Another Canadian Constellation comes out...

[aeoliandave]

Work Buddy Stan, who lets me keep my boat in his double wide driveway, has used this Constellation Model 888 as his only vacuum for 15 years. He found it in the trash in Toronto. Bought his very first house 14 months ago and I help him out on the homoowner home handiman, DIY maintenance stuff. Stanley does not collect appliances but he does have about 14 pairs of vintage hip wader rubber boots. It's an east coast fisherman's son thing...

So, just like us, he has an engaging hobby.

Was over this aft showing him all about his new found Bernina Sewing machine and what it can do, then took more careful notice of his vacuum. There was ssomething funny about it - more on that later...

 

[aeoliandave]

Ok, so besides being filthy dirty,, scuffed, dentless but with a badly rusted floor rim, it's a pretty color. I decided to check it out and make sure it was working all right. Motor sounds great.

Like most average non vacuum fanatic folks he forgets to change the paper bag occasionaly So the bag was torn open and if not for the dishtowel rag barely covering the fan top it wouldn't have lasted long. I showed him how the wire coil just laying there is meant to snap down over a filter cloth and we made up a new clean one. Some of the dust was leaking under the lip of the filter plate.

A hasty basic wipe up and the inside is clean as new.

 

[aeoliandave]

In goes a new bag, clamped 'er together and ran it while I told him about what a Magic Eraser and a damp soapy towel could do for it. The outside is grimey & dim with nicotine tint & other enviromental accumulations.

So, Stan, where's the hose, wands and tools?

He hauls them out. The tools are plain and simple from a much more recent date but with the Hoover Logo on them. He has a crevice tool, a round dusting brush and a floor brush, all in modern white...clearly not original to this machine.

As for the hose & wands...

 

[aeoliandave]

What's not right about this hose?

Take a look at the socket end. And that hose does seem a bit skinny.

Stan, I'm just gonna run home...back in 10.

 

[aeoliandave]

I brought him a spare proper floor tool and a proper hose with the correct angled socket fitting and wand end and two spare not-'gold finished' aluminum wand sections.

See Pete, I told you that second torn up Connie hose would be good for the ends alone. I chose a suitable plastic offwhite hose replacement from the odd stock box and fitted the ends to it a few weeks back as a backup.

Hose, meet your vacuum.

No pictures of that yet but Stan's happy as a clam. Stan's house is all wood floors with a few scatter rugs. This floor tool will work much better for him. Meanwhile, I suspected, and brought it over to see, that that hose might fit the Hoover Port-a-power Pete gifted me 'way back when'. And it does!!!

Say Stan, I'll trade you that hose & gold wands and take the Connie home for a Magic Eraser makeover for ya. But Dave, its the only vacuum I have and...

No problem, Stan. When I have some free time this week I'll loan you a Turquoise Hoover Portable Cleaning Center while I work my vacuum magic.

So Folks, another Connie given a new lease on life transplant and upgrade. This Canadian Model 888 was built in Burlington. Tom, what can you tell us about it and what exactly is that color called? Is it possible Canadian models are all one color while American Connies are always two-tone?

I know the donated hose and floor tool are not the correct colors but it beats what Stan was using, right? His hose kept popping off the vacuum so he would duct tape it to the handle 'cause he loves how it floats along behind him. Really looking forward to giving Old 888 the Cosmo Makeover and will post here again in the coming week.

 

[petek]

Dave here are my Connies...
And no not all Canadian models were solid as per two tone blue on top is a Hamilton made model 869
Middle Row left is Hamilton made model 451 , why 451 not 8**?
Middle Row right is Hamilton model 888 same color as yr friends
Bottom is N.Canton 858

 

[petek]

And don't mine look awful... worse in real life...that's cause I haven't done anything with them LOL

 

[aeoliandave]

Ah, Tableau arrangements are in vogue. LOL So pretty they look like yummy gumballs.

Yet another benefit of collection overflow - I was able to outfit Stan's workhorse 888 more suitably.

 

[dial-a-nap]

Very nice Connies guys - they are so fun to look at.

Nice Bernina sewing machine too - a 730?

 

[hoover28]

the bag gasket

is on up side down. in pic #2

 

[aeoliandave]

Oh, Thanx, that's good to know. I don't know Constellations all that well. I'll have a look at my 438 upstairs.

 

[aeoliandave]

Omigosh, Chris. Thanks again for pointing that out. No wonder the inside was so dust coated there wasn't much green showing; it wasn't a bag tear allowing all that dust to escape. Would have taken much trial and error sorting that out the next time I inspected Stan's and found it filthy again.

Sure enough the 438 upstairs is correct with the rubber flare pressing against the bag support. Makes perfect sense once you examine the setup but I'd never looked deep into the heart of Connie til now.

 

[collector2]

Another Canadian Constellation comes out...

Hey Dave:

Just thought I'd add a bit more to it too. As has been noted before on the site Hoover made the same models in different colors for different stores. The major seller of that color was Consumers Distributing. I've included a scan of one of their catalogue pages. Unfortunately I dont have an exact date as, at that time, my mom would only let me keep the vacuum pages, not the whole catalogue. I do know its early 70's though as they changed from the almond accessories and trim to the white accessories and trim around 1972 and I have original pictures of that machine with both sets of accessories. I have two versions of the 888 (both in blue) on my web page.
Doug

 

[hoover28]

Dave you are very welcome.


Chris