I got most of it with the wire brush.  Joy had to do some running around this afternoon and I took advantage of being home alone and washed it in the kitchen sink and got some more of it.  There's still a little that will have to be chemically removed, but it's getting there. 

Quote from: Bignick on March 24, 2013, 07:43:16 PM

I've used acetone to remove tank varnish. Walmart has the best deal on a paint can of berrimans chem dip. It's right at $20. I'd get the tank sealer and paint it on.

I have a 5 gal can of Berriman thats still good. It would be good for Maytag size. It will also take whats left of old paint off. I use to clean a lot of VW parts in it. Does great.

I might have to load my box of parts up and come visit you one evening.   

The "long block" is finished!  Just have to adust the end play, install the kick starter, and install the flywheel and ignition. The mixer (a.k.a. - carborator) is just on to keep dirt and dirtdobbers out for now.  I've got a little more internal work to do on it before it's ready to run.

I'll have to do a little touch-up on and around some the bolts when I'm done, but it's looking pretty good compaired to a few weeks ago.

It looks amazing!

Thanks Russ!  But I have to give credit where credit is due.  Rustolium made it look good;  I just pushed the button.  

Really!  I love Rustolium rattle can paint.  They make a rust coverter/primer that's killer!  Get the metal clean and let a little "flash rust" set up on it (wash it in the kitchen sink and set it outside to air dry . . . nature will take care of the rest) then spray this stuff on it.  It turns to a thin, rock hard, flat back finish that their gloss, satin and flat enamel paints love.  I SUCK at painting . . . and it still turns out decent.

I'm not sure what the original color scheme was, but most of them I've seen are pretty much all green with red highlights on the embossed "Maytag" script on the kick start cover.  I wanted to break up the green and give it some contrast, so I painted the cylinder gloss black.  I haven't installed them yet but the kick pedal is also gloss black and the clutch (starter ratchet) and the exhaust manifold I left the flat back of the rust converter.  I left anything brass (mixer screws, fuel cutoff and kill switch rod) unpainted and also left the mixer (I think it's some type of aluminum alloy) unpainted.  I left the front of the breather the flat black finish and painted the rest of it with the gloss green.

The thing that I did the most work on was the caution plate.  I could have bought a new reproduction one for about 6 or 7 bucks, but I think using the original gives it more character.  I had to hammer it back flat(ish) then cleaned it with a wire brush on a drill.  Then painted the front of it with satin black Krylon.  Then I wire brushed the paint of of the edges and everthing that was highlighted.  The repros are exact and look factory new . . . but it's almost 80 years old, it's gott'a have SOME wear and tear.

Maybe on a washing machine someday, but I don't think I'm ready to attempt that restoration yet.  This engine has just about kicked my butt.   

For now, I'm thinking about an old wagon.  Something along the lines of an old Radio Flyer "Town and Country" would be my first choice, but just about any little red wagon would work in a pinch.  I'm still searching for a good ice cream churn to hook it up to.  If I find one, I may have to custom build a wagon.   

Or, I could just bolt it back down to the 2X4 frame it was on when I got it.  That's my last choice, but it's easy and I'm lazy, so . . . 

I got all of the paint and the rust converter for the project from Wal-Mart in LaFayette.

All Right NICK. Pay attention to Zens  Maytag.  This is what your two rare Johnsons need to look like. Get busy and do it right. You don't want Zen to " get one up on you" do you?
snick,snick.

All Right NICK. Pay attention to Zens  Maytag.  This is what your two rare Johnsons need to look like. Get busy and do it right. You don't want Zen to " get one up on you" do you?
snick,snick.

Not gonna happen...



Zen, check this out: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maytag-display-skid-with-coil-box-upright-82-72-92-small-engine-/360630371527?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53f73ec4c7