"Gray Ghost" Maytag wringer washer - finally!

[bradross]

Video Part 3 now on YouTube

Washing a load! Drove down to Bellingham, Washington today to get two wringer assemblies from Lehmann's Maytag store - incidentally, the oldest Maytag dealer on the west coast and 4th oldest in the U.S.A. Third generation owner, Terry Lehmann, was most helpful and enthusiastic about my restoration project. He happened to have some parts from old machines hanging around, so I bought 2 wringer heads. Switched out the gear box and attached it to my existing wringer head and it works like a charm.

Part 4 will be uploaded to YouTube tomorrow - it shows the wringer in action. That will be all the video for a while - now that it's operational, I'll concentrate on aesthetic aspects of the restoration - shining up the aluminum, sanding off old paint, etc, in preparation for painting. Not sure yet what I'll do for paint - probably use something like Krylon. Can't imagine I'll be able to match that authentic gray/green color.

Enjoy the vids!

 

[e2l-arry]

Hi Brad

I used something called Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish on the crown of my E2L and it really worked great at finishing it out after you've used steel wool, SOS or whatever else the gets the top layer of gunk and corrosion off. You can buy the stuff at any Auto parts store.

The project really looks good!

Larry

 

[bradross]

Amazing paint color find -

Just had to post this, I'm so excited! Didn't think I'd be able to come close to matching the original Maytag green color, short of having the machine custom painted. Amazingly, "Valspar" spray paint makes a color called "Leaf Rising" which is almost identical to the original color.

I've painted the lid (easy part!), now for the rest of the machine (hard part!)

 

[mixfinder]

Gasoline

Grandma bought her first Maytag with a gasoline engine from a door to door salesman in 1933. Years later it was converted to electricity and it was my mom's first washer when we got running water in 1963.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

WOW Brad that is aewsome!   CONGRATS on your "Ghost" find!

 

YAY!

 

Kevin

 

[stan]

Brad

did you have a lot of sanding/ did you have to prim? I'll be interested in how you think the the paint goes on, and how durable you think it is! (never used Valspar)

 

[bradross]

Stan

I did completely sand off the old paint and corrosion off the lid. The Valspar paint goes on very smoothly and dries quickly. However, I think it will take several days to completely "cure", as it still seems slightly soft - as in, it will scratch with a finger nail right now. Hopefully it will cure completely hard. I'll keep you posted!

 

[stan]

Brad

I'm guessing that this paint is new to you, and I'm also guessing that your going to wait to see how the lid turns out before moving on to the body LOL

A suggestion would be to sand and "prime" (maybe a scratch filling primer) a section, on say the back part of the wringer, or some small part, and then paint. Just to see if it affects drying and curing, and of course final look!

Great color match!
do you have decals for it!

Had a chance to get one of these a few years back for $20.00 and passed it up because of the gravity drain. The next day I thought OMG I could have added a electric pump, with a hidden switch!

Now I want one (model 30) just make that happen LOL

 

[geoffdelp]

Brad ... this is an amazing restoration, also!! WOW ... can't believe how close you got to the color. It was sort of a green/gray. I think, through the years, Maytag altered the color to become more gray than green toward the end of production. There was even a gray E when they first started making them (haven't seen one ... just read about it).

I think the Maytag Collector's Club still has a member who sells the water transfer decals.

Great job and it looks like a solid runner, too!!

CONGRATS and ENJOY!!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Nice catch, Brad. There is always something neat about the Ghosts! I, too, will be watching with interest how the great paint experiment ends up as there is a good possibility that a gas powered Ghost may be in my future ( fingers crossed here...).

If anything, it's a great find as you managed to get the elusive Mr. Delp to make a rare appearance! We miss ya, Geoff! Please don't be such a stranger ;^)

RCD

 

[wringer]

Yes Brad,

All Maytag decals are still available through a guy who advertises in the Maytag Collectors Club. I have bought a few from him. Just google the club and you will find the it. I am a member of the club so if you can't find it please let me know and I will send you the addy. I am very envious of you !!!!

Jim

 

[bradross]

Decals

Thanks for the info Jim - and yes, I've already been in touch with Kevin the "decal guy". Will be ordering in the weeks to come.

For those interested, I'm posting Vids 7 and 8 showing a load washing and rinsing.

 

[stan]

Hi Brad

so far so good with your 30, Good Job!

Im curious about the tub, from the video's it looks like the tub is about the same size as the model E. ??
Bigger, smaller, or the same, would you say?

 

[redcarpetdrew]

It seems to me that the ghost is slightly shallower.

RCD

 

[stan]

I think

The E, is supposed to hold 17 gallons The J and the N 16 or 15?
Someone help out here, cant remember!
Just curious as to what the model 30 holds? Looks close to me!

 

[e2l-arry]

The E2L

Holds 18 gal while the J and the N hold slightly less at 16 gal.

 

[bradross]

Model 30 tub capacity

From what I can tell, the "gray ghost" model 30's tub capacity is the same as the E2, so that would make it about 18 gallons.

On another note, does anybody know the reason why Maytag went from the tall center post design (as in the Model 30) to the low post in post-war models (as in the E2, J2, N2)?

 

[wringer]

Hi Brad,

I was told that the center post was changed from long to short spline type when the new white models were made. I know that change happened prewar but don't remember when. There had to be a reason but I don't know it. I will have to ask the Amish about this. I have pics of all Maytag wringers ever made but unfortunately they don't always have money shots of the tub/agitators. I am thinking that possibly the first models that were white may have had the old style post in them. This is a good question !!

Jim

 

[geoffdelp]

That is a good question and I would venture to guess it had to do with new engineering and serviceability; the "modern" wringer is much easier to service as compared to the older models. Removing the center post on the older machines can be a daunting task; the tub removal alone is difficult and to get it realigned is hard, also. Tub removal on the E, J and N is relatively simple once you get the bolts out at the bottom and you then have clear access to transmission/center post. Removal of the center plate can be done without removal of the transmission.

Question on capacity? Models E and J both held 18 gallons of water while the N held 16. The model 30, etc. had a smaller capacity than the N; about 12 gallons. When originally advertised, the E and J were said to have "50% more capacity" than their predecessors.

Surprisingly ... the first automatics (AMP models) also held about 12 gallons of water; pretty small by today's standards! When Maytag stopped making the AMP design, the tub capacity on their automatics went up to 16 gallons and stayed there until the new series of machines in 1966.

The AMP's were to wash as well as a Model E and the instructions indicated that a homemaker should wash more often than once a week because of the size and automatic ability.

 

[e2l-arry]

The Maytag Center Post

was shortened due to the "superior Maytag design and engineering". That's what I remember the guy that installed my Mother's automatic back in 1965. Now, I was only 10 at the time so I might be off somewhat. But I remember him pointing out the tall shaft on the old Kenmore we were replacing. He said that most washers had the taller agitator post above the water line as an added precaution against allowing water to seep into the transmission by way of the agitator shaft. But with the Maytag designed water seal that wasn't an issue. He may have just been B.S.ing her but I also remember that was the guy that told her to be sure to Vaseline the agitator shaft once a month to keep it easy to remove. That turned out to be my job and a month never went by that I didn't pull, clean and re-Vaseline that agitator shaft. And boy did I learn that hard way here recently that he was right about that!!