A new thrift-store find...

[hoovercelebrity]

I have been trying to get to the four or so thrift stores I know of at least once a week. The one that usually has a decent pile of vacuums (new, plastic), had very few this week... but this was among them. Its one of those things, I just sort of saw and grabbed... no questions asked.

I've actually never seen one of these before. I mean, I've seen a Hoover HandiVac/Quik-Broom, but never in this color scheme, and never a 2-speed, and never with this new of a label on it, and never "assembled in Mexico" on the label.

Here's it's restoration...

Before:

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Nozzle Shot

"Edge Cleaning"

 

[hoovercelebrity]

All apart...

It's bath-time!

I like to thoroughly scour a new vacuum before I put it to use in my house.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Drying!

Let it dry overnight...

 

[hoovercelebrity]

All put back together

Shined up all pretty!

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Close up...

Of the bag housing...

 

[hoovercelebrity]

From Below.

.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Data Plate

It's still pre-1987... No date code.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Switch.

Gotta get a shot of the switch...

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Aaaaaaaaand...

Last one.

I do absolutely love the color of this machine!
It's very similar to the color of some mid-80s Convertible hoods.

This bugger is kinda noisy on high-speed, but is actually more powerful than I thought it would be. Maybe that's because I cleaned it all out..? And the nozzle--as plain and simple as it is actually does a very nice job. Even on carpet! Sometimes less is more, I guess.

I think it's gonna live downstairs for a while, I'll use it to scoot through the kitchen on a daily/every other day basis.



Stay tuned this weekend for other thrift store finds...
((Nothing terribly extraordinary... but finds, no less))

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Oh..

It didn't have a price on it.

I got up to the register, said "There's no price on it.."

She looked at the other cashier, and at me. "How's $6.99?"

I replied: "Sold"

She replied: "Don't you want to plug it in, make sure it works?"

I replied: "Nope, not necessary. I'm not at all worried about that."

 

[swingette]

weird. i havent seen one like that either. the two speeds and graphics on the body are new to me. and i notice it has a medallion set into the upper half, like the old machines, but made in Mexico like the later models.

cool pics.

 

[hamiltonbeachbo]

Nice Find!!!

Nice Job Fred,
Cute little unit.
I bet it's kinda fun.
Great job cleaning it up.
You know how I appreciate that.
Love the "elbow grease" effort.
Nice addition ...

 

[logan]

Well shoot Fred....I've never even tried using the bath tub to clean a vacuum. I always use the kitchen or basement sink and get water everywhere! I will have to give the bath tub a try the next time I restore something.

P.S. I'm sitting here with a puzzled look on my face trying to figure out why it never occurred to me to use the bath tub???

 

[logan]

Well shoot Fred....I've never even tried using the bath tub to clean a vacuum. I always use the kitchen sink and get water everywhere! I will have to give the bath tub a try the next time I restore something.

P.S. I'm sitting here with a puzzled look on my face trying to figure out why it never occurred to me to use the bath tub???

 

[swiveltop]

The vacuums I plan on using in the house get a bath also,I have a large shower in the second bathroom that could hold about 4 inches of water,and the hand held shower massage helps when I need to waterblast some parts,another advantage is the shower stays very clean because I have to clean it after the vacuum has its bath,no telling whats in those things. Mark

 

[arh1953]

That is a really neat find for the price. That shade of blue looks richer than the others I usually see. Can't wait to see your other things.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

I'm sitting here with a puzzled look on my face trying t

Haha... Logan..! That's funny.

No, that was one of my biggest concerns when moving out of my mother's house. Where am I going to wash my vacuums?? While living at home with my mom, and even while living with my father, both had fabulous utility tubs in the basement; that allowed me to stand there and soak/wash/scrub any parts I needed to clean. Then I had a dehumidifier running, and would lay all of the parts on a towel in front of to dry. Only thing that didn't really fit in the utility tubs was a Dial A Matic bag housing/handle. But, they fit in the bathtub...
I do have to sort-of sit on my knees, and if I don't get up and walk around every 15 min or so, my lower back can start to hurt--it's just sort of an odd angle to be at, and scrubbing, rinsing, etc...

I have used the Kitchen sink for washing smaller parts--I'm able to stand, and it goes a bit quicker...

And just like SwivelTop said--I clean and rinse the tub out really well when I'm done--so there's no trail of grease/grime whatsoever.

~Fred