Hoover Convertible U4309

[spencersvacs92]

Hello all Im looking for a little more information about this machine. I posted in the vacuum collector groups and asked if anyone could date this machine. I looked at the rating sticker and looked at the last two numbers in the serial number and gonna take a good guess it was made in 1983. Any information would help alot.

 

[paul]

Sharp looking Convertible - I would've thought it was manufactured from 1980-82, but 1983 is a good guess. The Hoover USA serial numbers though were uncoded prior to 1987.


I think the bag design is a store exclusive. The K-Mart exclusives in the early 1980s were equipped with graduated-striped print bags such as the U4305 in orange with a square hood and the U4307 in green with the full hood like yours. The next model, U4311, had a yellow ranger hood and conventional white bag.

 

[paul]

I found this from a 2011 thread posted by guardsman69:

" ... the u4317 was first introduced in early 1982 as a replacement for the bottom fill u4309 from 1980 ... your unit as symbolized with the white plastic 450w adjustment lever of spring of 1984 was the last edition of this convertible...... carring this unit into the 1984 time frame before being replaced in march 1985 with the models u4369 in blue and u4379 in tan with a new updated bag stripe as per the tag on my hoover models and samples uprights."

 

[spencersvacs92]

Hoover Convertible U4309

Im completely wrong about when it was made. Since I saw that post I now wanna say it was made in 1980-81. And could be a Kmart exclusive. That would be neat if it was.

 

[paul]

I'm intrigued that your U4309 and the U4307 lack trim labels such as 'Deluxe' or 'Custom'.

I noticed that both the have the two-speed motor - 4.3A/4.7A, They are different, though in these observable characteristics: the U4307 lacks the dirt finder (headlight) but has the 4-position pile eye; the U4309 lacks the pile eye but is equipped with the dirt finder. Such differences could likely have been Kmart customer options. Other differences could have been the length of the power cord, a toggle or slide power switch, or the agitator type among others. I looked at the Hesco schematics of each but they lacked those model delineations.

 

[paul]

So taking for granted that Kmart carried a line of 3 models in each sales period, I did some digging and discovered that the U4305 was labeled 'Custom' (aka 'Budget' in that era) and had these features: a 1-speed 4.3A motor, a toggle power switch, a dirt finder, and a half bumper. It lacked a hand grip. It may be that the early ones had no height adjustment, and the later ones, marked with a -900 model number suffix had a 2-position one.

If the trio theory were true it would mean that your U4309 was the TOL, the U4307 was the MOL, and the U4305 was the BOL.

Maybe someone else will be able to verify or clarify.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I have both od these models.

Very nice for plastic machines.


The 2nd one was also sold at our excellent dept store, 'The Globe Store"..jingle: "You can shop all around the globe and never leave SCRANTON"!


 


I have one (ebay), and, my aunt bought hers at The "Globe"... retail $84.00 w/ tools (Tufflex hose).

 

[paul]

Good to know, John, and like Globe's clever jingle!

So the U4309 was sold at both Kmart and Globe? Are there other mechanical differences between it and the U4307 than what I observed?

 

[gottahaveahoove]

It was a great store.

At one time, it was a 'division of John Wanamaker'. the 1st dept store...Philadelphia, PA.


  This gold one features the "Quick and clean bag change"..top-fill bag.


 


But, they are virtually the same.


 


Some of the last of the great "Convertibles".

 

[paul]

Thanks, John.