Been Meaning to Post About This for Awhile

[hoover300]

I bought this from ChicagoMike a few months ago and have been on and off working on it since. What's weird about it is that it does not have a model number/letter, just a serial. Looks similar to the Model D, but has a less streamlined head, and of course, no model number/letter. I retreaded all 3 wheels, including the wooden rear caster, so I can keep it on the hardwood without worry of scratching it. I added a new cord and a better fitting "Apex" bag(the original was to an Energex, way too long for this machine). The switch could benefit from contact cleaner but otherwise it is such a good vac! I have used it many times to clean the hard floors downstairs, and it does better than most modern ones! Now it just needs a better polish, and a rebristling of the gear driven brush.The last pic is the before, sans the bag. Does anyone have info on it, or have a similar one so I can see what the original bag looked like? Thanks!

 

[bikerray]

It's a Bee-Vac Model D, here is what the brushroll should look like.
Birtman also used the friction driven brushroll on the Federal Model L.
Birtman also made the Federal, the Fedelco, the Energex and later made Kenmore vacuums.

 

[hoover300]

Actually

I thought it was a D as well, then I saw Huskyvacs' Model D and noticed differences on the head. Notice on the pics of the underside there is a gap between the back and sides of the head and fan case, and on mine it is streamlined to the fan case with no gap. Also, the wheel protrusions on the back of the nozzle are much more defined on mine(at least on the drive side).
https://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?35761

 

[huskyvacs]

I am wondering if there was two revisions of the Model D? I think the reason the nozzle sticks out on mine is it would have had a flip-down agitation strip behind the nozzle.


I found an ad that says its from either 1917 or 1922 that looks like it has yours with the single fat nozzle, and not the slimmer nozzle.

 

[hoover300]

That could very well be it, maybe there were 3 variations. The one in the ad, if you look closely, has the push button switch like yours, that runs through the handle like a lamp. That could just be a drawing mistake though. I wonder if mine is a later version, as it shares the same grip with my late edition Energex.

The bag in the ad looks like what was on it, but the hook was too low for the bag and would constantly clog airflow by sagging. Had a very cool clip that basically folded, and then sandwiched the bag in the clip. Will post pics of that tomorrow.