Help Identify Rexair Model Number

[chicagomike]

Hi, can someone help me identify what model number this rexair vac is? From other photos I looked it, those had an alphabetical letter displayed in the name plate - but this rexair just says "model" and nothing else.

I hope someone can tell me how to identify the model number or tell me what model it is.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Mike,

From what I can gather this appears to be an early model D.

~Ben

 

[chicagomike]

Thank you! I was not sure as I thought the id tag would say Model D on it.

Again thanks!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Mike,

You're welcome.

~Ben

 

[kenkart]

Very Early

The big cord, 8.2 amp motor and the fact it says Martin Parry co gives it away, im not the Rainbow expert, Clay Floyd is , but Martin Parry was taken over in 56, it was a hostile takeover, It seems one day a group of men from Ward industries came to President T.Russ Hill's office and announced they had bought up controlling interest in his company!!to say the least he was mad, Ward wanted Rexair for their nice modern factory in Toledo, they moved Rexair production to a ratty old factory in Syracuse NY, The mistake they made was keeping old man Hill on as a figure head....he along with JV Sanders decided to bankrupt them so they could take the company back, they did this by encouraging all the dealers to sell machines to anyone and everyone,...thus by 1959 they had hung Rexair with 9 1/2 million dollars of debt,......In 1959 dollars, thus in 59, they bought the company back for 95,000!!!Clay said that this serial number is fairly high for a Martin Parry machine, so it would have been sometime in 56,the next year they redesigned the motor so it used 7 amps as many homes were inadequately wired.In 60 the machine then went from being called the Rexair, to being called the Rainbow, made by Rexair.

 

[chicagomike]

Thanks you Hans for the great information on the machine!!!

 

[kenkart]

The Rug Tool..

Is for the previous model, Model C made from 49 until 55, the correct rug tool has a brown bumper like the floor brush, personally, I like the one you have better, in 1964 the Jet rug tool was introduced, that's the one with the slots in the top and rows of holes in the bottom, it still is one of the finest straight suction rug tools ever made.

 

[williamr1248]

Help identify Rexair model number

Hans, you so are very correct. I posted several years ago that when we had new flagstone walks put down the amound to sand being tracked in was just crazy.
For some reason I used that Jet Tool on my carpets and over and over again it would pull out large amount of sand left behind by a new Hoover Windtunel and a Kirby. Not sure if it was the design of the vents on the top and bottom or the constant airflow of the Rainbow itself.

Now we are talking an "old" STRAIGHT suction rug tool and my old Rainbow, which was certainly not the most powerful suction by today's standards.
Can you imagine any company building such a sturdy product today!
So many today just have cheap plastic generic tools even on high end machines.

 

[kenkart]

If you REALLY

Want to see something...Put the jet rug tool on something like a good central vac!!!!They had to design a superior rug tool because of relatively poor suction of the Rainbow, true, it never looses suction, but compared with a Compact or Filter Queen ETC, the model Ds were pretty anemic.

 

[kenkart]

That hose

Is rare too, That type of hose was used from 55 to 58, it was also used on Kenmores, GEs, Westinghouses and Apexes as well as Kirbys, these were prone to get stiff and crack, in 58 Nylaflex was introduced, and was a much more durable product, this hose was called Dynaflex I believe.

 

[chicagomike]

Thanks for all the information!!!

 

[dysonman1]

Martin-Perry water basins had a warning decal as opposed to the warning being raised letters in the plastic. By not putting a decal on the model D they submitted to underwriters laboratory for certification, UL passed the machine as they did not know it was supposed to use water.

 

[kirbysthebest]

Great discussion!!

It's good to hear the history of machines we know today.
Until now, I was under the assumption that Rainbow was always built in Cadillac Michigan by Rexair.
Thank you for posting

 

[dysonman1]

Rexairs were originally built in York Pennsylvania, until Rexair merged with Martin Perry Corporation with the launch of the model B in April 1940. After World War II, they were made in Toledo Ohio, in the factory that Ward industries would eventually take over. Then on to Syracuse New York, in two different buildings. Eventually, they would build a factory in Cadillac Michigan, which has been expanded four times