Crazy For Kenmore!!

[hoover1060]

I remember them in the stores...

Was the self propel any good?
they called that "powerease" right?

 

[petek]

The self propel feature is very good I find. Rather than just the handgrip sliding back and forth the whole handle slides back and forth. As well there is a variable 3 speed switch on the back base to control how fast it actually propells itself. Fast is like a dragster on low pile carpet LOL The machine has everything, magicord, headlights,2 motor speeds,bag empty indicator, belt view window, nap adjustments, baseboard adjustment switch. If it has any one fault it's that the cord is waaaayyyyy too short, maybe 11 feet which means you can't do an average room without unplugging and replugging it in. Did I say I'm gonna cry if its gone.. oh I did.. lol

 

[hoover1060]

well

I am crossing my fingers that it will be there.

 

[petek]

Re Freds Kenmore Saturn above. Mom had the previous salmony pink version the Kenmore Satellite, essentially similar design but no power nozzle. She must have got it sometime around 1956 because it was the only vac we had for many years. It sat down in her basement up until only a year or two ago and she gave it away!!!!and here I am back living here after 30 plus years and it's gone.

 

[myvacsrock]

Hey Jeff!!

Would you sell that Duo-Power???


Kyle [email protected]

 

[henrydreyfuss]

Jeff..

I have a very similar Duo Power. Isn't the dirt path design fascinating? It's so interesting how they fanned it out so much by the time it makes it to the nozzle opening. I agree that it's a wonderful piece of clean-air upright history. The tool set up is interesting. I like how its very close to the floor....hard to tip over. Most clean air vacuums today tip over way too easy when using tools.. How is the tool suction compared to the Dial-a-Matic? I unfortunately don't have the tools (although just having the cleaner is plenty really)?

I really like the sound of the Duo Power. It sounds so deep and powerful.

Corey

 

[convertible68]

Jeff, beautiful vintage Kenmores! That '66 Duo-Power is definitely a nice one. I have to wonder, though...were the attachments ever offered on-board at any time during the production run?

Pete, I've seen pictures of your Kenmore on AW.org; hopefully it will turn up. Interesting that you mention that you move the whole handle to engage the drive, a la Kirby. Does it use flat wheels or rubber treads for propulsion?

The one thing that still puzzles me about the older Kenmore vacuums, is the lack of a headlight lens on some models. To this day I can't understand why they did that...it makes the machines have an "incomplete" look to them. The first one I saw on eBay I thought was just missing the lens and had something wrong with it!

--Austin

 

[convertible68]

Yikes...

Excuse my redundancy in the last post, with the whole "beautiful vintage" phrase...

 

[myvacsrock]

or Jeff maybe we could set a trade......

I have a rare 1979 Singer Twin-Fan complete/w owners book and stuff!! Let me know! [email protected]



Kyle

 

[hoover1060]

Duo Power...

Corey,
I suspect the nozzle of the duo power was designed like that for better pickup, an attempt to spread the suction across the whole nozzle, whereas the DAM had all its suction over on the side, and for the early models(1100/1110/1118/1120, early 1130 and 1140) with the old helix agitator which actually spirialed the dirt away from the suction and towards the belt end...
If you have an early DAM with its original agitator scatter some unpopped popcorn kernals on the floor and try to sweep them up... see what happens!
This Duo Power is much more deluxe than the DAM too, two speeds, cord reel, headlight. Its kinda a hefty beast though too.
I like the sound too, once this one runs for a bit and the bearings quiet down it sounds just like a canister.
The tool suction is similar to a DAM too.
Austin to my knowledge On board tools were never thought of with this machine.

Kyle: sorry, not for sale or trade at this time. There are still Dou Powers out there, I am sure you will find one.

Jeff

 

[petek]

Austin, I'm trying to remember the wheels but if irc the drive wheels are just hard plastic with a molded ribbed tread. One of the other slight "don't likes" about it is that that it is so big and wide, slightly wider and deeper than the DAM so tight spaces are a bit of a pain. Definitely not a vac for small apartment living.

 

[rexaircollector]

Pink Ken Kart

This was a gift from Chad Schiebrl (thank you again Chad) and I will treasure it forever. I just have to replace that red hose though. Everything else is original and in mint condition.

Robb

 

[buffalo-joe]

No Duo Powers This Time

Jeff, This past fall village trash pickup netted no Duo Powers. I had been getting at least one a season from that. It would be nice to find more here too. I'm sure they'll turn up as this area is the Kenmore capitol! Kenmore, NY is nearby and maybe has something to do with it. LOL!

Joe

 

[myvacsrock]

Hey Buffalo-Joe If you do find a Duo power then contact me!! If you can please! I would love to buy it from you if you decide to sell it!!

Kyle

 

[dial-a-nap]

Beautiful Kenmores everyone! Fred, that brown one is exactly like my grandmother's. It was the only canister/suction-only she ever owned and it ran great despite being used hard for many years.

I've never seen the blue-green one before, that is very cute!

 

[myhooverco]

I am a Hoover guy through and through but these Kenmores are beautiful! Thanks for posting the pics!!!!

--Tom

 

[rugmaster37]

Robb....

you are so welcome for the Kenmore. I found this at an estate sale along with a Air-Way model 66 a Kenmore upright from the late 40's and a Lewyt Big Wheel. This was nearly 6 years ago....and all I have left is the AW 66 that replaced the one that I gave to Jeff P. a few years before that. Last he told me his dad was using it to clean his car with!

Yeah...the grey hose that came with it was ratty and torn in WAY too many places for my liking. The red hose is nothing more than a Kirby Classic III hose that I had spare over in my old store! It looked close...but obviously no cigar!

The only Kenmore I have anymore is the CordReel Twin-Fan upright from 1980. It's cinnamon and cream with the wild floral bag and woodgrian trim. I also have another 1940's model that Jeff and I found at Alsip Illinois like a decade ago...

Hey Jeff...been there recently?

Chad

 

[hoover1060]

Alsip...

Chad,
I haven't been to any flea markets in ages, no time! Used to be I had time to get to Alsip, or Melrose, or even Montana Charlie's down in Joliet every weekend!

Maybe on day things will calm down and I can get back to some of the old haunts