Dreams of the Washer King

[revvinkevin]

 

 

No... no... no... not ME!  

 

This is a play a friend and I saw about 2 1/2 weeks ago in a small 80 seat theater in Beverly Hills.  We had talked about going, I hemmed and hawed about it for 3 - 4 weeks and then said OK.  At $15 the tix were reasonable.

While waiting for the house to open the night of the performance, we started talking to David, the theaters art director.  As we spoke I said "do you know WHY I'm here?  Because I AM the washer king!" (OK, it is me for this thread, LOL).  I proceed to tell him a little about my collection and he says "Oh, we have 3 dryers and a washer we're using for props and I don't know what the hell I'm going to do with them when we finish this production, do you want them?"  By this time they had opened the house doors, so we went to take a look.

We walk in the theater and see.........

[this post was last edited: 2/29/2012-00:30]

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

...these sitting on stage.   2 lady Kenmore portable dryers, a hotpoint gas dryer and the poor washer in the back.   After I see the washer, I go back out to the lobby and hand David my card saying "Yes I'll take them!"    

 

Since they were being used as props, they made them to look old, dirty and rusty by using paint and a "paint wash" (or something like that) on them.   They wanted the two portable dryers to look like washers so they made these doors with windows in them (they kept the original doors and gave them to me).

 

During the performance one actor used the little dryers and the washer to store things like beer, snack food, a sleeping bag and other "emergency supplies".

[this post was last edited: 2/29/2012-00:37]

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Here is a closeup of the washer.   The poor thing.   I tried using a wet towel to remove some of the paint wash (or what ever it is) and luckily it started coming off relatively easily.   I hope the "rust stains" (paint) comes off that easy too!

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Here is the model tag... date code "SB"...  Feb 1960.

 

Model "333"... that IS what the model tag shows, right??? 

  Or is it "3333"?  

[this post was last edited: 2/29/2012-00:48]

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

While the actors in the play were truly excellent, the story itself was extremely complex and difficult to follow.   It jumped around in both the story and the time line.   My friend Mark who has been seeing sometimes 2 or 3 plays per week, told me sometimes a play like this, which is confusing in the first half, will come together in the 2nd half.   However, this one didn't.   But hey, it was an experience and look what I got out of it!!

 

Sunday (day of the Oscars) was closing night for the show. so I picked them up yesterday (Monday).

 

So...... I have ZERO interest in the these portable LK dryers.   I'm planning to put them "out on the curb" unless one of you wants either one or both of them?    They are yours, FREE, FREE, FREE!    Just send me a message or e-mail to let me know.   Again I do have the original doors for them.  Oh, one of them the plug was cut off the power cord.

 

Kevin

 

The link is a review of the show. 

[this post was last edited: 2/29/2012-00:51]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/cul...iew-dreams-of-the-washer-king-theatre-40.html

 

[alr2903]

Kevin try some windex on that   "decorative paint",   If that does not work try some mineral spirits.  That Tag may be a keeper.  Some how the cosmos led you to "the play".  alr

 

[combo52]

Old MT Washer

Kevin what does the control panel look like on the MT washer? The model # tag doesn't seem correct?

 

[revvinkevin]

The model # tag doesn't seem correct?

 

 

Yeah that is my doing... I blurred the model number in photoshop.... he he he.  

 

I've just GOT to add more "drama" to this whole "production" right??

 

Kevin

[this post was last edited: 2/29/2012-13:44]

 

[gansky1]

It's an A900.

 

[revvinkevin]

It's an A900.

 

 

Was there such thing as an A900 in 1960???

 

Hmm..........

 

[macboy91si]

1960

My guess is not very good as I'm not familiar with Maytags that old but I would guess it is either an early A700 or a 140c?

-Tim

 

[kenmoreguy64]

So K-man, what's the 1960 equivalent of an A908? Hmmm....

Let me know how the peel test works on that nasty weathering paint. I have a hunch it may not take much to get it off.

G

 

[rp2813]

Kevin,

 

I recently learned a method using paper towels nearly saturated with Windex (original formula only) to lift layers of dirt and grime from wood surfaces.  It might work on your machines, but requires lots of paper towels.  Fold towels in half, wet well with the Windex, lay flat on the machine and let set for several minutes.  You can check whether any of the "rust" is being lifted off by lifting a towel after a couple of minutes.   Might be worth a try if other methods haven't yet provided the desired results.

 

Ralph

 

[swestoyz]

The overall cabinet may be from 1960 - but the front panel is the revised 1963 through 1965 panel without the bulge at the top for the chrome strip.

I'm gonna go with Greg and add to the drama - it's a push button model 160. If it was a lowly 142 he would have shown it all!

Ben

 

[pdub]

Stop teasing....

Come on and show us the control panel Mister!

 

[revvinkevin]

OK... OK.... HERE YOU GO!

 

 

The Ben-meister is right!

 

Can you imagine walking into the theater and seeing the two little dryers sitting on the stage and then this Maytag behind them!   A pushbutton Maytag being used as a stage prop?!?!  GASP!   I almost shrieked when I saw it!  WOW!   (Actually I think I did shriek or something when I saw it!  LOL)    

 

(Greg guessed an A900.   Was there an A900 or is it just the 906?)

 

And by the way.... did you like the way I "staged" the photos??   haha

[this post was last edited: 2/29/2012-21:07]

 

[toploader55]

Oh Kevin

She's Beautiful.

I Love that series.

 

[swestoyz]

Your "staging" was perfect, and made placing the ID a challenge!

Congrats on the FANTASTIC find! Don't be bullied by what is under the control panel cover. I had Robert post a scan of the push button service manual a few years ago (see the link below).

The all push button 160 came out in late 1959 and was replaced by the A series A900 in 1961. Then in 1964 the A902 replaced the A900. Between the 160 and the A902 very little changed.

Finally in 1966 the famous A906 debuted in January, and was discontinued by 1970.

Maytag's simpler rapid advance design lasted much longer than the Lady Kenmore rapid advance design of 1959-1961 (which is almost a Super Computer for it's day!)

Ben

http://www.automaticwasher.org/SERVICE/Maytag_Pushbutton_Manual.pdf

 

[jetcone]

what a stage find

electric drive and everything

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

THANK YOU so much Ben for posting the link to the service manual, that will be a great help I'm sure.

 

Also thanks to Alr2903 and Ralph for the cleaning suggestion!   I did try it a bit on the top of the washer and a lot of it came off easily, but the "rust" (paint) is being more stubborn, I'll have to work on it a bit more tomorrow or when I have time.

 

Thanks!

Kevin

 

[swestoyz]

Hey Kevin,

You may want to try some of the red rubbing compound specifically on the heavy 'rust' areas, then buff everything out with the white rubbing compound on the enamel paint part of the cabinet.

The porcelain top shouldn't be too bad compared to the cabinet.

Hopefully I'm not suggesting something you already know, considering this is coming from one car guy to another!

Ben

 

[mixfinder]

Repair

Is it possible the Touch Controls might have been upgraded in a repair? I have seen it before when the gray was switched back to black in a used parts trade out.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Turpentine and my 75 Kenmore

Kevin -

This may sound harsh, but I have a suggestion for the porcelain finished areas of your new Maytag, and maybe the cabinet too.

Little story - back in 1995 or so, I picked up the carcas of a 1975 Kenmore 70, which was when new a pretty jazzy machine with the quiet pak belt, mechanical dispensers, etc. The console was twisted and bent, and the top had been used as a painting surface at a used appliance store upon which they painted worn out oven racks which had been self-cleaned dozens of times and tarnished. Apparently they used some sort of silver heat resistant paint to spiff-up those ugly racks.

So, the machine was largely silver on top and about 1/4 the way down the sides. The top was thick with paint, the sides much less so.

A couple years ago I set out to finally finish this machine as I had accumlated the parts to make the carcas back into a washer. The hard part I thought was going to be to get the paint off the top. I wish I had saved a pic, but freakin' Windows Vista crashed on my home computer and away went the pics. I was expecting to use steel wool or a Scotch-Brite pad on the paint. I tried it - it would have worked but I would have not needed to work arms at the gym for weeks. Then, my Dad suggested trying a small discreet area of the porcelain with turpentine, which he had a big jug of. So, I tried it. It was almost like using Windex on a dirty window...it took off all the paint like it was dust, and what was going to be a multi-hour scrubbing job took about 20 minutes start to finish, clean-up included.

The porcelain is pristine. The silver was a little more troublesome when it was in a little surface scratch that was pre-existing in the procelain, but it all came off. Jazzed, I decided to see what it did to the baked enamel cabinet paint. Same thing!!! I used it a little more sparingly, but the durability difference in the spray can paint vs. the original baked enamel meant that the spray was loosened and rubbed off, but the cabinet finish was untouched.

I think I'd be tempted to give that a try, especially if you have some on the shelf. Try a fingertip worth somewhere inconspicuous and see what you get.

Here she is in her un-silver glory.

G

 

[swestoyz]

Maytag black pushbuttons started in 1956 on the original center dial, the 140 AMP. The black color was used up until 1959/1960, when the then 142 was upgraded from the black buttons and timer dial to the grey versions. I'd have to dig through the archives to find out exactly when this change took place.

The pushbutton 160 always had grey buttons from the beginning, all the way up to 1965 with the A902. Kevin's washer is the earliest 160 I've seen come along.

Ben

 

[geoffdelp]

Lacquer Thinner ...

Hey Kevin ... WONDERFUL find, there!! Try lacquer thinner first; just don't get any on the buttons or dial. It should work beautifully on the porcelain. Don't apply too much pressure; just enough to get off the paint. You can then use the white rubbing compound #5 followed by waxing.

I use lacquer thinner on the wringers; it's great to get out scratches and cleans up oil leaks ... just be careful around plastic parts.

Good luck and CONGRATS!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Hey Geoff!

It's really good to see you post! Been thinking of you, wondering how you're doing...

 

RCD

 

[revvinkevin]

Now REALLY Andy......

 

 

.... hijacking my thread to **WAVE** and say hi to someone else without as much as a single peep about my exciting find here!  

 

WELL I NEVER (hands on hips) HUMMPPHH!!! 

 

 

[autowasherfreak]

Awesome find there Kevin! It's that the same model that the Clampets had in their mansion or something close to it?

 

[revvinkevin]

It's that the same model that the Clampets had in their

 

 

I know they were the push button Maytag models, but I can't remember if they first had models like this and then the 906 set or.....(anyone... anyone...?)

 

Geoff, yes... good to see you posting!   Hope you're well!   And thank you for the cleaning tips!

 

Ben, thank you for the cleaning suggestions AND the push button model timeline info!   Do you know what the differences are between the 160 - A900 - A902 models, other then the model numbers?   Anything with cycles, functionality or the appearance??

 

Thank you!

Kevin

 

[turquoisedude]

OMG!

Holy moley, Kevin, that is the ultimate vintage Maytag!!  I know now why you were building up to this dramatic 'debut'!

 

I hope the paint they used was water-based...  I have had a great deal of success removing unwanted paint from appliances using (and I am not kidding) a cleaner meant for exhaust hoods and griddles in restaurants.   The brand I use is made in Canada (called 'Surface Buster') but you should be able to find something locally. 

 

I can't wait to see how this develops!  Great save!!