1935-36 Apex Restoration...found!!!!!

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rugmaster37

Well-known member
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Sep 2, 2006
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So, during a recent clean out of the bedroom, and moving the bed, I found under the headboard area my old digital camera, which was so bad I had to buy my newer Kodak model.

BUT...Inside were some pictures that I took during my restoration of the Apex upright that I brought with me to the 2008 convention.

For those who did not attend, this is the machine that won an award along with Andy Weter's Royal Standard this year.

So without further ado, here are my restoration pic's that I took with the old camera. Hope you all like them.....


Please follow lthe link to the Photobucket Slideshow to see the pics.

Thanks,

Chad

Ann Arbor Michigan....

http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc199/westinghouse1963/Apex Restoration/?albumview=slideshow
 
Hmmmmmmmmmm... and WHAT were we doing with a digital camera on our bed? hahahahahaha!!

Great photos! and that IS a gorgeous machine. I have two of them in incomplete condition, between the two I think I can get one good one although the swivel mechanism is whacked on both of them.
 
(((((((((((((((((BLUSH)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Nothing... I was uh......NOTHING...lmao.

Seriously I got mad at it, becasue it wouldn't come on, so I tossed, (actually threw it) across the room, and it somehow ended up under my bed.

That's what I get for buying cheap shtuff! And some rounds thru anger management courses!!!

Oh!!! I hope that you can make one out of the two that you have. I think it's a positively wonderful cleaner, and quite unique, yet uniform looking thing. It just has qualities you know.

My swivel mechinism was totally whacked out also. There was so much buildup, that the neck wouldn't swivel back and forth. Dried grease and gritty dirt caused that. I just dissassembled and cleaned it out, and replenished with a spot of petroleum jelly, and it was off to the races ...

Thank you Charles tho for the compliment. Coming from someone who "really" knows how to restore a machine. Your rebuilds/ restorations are ALWAYS breathtaking..

Chad
 
Chad...

What a great machine. It is an absolutely stunning example of art deco design. I love and collect deco vacs too but don't have any quite that nice. Attached is an old coffee-can motor Kenmore with a slatted headlamp that you might like. Thanks for the slide show, it was fun to see.

9-17-2008-16-17-40--truckerx.jpg
 
old coffee-can motor Kenmore

Bernie....

WOW!!!!

That machine is awesome. I've never seen a Kenmore that old that is still in running condition.

I mean you see the "Bug eye" models, but never ones like this. They are usually beyond salvage or just don't exsist.

Glad to see another "Art-Deco'y" rug pounder saved...

Thanks for your before and after shots!!!

Chad...
 
Thanks Chad...

I am absolutely enamoured with your Apex. I don't get around that much, or should I say, there is nothing in Florida (collectible vacuums) to get around about - just 60's and up plastic. Chances of finding an older machine are nil. I'd LOVE to have an Apex of that quality. To me, the decomaniac, that is probably the most stunning machine of that era that I have yet to see - the metal work, the bag, everthing about it - just fabulous!
And BTW, if you ever come across another that might be available, please do let me know. It would be right up my alley. D
 
They're both great looking vac. I'm jealous as all get out cause nothing like that ever shows up around here either.
 
Bernie, what is that stove??? Is that a 1965 GE? It looks just like the one my sisters and I grew up with. My Mom still uses it everyday. I am looking everywhere to find parts I need to rebuild it for her as she will not have a new stove.
 
I also enjoyed seeing both of those vacuums, that is a beautiful Kenmore which I have never seen before. Thanks for sharing.
 
Phillip...

That is indeed an older GE stove. It was in my cabin in the hills of Pennsylvania when I bought the place 10 years ago. It probably is a 60's GE. BTW..it was a wonderful stove. The Calrod elements heated quickly and could boil water in no time. The newer glass top stoves just don't do that. I sold the cabin two years ago. It has since been demolished and a new home stands in its place. Don't know what they might have done with the stove.
 
WOWWWWWWWWWW

Chad - That is just a BEAUTIFUL Apex. What a restoration you did! I remember going to meet Stan Kann in LA several years ago - he showed me this exact model. I was just blown away. There is nothing like it that's ever been made. And your restoration is mind-boggling. You know, Ihave never seen an ad in a magazine for that model, either. Apex really was not all that heavy an advertiser after the 20s (until the 40s). Anyway...a beautiful job. I see why you won an award!
John L.
 
Hey Bernie -

That is one beautiful Kenmore. I like the way that the headlight is semi-integrated into the housing. I have done a lot of research over the years in the Sears catalogs, and I don't ever remember seeing this model. What a beaut!
 
Maybe I missed it Bernie, but do you know what year that Kenmore would have been?
 
Terry...

...I going to estimate the Birtman-built Kenmore Deluxe to be in the 1920's. Turned upside-down, it's pretty much the same mechanical architecture as the later model Imperial Automatic, better known as the "bug-eye." The reasons I believe this to be an early machine, are the outboard electrical connections found on the back of the motor and of course the fabric cord. As wth Chad's Apex, both machines appear to share coffee-can type motors and unusual slatted headlamps. The high-style Apex really has "eyeballs," whereas with the Kenmore, a much more primitive appearance..

9-18-2008-09-51-4--truckerx.jpg
 
:D

That Apex really is a stunning machine; I'm so pleased I got to try it out at the Convention! Of course, it looks all the better now for your hard work.

As I've mentioned before, we had that machine over here as 2 Vactric models; the Airflo, and the Senior (a cheaper version without the swivel 'Witchway' handle!)

I want to download and edit the film I took of your Apex in action, and put it on YouTube for you. I'll try and get it done this afternoon.
 
Apex in action!!!!

Hi Jack,

What a wonderful gesture. I forget that you recorded so many wonderful moments while you were over here visiting...and vacuuming.

I have wondered if it was available elsewhere. Meaning ovrseas. I believe that Doug's AWESOME site shows the Canadian built version, but it was called an Apex.

So......it was sold as a Vactric huh? Wow, and the fact that the TOL model was called the Air-Flo, totally coincides with my thinking that the machine LOOKS like a Chrysler Airflow automobile from the same time period.

Will look forward to the video. And thank's so much for the thought. How cool!!! It's one thing to use it, it's totally another to see someone else use a machine. Gives you a completly different perspective for sure!


Chad

Ann Arbor Michigan
 
From 'Sunco' catalogue

I believe this page was originally scanned by our very own Simon (74simon). This is a cropped, sharpened and enlarged version to make the text and illustrations a little clearer.

They have some brilliant feature names;
'Shaddolite'
'Prestoe' - height adjustment
'Witchway' handle, etc.

They must be pretty rare, I don't know anyone who has one of these cleaners.

9-20-2008-08-34-6--vintagehoover.jpg
 
Apex in action!!!!

Wow, the star of the show is the Apex/Vactric upright with the "Whichway" handle.

You know I haven't run it once since I got home form the convention. Isn't that sad....

I know what I'm a gonna do when I get home....LOL

Thanks again Jack, I do appreciate it!!!


Chad


Ann Arbor Michigan
 
lovely ballroom carpet......

Ah Mike,

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. LOL! years ago I was the "assistant head housekeeper" for Holiday Inn in Lansing Michigan. Keeping those carpets like the ballroom carpet that we played on was NOT fun. You wouldn't believe how much dirt those weaves can hold.

During ANY steam cleaning of our carpets in the Holidome ( the recreation center) or in the hallways, the return water in the industrial steamers would literally turn to thick muddy sludge. This of course was with regular ddaily vacuuming. I had a staff of three that just took care of public area carpets.

They do both however look like they are on steroids, the vacuum and the carpet..

I wonder if we as a group are still the talk of the McKinley Grand???


Chad
 
Does your Apex have a model name or number?

Hi Bernie,

Yes I believe that like the Vactric Model that Jack Copp so awesomely found a catalog picture of, and poted here on the forum above, was called the AirFlo here in the US as well. But that would unfortunatly coincide with General Electric calling many of it's models "AirFlo" as well.

So in that there is a mystery?????

The model number of the Apex is 120.

As far as I know, and BTW I have never seen an advertisement for this particular Apex I have here; I do have in fact, a Monkey Ward's Catalog from 1939-40 featuring their Wards badged Apex's, washer, ironers, vacuums etc..

In this catalog they reffer to their "Wards Supreme Upright" as the "Air-Washer". There are subtle differences in the Wards line,as compared to the Apex I have such as:

They offer their "Supreme" for $31.45 plus your old cleaner, which featured my machine, with a different headlight grille (imagine all the louvers going up and down, rather than side to side like on mine). The machine also does not have the "Gooseneck" or "WhichWay" Handle mechanism like we've seen on mine, and the one that came on the Vactric AirFlo.

They had a second machine similar to the Supreme called the Standard for $24.95 , which had no second speed, no headlight no ball bearing wheels and a three position height adjuster rather than a seven as on the Supreme.

Then they had a machine called the Wards Special, for like $21.45, which looked nothing like the "Air-Washer" models, but yet looked like any old school looking horizontal motor upright dfrom that time period.

No attachments were offered with any of the uprights. Like Jacks catalog page, all of them suggested the hand cleaner like the one his catalog page suggests. Which looks in size and purpose a period Singer hand vac so to speak, with a gaggle of useful,and some useless attachments. The hand cleaner retailed for $12.95

Too much info???

Sorry guys...

I just like to talk or type!!!


Chad

Ann Arbor Michigan
 

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