Yes it IS Maytag month... because I brought home ANOTHER ONE!

[revvinkevin]

I keep saying Craig's List is evil... and it really is, but I guess it must be the preverbal porch light and I am the moth being drawn to it. I TRY not to look, but sometimes I just CANNOT help myself! ACK!!

Well anyway, here it is in the car waiting to be unloaded.

 

[revvinkevin]

OOPS!

Oh wait, that was the wrong photo (LOL) , HERE it is waiting to be unloaded! Surprise!

 

[supremewhirlpol]

I'm Surprised, Please tell us all about it!!

 

[revvinkevin]

Since my collection seems to have an ever-expanding "Maytag theme" going on here, so when I saw this on Craig's List, I thought, "What the heck, let's keep building on the theme"!

The A50 Porta washer was built in April, 1978 (Thank you, Geoff!!) According to the seller, had seen only occasional use in the family vacation cabin until about 15 years ago, when it was replaced by a larger automatic washer & dryer. This little A50 has been in storage eve since!

Here it is after cleaning all the dust off…

 

[revvinkevin]

[No message]

 

[revvinkevin]

Inside the machine was the owners manual (and the manual for the Porta Dryer too) as well as the original fill hose.

 

[ronhic]

WOW!

That looks like new

 

[revvinkevin]

Oh... it even has the plastic stabilizer ring to support the spinner during shipping!
(this was before cleaning)

 

[revvinkevin]

Of course I had to play with it IMMEDIATELY, so here is the action shot!

 

[revvinkevin]

Quite small!

I forgot exactly how big, or small these really are until I saw it earlier today in the storage unit. So here it is in it's new home with the proud parents (grand parents?)!

 

[laundromat]

WoooHooo!

My great aunt had the same one during her dorm years

 

[redcarpetdrew]

The neatest thing about those little A50's was the absolutely INSANE rpm's the spinner gets up to. They rival if not flat out beat alot of the new front loaders out on the market! I use mine occasionally for the fun of it and the wife has not been able to decide which washer she likes the best; the A50 or the E2LP. Ahhh, a woman after my own heart! Enjoy!

RCD

 

[golittlesport]

wow!

How cool Kevin! I like how the Maytags would reverse the pulsator direction. Can't wait to come over and do some wash in it. It's the perfect companion for my compact wringer you're babysitting.

 

[gadgetgary]

Kevin

I am keeping the Maytag theme going too.
Here is the perfect match to your new Maytag.

 

[swestoyz]

Love these!

One of my early vintage finds was the avocado A50, hiding in this beautiful transport cover:

 

[swestoyz]

I don't think it had been used much, if at all. All it needed was a new wash belt.

Was just reading about the spinner tub block! My machine is an early one, from 1970, and has the original cardboard block. Yours has the revised plastic block - which they started using on both the portawashers and the standard automatics after the summer of '72.

Again, congrats!

Ben

 

[mistereric]

Wow!

Such lovely little machines. Congrats!

 

[revvinkevin]

Ben...WOW!

Wow, yours looks amazing and I LOVE the cover for it!! Do you happen to have another one?? LOL I see that mine has gray impellers and yours have black impellers, do you know when they made that change?

And thanks for the "kind congrats"! Congrats to you too!

I think it's pretty cool, small, but cool! Yesterday afternoon I was doing laundry in mine, had the spinner and impellers going too, then suddenly the impellers stopped. I looked at the timer and it was not at off. Hmmm...... I stopped the spinner and heard the motor still running. I thought "DAM, the belt broke!" So later last night I pulled the back panel off (actually, all the panels, I can post photos later if anyone is interested) and found the belt had only come off. Wow, I got lucky there!

 

[macboy91si]

The A50 is all of the rage!

I LOOOOOOOOOVE that avocado green!! and the cover is cool. Where do you all find these things!? My little A50 is doing just fine, I think you'll enjoy it, they're fun little machine and SOOOOO tiny. I thought the Hoovers were small, but the 23" ish wide A50 is a dwarf. The only thing my A50 needs are the wash pulley tightened somehow as there is play in them which causes a thumping sound when washing. My serial is 381732, but I'm unsure of it's age, black impellers. Originally she was white, but a very battered and dirty white so I painted it a gold color, which turned out pretty good, need to wax it. It didn't look to have much actual use though when I got last year. These things are built like a Maytag and deceptively heavy.

-Tim

http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q299/macboy91si/Maytag A50/

 

[revvinkevin]

My serial is 381732......

Hi Tim, Yes I remember seeing your photos when you painted it, I think it looks great, very fun!

What are the two letters at the end of the serial number? That is the production date code.

Kevin

 

[macboy91si]

It looks like...

KA, I attached a slightly fuzzy pic... also might be 331732, hard to tell.

 

[volvoguy87]

Motor.

Looks like the same motor that i in my housemate's DE306.
Dave

 

[phamq]

I need these little machines. I don't have a lot of clothes to wash and don't want to either wait to wash or waste water. I wonder if they clean as good as the normal sized washers?

 

[macboy91si]

YES...

My A50 does better than my grandmothers Estate washer, actually by far. The A50 has a very strong wash action, and I haven't noticed any damage to garments.

 

[gocartwasher]

very nice find

I had one like that I found in the trash pick up,fixed it then traded it off for a mower to maytaglover Alan,and I knew a lady that had the same compact Maytag dryer like yours but in white, I replaced the belt on it for her in her lake cottage

 

[bpetersxx]

How many of us have a50s

I got one and had to fix the diverter valve and the wash belt

 

[norfolksouthern]

I've had an A50 for several years, but seldom use it because I worry about the availability of parts. It's a fun machine.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[launderess]

Maytag TT Parts

Are about as rare as virgins at a prison rodeo.

Yes, obtaining Hoover TT parts can be difficult, but at least they are out there in decent enough numbers, if one knows where to look.

Did Maytag have a long run with the A50's? Were they a big selling item? Seems so odd that both Hoover and Maytag had similar products, right down to the dryers, yet Maytag parts and service for their TT seems to have vanished into thin air.

L.

 

[launderess]

Great Collection!

You are really on a roll there Kevin!

Launderess (making note to self about going to Iowa and "borrowing" that Maytag washer cover)! *LOL*

P.S.
(Might as well make a sweep of the place while one is there, what else ya got?)*LOL*

L

 

[revvinkevin]

Gadget Gary: That's pretty cool that you have the little Porta dryer, do you have the A50 washer too??

Tim (Macboy91si): It looks like your A50 is an early one, built in January 1970! (Thank you again Geoff!!)

Launderess: Thank you for the comments! Yes my "collection" is growing by leaps and bounds, especially THIS month!!! I'm bringing home another pair in a week and a half! I think after they arrive I REALLY NEED to put the brakes on!! I have too many again, so I'll have to do more thinning and fine tuning.

RedCarpetDrew: Yes the spinner speed (I'm told) is 2000 RPM, VERY fast! I was reading the owners manual (which came with it, YAY!) and it recommends spinning for 1 minute between the wash / rinse and then 2 minutes for the final spin! The final spin on the 2 year old Frigidaire Affinity FL washer I had (1000 RPM), once it started spinning, would last 8+ minutes!

My little A50 is in really good condition and so far doesn't need anything. Plus it's a FUN little machine! I was using it the other day and the impellers suddenly stopped turning. I thought "Uh oh, the belt broke!" but it had only come off. Also, I just called the seller again and asked if they happen to have the dryer too, since there was paperwork for it in the washer. SHE DOES! But she said they are still using it, but she will check on it for me. I'm not going to hold my breath, but if would be great if she decided to sell that to me also!

Just looking to the future here because I'm sure I will need one eventually…. Has anyone found a suitable replacement for the wash belt on these little A50's? I noticed the pulleys have a "V" groove and looks like it could use a narrower automotive type belt. Any thoughts?