A major 'Minor' addition...

[vintagehoover]

I've finally got my hands on a Hoover model I've been after for AGES! One I can finally cross off my 'want' list, leaving only 5 early Hoover machines missing from the set.

It is of course, the VERY rare 1934 Hoover Minor 200B. Very similar to the original 1930 Hoover Minor 200, but with a rear-opening bag, and the 210w motor from Model 425. Evidence suggests Model 200B was only ever available in the British Empire, and not in the US.

See more photos as a slideshow by clicking link:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintagehoover/sets/72157603887428008/show/

 

[vintagehoover]

A video...

...showing the Minor in action. It runs beautifully!

 

[vintagehoover]

And the Vintage Hoover Emporium page...

...on the Minors, and the Dustettes. If anyone has any info on the Minor / Duster which I haven't covered, PLEASE let me know; I want to add as much to the page as possible!

http://www.freewebs.com/vintagehoover/minordustette.htm

 

[charles~richard]

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

One of the "Hoover Holy Grails" !!!!!!!

Can't wait to see the video!

 

[arh1953]

Absolutely Fabulous! The perfect complement to the upright and the Pixie. Love the video!

 

[hoovercelebrity]

That's just gorgeous!

Welcome to the Duster/Minor club.

How on earth did you get it to shine like that??!!??

Jeff gave this to me as a present a few years ago.. one of my most prized machines.

I do need to patch the bag, and grease the bearings. I already replaced the cord.. it had a pretty bad-shape replacement cord on it.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Here's the serial number.

They are such neat little machines!
Love what you did on your website, too!

Happy Hoovering!!

~Fred

 

[myhooverco]

Wow...great item. I like the name difference too! The Hoover Duster was only available here in the US for one year 1930. It was probably Hoover's first real flop. The fact that the UK had them for longer is very interesting.

This is my example. It has a Hoover replacement bag and a very nice replacement cord which you cannot see. Mine seems to have put the "dust" in Duster! I guess it is time to take it down and shine it up especially before August!

--Tom

 

[hoover1060]

Yes a rare machine indeed...

Congrats Jack, beautiful "Minor"

Here is a video of mine, which was given to me a few years back from the HHC.

 

[charles~richard]

Jack, one thing I'm wondering about -- that rug nozzle looks like one from a real early Electrolux to me. Is that original Hoover equipment for the "Minor" ?

 

[watsonw]

Breathtaking, Well done Jack. How did you get that shine, I really wish to achieve that on the aluminium parts of my lux Z11 ?

Regards, Walter.

 

[vintagehoover]

Fred - I can't take all the credit for the beautiful condition it's in, it was restored by the guy who I bought it from. I did give it a good polish with my usual metal polish, though, which brought out the shine for the photos. Good lighting helps, too! The guy who sold it was only parting with it because he'd found himself a mint, barely-used example...imagine being in a position where you could part with a great Minor because you had an even better one! Wish I could have seen the mint one he kept...

Tom - it seems the Duster 200 was made from 20th August - 18th November 1929, with 9004 being made in total. Our Minor 200 seems to have been sold from 1930-34, and the 200B in 1934. I have no idea about the production numbers for either UK model. I know they're both considered very rare, even over here, although I do know of several people who have them.

It's weird that the Minor's got such a reputation for being rare - you certainly don't see many, but I'd say the 105, 541, 543, 575 and the early commercial machines are all rarer over here. There must have been about 5-6 Minors on eBay since I started using it about 4 years ago.

Jeff - thanks for the info you sent me, it's been put to good use on the appropriate page on my site

Charles - the rug nozzle's definitely the correct Hoover one. It even has 'patent applied for' stamped on it, as has the short curved tube used for attaching it. There was a dry-mop attachment for hard floors available, which clipped on in the same way the brush-section does on the upholstery nozzle.

I suppose the floor tool might be rarer in the US, because the Duster was available at a lower cost if you bought it without tools, and used the tools supplied with the Hoover upright you already owned! I don't know if this was the case over here. It seems to have received little in the way of advertising or promotion, either here or in the US.

There was an $8-extra set of 'commercial' attachments, too - don't know what they comprised of, other than the mop, but I'd love to see a set of those!

 

[vintagehoover]

Underside of floor nozzle...

...

 

[hoover1060]

Over here...

They'd have never sold that with a rug nozzle! That was what THE HOOVER upright was for!

Interesting too that your model has the different motor than ours did. Mine has a model 725 style motor, but slightly more wattage...

Glad I could help and contribute Jack!

 

[vintagehoover]

I think our original Model 200...

...had the same motor yours did, from the 575, but with a different fan. The main difference between our 200 and your 200, other than the name and voltage, was that ours had a toggle-switch on the motor casing, where as yours seems to have always had the cord-switch.

The 200B gained the cord-switch, and was upgraded to the lighter, more powerful 425 motor, again with a different fan.

 

[luxg]

Jack I too don't believe I have ever seen a shine like that vintage machine has. It is just beautiful. I just wish we knew what the guy did to achieve that. What a great addition to your collection.

 

[hygiene903]

Great Find, Jack!!

Enjoyed the slideshow, video, and Emporium page on the Minor. All very well done!! Thank you for sharing them, and congratulations on finding this beautiful machine!
Jeff

 

[chestermikeuk]

Hoover

Wow Jack, what a stunner you have there, another great addition to the collection!! and what a purfect shine!!!love the sound, much better than the shriller dustettes!!!

Heres to the model "O"!!!, Mike

 

[vintagehoover]

With the family...

The Minor with some other gleaming machines from the stables!