signature series (anniversary model) air-way
vacuumkid3:
In 2000, Air-Way decided to give door to door sales a try again, and I went to the Air-Way factory in Alabama to design and update a new version of the Sanitizor. I called it the Centurion 2000, and it had many new features such as the "select-a-flow" 2 speed switch, the sentry light, the new electric hose with pistol grip handle and full swivel, the on-off switch for the power nozzle, and a new RugMasteR power nozzle with geared lifetime belt, headlight, height adjustment, and best of all, quick release wands with direct connect cord connections.
It also featured the new Lamb 2 speed high efficiency motor for superior suction, together with the 28 layer allergy bags and hepa filtration to protect the motor.
Unfortunately for Air-Way, the association with the door to door distributor didn't last long.
Late in 2000, I was asked back to the factory to help with the finalization of the plans for the Anniversary Model to celebrate Air-Way's 80th year in business. The first thing I wanted was for the machine to change color. I HATE the white Sanitizor and Centurion 2000 models, but it took a LONG time to convince Steve to change the color. I picked "Purple Haze" since it is almost a direct match for the very first Sanitizor in 1937, the purple model 55.
We also took off the Sentry light, as well as the Select-a-Flow switch and 2 speed motor. Steve and I felt that vac shops (which is where the new model would be sold) wouldn't care about such things, as they help the door to door salesmen convince someone to the machine is also an air-cleaning device. In a vac shop, where it will be sold for less than a thousand dollars, it only needs to be perceived as a vacuum cleaner.
The first 100 of the new Purple Anniversary Models were called the Signature Series because Steve had my signature engraved on a special serial number plate, along with a special serial number. The first five were two speed models (really just purple Centurion 2000's), as I MYSELF wanted a Centurion, IN PURPLE. I sold three to club members, one I kept for myself, and one I gave my mother. All the rest of the Signature Series models were one speed.
In 2001, after the first 100 with the special name plate were sold, the purple machine became the "Anniversary Model" since Air-Way has an anniversary every year. The CenTec-Built RugMasteR powerhead got a make-over, going to the 'quiet drive' serpentine belt system.
In 2006, the machine that made the paper for Air-Way's special bags (the process was patented in 1920 by Daniel Replogle, designer of the first Air-Way's) broke down and the company had to go to Filtrete bags made by 3-M.
