American Lincoln Super-Sweep: Change from Slotted Head Screw to Phillips Head?

[kirbyclassiciii]

For those of you who know about the American Lincoln Super-Sweep, didn't these machines switch from using slotted heads to Phillips heads concurrent with production of the Kirby Classic Omega 1CB and then the Tradition 3CB?
That is, when Kirby changed from screws with slotted heads to those with Phillips heads on the two machines I mention, in the areas I describe as listed below, weren't these same changes done concurrently on the American Lincoln Super-Sweep?

CHANGE FROM SLOTTED HEAD SCREWS TO PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWS:

CLASSIC OMEGA 1CB (1973)
Long screw on front of fan case
Four short screws on motor housing (June 1974)

TRADITION 3CB (1979)
Headlight lens, speed switch and vent seal

SUPER-SWEEP
Long screw on front of fan case (June 1973)
Four short screws on motor housing (June 1974)
Headlight socket and rear wheel shaft (June 1979)

Thank you,



Ben

 

[madman]

On any assembly line, changes take place over time. They're not about to just throw away a thousand screws just because they're slotted and they're moving to phillips. They're gonna use them till they're gone.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

MadMan

I think I see what you mean: for example, they did keep using the prior front wheel bracket shaft (131669S) and ratchet lock (133069), as last used on the Classic 1CR, on these until the Super-Sweep was replaced by the Super-Vac 180 in late '82. In addition, I've seen some early examples of the Super-Vac 180, as well as some Kirby COMVAC 1300s, having these older parts on them.

Also, some of the army-green Super-Sweeps I've seen (with the Dual Sanitronic 80 trim pieces) used black handle lock and foot switch buttons, in particular the very early examples (before around serial no. 129047), and later ones (from about serial no. 129048) used the green equivalents (the ones we see on the D80). I would like to think that minor change of trim color on these two parts was to deter unauthorized dealers from selling new Super-Sweeps.

However, it is confirmed the smooth front wheel shaft clamps (134065) last used on the Classic 1CR were replaced by the sculptured clamps for the Classic Omega 1CB (134073) as early as the 1974 revision of the Kirby Classic 1CR parts schematic and list.

~Ben[this post was last edited: 6/30/2021-10:43]