Davy Sprocket is on the Road...

[aeoliandave]

memory dimmed by the excitement but I was sure there were more tools...has Crevictool forgotten to pack them in? All I'm coming up with are shards of nothing...

Oh well.

Norm, meantime lays claim to the cardboard box...says he has a large Christmas present to wrap for his grandaughter...we know Norm just wants to play in the cardboard box and make a fort after we leave.

 

[aeoliandave]

The adrenaline rush also dulls the common sense, too. Of course the missing tools are packed inside the vacuum.


I knew this Lewyt 55 looked good in the Ebay pics but I didn't expect it in this superb condition. Not a speck of rust and nary a disfiguring scratch or dent anywhere.

Lewyt's modified Dustalator filter that raised Healthmore's litigious ire when it was a pointed cloth cone.

Crevicetool Rules...feel the luv, buddy.

 

[aeoliandave]

Plugged it in, fired it up and it gave an impressive reading of 83" on the Vac-U-Tronic tester. We all agreed the motor sounded perfect.

So, while chatting and twiddling our thumbs waiting for more knocks on the door from the impending thundering herd clamoring to join in the fun, weoohed and ahhed over Norm's upstairs display.

Which is what I'll let Norm tell the stories behind them. But we did have to get fingerprints all over them all...

 

[aeoliandave]

more

 

[aeoliandave]

a few more

 

[aeoliandave]

The 1205

 

[aeoliandave]

West wall vista.

The Christmas Hoover Tree is one that Norm had in his display at the North Canton Convention.

 

[aeoliandave]

Pardon guys, time for a long commercial break.

It is after 9 AM, I have to get cleaned up, check out and head over to Springfield to the Wescott house...and beyond.

Stay tuned for Part Two...The Basement. 'Til then, talk amongst yourselves in breathless anticipation.

Dave

 

[luxg]

Wow Dave, thanks for sharing all the fun pictures. I bet that you guys had a great time. Glad that you are happy with the Lewyt! Doesn't Rick do a fantastic job of packing!!!
Terry

 

[aeoliandave]

Yes indeed Terry, Rick sure does know how to pack those nooks, crannies & crevices snug and safe. Not for nothing is he the one and only Legendary Crevicetool.

I'll be expostulating all over and about the Lewyt when time permits but I will say how very thrilled I am to be it's caretaker and how grateful, and puzzled, I am to you two that this one didn't disappear into one of your southern friends' - fine gentlemen all - hoards.

I naturally assumed that the Dolly would be a stamped steel contrivance like GEs. You should have been there when I began exclaiming to my captive audience that it is a one piece aluminum casting!!!! without a chip or crack and the tools all match and fit!!! and so on...

Dave, off for a Wright fix.

I have decided to overnight in Toledo so I can hit all the Thrift Stores on my way back on Monday. And write some more of my Vacuum Adventure blather in a timely fashion.

 

[arh1953]

Dave, thanks for all the pictures, it certainly looks like a good time WAS had by all! Anxious to see some Wright pics too.

 

[normvac]

Dear Dave !

Thank you, for your kind and generous spirit. My Vacuumland
experience would have never been complete without having spent
time with you my friend.
Also for taking the pictures and writing your cronical of the
time segments on highlights of the day.
What a joy it was to meet Dave on Friday eve. Then Steve and
Craig (on time) at my back door at 9 am Sat. All the way from
Biseban, by way of Circleville (Craigs family home).
Please ask questions about any of my vacuums, rather then me boring you with ALL the details of where they came from, What
they mean to me and on !!
I will point out the Terquois color Hoover convertable in the
corner of my upstairs room. Just to the left of the 86 (gold) Constellation. Is one of the two I won at the Hoover Anniversary convention. It is a Canadian model, from the Hoover vault, with the tag still on it. 1962/63 vintage.
I do have to mention that my all time favorite is my Kirby,
factory Rebuilt dual 80 !!!
I can hardly wait for the rest of Dave's story and pictures
of the day !!
Stay turned
P S Did I miss something during the day? I thought sure "Brian" was/is Craig. Steve's partner ?? Set us straight Steve (if that is at all possible).
Norm

 

[normvac]

An Important Thank you !!

Actually 2, To Pete Kelly in Sarina, Ont. for the two awesome vacuums he sent with Dave for me !! (It's always nice
when guest who can not make the invitation to send regrets in
in the form of "wanted" vacuums) An almost new Panasonic (black, sitting next to my D-80)with on board tools. Fantastic machine! As well as a complete and operating Kirby
(blue) Tradition. It rather completes my Kirby early decade story. Hopefully you'll see it when Dave get's to the "afternoon or basement" Pictures.
Then also to 007Kirby, Bill for looking and looking threw all of his Kirby storage of things. Then finding an almost like new Kirby Turbo nozzle for Steve. He was very apprecative and surprised to see and have it !! Thanks again.
Norm

 

[aeoliandave]

oopsie again.

I may have the Streakers misconfusaltaed in my feeble brain. They will set us straight, if that's possible.

This seems apropos:

Meet (insert name), who's lived most everywhere,
From Circleville to Zanzibar, Japan to Brisbane Square.
But (insert name) only seen the sights
A guy can see from Australia's Heights --
What a crazy pair!

But they're partners,
Identical all the way.
One pair of matching bookend bears,
Different as night and day.

Where (insert name) adores a minuet,
A vacuum or five, and crepe suzette,
Our (insert name) loves to rock and roll,
A hot dog makes him lose control --
What a wild duet!

Still, they're 'cousins',
Identical 'roomates' and you'll find,
They laugh alike, they walk alike,
At times they even talk alike --

You can lose your mind,
When cousins are two of a kind.

blatently & shamelessly adapted from catchy Theme song - The patty Duke TV Show.

 

[crevicetool]

you ever get the feeling....

My ears were buzzing. Seemed to be coming from the computer...but there was music too.

Something about "a guy can see from Snellville heights"...something about a pair...

Lo and behold, when I pulled up this thread, sure enough! Dave, happy that the Lewyt arrived OK. More importantly, I'm glad that Norm will have a nice fort to play in! I must admit that I was tempted to tell Terry that someone had stolen the Lewyt from my van while I stopped for a protein shake and some fish-oil pills on the way back from North Carolina - then keep it for myself. The thing is so large though....and Sledgehammertone!

What a nice visit you guys are having! And Norm! Wonderful collection! I do believe another Ohio run has to be in my plans as well!

Who is this Pete guy anyway? (tehehe)

Would have loved to have met Craig, Steve, and Brian! Yes both of them! Just to have heard him/them talk!

Anxiously awaiting more pictures.....

Rick

 

[xraytech]

Looks like you all had a great time. Sorry I wasnt able to make it out.
Wasnt it just great to meet Steve and Craig?
We had a lovley trip to tour The Hoover Historical Center last week(sorry no pics, forgot the camera)

Also Norm, would those 2 Convertibles with that Eureka and the lux 1205 be the ones coming to me in 2 weeks?

 

[normvac]

Yes, Sir Mr. Sam !!

That be them !! I forgot to trail the picture with that fact.
I realized when Dave came with the panasonic and Kirby Tradition from Pete. That I now had 2 more to add to my number
of 65. But waite, I am bringing those 4 to you Sam and exchanging another Kirby (G4) and a FQ Majestic with you. So
if my math is correct I am right back where I started with 65 !!
Hope the 2 Hoovers and Eureka 260 as well as the Lux 1205 met
your expectations !!!
Norm

 

[aeoliandave]

I'm baaaack.

Safely ensconced in Perryville/Maumee Ohio, after crawling up 75 the past half hour. Sudden torrential rainstorm in the dark threw a real wrench into driving folks. I counted no less than 17 separate accidents between Findley and Maumee, each sepasrated by a mile or so all the way up, most have a truck involved and two-four rearended cars or vans. The hiway is blinkin' blue and red with emergency vehicles. I was one of the lucky ones, stuck to my right lane and trundled into the motel at 7 pm.

Now I must walk over to Perkins for some dinner and in the meantime I found another cartoon of a fort building nature I just have to share.

I'll re-start the posting when I get back. As Wright-fully exciting as today has been I will report things in chronological order while the memories are fresh.

Dave

 

[aeoliandave]

Where were we?

Oh yeah, Part Two...The Basement...

While we were in the back room there was a knock on the door and in came...rat's, I can't remember his name, it seems I didn't write it down on my notepad but he is an old buddy ...er, I mean a dear acquaintance of long standing of Norm's who lives close by, has an extraordinarily resonant bass voice and is not a collecter of vacuums...and yet he knows so much about them and identified every one we threw at him...for things did get rather rambunctious at one point. No, that's a lie, we were perfect gentlemen all afternoon. Ok, so I forget his name but the story is on a roll uphill and I can't stop now or I'd have to start all over again.

So, we 5 headed for the basement. Norm lives in a brick fourplex, two up and two down and the buildings have full basements accessed from the wide central staircase. Each tenant, I gather, gets a 1/4 portion and Norm's is set up like a long room with walls.

Again I will let the pictures speak for themselves, particularly since we still don't know for sure which one is Brian or Steve or the Mystery Guy. arghhhhhh.

Just inside the door on your right...

 

[aeoliandave]

Two Streakers and MysteryGuy.

 

[aeoliandave]

Table centerpiece Tableau of Kirbys

 

[aeoliandave]

EUREKA!

 

[aeoliandave]

Getting rreally Deep in the heart of Eureka

 

[aeoliandave]

Gold Filter Queen

 

[aeoliandave]

Left Wall O Hoovers

 

[aeoliandave]

There is so much more including a fingerjoint failure of the hoserack kind but hunger raised it's needy head and we returned to the upstairs for Norm's delicious chili, stew & buns.

Then it was time to hand out the presents...

Yeah Pete, I think Norm likes it.

 

[aeoliandave]

The fabulous Kirby Turbo Nozzle. Ever hear a grown man shriek in Australian? Was that the Outback Tribal Scream of Delight? He was immediately on the phone to Bill in Wisconsin to thank him.

 

[aeoliandave]

All too soon the sun drew closer to the horizon and it was time to say our goodbyes. MysteryGuy had left a bit earlier but we didn't forget the Group glamor shot, if bears be glamor worthy...

 

[aeoliandave]

I hung out a little longer and Norm googled the Frank Lloyd Wright house over in Springfield for me and discovered it is open year round, 7 days a week. This is one I did not know about and so my Sunday was decided.

Back at my motel I played a bit with the Lewyt. Duh.

The only thing that didn't come with it was the hose but thankfully the hose ends were. From a fragment it would appear the hose was replaced at one time with with a gray vinyl weave hose from a Eureka. I had brought along the graybuff/red stripe diamond pattern Lewyt hose from my 40.

 

[aeoliandave]

Backside showing the tool posts, which are of course labeled in raised lettering as was Lewyt's practice. Remeber, this is the company that felt the need to actually cast 'Vacuum Cleaner' on it's Big Wheels lest it be confused with a beard box on wheels or one of those pop-up lid refuse baskets, or a Pet Caddy for walks around the neighborhood without the walking part...

Here you can see the thumbscrew that presses a felt disk into a round dimple on the back of the vacuum and pushes it against two rubber buttons at the front. Secure yet easily removable from the Dolly.

Another interesting thing to me is that the Crevicetool is transparent blue plastic. My gray 40 has a mothballizorlator two piece device in the same clear blue.
I would have thought the crevicetool would be lavender plastic like the 1955 Big Wheel 77 has. Just last week I won a box of Lewyt 55 tools and Owner's manual and original sales receipt dated 1953 on Ebay from a feller in Montreal and it has the upholstery nozzle and crevicetool in lavender.

Whateverrrr, it's all pretty.