What you'll drag home - just for an agitator!

[swestoyz]

Honestly.

I brought all the tools with me. The official Maytag agitator remover. A 2x4 properly cut to fit the lid opening. And some will.

However, the agitator just wouldn't budge. So, I decided to just bring the darn thing home. It will meet the Agitamer tomorrow!

 

[swestoyz]

Actually, this commercial Maytag is in pretty darn good shape, consider the age (1973). We've all seen these things beat to a pulp, but somehow this one flew under the radar.

Also, I found it bizarre that it was parred with a Big Load coin-op dryer. Maybe the HOH died early in life?

Hum..... what do you think happened with the element? Someone forgot to clean out their pockets?

So, why would I want to drag this puppy home?

 

[revvinkevin]

YAY BEN!

How cool is that? Did you ONLY bring it home for the agitator? If so, what will you do with the rest of it??

Kevin

 

[swestoyz]

Can anyone guess from the model number?

 

[swestoyz]

Because, it was a Large Capacity machine = BLACK Large Capacity Agitator! I thought it would look perfect in the Super Tag.

 

[revvinkevin]

WOW!! Very KEWL!!!!

 

[swestoyz]

(Note on previous photo, the chrome lint filter + black softener cup were not originally on this machine)

Some rigged wiring to run the machine through a cycle.

IIRC, these have a special water valve. They slowly reduce the pressure when the solenoids are turned off, to prevent hammering on the operator's water lines.

 

[swestoyz]

Machine functions. When I first saw the dial I thought, hum, two speed? Odd to have in a coin-op.

When I had the machine running, it would time-delay during the delicate and wool cycles and shut the motor down, much like a Fabricmatic.

 

[qsd-dan]

WOW, total score!!!

Yeah, these machines usually look like they have been through several wars before they're retired. I sure hope you throw a turquoise powerfin in there and save the machine. I'm sure someone here would love to have it if it isn't high on your priority list of dream machines. Wish I was closer.......

 

[swestoyz]

YAY for someone already drilling out the coin-drawer (I collected a whopping $1.75)!

Too bad the transmission fiber gear is SHOT, more than likely due to me putting unnecessary stress on it because of the agitator puller. Otherwise, it would have been fun to have around for a bit.

 

[swestoyz]

Time to add your softener!

 

[swestoyz]

Lid instructions.

Below is a link to the sales brochure I posted for this machine. What is REALLY STRANGE, is I posted it exactly 1 year ago, this week!

Sorry guys - she will get parted out. Not everything can get saved. I should take a video of it washing so you can hear how bad the fiber gear really is. Lesson learned - thankfully on something that isn't too valuable.

Ben

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?21527

 

[strongenough78]

When I first saw the dial I thought, hum, two speed? Odd to

Actually, these were only one speed. As you can see on the lid, the Wool and Delicate settings did a short period of agitation, then pause for a minute or 2 with no agitation. They didn't have a slower agitation stroke on these cycles.

 

[peterh770]

Make sure there isn't a set screw in the side of the agitator to ensure it stays on the drive shaft. Seems to me it is a 1/4 inch hex.

 

[mickeyd]

Synchronicity, Benjamin--how nice

That's a pretty sophisticated little bugger, what with 6 programmed cycles and all. What a hoot!

It WOULD be a lot of fun to have, especially when you want a quick wash. Always found coin-op experiences thrilling.

Goodnight, Iowa, home of the Maytag

Goodnight, New York, home of the Easy

We live in the land of our favorite brands.

 

[70series]

Wow, a large capacity Coin Op. Who knew that existed? Not me that's for sure. The black Powerfin is something special too as a large cap agitator. Great find, although I am sorry it will have to be parted out.

Have a good one,
James

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Rethink your decision!

Just think... Wash in... People who want to see her run... Coin slide... Oohh the po$ibilitie$... LOL!

I have to agree that this is the cleanest coin op I've seen in forever. Too bad!

RCD

 

[swestoyz]

Make sure there isn't a set screw in the side of the agi

LOL Peter - after the first try I felt for the screw and was relieved to not find one. Still didn't make me feel any better though ;-)

 

[swestoyz]

I have to agree that this is the cleanest coin op I've

You're a lucky guy then to have seen forever, once before. Any shaded color coin-op Maytag I've seen have all been rode hard and put away wet.

If you guys keep convincing me she might get to live.......

 

[brettsomers]

Ooh, nice color and the big tub is a plus.

 

[appnut]

let her live!! She's got a warm rinse!! so, I take it this is like the coin-op version of the dep tub Maytag? NOT the usual 14 lb. at most you found at that time with 'Tag coin-ops? That looks exactly, on the outside, as the coin-ops founed in my freshman dorm laundry room along with HOH dryers.

 

[alr2903]

Ben, Highlander Centers, still called that after the Highlander was probably discontinued, often had a whole row of these deep tubs, you know too big for the small tub and too little for the big cook machine on the back wall. The coin laundry my mom used in the 70's had small tubs in harvest gold and deep tubs in Avocado, as is yours. brings back memories. alr2903

 

[bajaespuma]

I feels ya.

I'd gladly drag home a GE coin-op to get one of these:

 

[Unimatic1140]

I remember going to a laundromat with my mother and grandmother when we were on vacation down by the New Jersey shore around 1972.

There were three rows of coin-op washers, one row was standard capacity Maytags, the next row was the large capacity Maytags just like Ben's machine. The third row was 1959 or 1960 Unimatic coin-ops with round window lids. You cannot imagine the total heaven this 9 year child was in old going to a laundromat like this. I can remember it like it was yesterday. I remember it struck me odd that the large capacity Maytag tubs were blue and not white like the ones I had seen in the stores.

We only went once to that mat, the next year we went somewhere else (with orange Speed Queen coin-ops, almost as heavenly), but it was the first and only time I had seen an actual Unimatic run until 1996.

Ben that agitator is totally cool, I would have done the exact same thing you did just to save it!!!! Your find brought back all these wonderful memories for me.

 

[danmantn]

Oooooh, ahhhhh @ bajaespuma's green godess!

 

[goatfarmer]

Nice score, Ben!
I remember picking up the twin to that machine years ago, along with a couple of WP coin ops, and some HUGE coin op dryers. They didn't have a lot of use, they were located in a small trailer park.
The Maytag had a bad timer, so it met it's fate, but the WP's worked, and I ended up taking them to an auction, and getting $40-50 a piece.

 

[mayfan69]

Love the colour!

Love the colour Ben

Pity she can't be saved. Hope you get the agitator off ok!

Cheers
Leon

 

[joelippard]

My Goodness!

We used to have those all over the place around here. There was a laundry in the town I grew up in "Statesville" that was full of these machines. I remember we went there for a few weeks in between Mom's Rollermatic and the Filter Flo, which had to be ordered.

 

[jetcone]

Its so nice to see

someone else struck with the bug! Good on ya Ben!

 

[combo52]

MT COMERICAL WASHER

Ben the MT big load dryer came out around 1973 for commercial use. MT tested the new design this way and it was a good idea given that the HOH dryer was not as well suited for coin op use because of the lint filter location and the ease of shorting out the heating element in the electric models. The gas HOH dryers were also to slow for coin-op use the first big load commercial gas MTs were 30,000 BTUs. The water inlet valves in commercial MTs were a higher flow rate to keep the cycle time down but all domestic washers started using slow close inlet valves around 1973 to stop water hammer when the valve closes.