Let's make a timeline of Westinghouse Slant Fronts!

[volvoguy87]

Last weekend, I picked up about a 1951 Westinghouse slant front pair and I am now very curious as to how the Westinghouse washer and dryer line evolved from its introduction to the 1960s (or later). I know that Moparwash's early 60s set is very different from mine and has little to nothing in terms of shared parts with mine.

How did the design evolve? What features were added / deleted along the way? How many different designs of guts did they go through?

 

[jeb]

Westinghouse had an automatic front loader introduced just before WW2 but stopped production during the war (1942-1946). They completely redesign the washer and reintroduced it after the war but did not want to be responsible for parts for the first design so they offer a replacement washer for the original ones ( you basically traded in your 6 year old washer for a brand new one). This design was used up until 1959 when the transmission was replaced with the 3 belt system. The belt system was used on the spacemates from the beginning. The pulley on the tub was later redesigned to be oval to help with the tangling problem and to give it " multi speed tumbling". It was called the "potato wheel pulley" because of its shape. The slanted front comes from the Patent that Westinghouse got the rights to from the Savage Arms Co. Their tub was mounted on a horizontal axis that the user had to lift into the upright position to spin out. Westinghouse was attempting to get the best of both worlds, and the 30 degree slant front was born.

 

[moparwash]

We could put on a great display at my next wash-in with Dave's new set, Jeff's pink 57 set and my 60-61 set!

 

[gelaundry4ever]

not to be off topic...

Not to be off topic, but the Maytag Neptunes had a slanted front towards the top of the machine. I believe that's when front loaders made a comeback.

 

[classiccaprice]

I can help meet in the middle with my 53/54 set. The dryer has rounded glass like earlier machines and the washer has pointed glass like later ones.

 

[classiccaprice]

1940's looked like the first shot with the inner door
Then Dave's 1951
Then mine (the flat top styling as I call it) in 53/54
Then they added a backsplash with the flat top in 55
Then they removed the flat top like the turquoise set in 56 (2nd shot)
Then they squared the windows like Jeffs with the controls moved to the back in 57
Then the taller backsplash like John L. In 1959
Then Jerry's 60-61 set
Then the last of the slant fronts in 62/63 like the last pic

 

[appnut]

Friends in Dallas had the model like #3, but their panel was yellow vs. the blue/grey in the photo.  It replaced a '57 Frog eye like Mark has in Akron.   

 

[moparwash]

W slant-fronts at Pittsburgh Wash-In 2015

Here are the W slant-fronts that were guests from my 2016 wash-in. I hope Jeff and Dave can make it to my 2016 wash-in with their slant-fronts!..my hope is to replicate the Mansfield shipping dock with all of them in their resplendent beauty![this post was last edited: 1/10/2016-21:17]

 

[bvf]

designer of slant fronts

I grew up knowing the guy who was top designer at westinghouse from 1935 to 1970,,,he lived in tucson and beverly hills and designed a few ferari s….he is dead now and we still have his furniture,,,,,I believe he inspired these machines ….I saw pictures of his designs and these were in them...

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

I don't know the exact year of this early inner door model, but I'm sure Jeff Lefever can enlighten us as this is in his garage.... or it was 5 years ago when I took these photos.

Kevin

 

[combo52]

Westinghouse Slant Front Washers

Thanks Jeff you have found some great information on the early SFWHs.

 

I will add that the transmission was gone in SF washers after 1956 in most models and  completely gone with the 58 models except possibly some commercial models, WH moved quickly to the cheaper to build three belt system.

 

The introduction of the variable wash tumble speed " potato pulley " did nothing to reduce tangling but did improve cleaning. The tangling problem was nearly eliminated by having a proper horizontal wash basket with the 1959 models.

 

ALL front loading washers with tilted wash tubs CAN and DO tangle to at least some degree, this is why no manufacture ever tried to make a dryer with a slanted tub.

 

[ I only know of one dryer that ever had a slanted tub, hint it was a combo that came out in the late 50s ]

 

A washer can get away with some tangling, but having a slanted tub never improves cleaning as clothing can not be cleaned and rinsed as effectively when it is tangled up.

 

John L.

 

[arbilab]

Our pair was the center of Mark's lineup. A gearbox/no-boot washer preceded the chevron door. Never a matched set. They were very busy with a family of 6 and almost always one in cloth diapers.

From age 9 I did about half the laundry and all the maintenance except gearbox and boot replacement. Today I can't well get down on the floor and back up; my appliance repair days are over.

 

[newvista58]

WOW !!!!!

Those pink Slant Fronts are AMAZING. That's the first time I've
ever seen a set like that.

Having been a renter until only 1.5 years ago, I never was
fully able to get involved w/ Washers & Dryers. Now that
I have my own house, I'm like a kid in a Candy Store.

I still NEED a Turquoise Maytag A700/701/702 Washer. I
have the Dryer. HELP!! LOL.

Best Washes...Everyone.

 

[jetcone]

Here's my singing pair

1954 and in great used condition. Chime plays on the dryer. And they are still being used in commercials too !

 

[jetcone]

John's

Beautiful L-1000's !

 

[jetcone]

How dry I am

How dry!!

 

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[frigilux]

Love seeing all these great old Westys! Jerry, the pink pair with the clamshell consoles are gorgeous.

 

[brucelucenta]

Interesting, especially for machines that were never that great to begin with. Anyone that had one was less than enchanted with the performance and or the reliability of them on a day to day basis. They take up a lot of space too, but it was the best Westinghouse could come up with at the time. Even then there were much better choices that were less trouble and did a better job. I always thought of them as dinosaurs that had yet to evolve, but to each his own.

 

[brucelucenta]

The memories I have of westinghouse machines are not particularly good ones. I had a great aunt who had an old front load washer and an aunt who had a combo washer/dryer of that era. Neither of them particularly liked either of them and both were happy on the day they replaced them both. I also remember a neighbor who had a set back in the early 60's that hated her set. She happily replaced them with a new Kenmore set. I never remember anyone who actually liked them. I never cared for them myself. Not enough action to suit me and too big, bulky and heavy to move. They were like tanks. I'm sure all the metal scrappers loved getting them. They just never appealed to me at all, neither did the bendix machines either. I will say one thing for them though. They did get rid of sand and mud really well. That was proven by the television ad done back in the 50's and showed how poorly the solid tub top loaders did in comparison. Washability, not that great though. Any of the old 50's & 60's machines with a lot of chrome, knobs & buttons were kind of pretty to look at, not necessarily great performing machines though.[this post was last edited: 1/13/2016-04:54]