This "sucks"... the Hoover And Other Vintage Vacuum Cleaners

[bobbydavis]

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Hoover ad for Models 700 & 575.

 

[bobbydavis]

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The Packard suction cleaner.

 

[bobbydavis]

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[bobbydavis]

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Electrolux Model XXX (30).

 

[bobbydavis]

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The Electrolux Model Z-25 1934.

 

[Forgotten Man]

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The Packard suction cleaner.

I've got a Packard exactly like that one! I saw that machine on eBay last week, that thing is clean!

 

[DStuttgen]

The Hoover

lol

That my friends is what I hope my model 700 will look like when I'm finished... or, somewhat close to it.

A friend of mine gave me the cleaner, it's in pieces now and I have the motor out at a local vac shop getting the motor to handle cord replaced as it was all dried up and shot. I'm polishing the once highly polished aluminum body and parts... tough work! Especially since the head of the darn thing is scratched up pretty good on one side. This cleaner was reconditioned by Hoover in the 40s, the handle fork you see in the ad is polished aluminum and the handle fork on mine was painted a muddy brown crinkle paint. Also, the dust bag on mine is brown and isn't the correct bag. I'd sure like to find the black one that says The HOOVER in orange on it some day.

Right now I'm watching an original set of dusting tools on ebay... comes in the original box and is for this model! I hope it stays low, I sure want them tools!

I'll post photos of the cleaner once I get the motor back from the vac shop and start to put it all back together.

Remember, only "The HOOVER" has positive Agitation. "It beats, as it sweeps, as it cleans"!

Why oh why did I throw mine away!
I had the same vacuum, bought it in the very early eighties and used it until about 1993. I paid $10.00 at a rummage store. Discarded it before a move and kicked myself since. Enjoy your Hoover!
Dan

 

[bobbydavis]

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The Hoover Model 150---1936-1939.

This one is very special to collectors.

Had one in perfect condition and sold it.

 

[KittyT]

I just picked up a reprint of a book called "101 Things For The Housewife To Do - 1949" by Lillie B. and Arthur C. Horth at the Vermont Country Store. It's also available on Amazon and contains a ton of tips for things you would expect, but also a lot for things that you would not expect a housewife to do, like refinish a floor, mend electric cords or build a medicine cabinet.

I'll be posting fun tidbits around the Lounge in various threads!

 

[bobbydavis]

That's a great ad!

The Hoover in the ad was manufactured in Britian in 1938. The Model is the 160 similiar to the American made 150.

The difference is the 160 did not have the 'bail handle' across the motor housing and both the 150 & 160 were made of magnesium rather than the
aluminium housing of prevous Hoovers. The hood and casing were made from
phenolic resin which made the cleaner much lighter in weight.

The 150,160, 450, 800, 475 & 825 were styled by famed designer, Henry Dreyfuss. His ideas were to restyle the previous aluminum cleaners to a more streamlined design modeled after automobiles and locomotives.

 

[Bustercat]

This makes me really happy. Even use the old handstamp.

Anyone up to the challenge of making a little "shootout" between their vintage vacuum cleaner and a modern walmart version?
A little photo-essay comparing how well they pick up various types of dirt?

I for one am really curious. The main difference is you can't pick up big chunks of stuff, pennies, etc, right, and there's an inferior dust filter, right? That's what I remembered from our old 50s 60s monstrosity growing up.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Hate to say it but, one shouldn't really put an old cleaner to a test against the more modern cleaners. Reason is, if a part is broken during the face-off, it's not very likely the part could be replaced, such as the aluminum cast fan... those are not strong enough to stand up to heavy or blunt objects like modern cleaners seem to be able to take on. Now, on the other side, if they are both tested side by side under "normal use" then, I'd be interested to see.

Old cleaners of the vintage I focus on are known as "Germ Leakers" in that there really isn't any filtration system other than the cloth dust bag. lol It was designed to allow some air passage but, to trap the dust. Over the years they come to know that there's some dust that doesn't seem to stay in the bag... that's why paper inner bags came about.

My passion for the old cleaners is mainly for the cosmetic appearance, the sound they make and that they do work and keep the house clean. Maybe they don't filter the air too but, I'll keep my old Hoover's and love using them for as long as I can. They were built very well, very well engineered aside for a few things like brittle cast aluminum fans and such. lol Now, one thing is understood, the new cleaners we put through the toughest asignments due to the fact we don't care what happens to them and they are made of plastic after all. The vintage vacuums will out-live the modern ones just in the fact they are mainly metal and made of old world quality.

 

[Miss 1929]

Plus it's good exercise pushing them around!
I got a new to me vacuum from the estate sale I did, it is a sunny yellow and white 70s Hoover. It weighs a ton, but really does suck, it lifts the rugs off the floor.

 

[*Schatzi*]

Vintage Vacuums

I don't own a Hoover but I was so delighted with my recent vintage vacuums that I had to share. My 94 year old grandmother passed away in November and while we were cleaning out her house to sell I fell in love with her old Electrolux vacuum.

Doing some research I found out it was the XXX model and probably from the 30's or 40's. It had all the old attachments and still worked. In fact it was the only vacuum my grandmother ever owned and she used it right up until she had to go in a home for about 6 months.

Anyways, since it had been used frequently for 70 some odd years there was some wear and tear. The fabric hose is all taped up, filter is missing, rubber gone off handle, etc.

Well, the other day I was at a favourite vintage haunt of mine and much to my excitement I saw a very similar Electrolux there. I got even more excited when I noticed the $10 price tag. Upon further inspection there was an entire box of attachments, 2 extra hoses that were in much better condition than mine and the original glass atomizer for spraying the carpet in its original box! Even better, I turned the vacuum upside down and there was a modern service sticker on it from 2002! Someone had obviously gotten this vacuum serviced regularly, it even had a new filter on it. I can honestly say I snapped that puppy up and am now the proud owner of 2 fabulous working Electroluxes with lots of hoses and attachements. Talk about creating a monster.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Electrolux came out with the model XXX or model 30 came out I believe in 1939 or so. It was one of their best models. They made that model into the early 50s I think... One of the best canister cleaners made! It would have to be for it be made from 1939 to the 50s. I know people who own them and they SWEAR by them! Why would yoru grandmother ever buy another one if she owned a model 30.

Anyway, enjoy your cleaner and by all means.... POST PHOTOS!!!

 

[Bustercat]

I wonder how a vintage vac could be subtly souped up? hepa bag lining, stronger fans...
If they can turn a typewriter into a computer keyboard, they can make metal perform better than molded plastic.. right?

 

[Forgotten Man]

Are you suggesting to hot rod a vacuum cleaner?lol

Forgive me but, I'm the type of man who appreciates antiques as they are, never been a person who has liked the idea of "up-dating" an antique. Also, replacement parts aren't made for any of these dinosaurs... and if they did make replacement parts, they would be plastic I'm sure. Some do try and put paper bags into the old cloth dust bags of the older cleaners, but that burns out the motors because it stops the flow of air out of the bag... It puts strain on it.

My self, I collect old things because they have a story to tell and they're from the period in which I love to learn about. It's kind of a respect thing I guess you can say where if they made it through a Great Depression, WWII, the Baby Boom, the Hippies of the 60s, the 70s and so forth, leave it be, it's earned it.

 

[Bustercat]

Hot rodding vacuums? lol im sure there's a subculture somewhere. Bag heads? Cleanies? Hoover Boys?


I hear you re: antiques.
For me, some things are for saving, others are for using everyday, and keeping functional, even tweaking, to get the most out of them.
I guess I enjoy the challenge of modifying 'obsolete' things in nondestructive ways to get better or equal performance compared to modern cheap stuff.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Well the suprising thing is, this stuff does work as is!

In the words of Paul:

Let it be.

 

[Forgotten Man]

So, ummm, there's two model 700's on eBay right now... just enter "vintage hoover vacuum" and check'em out!

They're kind of cleaner up'er cleaners but, that's part of the fun is to see a dirty old machine become renewed.