Here are some VACUUMS!

[myhooverco]

I have had a busy week here in North Canton. The Hoover cleaners just seem to be everywhere. I have not really been looking either! The 1939 model 305 in black on top of the box came from my local vac shop. (I just never know what he might have!). The Floor a Matic, blue stick cleaner, yellow floor washer, maroon 12 Lark, the broiler oven, and the hair dryer all came from one yard sale. They were all $3 apiece so I took them all of course! His dad had worked in accounting at Hoover for 43 years and he must have cleaned out the house. I was happy to give them a good home. I did not have that model hair dryer and it being in the box was the icing on the cake. On my way home from Price Park here in North Canton today, I found out to the curb an early 1980's Convertible without the bag. It runs great! A few houses down at the Masonic Lodge, I found a complete model 913 original down to the cord and bag. It too runs but needs a new agitator and bottom plate. They are both corroded too far to save. Hoovers have been falling out of nowhere here in North Canton. I am half tempted to drive around this afternoon. It is trash day! Who knows what else lurks by the curb?

--Tom

 

[buffster]

Congratulations Tom...

These are some incredible finds. Simply amazing.

 

[seamusuk]

WOW!!

Tom

Those are some nice finds!- Ive not seen many references to the 305- is it a rare one?

Seamus

 

[myhooverco]

Seamus...

The 305 is a pre war machine from 1939 to April 30, 1942. It was the last machine produced for the population. It had fixed rear wheels with no height adjustment and you had to remove the belt to attach the converter. It was made in cast aluminum and later stamped steel. These are harder to find as they have been around longer than the very similar looking 27 and 28. The 305 used sleeve bearings instead of ball bearings so this made for a much shorter motor life. I don't know if you can see it in the photo but the word "Hoover" is embossed in the top of the motor hood.

--Tom

 

[hoover28]

great findes

Tom I also found a floor a matic like yours for 3 bucks. It was veary dirty as is was in the barn at a house sale. wen was this model made. Did all model 305's have the word hoover on the hood. I think myne is not like that, but I will have to look, as it is up in the barn. It is missing the handel and bottom plate and bag. I found a bottom plate on ebay last year for it, now I need a handel for it. I have a bag that will fit. I have seen on some of my models 25 and 26 that the bottom sleeve bearings have ben converted to a ball bearing that can then be greased wen the cleaner is serviced.


Chris

 

[myhooverco]

Chris...

This one is a model 3600 Floor a Matic and it was first produced in 1967 and was replaced by a model 3610 in 1969 which was yellow and brown. The FAM was Hoover's best kept secret for over 30 years. It is gone now replaced by the Floor Mate a few years back. I have seen tons of this orange model. They usually work too!

--Tom

 

[hoover28]

thanks Tom

I have found a few FAM's this year so far.


Chris

 

[petek]

You still need to vacuum the floor first prior to using the FAM don't you? I mean especially if like my house you have oodles of dog hair. I've been comtemplating a Floor Mate because it does a vacuum function but I'm thinking it might be a bit too wimpy for the amount of dog hair my floors can gather. And there's nothing worse than having to pick of globs of wet stringy dog hair from revolving brushes or bristles.

 

[spats]

Nice scores there Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Yes...I would sweep the floor first Pete...the Floor Mate has strong suction but a small filter. If you have gobs of dog hair, I would definitely use a good canister first. I would not want to dump nasty dirty dog hair water down my drain! That might ruin my day!!!

--Tom

 

[luxg]

Tom, Congratulations on the great finds. Sure wish there were treasures like that around here!! Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

 

[rugmaster37]

On that 305

Tom,

I used to have a 305 also. It had everything original, and still had the bright Hoover lettering stenciled in red. I do remember thinking to myself that it was a VERY basic model 28 or 27 for that matter. Again stupidly in my younger years I gave it to a friend to clean his apartment. He loved it and used it for quite some time.

Then we no longer were friends.

And to end the story moved away. I'm sure that 305 may have found it's way to Oregon, and he's using it there. I keept telling myself that anyway...

Nice haul...


Chad

 

[hygiene903]

Great Finds, Tom!!

Seems like there's always lots of vacuums (especially Hoovers) in your area!!
Jeff

 

[ian88]

Well it's like the fact there (was at least once) tons of Volkswagen Beetles (the good old ones thank you very much) clattering around Wolfsburg, where the VW factory is located.

Ian

 

[scott55405]

Nice finds Tom! I love my Floor a Matic, couldn't keep house without it. I use it both for scrubbing floors and shampooing rugs. It's a sort of funky burnt orange from the 80s, but I bought it to use so I didn't obsess about the color, just that it was in fine shape.

 

[Eureka1458A]

Tom,

What is the model number to the blue convertible without the bag? I think that one had a solid baby blue outer bag if I am not mistaken.

Stephen

 

[myhooverco]

Stephen...

It is model U4171 and is circa 1980-81-82. Yes, I think that it came with a light blue bag too. I do not have one so a white bag will go on it as it runs great.

--Tom

 

[myvacsrock]

Tom I have a bag for that machine! possibly an extra but don't quote me on that!

 

[Eureka1458A]

Happy Fourth Tom!

Thanks! I think that is the Hoover Convertible model that I have been looking for all over. Now I have a model number to possibly narrow my search. Myvacsrock, can you take a pic of the bag that you think might possibly match that machine? That way I can definitely tell if that's the right one.

Thanks,

Stephen