Eureka Sweet Sixteen Canisters

[portable]

Here are scans of 3 Eureka Sweet Sixteen canister spec sheets, for Models 1640, 1660 and 1680 (front and back). First up: Model 1640 (dig the 70s costume get-ups):

 

[portable]

Model 1660

Here's the 1660:

 

[portable]

And, Model 1680:

 

[eurekaprince]

Wow! Eureka Williams at its best! Sleek, understated, confident industrial design - wish I could find out the names of the designers who created these classic cleaners!

The art director doing these spec sheets made a few minor errors on the front side of the 1660 and 1680 documents: the front pic of the 1660 should show a Vibra-Beat carpet nozzle in the Tool Pak, and the front pic of the 1680 should show Eureka’s deluxe, wider upholstery nozzle. The back sides of the spec sheets show the correct tools on the canister.

I think these vacs are circa 1970. They debuted after the Empress II FastVacs from 1967. I think the canister bodies went from sky blue to burnt orange and harvest gold in 1972.

EUREKA. The very best in vacuum cleaners. A few decades ago…..

 

[eurekaprince]

And here is Eureka’s TV commercial for the Sweet Sixteens - produced by Young & Rubicam if I remember correctly….see link below….

 

[suckolux]

Cool pictures, I saw the first one and I thought yeah that's mine, and then I saw the second one and went or is that it

 

[suckolux]

I had to go and look, it's number three, the 1680!

 

[eurekaprince]

I actually think there was a fourth model in the line-up: the 1620 was a budget version with no CordAway cord reel, if I remember correctly. The series was launched at the National Housewares Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, and Home Furnishings Daily had their special NHMA show edition which had a print ad from Eureka showing the 4 models: 1620, 1640, 1660 and 1680.

 

[suckolux]

Cool , I do use it, pretty colors. When I saw it I was thinking 68 to 71 maybe those were popular colors then for the cars. Mine is in I would say very good condition with all of the tools but no tool rack it just wasn't there elderly owner. I'm guessing the exhaust vent on the bottom is to allow for better air flow and cooling but I don't really care for the sound of it with it open.

 

[portable]

Wow, Eurekaprince, good catch. I didn't notice the omissions in the pictures. I personally never cared for the Vibra-Beat attachment. It always seemed gimmicky and noisy. In '72, I bought a new Model 1260 Power Team. I liked the cord reel and electrified hose, though you had to string the leader wire up the channel behind the extension wands. Great machine.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

John

great info/pics.
May I call upon you for Eureka info for the newsletter "spotlight"?

 

[huskyvacs]

Far out man.

 

[eurekaprince]

Another important aspect of these Eureka models is how many department stores in the USA and Canada ordered store brand versions of the Sweet Sixteens: Montgomery Ward, JC Penney, Eaton Viking and Baycrest and Beaumark for Canada’s Hudson Bay stores.

 

[giannh]

My mother has the Eureka Canister Vacuum Cleaner Model 1640. Thanks for posting the spec sheet. Do you also have the parts schematic for this model? I'm looking for the part numbers to replace either the rear wheels alone or the rear wheels with metal yokes fastened to the body of the vacuum.

 

[n0oxy]

motor and sound

I would love to see one of these, I wonder what motor they used and what the sound was like. I have some idea since I've heard other motors of that time, I've heard the power team that Eureka made in 1972, I wonder if it was similar to that. It was an "f" note, that's the pitch the motor had. Since I'm blind I guess I tend to notice things like that, lol. Were these discontinued when Eureka came out with their powerteams?
Mike

 

[keither]

Eureka E1860

I have the Eureka E1860 from this series. [this post was last edited: 12/20/2021-22:08]

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Keith,

Love your Empress II FastVac! I think you mean Model 1860….the Empress II canisters were from the 1800 model series. That series had a similar range: 1820, 1840, 1860, 1880. These came out about a year or two before the 1600 series.

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Mike,

Here is a YouTube clip showing a Eureka Model 1630. The ratings on the spec sheet go by horsepower and each of the models in the series had slightly more powerful motors as you went up the range. This 1630 may have a 1 and 1/2 hp motor…you can distinctly hear the motor sound in this clip as the user cleans a piece of upholstered furniture with an upholstery nozzle….

 

[giannh]

The sound of the 1630A (thanks to YouTube link provided by @eurekaprince) is identical to that made by my mother's 1640.