First Generation Westinghouse Laundry Twins

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classiccaprice

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Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
2,059
Location
Hampton, Virginia
So how many survivors do we know of from the first generation of slantfront washers and dryers from the 40s? I've seen a couple washers in the archives on here, but no dryers.

When did the first Westy slant front washer/dryer come out/end? I'm thinking about 1940 and the bootless laundromat and its mate went to 1947? Am I right?

Mark (screen name Marks) and I have been working on a couple of 53/54 LB-6's and are experiencing the joys of boots. These early Westys are just becoming more and more attractive to me because of it.

I love to find a pair one day. If anyone ever wants to part with one.

Included below are a few photos from the 1946 Laundromat owner's manual.

classiccaprice-2021041610125508397_1.jpg

classiccaprice-2021041610125508397_2.jpg
 
Dad always bought BOL.  Ours didn't have the temp dial; hot default, start timer later for warm,

and behold, it could cold wash. [But who would do that???]

 

Its successor, the semaphore door w/boot but no transm, was the same.  One knob.  I may have been an adult before I knew

washers could have two.  Or by then they'd switched to buttons.

 

I think the newer machine came in just before we moved in 1957.  Call it late 56.  But since dad bought from the back door

it could have been a year older than that.
 
The first Westinghouse slantfronts were early 1940's (had to pay Bendix 3 cent royalty per machine). Production stopped for WW11 (1942) and the machine was redesigned. Westinghouse didn't want to keep repair parts for the first design so they offered to traded a new design washer for your old one. You could get a brand new washer for an 8 yr old one, which is why the old design ones are hard to find. 1958 they kept the transmission style tub and cabinet but put on the three belt system. 1959/1960 redesigned the cabinet and tub. They offered a straight front model in the 50's for Montgomery Wards.
 
Early Soap Chute WH Slant Front Washers

We have one pre-war machine and one redesigned post war model.

 

My Brother Jeff is trying to fix the pre-war model but as Jeff mentioned above in reply #3 there are no parts available etc for that model at all.

 

These early machines were fun but if you actually want to use a WH FL washer today I would stick with the full sized models made 1959-1994 as you can still find the necessary parts.

 

John L.
 
Three belt machines...

..with the slant front tub were actually introduced in 1953-54 BOL models, one very rare I'd like to find, the LS7...the three belts were sort of off an on production...up to the L100 models...
 
Here is an old thread with some pictures


 

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