Eureka question..model 238 (238b?)

[k5vac]

Hi all,

I just got a Eureka 238 (B?) and was hoping someone could shed some light on it. (See photo) I tried researching it but couldn’t find any answers. I’ve seen a few 238s but not the 238 B. I’m sure it was the entry level model for that generation (no light, no height adjustment, shorter cord). But I can’t find out what year it is from, I’m guessing late 60s? Also it is missing the pedal (pedal cover) and was hoping someone could share a photo of what the correct pedal looks like or knows the part number. Would love to get the correct cover if I can find it. I’m sure that will be difficult. I appreciate any input. Here are a few photos of it.
Thanks, Tom

Also if anyone has a Eureka ESP wide track for sale, I am definitely interested!

 

[lesinutah]

Im

No expert on eureka. There is a thread on their history. It's a Eure3a Williams
2 speed 3.35 amp blender motor. I'm guessing 73-75.

 

[eurekaprince]

This is more likely from 1968 or 1969. Made during the end of the period of Eureka uprights with a top side hose port and the beginning of the period when Eureka’s uprights had a foot-operated toggle switch. This is before the debut of the Rugulator height adjustment and before the debut of the Dial a Nap height adjustment.

I imagine the plastic cover for the handle release would match the dark grey colour of the base and bumper as they did all throughout the 1960’s. If the base was Lagoon Blue, so was the pedal cover.

 

[rugsucker]

Eureka

As a basic model with no extra features,but all the quality of other Eurekas,could it have come with no cover on foot pedal?Even moving the switch from handle to base would have saved manufacturing cost.Does it adjust for height by rotating rear axle?

 

[eurekaprince]

Another hint as to date: the two part handle. Not sure when they started this, but my childhood blue Automatic 260 from 1960 had a single long white metal square profile handle. I was too young to have seen my dad take it out of the box, but it had a two-speed handle switch which may mean it came pre-wired and pre-assembled in a very long box.

Two part handles allowed Eureka to pack their uprights in smaller compact square boxes, making them easier to warehouse and ship.

 

[paul]

March 1965 ad

According to the e-newspaper database at my library, the model 238-A debuted around March 1965 - succeeding the Model 258, and the model 238-B was first marketed in late 1967. Later types types (D, F, FB & H - going by memory) were produced through circa 1974. The model number was changed circa 1974 to coincide with the new mid-to low-range 1400 Series (as models 1401 1402, 1403, and possibly the 1404; I know that the model 1405 was enameled in blue and was equipped with the 2-way Dial-A-Nap). I'm unsure if Eureka continued producing the model 238-style "Automatic" (no adjustment) upright after 1978, as I haven't seen any ads afterward.

Here's the ad from March 1965.

 

[paul]

Nov. 1974 ad & April 1978 ad

Found a model 1404 ad from Nov. 1974. At least one or more of the other 1400 Series (1401, 1402 & 1403) may have been marketed concurrently; otherwise they weren't marketed long. It seems to me that I saw the last ad for the model 238 in 1972 or 1973.

I wonder if the advertising departments would have used old line drawings, because the 1978 ad continues to show the scripted logotype like all the previous ads going back to the Sixties. Of course, it's possible that the original logotype was retained.

 

[k5vac]

Thanks!

Thanks everyone for the information! Learning a lot.

Eurekaprince: good catch in the two part handle. Makes sense. I know the dial a nap but am not familiar with the Rugulator, what generation is that on?

Rugsucker: As basic of a model as it is I think it would still have a cover on the pedal but you could be right, any where to save money. There is a little hole that looks like something may have clipped in. Not sure. Also I didn’t know about that axle height adjuster, double check it tonight and it looks like it has it! How cool. It has two settings, low and normal. See photos

Paul: thanks for the timeline of that model, sound like it is likely in the 68-72 range. Very cool to see the old advertising!

 

[eurekaprince]

The hole in the handle release pedal definitely suggests that a plastic or rubber cover is meant to be there. I would imagine finding a pedal cover to match this cleaner’s colouring may be very very difficult. Sorry to say….because it’s an unusual colour for Eureka. You may find a beige one out there, but it is probably like finding a needle in a haystack…

 

[eurekaprince]

The Rugulator made it’s debut on Eureka’s deluxe Vanguard upright probably around 1970. The white slider on your green Eureka is a Rugulator.

 

[k5vac]

Thanks Eurekaprince! I figured it be a long shot finding a pedal cover, especially that color, but maybe I could find another color to at least have one on it. Would be nice to have but doesn’t really affect how it operates, just need to be a little careful when pressing the pedal so you don’t kick the rubber trim down. Do you know of any other models that had the same type of pedal to try and broaden my search for something that fits.

I thought that was the rugulator on my ESP model. Stupid of me to ask, Forgot it says it right on it. Haha Thanks for the clarification! I have another eureka (1489a) with the dial. Also has the shortest cord on earth. Haha

 

[eurekaprince]

You’re welcome K5vac!!!

Look for any Eureka upright in the 200 series from about 1960 to 1967 and you’ll probably see the pedal cover. The model names for these uprights were the Super Automatic and also later on: the Twin Power.

So funny you mentioned the rubber bumper getting pushed down out of place!!! Because the pedal is so small, most users used to just press down with their whole foot on that corner of the base and the rubber bumper would get pushed out of proper position all the time! Even as a young toddler, I would sneak into the front closet to pull up the bumper near the pedal so that it looked correct! Funny footnote: in the User Manual, there was a picture of the handle release pedal being stepped on by the pointy toe of a ladies’ high heel shoe!!! I guess you had to wear pointy-toed formal shoes to press on the pedal without touching the bumper!!!!