Hoover Dial A Matic

[ericaustin]

Hi everyone. I am new to the forum. My name is Eric I am 25 and in Irving, TX near Dallas. I am searching for a Hoover Dial A Matic (not sure the model number) with attachments a picture is below. It is blue with white flowers on the top. Also my partner and I went thrifting ALL over Fort Worth on this past Monday and found ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Any tips? Places to go??

 

[vintagevacs4me]

Welcome to the group!

I too love my Hoover DAM. I'm not in Texas so i can't give any tips on were to go locally. But these vintage Hoovers do pop up from time to time. Although they are starting to get a bit harder to find in good condition. Keep trying estate and garage sales. And E-bay is a great place too. I've got half my vacuums from E-bay and have been happy with them for the most part. Hoover DAM's {Dial-A-Matic} are good machines. Surprising heavy too. Good luck Eric! Paul

 

[ericaustin]

Hey thanks Paul,

The reason that I am looking for it is that it was the first vacuum I was ever "introduced" to as a small child. Mom would vacuum with me in my baby swing and she said I used to light up when she would pull it out.. haha.. That thing lasted till 1997 and was still running but we moved and sold it in a garage sale. I was UPSET!

 

[vintagevacs4me]

I know the feeling.

Small world Eric. My grandmother had a orange DAM when i was growing up and she let me run it as a little boy. I loved to play with it and use the hose in the back. After she passed it and a few other vacuums went in the estate sale. As a teenager i wasn't thinking. I regret it now.

 

[ericaustin]

EXACTLY! You know it's funny the emotional attachment we place with the machines and the people who used them. I am also looking for a late 70's or early 80's Eureka badged Montgomery wards that had an orange base and a chrome handle it used the round belts and F&G bags. It was my great grandmother's.. I have never even seen a picture of it.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Dial A Matic!

Howdy Eric -

The model you are looking for is a model 1136... It was produced from 1971 to 1973/74. It was a "B-Line" Dial A Matic.

It is a pretty cleaner... mine is in storage at the moment.
But, here's a picture of Jeff Parker's.

If I may be so bold to ask - whos DAM is in the picture that you initially posted?? I see other Hoover goodies surrounding the DAM- I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of that picture.

~Fred

 

[swingette]

i can visit five or six thrift stores in one day and find nothing. i can go thrifting daily and find something worthwile about only once a month.

here in San Antonio i have the best luck at Goodwill, but every city is different. the best thing to do is to go to as many thrift stores as possible as often as possible. there is no easy way, esp for a cleaner like the DAM, which is kinda older.

i've found some of the best vacuums on ebay. you will spend a lot of money if you rely on ebay for your vacuums, believe me!

another idea, Dallas must have tons of vacuum shops. many members here have had great success by approaching shop owners/operators.

good luck.

 

[ericaustin]

Hey Fred!

Thanks for the reply.. What exactly does "B-line" signify?! Also I know I snatched that picture and cropped it from someone's collection here but I don't remember where exactly I got it from.. I hope the owner is not too upset with me for ganking (word of the day meaning stealing) it. My parents bought that DAM from a drug store in downtown Sweetwater TX in the early 80's because I guess they were still carrying left over stock.. And my guess was that many people at that time didn't care to shop for a vacuum at a drug store but would go to K*Mart and purchase a machine. I uploaded a picture of me as a baby... It's hard to see but that green/gold shag carpet was all over our house!!

 

[ericaustin]

Hey Fred!

Thanks for the reply.. What exactly does "B-line" signify?! Also I know I snatched that picture and cropped it from someone's collection here but I don't remember where exactly I got it from.. I hope the owner is not too upset with me for ganking (word of the day meaning stealing) it. My parents bought that DAM from a drug store in downtown Sweetwater TX in the early 80's because I guess they were still carrying left over stock.. And my guess was that many people at that time didn't care to shop for a vacuum at a drug store but would go to K*Mart and purchase a machine. I uploaded a picture of me as a baby... It's hard to see but that green/gold shag carpet was all over our house!!

 

[ericaustin]

Hey Swingette,

My boyfriend and I searched all over Fort Worth. We went to this nice Kirby place but she was kind of high priced. I would have settled for anything.. We spent all day thrifting and didn't find anything, or as my boyfriend says a new toy for me..

PS Sorry for the double posts.. Server was acting up..