There's a 1970's Westinghouse Spacemaker tumbler washer in harvest gold for sale. Seller is asking $225.00 which I think is overpriced. Perhaps he doesn't know how old this washer is. The washer is located in the San Jose area. Machine is in good condition. I have a similar washer (Model LAT170) in my collection but in fair cosmetic condition. It is Craigslist ad #sale-231703299 Hope someone in Applianceville gets the washer.
1970's Harvest Gold Westinghouse Spacemaker Washer
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westytoploader
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Ummmm...
Exactly what Craigslist is it on? SF Bay? Los Angeles? I'm usually able to find and post links to Craigslist ads you mention but this one is near impossible.
Exactly what Craigslist is it on? SF Bay? Los Angeles? I'm usually able to find and post links to Craigslist ads you mention but this one is near impossible.
Westinghouse Spacemate Washer in San Jose
The Craigslist ad is in San Francisco.
The Craigslist ad is in San Francisco.
frontaloadotmy
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Austin
I'm on it! Select the south bay region then key in
Westunghouse, as opposed to WestInghouse, misstroked I reckon.
I'm shooting for snatchation tomorrow. I don't really know how a 30 year old washingmachine could have only been used 2 weeks then put up on blocks. He said it had some dents because it was dropped recently during moving, and he didn't
operate it with water, but that it does "go through" all cycles. If only it were avocado!!!! We shall see. It's one of them "extra height" units.
I'm on it! Select the south bay region then key in
Westunghouse, as opposed to WestInghouse, misstroked I reckon.
I'm shooting for snatchation tomorrow. I don't really know how a 30 year old washingmachine could have only been used 2 weeks then put up on blocks. He said it had some dents because it was dropped recently during moving, and he didn't
operate it with water, but that it does "go through" all cycles. If only it were avocado!!!! We shall see. It's one of them "extra height" units.
westytoploader
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The elusive "Taller Tumbler" appears!
And yours is EXACTLY like the one in the POD! The "Taller Tumbler" is another one of my Westinghouse dream machines, besides the TOL 1963 Laundromat!!! It's really a shame there aren't more of these around.
And yours is EXACTLY like the one in the POD! The "Taller Tumbler" is another one of my Westinghouse dream machines, besides the TOL 1963 Laundromat!!! It's really a shame there aren't more of these around.
eddy1210
Well-known member
oh dear
I called the fellow myself and was going to buy it from him and use Craters and Freighters. Didn't know you were after it too, Darrel. Anyway, email me
Eddy
I called the fellow myself and was going to buy it from him and use Craters and Freighters. Didn't know you were after it too, Darrel. Anyway, email me
Eddy
whirlcool
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What was the capacity of these machines? I even see that promoted the use of a pedestal with it. If they could build a reliable FL machine in the 70's, why so many problems with them now? These aren't water misers are they?
frontaloadotmy
Well-known member
Allen
They mise water better than top loaders of that and even
newer periods, but what I loved about my one direction potato
pulley is that I could select any one of 4 water levels, which
allowed one to easily gang up on dirt!
They mise water better than top loaders of that and even
newer periods, but what I loved about my one direction potato
pulley is that I could select any one of 4 water levels, which
allowed one to easily gang up on dirt!
Actually, I don't think they were all that reliable in the 1970s, Consumer Reports rated them as having one of the worst repair records. My aunt had a Westinghouse like that and she saw the repair man pretty often. These machines were also prone to rust badly.
Westinghouse Tall Tub Washer
What an awesome looking washer! Since the Westinghouse front loaders were pretty heavy (with those concrete blocks inside), was that storage unit attached to the washer itself (not separate like modern pedestal storage drawers)?
I can't imagine any washer washing shag rugs without getting out of balance. Would love to see that wash!
Weren't there some other Westinghouse washers that had the weighing/load scale?
Was there a matching tall tub dryer?
Hope someone get this. It looks like fun!
What an awesome looking washer! Since the Westinghouse front loaders were pretty heavy (with those concrete blocks inside), was that storage unit attached to the washer itself (not separate like modern pedestal storage drawers)?
I can't imagine any washer washing shag rugs without getting out of balance. Would love to see that wash!
Weren't there some other Westinghouse washers that had the weighing/load scale?
Was there a matching tall tub dryer?
Hope someone get this. It looks like fun!
Actually, I think there was a matching tall dryer, it was called the "Higher Dryer". Funny thing was, the people who had the Higher Dryer usually had a top loading Westinghouse washer (I live in Westinghouse territory). The fact it can wash shag rugs - definitely a 70s machine.
Also with the Polyester Knit cycle, definitely from the 70's. John Travolta probably could have washed his white polyester suit in there and it would have been ready and wrinkle free in time for him to get to the disco and dance with the Bee Gees.
westytoploader
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I noticed a subtle discrepancy between machines in the ad. The picture of the full machine shows a painted loading door, however, if you look at the top picture in the Weigh-To-Save details, you can clearly see the chrome strip across the top and a latch button that's more flush with the door! That was part of the older design...they must have eliminated all chrome on the door (save for the latch) sometime during production of this machine. I bet that also had the chrome ring surrounding the window as well...
Yes, Austin, the chrome was probably phased out in the 70s because my aunt bought her Westinghouse in 1969 so it had more chrome but the control panel looked the same (although hers was on top toward the back, like a top loader). Even though a lot of people here worked for Westinghouse and could get discounts, I found that the top loader was more popular. You are probably the guy who knows the reason why (I do think it was less expensive)?
westytoploader
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According to the February 1991 issue of Consumer Reports, the MOL White-Westinghouse Dual-Tumble FL they tested (stackable, front-control model LT250L; same machine as my 1993 LT350R) had a retail price of $699, when the MOL top-loader they tested was $429. The TOL machine, with controls on the backsplash, twin dispensers, and an end-of-cycle signal, had a retail price of $759! This was when a new TOL Maytag was $635 (over $100 cheaper!), so cost must have played a huge part in their limited popularity. It figures that they're so damn hard to find in decent shape; most I've seen on eBay and Craigslist, regardless of location, have been rode HARD and are rusting all over! Out of the two machines I've seen in Texas (including mine), both were the later Dual-Tumble version (the last year for the Potato-Pulley was 1988) and one was in horrible shape. Mine was still pretty bad, but now that it's been painted and has a plexiglass top, it looks better. I still haven't seen a Potato-Pulley machine near me, though. You'd think, if I was able to find an early-60's GE Combo (which, with the pedestal controls, is pretty rare in itself), one of these would eventually surface! Of course the fact that they were built like tanks (with cast iron, and later, concrete, tub weights) attributed to the cost. The rust issue was really a downfall, in my opinion; I'm willing to bet that if porcelain coating was used in the front panel (at the very least), these things would last forever!
Austin, I believe people either loved or hated the front loader. What I would hear is that the washer cleaned and rinsed well but would rust and leak and they would get to know the repairman. I never heard of mold issues, though. Still, it was enough aggravation to get people to switch to (sometimes Westinghouse) top loaders. I know one woman (her husband worked for Westinghouse) who had to go to Indiana PA (85 miles from Pittsburgh) to find an appliance dealer who would carry the front loader. Westinghouse, when getting ready to dump their appliance division, did not put much money into the plants and so did not spent money to improve the product and I don't WCI put money into any of the appliances they inherited. Many appliance chains didn't carry Westinghouse and it was not until late 80s that there was a Kenmore version. Aunt Mac's Westinghouse was badly rusting and leaking when she replaced it in 1992 with DD Whirlpool. The Whirlpool rusted too, but never leaked and was not replaced by my sister until last year (with the He4T - in Sedona). Westinghouse was also pretty noisy when it "shifted gears" and often jumped, it scared my sisters when they were young. Good luck finding a Westinghouse not rusted through though. Any city that had Westinghouse facilities might be a good place to look but Pittsburgh isn't - we have a lot of damp basements. Today this machine is the Frigemore and I think it is a much better design. The door that was so rust prone is now all glass and plastic and I think the gasket is less likely to become hard - which probably caused all the leaking and rust in front.
If you look at the pedestal drawers in the ad, use your imagination, take the chrome away and make them white, and you have the Frigemore pedestals. In fact, the controls of a Frigemore would look exactly like Westinghouse if they were chrome (even though my Frigemore was a GE). Hope this helps, Nep.
If you look at the pedestal drawers in the ad, use your imagination, take the chrome away and make them white, and you have the Frigemore pedestals. In fact, the controls of a Frigemore would look exactly like Westinghouse if they were chrome (even though my Frigemore was a GE). Hope this helps, Nep.
Hi Eddy
Did you get the machine yet? Would love to see a picture.
Brian - Northwesty
Did you get the machine yet? Would love to see a picture.
Brian - Northwesty
Had one, in the late 1970's. A potato pulley model. Did an excellent job on the clothes, very low linting, tub bearing and motor never failed and it was a breeze to use. But: Non-porcelinized paint peeled off the inside of the door and panel below by the third year of use, potato pulley support flange had metal fatigue and disintigrated after 1 /12 years, rubber tub snubbers squeaked loudly during spin, extraction was poor, and by 5 years, the whole thing had already reached rust bucket status, regardless of the TLC I gave it.
eddy1210
Well-known member
Hi Brian
They should be arriving in Seattle today for a pickup tomorrow. Pictures with be forthcoming when it's all hooked up and tested...
They should be arriving in Seattle today for a pickup tomorrow. Pictures with be forthcoming when it's all hooked up and tested...
Eddy, I'll look forward to them. If anybody knows, why the "potato pulley"? Seems like it would make the spin cycle very rough, maybe that was the problem with Aunt Mac's washer. I find that DD Whirlpool is also prone to rust badly in damp basements.
eddy1210
Well-known member
potato pulley
Hi Bob, there's a solenoid that shifts control to a "normal" shaped round pulley for the spin. The machine has arrived in Seattle but can't pick it up until Monday now. The seller told me the machine was only used for about 2 weeks before being put into storage (it's a bit of a long story, if it's true). We'll take off the back panel and see how things look when it gets here.
Hi Bob, there's a solenoid that shifts control to a "normal" shaped round pulley for the spin. The machine has arrived in Seattle but can't pick it up until Monday now. The seller told me the machine was only used for about 2 weeks before being put into storage (it's a bit of a long story, if it's true). We'll take off the back panel and see how things look when it gets here.
panthera
Well-known member
washing was great but
My grandmother had a pair in avocado. She was meticulous and got furious when they started to rust after not even one year of use. She went back to Maytag.
So that made two FLs which were mass produced and sold in the US which sucked big time. And then we wonder why Americans are so slow to adopt this much better technology? I was shocked, shocked I tell you when I first came to Europe and learned that FLs here were expected to last at least 15 years before the first major breakdown.
Oh - apart from the rust, jumping, snubber noises and rust - washed great.
My grandmother had a pair in avocado. She was meticulous and got furious when they started to rust after not even one year of use. She went back to Maytag.
So that made two FLs which were mass produced and sold in the US which sucked big time. And then we wonder why Americans are so slow to adopt this much better technology? I was shocked, shocked I tell you when I first came to Europe and learned that FLs here were expected to last at least 15 years before the first major breakdown.
Oh - apart from the rust, jumping, snubber noises and rust - washed great.
Westy f/l's
I owned two of these machines; one I got used in '74 and it needed a level control-easy fix. The other I got from my sis in '86, right after I got married. It was part of a stack setup, made in about '76. She said it leaked; after I dropped it off the tailgate of my truck, it didn't leak. I made a top for it, and used it for about 3 years and two moves. These machines were o-k, but noisy. Plus they tangled clothes a lot. Spin was about 580 rpm. By the way, the potato pulley only operated in the tumble mode; there is another ROUND pulley for spin, which uses a separate belt. The solenoid mechanism for shifting belts made a very loud clap, as did the one which engaged the drain pump. Later, I owned a White/Westinghouse, the first to use a variable speed d.c. motor. What a piece of junk! The tub began rusting after about 3 years. The reversing tumble action, however, solved the tangling problem. After I gave up on that rustbucket, I got a "Frigimore," which burnt out its tub bearings after about 7 years. I now have a Duet HT, which I'm very happy with so far. Best machine by a long shot that I've ever owned!
I owned two of these machines; one I got used in '74 and it needed a level control-easy fix. The other I got from my sis in '86, right after I got married. It was part of a stack setup, made in about '76. She said it leaked; after I dropped it off the tailgate of my truck, it didn't leak. I made a top for it, and used it for about 3 years and two moves. These machines were o-k, but noisy. Plus they tangled clothes a lot. Spin was about 580 rpm. By the way, the potato pulley only operated in the tumble mode; there is another ROUND pulley for spin, which uses a separate belt. The solenoid mechanism for shifting belts made a very loud clap, as did the one which engaged the drain pump. Later, I owned a White/Westinghouse, the first to use a variable speed d.c. motor. What a piece of junk! The tub began rusting after about 3 years. The reversing tumble action, however, solved the tangling problem. After I gave up on that rustbucket, I got a "Frigimore," which burnt out its tub bearings after about 7 years. I now have a Duet HT, which I'm very happy with so far. Best machine by a long shot that I've ever owned!
eddy1210
Well-known member
here it is
I promised pictures of this tall beauty. It's in really good shape, practically new inside. Runs perfectly.
I promised pictures of this tall beauty. It's in really good shape, practically new inside. Runs perfectly.
eddy1210
Well-known member
spray flush
I just love the way it spray flushes the wash before the 1st spin, kinda like a Westinghouse version of the overflow rinse.
I just love the way it spray flushes the wash before the 1st spin, kinda like a Westinghouse version of the overflow rinse.
zipdang
Well-known member
Congratulations Eddy! What a fun machine to have.
I see the red baffle in the photo; is the other baffle gray? I seem to recall the baffles in mine were each a different color.
I see the red baffle in the photo; is the other baffle gray? I seem to recall the baffles in mine were each a different color.
eddy1210
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it's gray
Apparently some had a blue and gray baffle too like the POD Austin posted above. It has "lint ejector" written on the red baffle. Wonder how that works?
Apparently some had a blue and gray baffle too like the POD Austin posted above. It has "lint ejector" written on the red baffle. Wonder how that works?
veg-o-matic
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OoooOOOOOooooohhh! Daddy like!
veg
veg
westytoploader
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Congratulations again, Eddy!!! What a beauty! Like I said, if you get sick of it, send it down here! ;-)
Are both of the vanes lint ejectors, or just the red one? I'm 99.9% positive that the earlier machines only have one, and the later machines (like mine) have two grey lint ejector vanes. The holes in the vane are supposed to force lint and other debris in the washwater into the outer tub and not back onto the load. None of the loads I've put into mine are that linty, so I guess they work. If anything, they do help "shower" the load a bit.
Are both of the vanes lint ejectors, or just the red one? I'm 99.9% positive that the earlier machines only have one, and the later machines (like mine) have two grey lint ejector vanes. The holes in the vane are supposed to force lint and other debris in the washwater into the outer tub and not back onto the load. None of the loads I've put into mine are that linty, so I guess they work. If anything, they do help "shower" the load a bit.
golittlesport
Well-known member
beautiful!
Wow, Eddy! Congratulations! That is a beautiful machine...and it has a weigh-to-save door! Those do rinse great with the flush rinse and then two deep rinses. And it has a light in the tub! Can you rig that to come on with the door closed? Enjoy!
Rich
Wow, Eddy! Congratulations! That is a beautiful machine...and it has a weigh-to-save door! Those do rinse great with the flush rinse and then two deep rinses. And it has a light in the tub! Can you rig that to come on with the door closed? Enjoy!
Rich
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