Hoover find

[durango159]

I landed myself a Hoover Convertible at a thrift store for $20. Cosmetically its ok. The nozzle has a lot of deep scratches on it, that I don't know how to remove. The bag is in good shape.

The model number looks like U4003 or U4007. The last number is really hard to make out. The motor is 420Watts.

I must say that this is probably the quietest vacuum I've ever used, and in this case I'm not considering that a good thing. The Convertible grooms the rug and picks up some dirt but I'm not convinced its running like it should. The power surge for attachments seems to work fine. I tested the switch with my finger. I don't yet have an attachment set to fit in the back access port that will operate the switch.

I think it sounds good, and I've had the entire machine disassembled. I greased the lower bearing, cleaned the suction and cooling fans, checked the carbon brushes, greased the agitator bearings. The motor and agitator spin very quietly and smoothly when not turned on. Using it, there is power but I still feel like something is missing, I'm not experiencing the OOMF that I was hoping for.

 

[durango159]

The bottom is gorgeous. All metal bottom. The agitator brushes and overall agitator condition is very good.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

That should not be the model number of this machine. must be a replacment base or something, also the machine this bag and hood came from had a square handel but all in all this is an awesome vacuum.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Rob,

Nice find. That has been serviced regularly, it seems. Phillip is right. That cleaner should have been a front load attachment vac. It also would have had the high performance motor, I think. That being said, it would be even louder than the regular Convertible. But, nice cleaner. Any more progress/updates on the minimeet?
John.

 

[jmurray01]

I don't know whether it has an incorrect model number printed or what, but that undercarriage is certainly what the Rangers had, at least here in the UK.

 

[vacbear58]

Ranger

Well its definatly not a 4003 which was a beige colour - see Ryry's current thread - "New Acquisitions"

It looks to me rather like the U4147 (I think thats the number) which was sold here as an exclusive in the early 1980s - this had the round handle and rear attaching tools

Al

 

[gottahaveahoove]

look at the attachment tray.

It is the infamous 'seal greige', while the rest of the base was unpainted. It would lead one to believe that it was attached later, unless it might be simply a replacement.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I have this model, forget the number but it is a late 70's (one of the very last metal based), John is right about the front seal. I will refer to the convertible list and see if it's listed.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

dang the list I posted in the archives long ago does not have this model but when I get home I will look at my revised list. I know I have it there.

 

[alexb1186]

It's a 4115, should be a square handle, red grip. I have one myself

 

[kirbyvertibles]

Thanks Alex, I was waiting for you to chime in here

 

[constellation86]

It could also be a 4115-001 with a plastic base. That might explain why the base was replaced.
Here are some brochure pages, enjoy.
Nicholas

 

[constellation86]

page 2

 

[constellation86]

page 3

 

[constellation86]

last page

 

[guardsman69]

THAT IS.....NOT A U4115.....THAT IS A 1975 1976 CATALOGUE SHOWROOM HIGH PERFORMANCE MODEL U4039....IN POPPY ITS SISTER WITHOUT THE HEADLIGHT MODEL WAS THE U4037 IN GOLDTONE....THIS MODEL WAS EVENTUALLY FRONT TOOLED AS THE U4039-001 IN LATE 1976 AND EARLY 1977 AND WAS THEN REPLACED WITH THE U4115 THAT ALEX SO AWSOMELY POSTED THE SPEC SHEET TO.....NICE TO HEAR FROM ALEX....I HOPE YOU ARE WELL ....U4039 IS FAMOUS IN THE HOOVER HISTORY BOOKS FOR THE FIRST HOOVER TO HAVE MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE HOOVER RANGER SERIES HOOD .....JOHN LONGS HAS THIS MODEL KEPT IN HIS SPARE BEDROOM .....ITS A CLASSIC....I HOPE MR. SHORE BRINGS IT WITH HIM WHEN HE COMES FOR JOHNS MONSTER MASH BASH....I WOULD LOVE TO GET MY HANDS ON IT

 

[guardsman69]

my apologies for leaving the caps on .....also my apologies to constallation 86 for postingthe spec sheets i scrolled to fast and assumed it was alex....the use of the seal greige converter was very common on the first editions of this unit as was the original lens which had a pin stripe boarder to accent its timeless and unique shape and a different script .....also that is not the original bag to the unit....yes the bag is original to a u4115 or u4115 -001 but the u4039 was a c type bottom not a top fill and was in a poppy orange and russet gingham print coordinate this awesome new hood shape that was truly the last desigh from the late henry dryfuss who passed away with his wife in 1974.....england saw this first ....and the ranger series took of and was a milestone for the uk in design and style.....unmistakably european and timelessly classic

 

[guardsman69]

mr. shore are you returning to our shore this month

 

[guardsman69]

ROB GOT YOUR EMAIL I HOPE YOU WILL GET TO RETURN