Eureka upright find

[bobbyderegis]

Hi All:

Found this beauty today about 10 minutes from work. It's in great shape, low mileage. It must have been stored for a long time as there is dust and spider webs underneath. I cleaned up what I could get to, but does anyone know how to get the hood up? I took out the two side screws and nuts under the bumper, but the handle release lever stops me from getting the hood off. Any ideas?

Bobby in Boston

 

[human]

That is a cool machine. On many Eureka uprights, there are springs on each side underneath that you have to disengage to release the top shell.

 

[bobbyderegis]

Hi Human, this model has two screws and bolts on the sides under the bumper.

Bobby

 

[rugsucker]

Nice! Eureka --

--with most if not all deluxe features. That hood style is not common and as I recall you have to move the handle up and down as you move the hood back and forth until it will lift off.

 

[bobbyderegis]

Rugsucker, tried that too. I even took out the handle bolt and lifted the cordwinder. I'm wondering if somehow you have to disengage the handle release lever? But how, without taking off the hood! Purrs like a kitten though. Perfect bearings, clean, and the headlamp still works! Just dusty under the hood, plus the rugulator needs a good clean up.

Bobby

 

[rugsucker]

Eureka

I should have added remove bumper but you probably did when removing screws. You might try flexing the corner of the hood to get a bit more clearance.

 

[Eureka1458A]

That’s a great find! You don’t find these Eurekas in good shape very often. Hopefully you’ll post pictures once it’s all cleaned up.

 

[kirbyklekter]

Bobby

You'll probably have the cover off by now, but was going to ask if the lens for light is removable from the outside or if there were any screws by the exhaust port under handle. What a great find! Beautiful. I did have a Eureka that had both the screws and the two spring clips holding the hood down. Don't know if that was a factory or owner install but there it was. Billy

 

[eurekaprince]

Love these “Continental” Eurekas with that sleek rounded motor hood! The cool thing about this design: the name “EUREKA” lights up along with the headlight when the motor is turned on!!!

I think this series came out in 1976 or 1977 if I am not mistaken. Maybe 1978?

 

[eurekaprince]

Here is YouTuber “Konstellation Karl” showing the full line up of the green Continental series - see link below. He claims they are from 1978. Thanks for this video Karl!!!

 

[bobbyderegis]

Can't figure out the date. There are seven dots, but nothing else on the base plate. It's black lexan. Can't figure out for the life of me how the hood comes off. The lamp is replaceable by popping off the lens, but I have had the ears break off so I'll leave well enough alone.

Bobby

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

bobbyderegis

Bobby,

The dots inside the circle with the year stamp refer to the month of the year built. For example, if the circle says "79" as the year, and there are 11 dots in it, the cleaner was built during November 1979.

~Ben

 

[paul]

Bobby,

Congrats on scoring such a groovy '70s Eureka in the Wild Moss color. It was part of a set of 4 with the same Continental "overbase" hood styling and bag cover design but with different trim options: Sport, Casual, Everyday, and Chic—your 2385-A, which was the top-of-the-line. The hood style was offered in a couple other Eureka color lines, as well until being discontinued around 1980.

I'm surprised that the hood is secured in a different way than the other styles with the springs. I have never heard of that until now. Hope you can figure it out.

Determining the actual production year is only obtainable from company records, which may have since been discarded. That is due to the fact that the year indicated on some of the of the bases is only for the bases themselves—which may have been produced a year or more prior to a model's assembly. As far as we know, the serial numbers only included the production week and year at the computerization of the ratings stickers in the late 1980s.

Here's a link to a 1976 fact sheet that texbodemer received from the Eureka Company archives at the McLean County Museum of History: https://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREADM.cgi?45190

In addition, here are some newspaper ads of the line. The first two are from 1976, and the other is from 1977.