Couldn't just leave it there...or...We're gonna need lots of braided cloth electric cording.

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aeoliandave

aeoliandave

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
7,347
Location
Stratford Ontario Canada
Inspite of being so hyper busy at work I took this afternoon off to go enjoy the warmth and sun after 3 days of rain. Besides I have a matinee and an evening show Saturday. So, I head down the country roads to Woodstock. It's been a few months since I went Woodstock thrifting. Sally Ann/Goodwill - nothing/nada/zilch/nuthin but junk. So I went to the Big Old Junque Warehouse where many finds have been made in the past. They've opened up the entire second floor now, doubling the space above the main floor. I surveyed down all the aisles, looked under every table and all I found was nothing I wanted, even tho there are prominent signs announcing 50% off Everything.

This Bernina singlestitch is in superb complete condition with Manuals but with a price tag of $120 it still ain't worth $60. Besides I already have one.

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Yes, all that and a CGE Radio Phono in the bargain...but not at $100 and a missing cartridge.

Kinda dumb place to put the Radio Controls when it's hidden behind a false drawer front. Might be convenient for changing the station but ya gotta scootch down un-graciously on yer haunches to put records on the changer - dumb. And with the lid open there's barely room for a table lamp base or large Blue Mountain Flo-ware panther sculpture. :-)

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I fell upon it with a whoop of joy tempered with caution about just what the pricetag would be...

Only $10? Really?

I got her out in the light and began the examination...

Brushroll - check
belt cover - check
rubber bumper intact - check
No rust - check
no chips, gouges or broken aluminum bits - check
bag in un-rotted condition with no tears or repairs - check
Bag clamp - check
retracting bag tape still in place (tho detached from bag and replaced with a hair elastic) - check
switch in place - check
cord in servicable shape and non-crumbly rubber strain relief - check

Too good to be true! I couldn't haul it to the checkout fast enough. $5.

Got it out in the sun and just had to take 'as found' pictures.

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Made or re-furbed in the Canadian Hoover factory, it's a Special.

I'm sure someone will tell me what year & model it was before it got 'specialed'.

As I said, the bag was held up with a hair elastic quite cleverly. The tape had broken away from the bag holder. I was amazed to fish about and find the tape inside. The spring had detached. Love the braided cord, original or not. And the Bag. Sure, it's a Dust-Care replacement for Hoover but it is in amazing clean unstained or torn shape.

The rubber bumper too, replacement or not, is in like new supple condition

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I did not dare to plug it in until I got it home.

First things first. The brushroll spins like new. The brushes tho are worn down but I noticed the roll was set at the highest position in the holders. Lowered it to the bottom position and it protruded through the carpet grill. Found a belt and put that on.
Clean unchipped fan.
Turns out all that electrical tape was simply hiding some worn cotten weave spots. The cord is fine otherwise so I only had to tape a few places.

The bag clamps tight to the supple rubber gasket and the handle bale locks into the three positions.

But what is the function and purpose of this thumbscrewed fitment on one of the bag clamp posts?

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Senstaional Singing Group, The Hoover Puffybags. and their M

Re-wired the plug, held my breath, crossed my fingers and fired it up. The machine was loved and used and updated as needed and appears to have been used up until very recently.

The Twingle Twangs again!

So quiet! So smooth! So thrummy! Carpet groom tracks are beautiful!

Davy's very first Coffee Can Hoover. Whee!

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My guess is 541 also, but the 541 (at least in the U.S.) had a straight handle. My first thought was that it might be a 543 until I saw the brush roll: The 543 was the first model to have the new agitator "it beats as it sweeps as it cleans" instead of the brush roll. Stan Kann used to kvetch about what an under-performer the machine was. The motor was the same as in the 541 and it didn't have enough power to properly drive the agitator. The reason I thought it might be a 543 was because of the curved handle. Maybe when it was rebuilt at the factory they upgraded the handle. I don't know if that was their practice or not with older straight-handle models.

Nice find! And you could hardly beat the price!!
 
Holy Cowfloppies and Oh Sweet Lord in Heaven!

You are absolutely right, John! Thank you. I had no idea! I'm hyper-ventilating at my twingle luck...I went over the Jack Copp's Vintage Hoover Emporium and discovered this picture: I trust he will not mind my copy & pasting to this thread.
The 541, the first Hoover to be made of Die-cast Aluminum, replaced the model 105.
Jack mentions the ball-bearing brushroll and mine certainly has those. He further explains that 541's destined for England would have been made in the commonwealth country of Canada - Hamilton plant - for export, as the Perivale West London Factory had not yet been built.

Mine has a hollow metal handle (and so the spring-encased motor cord plugs into a receptical in the handle/bale post) and the base & bale have a definitely dull matte unpolished satiny look. I'm glad I read that before attempting to buff it up to a blinding gleam. :-)

Even though Hoover sold nearly 650,000 541's in the 3 year production run, and this one was re-manufactured after that time, I am pleasantly stunned to have one for the Collection and only $5...all I really have to do to spruce it up is re-paint the handle and motor can - unbelievable except there it is right at the foot of my bed! Wow!

Dave

The one in this picture also has the mysterious thumbscrew thingie, too.

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