Missed again

[goatfarmer]

Last week,I stopped in a small town in Indiana,at an even smaller Maytag dealer.Asked the nice lady behind the counter if they had any old automatic washers for sale.She thought they did,went in the back room. Came back with the service guy who said "I had about 40 of 'em in the basement,hauled them to the dump about a year ago." I've been driving by this place for years,never thought to stop.
Then yesterday,saw a pile of trade in's behind a dealer in the next town. Stopped to check,in the middle of the pile was a mint condition TOL Hotpoint washer,from the early to mid 60's. No one around to ask,so I called them today about noon. The guy said they just hauled everything to the scrapyard this morning!

How's your luck been lately?

kennyGF

 

[appnut]

Kenny, I'm so sorry. It seems that's been happening to you a lot recently.

 

[mickeyd]

Know how you feel

Kenny, I lost a mint 1960's Lady Kenmore Portable Washer today, but I'm hoping to get that gorgeous Philco Double Tub. Keep tryin' Man. Sooner or later the sun must come back out.

Mikey

 

[gyrafoam]

Hundreds of vintage machines are lost to the krushers every week in the large cities. It is getting harder and harder to gain access to the pens where traded-in machines are dumped prior to their trip to the krusher----AND many places have arrangements with individuals to haul them off for a price, of course.

Never one to give up, the local krusher had to have the police remove me from their property. I got to the point where I had made up flyers and kept them in my truck. I would park at their entrance, and when the people with trucks full of old washers and dryers would pull in I would hand them a flyer. I offered them DOUBLE the money the Krusher would pay ($10.00). Now I still keep the flyers handy and park a block away. When I see them coming I get out and flag them down and give them a flyer---but the "coppers" still eventually see me and run me off. Fortunatley most of the police know me from the funeral home----at least they know I'm not right. I never give up.

Brent just came across a large trailer behind one store and it was full. He climbed up to take a look and saw all kinds of goodies----but could not get to them.

Unless we all get VERY aggressive and start to turn over every stone to get access to these machines, the day will rapidly arrive when most of the cream of the crop are gone.

 

[swestoyz]

Kenny and Steve,

I couldn't agree with you guys more! One of the local box stores has gone from leaving the machines behind the store, to throwing the appliances in a huge red dumpster, to now locking them up in the back of a CCX Trailer. While they will say the machines were an eye sore (right off an Interstate entrance ramp), it is the contracts they have put in place with these recyclers who demand all that is taken in by the box store. We had saved many a gem from that place - and now, there is no way.

While we can still get the word out to local folks about our passion for these wonderful gems, as Steve put, there is a reality soon approaching where these gems will be seen only in vintage film and print, and also what we were able to save in days gone by.

Ben

 

[whirlcool]

I think this is terrible!

I am actually a little bit surprised that the government hasn't initiated any laws that state that when non Energy Star appliance is replaced it has to be scrapped.
Has anyone ever approched a small to medium size dealer and just given them a wish list and said "If you ever get one of these (machine make/model) in, please give me a call?" I know the big boxes won't do that as they have "policies in place to prevent this due to liability issues", but maybe smaller dealers would?
I think that it is important to preserve the technology of the past for the future reference.

 

[mayken4now]

Oh yea, got plenty of machines from several sources who would watch for me. Of course, more folks don't care and will not call.

 

[captainmoody]

Instead of working against the recyclers, I handed flyers out to them and they even put them up on their bulletin boards! I offer 25.00 for each machine. The company uses the money for their employees "pizza" days! I have a good working relationship with both the owner and employees, they look out for items for me, and make sure any appliances are taken off the trucks with some care instead of being tossed off.

 

[goatfarmer]

That's a good idea,talk to the recyclers.Unfortunately,most don't care,and the ones that they did save would probably be damaged.
Our box stores are the same way,they used to set them out back,and they would disappear,usually from me,and some others. There never was a problem with big piles,etc. Now they go on a trailer,that's locked at night.I know paying the delivery drivers has worked a couple of times,but then they worry about their jobs.We'll just have to keep digging,and bothering the people in charge.
One place I get my trade ins from has worked with me and my dad on a handshake for probably 15 years or more. But they're asked about picking up their trades a couple of times a month. Small family business,won't let them go to anyone else.

kennyGF

 

[gyrafoam]

The recycler here is HUGE. I have tried talking to everyone including the owner to no avail. His attitude is that they don't have time to sort through and store the machines. If you saw the volume of stuff pouring through thier gates you could redily understand.

What galls me is when they won't even let me talk to the guys who are bringing these machines in. Oh well.

AND more and more small town municipalities are forcing people to clear their "junk" piles and take it to a krusher.
As the old folks die off we will see this more and more. The people who survive have no interest whatsoever and just want to liquidate the estate for the money.