Guess what I found...

[vintagehoover]

A BIG clue...no mistaking that switch!

 

[arh1953]

I can't wait to see the rest of it!

 

[vintagehoover]

Ok...here's your next glimpse!

 

[arh1953]

Oooh, it's imported!

 

[z30soulbrother]

red ball switch

didnt someone ages back say they were trying to identify a vac from childhood with a red ball switch?
si

 

[vintagehoover]

Cut to: The Big Reveal

Enough teasing! I can now reveal...newly-obtained property of The Vintage Hoover Emporium...Britain's only example (I would imagine) of the Hoover Lark Model 14!

 

[vintagehoover]

Sleek in form...

Smooth in function...a lightweight solution to your heavy cleaning duties...

 

[vintagehoover]

The glamorous American stranger...

makes its English cousin look downright frumpy by comparison!

 

[vintagehoover]

...

...

 

[vintagehoover]

...

You may notice for the first time something's not quite right...

 

[vintagehoover]

...

...

 

[vintagehoover]

...

Red ball is still in place...although the upper plate is a little warped, as I hear is common

 

[vintagehoover]

...

Is the problem a little more evident here?

 

[vintagehoover]

Ok, to make things a little clearer...

See it now?

The seller ignored my careful, detailed packaging instructions (Charles Richard, I'm sure you can feel my pain and frustration!), and as a result, this beautiful cleaner has suffered quite a bad distortion to it's handle bail *sob*

I don't know if I can put it right or not

 

[arh1953]

My ESP made me feel like it was something like the one on the left. Now, somebody solve the next mystery!

 

[williamr1248]

Guess what I found?

What a find! When I was a child our local Hardware was the Hoover dealer in town. They had one of that model high up on a display self for years after they had quit making the Lark. I always wanted that Hoover. Of course THAT was NEVER going to happen! Is the handle a little bent? It looks so cool and even the bag spring is painted to match the blue.

 

[vintagehoover]

But handle-bail aside...

I feel very lucky to finally have one of these machines in my possession. Now to find some tools and a manual...then a Model 12...and tools...and a manual

I'll keep chanting ('I do it almost religiously, Sweetie!')

 

[arh1953]

Never mind, mystery solved! I think you could straighten out that handle bail with very little trouble. This spoken with the optimism of someone who has never repaired a vacuum cleaner.

 

[vintagehoover]

A Henry Dreyfuss design...

From the chassis to the plug!