Geoff Delp - your Maytag A502 is waiting for you

[swestoyz]

Hey Gang -

Thought I'd share a fun find with all of you. Last week I received a call from a woman who was cleaning out her mothers house and wanted to know if I'd be interested in an old Maytag. I asked if it had a center dial - sure did. I then asked what the model number was - she said the tag read 'A502'. My next question? Where do you live?

I made arrangements with her to pick it up this afternoon. I've always seen TOL machines locally - or later '06 series machines, but rarely does a Highlander or Super Highlander show up in these parts. All in all, a very cool and feature packed machine for what it is.

Another very cool thing about this machine is that it was made in October of 1964 (MX) - making the machine exactly 45 years old this month!

 

[swestoyz]

Mechanically the machine needs some help - Motor carriage rollers are non-existent, the lower brake and upper tub bearings howl during spin, the poly pump needs a new pulley, and the transmission seems to be leaking something fierce. But - this is one of the nicest Highlander control panels I've seen, and the tub seems to just have iron and hard water staining - meaning that there is a good chance that the tub is salvageable.

The 02 series Highlanders have some differences from their 00 brethren - blue/auqa instead of gold lower control panel paint. They also have colors on their control dial for the different cycles. And, probably most important, they have ball lid hinges instead of the earlier chrome hinges.

 

[swestoyz]

Standard 3 level water pressure switch along with some lovely bathroom paint splatter.

 

[swestoyz]

Timer dial - with neon indicator!

Functionally identical as the 702 timer dial with a soak cycle (blocked in the picture by the dial knob)

Sandy came along on the trip and mentioned to the woman that her mother must have had a ring on her finger, as you'll notice wear around the timer dial. I think they came to the conclusion that it wasn't a ring that did the panel paint in.

 

[swestoyz]

Wash/Rinse temp selector, and motor speed selector. Works similar to a A702, minus the automatic rinse temp selector. If you select Cold you'll get a Cold rinse; if you select either Warm or Hot you'll get a Warm rinse.

 

[swestoyz]

And - the wash tub with original Bakelite agitator and chrome filter/dispenser! As I mentioned before the tub has some iron and hard water stains, but Sandy has given some good suggestions on how to possibly remedy the situation. Notice the block off plate where the tub lamp lens would be on the top tub panel.

It is a very cool Maytag - something you don't see everyday. I really like MOL machines, but I'm not sure if this will be a permanent machine in the basement.

CALLING GEOFF DELP!

Ben

 

[lebron]

Ben, looks like a great machine! Love the minty fresh control panel and top.

 

[countryguy]

That is the exact same machine that my mom had! I remember the day it was delivered back in the mid 60s and my mom doing her first load in it. She was still using that washer up until the day she died in 2001. The machine did not have a mark on it and looked as new as the day it was bought. The only thing it ever had done to it was to replace the belt. I don't know what happened to it after my sister emptied out the house. I think she carted it off to the dump.

Gary

 

[geoffdelp]

Well, Ben ... I don't think you could have come any closer to my childhood Maytag than that!!

Yes ... that was the washing machine I remember growing up with and where I learned my love of anything Maytag from. I would play with that machine until I would get caught and then get scolded, big time, by my parents.

Our machine had the suds saver and we had the matching dryer. My mom used it to the end of her homemaking years; it must have been over 30 years old when she retired it after my father died and she downsized.

When I was old enough to do laundry (my mom was pretty fussy about all of that) I would have a BLAST in the basement. We didn't have built-in tubs, so we had a seamless, galvanized, garbage can that served as the "suds saver". The suds saver hose had a special long connection so it would reach the bottom of the can; I had more fun bringing the suds back into the machine!! I would use a broken clothespin to push in the button to keep the machine operating with the lid open. Fun!

Gary (countryguy) and I share the same birth month/year. My birthday is April 10, 1959 and the October 1964 date of the machine puts it right at when our old AMP bit the dust and she got her new A502S; I was in Kindergarten.

I always loved the blue/aqua background; a bit of a precursor to the turquoise accents of Maytag's.

Let me know if it decides to stay in your basement, or if it is going to come to Foley for some fun!!!



Geoff

 

[danemodsandy]

Chiming In:

It was a lot of fun going with Ben to pick up this old girl!

Ben knows a lot more about mechanical issues than I do, but I was able to come up with some possible strategies to save the cosmetics on this machine.

The tub is suffering from some hard water buildup of both minerals and rust. It all seems to be deposits on the surface, not undue wear of the porcelain. I'd use Lime-A-Way as a first try, then move to Zud and Naval Jelly if needed.

The cabinet is actually pretty decent. I had introduced Ben to automobile rubbing compound (the white, not the harsher orange), and he tested it on both porcelain and paint. Everything it was used on came back up very nicely. The rubbing compound would also work well for a final shining of the tub after the minerals and rust are gone.

The machine has been ridden hard and put away wet, but the old girl wants to live real bad. She spins, her little neon indicator still works, and her timer sounds okay, according to Ben. She sounds like the Mother Ship is taking off, but she's a 'Tag, which means she can be tamed back down. Her life was spent on an Iowa farm, and she wasn't pampered, trust me. But she definitely did everything asked of her, and is ready for more after a short break for some TLC.

 

[swestoyz]

Geoff - I have feeling the A502 will be up in Folley before you know it! I'll try to get as much done on it before I bring it up. Sandy and I will throw a nice chemical coctail at the tub to try and remedy the hard water issue. More details to come later.

Ben

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice score, Ben! Always liked that style Highlander!

Looks like you have a helper now, for all those chest freezers down in the narrow staired basements you're going to start buying.....8^)

 

[geoffdelp]

Oh my gosh ... I'm thrilled beyond words!

Now, let's see, where to put it? Something is going to have to move!!!

I seem to becoming more "automated" than ever.

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Welcome to the 'dark side', young Delp. Soon, you will recognise the power of the Automatic side of the Force... LOL!

I hope this fine little washer doesn't interfere with your getting the Red 'Harem' ready for pictures...

RCD

 

[redcarpetdrew]

BTW, when will we get treated to red 'harem' pictures?

RCD

 

[swestoyz]

LOL - strange bug on this thread. I suspect that Andy put the statement: "I seem to becoming more automated..." in the Subject Drift when he posted his inital post, but it somehow changed the Thread title on the main Imperial board!

 

[geoffdelp]

Hi Drew ...

I've been living on the "dark side" of automated laundry for a couple of years now (see below); this poor, sweet little A502 will add to the whole experience!!

You'll be pleased to know "The Red Harem" is still moving forward. In fact, I'm quite honored, that you remember these beauties!!

I'm also honored because our local Maytag dealership was forced to move (eminent domain) from their location after over 60 years. They have moved into a beautiful building on the other side of town and now have an even larger showroom. I've been "comissioned" by the owner(s) to restore a wringer for their showroom display of "Maytag's through the years".

Until I get their machine done (a nice Model E from the 1950's), they are going to borrow my Model N2LP from 1963 (a part of my Red Harem). Their big opening will be on October 30th. Who knows ... the cute little N2LP might even become famous!! A lot of people will really like seeing it, if nothing else. It sure demonstrates Maytag's past quality!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Ben, I indeed did. When I went to post the reply I got a error msg on Robert's end. I restarted Explorer and saw that the reply had been posted but did not notice the thread rename.

Geoff, that is a absolutely stunning washer. Please be sure to post a thread with pictures from that Dealer's display! I'm dying to see his collection with your wringer in it as well.

RCD

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Funny. The index shows the changed thread name. Open the thread and it's still the old title. Ooohhhhh, Robert!

Sorry to hijack your thread, Ben!

RCD