming she didn't know if I was still interested in the washer. Because the last message from me to her was about me coming down to get the washer and dryer. She did say the dryer was still available, so I did go down for that.

When I got there, the washer and dryer were both in the basement. I asked her about the washer, since she had told me she sold it. Well turns out someone offered her $200 for it, at the time she was asking $125 for it. They hadn't given her any money and were supposed to be coming up from Missouri for it. I took the dryer and left.

The ad for the washer was removed. A week or so later, the ad reappeared. I reached out to the seller again, asking about the washer. According to her, the Missouri buyer came up there to purchase it and wasn't impressed with the condition of the washer and ended up backing out of the deal. She also paid to have someone move the washer up to the garage for him. I had debated going back down, but decided against taking a 4 hour round trip again.

When I was there I did look at the washer, briefly. The agitator was stuck. I did not plug it in or try it, I just tried to turn it by hand and it would not move.
The dryer I got, looks to have been in the basement for a rather long time and has some issues with rust, from the moisture in the basement. I'm sure the washer will have the same issue. When I spoke to the seller, she mentioned that the house belonged to her husband and she is cleaning it out, after he died. From the way she spoke, they were separated and not living together at the time of his death. She did not know anything about the washer or the dryer. She never said anything about it last being used in the 70s.

If you still decide to go for it, just be wary. Good luck to you either way. Just wanted you to have a little back story on it.

Justin

 

[tomdawg]

Thank you for the information, I remember seeing it on fb marketplace earlier and then it was gone. I wondered if someone on here tried to take a look at it.

 

[qsd-dan]

Damn shame a 65 year old TOL set got broken up over $75.

People and their greed...

 

[countryford]

qsd-dan, 

I wouldn't really call it a set. A Maytag washer and a Westinghouse dryer. And the dryer is definitely not top of the line. 

But yeah, she would have already had it sold, had she not got greedy. 

 

[qsd-dan]

I missed the Westinghouse dryer part, I assumed it was a matching set.

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>The agitator was stuck. I did not plug it in or try it, I just tried to turn it by hand and it would not move.</blockquote> I'm curious how was the attempt done to manually turn the agitator.  Grabbing it up-top in the basket?  Or tipping the machine back for access beneath and turning the belt/transmission pulley in agitate direction?  I've never been able to turn a Maytag toploader agitator directly being that they don't disengage from the transmission gear train into a neutral mode.  Is this '59 model design different in that respect?

 

[countryford]

DADoES

I just tried to move it by hand from the top. I am not familiar with Maytags, so as you said, it probably wasn't disengaged from the transmission.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

I would have told her " Well Im here right now with the $125 for it take it or leave it ". She prob would have took it and burned Missouri seeing as how she burned you on it

 

[maranoman]

I saw the washer too

I was up in Ames to visit my stepdaughter and while I was there, I went to the same house to pick up a free 1984 Amana Radarange. I knew she also had the washer and dryer so I asked to look at them. She told me that they were both sold - washer was going to be picked up by the guy from Missouri and the dryer by Justin.

The washer was pretty rough and when I plugged it in to test in spin, nothing happened. By rough I mean it had a lot of hard water staining in the tub. The top cover was loose and I corrected that for her. It was definitely not worth $200. Now it's down to $50 and might be worth restoring at that price. I did not check for rust on the base. It was a dark, unfinished basement. If she paid someone to take it to her garage, half the battle is over.

By the way, the Radarange cleaned up like new and just needed a new diode. It's now heating like a champ.

 

[countryford]

robbinsandmyers: When I was there picking up the dryer, I did tell her that I would buy the washer for the agreed upon price. She said no that she was waiting for the guy from Missouri who offered her the $200. I wasn't willing to shell out $200. She was just greedy and wanted more than what her initial asking price was.

maranoman: She had mentioned that someone came for the microwave and had mentioned they knew me. I wasn't sure who she was talking about and she didn't know their name. I now know it was you. I didn't test the washer while I was there. Since I thought the Missouri guy was going to get it, I didn't go any further than what I mentioned earlier. I'm kind of glad that I didn't get it now.