OK folks, now I can "officially" open a coin-op laundromat...

[revvinkevin]

.... because I brought home a coin-op "Laundromat"!

YAY!

I drove up to North Hollywood yesterday after work to take a look at this machine and ended up bringing it home.

The guy I bought it from has a commercial laundry equipment business, but is retiring and is closing his doors. This little beauty had been sitting on display in his showroom for the last 20 years. Prior to that it was in service in an apartment building, not a regular laundromat! His company actually removed it from the apartment building when they sold the owner a coin-op, top load WP machine to replace it.

So as you will see in the photos, it does not appear to have suffered the usual abuses you see everyday in most coin-op Suds-O-Mats.

 

[revvinkevin]

Model # RC-4

Serial number T-129549

Is there a way to tell when it was built?

 

[revvinkevin]

As you can see it looks to be it pretty good condition cosmetically.

 

[revvinkevin]

From the back... (spider webs and all...)

 

[revvinkevin]

Inside the tub. There are a few spots where rust is starting, but it looks to be minor. (not in this photo)

I did not clean the machine prior to the photos, except for wiping the dust from the wash basket.

 

[revvinkevin]

The "control panel". Wow, it's SO complex! LOL

I love the simple toggle switch for the "Hot" or "Warm" wash!

 

[revvinkevin]

The door seal is missing completely.

 

[toploader55]

Kevin,

Man, you have the Gods upon you. you find the most beautiful machines i'm sure this one will start right up for you as always. Fantastic find. I'll look for the lights from your garage on the Eastern Seaboard.

 

[revvinkevin]

Now for the "guts" of the machine..... the front panel removed.

You can see the water pump on the right. All of the rust you see on the frame supports is light surface rust, it looks worse in the photo then it is.

Obviously "some" water has run down the front over the years.... the rust on the tub-band-clamp is worse, but still not terminal.

 

[mickeyd]

Kein, that's amazing

it looks exactly like the ones in the laundromat at Chrystal Beah Ontario where we spent a few weeks each summer. I, of course, "volunteered" to do the wash with another young washer man doing the same for his family.

The TIME was the EARLY SIXTIES, 1, 2, and 3. The laundromat was new. So there ya go, Buddy!

 

[revvinkevin]

Thanks Eddie! Yes I was like "WOW!" when I first saw the e-mail from John (Harvestgold) in San Diego... so it's ALL HIS FAULT that I have this now... oh, wait, that's not a BAD thing! But I am STILL blaming him, darn it! LOL

My Grandmother had a mid-fifties Westinghouse Laundromat washer in her house and except for this being a "bolt down", it really reminds me of it! (I just hope I can bring it back to life!)

OK, back to the photo tour.... Inside the back panel. Again it looks pretty clean. There is some "spooge" that's been flung on to the right and left side of the cabinet, so that means to me a seal of some sort has leaked. Ack!

 

[mrcleanjeans]

That machine is da bomb man! Congrats again!

 

[appnut]

YAY Kevin!! I'm trhilled for ya. I vaguely remember two "variant" features. One--the door had a rectangular (oblong) window, the rest of the material where glass is on yours was metal. I also remember a model that had hot, warm, and wan'n'wear temp settings (the latter having a cold rinse).

 

[revvinkevin]

Forgot to mention in that last photo, the metal box on the lower right is the "coin box"

Here is a closer shot of the speed changer from the front.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

ok, remember the wires, the ground and that fire extinguisher!! We wouldn't want you to leave this earth early because of an old machine. Nice find Kevin.

 

[revvinkevin]

Here is a little closer shot from the left rear.....

(Spider webs and all... thought it looks like the spiders moved out a while ago, LOL)

 

[revvinkevin]

... and the right side.

 

[revvinkevin]

A close up of the drain pump (and the rusty tub clamp).

 

[revvinkevin]

And finally the timer assembly.

A simple as the inner workings look on this machine, I know very little about them.

So I am asking for your help and suggestions so I can bring this little beauty back to life! Are any of you out there familiar with the speed changer or does anyone have a service manual for it? I have a feeling I'll need to go through it before I even plug this thing in!

Thank you in advance for your help and suggestions!

Kevin

 

[lebron]

Wow that machine is sooo cool! So it doesn't have a boot without a cabinet...

What else makes this machine commercial worthy ?

 

[westyslantfront]

Hi Kevin. Your machine looks slightly different from mine. Maybe a year or so difference. Good luck and enjoy the wash action.
A front loader that actually gets water in the tub.

Ross

 

[peteski50]

Westinghouse!

Hi Kevin,
This is absolutly Awsome
Best Wishes,
Peter

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Just too neat...

That looks like just too much fun to work on. I do worry about the spray pattern on the cabinette that *might* indicate a rear seal/bearing issue but I imagine the parts can still be found, possibly 3rd party. Most definately a worthy candidate for a restoration. Just too much fun!

RCD

 

[Unimatic1140]

It looks just fine Kevin. The spray pattern on the side of the cabinet looks to me to be only drive belt matter, which is normal. For a door seal just try some closed cell foam around the door, but be sure to put the seam at the top of the door.

Turn the basket to make sure the motor/pump isn't frozen, fill the pump with really hot water and let it rip.

 

[golittlesport]

Wow! Very cool, Kevin!!! What a find. Very classic machine. Congratulations!

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Very nice RK

When I was 10-11 living in Kings Beach , Ca. (North shore,
Lake Tahoe) my best pals Dad owned the Brockway Laundry,
a wash and fold place, by the pound. They had at least 24 of this style of Westinghouse,though not coin-op. One of my
duties was to wipe the dryer "dust" from every bit of exposed
surface that I could reach on the "laundramats". I swaggered about quite gleefully doing my morning chore!

 

[mickeyd]

Hi Darrell and friends

anyone figure out if this model is a late 50's rather than an early 60's. The ones in the Ontario laundromat mentioned earlier could have been a little more modern than Kev's. I'm not sure now.

 

[turquoisedude]

YAY!

What a great machine, Kevin! From the photos, it looks like the machine is in really good shape, too. I have some service literature on the home versions of the Laundromat and the insides look just about identical to me. Call me paranoid, but the first thing I now do when I get my paws on a washer or dryer is to test the timer - I have such wonderful luck with them... LOL
Keep us posted on what happens when you do try her out!!

 

[toggleswitch2]

Fun machine! Congrats.

Played with one like this during an an Arizona wash-in. Most fun with the hatch door OPEN!

 

[christfr]

now thats a pretty baby..