Hoover WindTunnel

[samotronic]

Savvy

It wasn't long after the Windtunnel V2 / Savvy, was introduced that they changed it to a traditional, one brush machine. It was rated as OK in performance. Oddly enough, Hoover also marketed this model as a "Convertible" which I took extreme exception to. The Savvy could be "converted" from a bagless to bagged upright. Not enough in my mind to exhume the beloved "Convertible" name for THIS machine. Chris.

 

[vintagehoover]

Hi Fred,

thanks for the clarification about the serial no.!

I remember you telling, me, Mike and Robert aboout the Windtunnel V2 when you drove us to the Kirby Factory! I've heard that the WT V2 was the first cleaner to be designed by Hoover on a new CAD system, which was the result of many of the problems which ensued with reliability. I love the concept of the contra-rotating brush bars to part the nap, though - such a 1910's idea!

I've had a chance to use the Windtunnel 2 at my home - when Vax's Senior Design Manager came to visit for the day last year, he brought both the bagless WT2 and the Hoover Z from the company's Products and Samples room for me to have a play with! I was very impressed - I agree that it's heavy and bulky, but I can't think of many cleaners on the UK market which could compare to that carpet-cleaning performance!

Vax did consider it for sale in the UK, but the multi-cyclonic Mach series is their premium line here, which would have created confusion for consumers (ie. why pay more for a cleaner which doesn't use any form of cyclonic separation?). It would have required an RRP of around £400, too, which is way more than most UK buyers would ever spend.

It has some cool design touches - I love the way the hose is held tight to the body of the cleaner by little magnets in the casing!! So clever! The head looks very Concept-series-ish to me.

 

[vintagehoover]

Inspiration behind the Windtunnel V2??

 

[ohio_tuec]

No, Chris, I completely agree with you. I bought a Convertible (Savvy) because of the centennial, but I don't think it's worthy of bearing the Convertible name. It wouldn't have taken Hoover much effort to have built a retro Convertible out of a commercial machine. Eureka did a much better job a few years ago on their model 1950A "RetroVac." After the new Connie, the centennial machines really were a disappointment.

 

[luxg]

Just had to join the WindTunnel club!

After reading these postings this week about the Hoover WindTunnel it was almost like it was meant to be. I went to a garage sale Friday and found this. It was in good shape other than needing a good general clean up and a new belt so I bought it. Turned out really nice. I must say that I am impressed with this machine. Grooms the carpet nicely and the suction at the hose end is amazing for an upright. The dirt senor light is really a lot of fun too. I used it today for the first time and for the most part the green light was on most of the time however in a few spots where you would expect more dirt the light did change to red briefly, like in front of chairs and doorways. Over all this is not a bad machine at all.

Terry

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Terry, I bet in your immaculate home and with all your fabulous machines that red light didn't stay on. Congrats on becoming a member of the Windtunnel family LOL I was just thinking that you don't post about getting new machines very often and I wondered if you did! Looks like you got one of the originals before the funky colors started (I do like the translucent bag covers on some of the newer ones!)... it looks like it's in great shape. And, it came with the attachments too, yay!

I remember the WindTunnel V2 (like the Savvy) when I sold vacuums at Sears. Kenmore/Panasonic also had a dual brush bagless machine out at the same time (was light green) that was quieter and that worked better. The V2 was loud and hard to push, I hated it! The bare floor switch was a little rocker switch that was down by the height adjust knob, and was hard to adjust with the foot. The ONLY thing I liked about it was that it was the only machine that had a bagged/bagless option... I wish more manufactures offered that. I've heard of people converting a Eureka Whirlwind to a bagged machine by taking the cassette out and popping in an AA bag and a bag door from another Eureka... I like that idea. The whole V2/Savvy/W2 is very confusing for consumers, me thinks.

I used mine again this morning, man that sucker is loud! I used every feature though.... I used it on carpet with the tranny on and off. It's still easy to push with the tranny off (probably due to the powerful brushroll and my thin pile carpet)... and when I first got it, the tranny would try to engage on the back stroke when I had it off. It doesn't do that anymore, (which is good, I want it off when I want it off), I think maybe the belt just had to stretch a little more. I used the turbo tool on the couch and ottoman. I used the dusting brush on the TV armoire. I was reminded again how much I hate the hose the way it snaps tight and sends the machine violently crashing to the floor or into the vacuum daddy (er uhm I mean owner/user) when applied to the surface to be vacuumed. Then I switched the brushroll off (very easy to do with toe, just tip machine forward first to be safe and not break the slider off as so often happens with these self propelleds) and vacuumed the kitchen... I had lots of salt on the floor (made crab cakes last night) and it got every bit of it up. So fun!

 

[luxg]

Bobby, I have to agree with you, this thing is loud!!! An on/off switch for the brush roll would have been nice too.

 

[samotronic]

Another recollection

I had another memory of my original Windtunnel. The above reference to the noise reminded just how loud it was. Compared to the soft roar of the Convertible, this had a screeching whine and I remember it just sort of went on at full speed without gradually starting up or winding down when turned off.

I guess I had two recollections, because the one I intended to give here was my biggest annoyance. The hose connected to the machine toward the top of the unit which caused it to tip over ALL the time. I recall that the hose on the machine was quite short, but it came with a longer one, and even that didn't prevent tipping over because the suction was so high that it made the hose contract and even tip over with the longer one. I had more gashes in my door frames and wood work from that thing falling over. Plus all those falls caused multiple pieces to break off the machine causing it to be put to sleep sooner that it normally would have needed to.

The Savvy / V2 and the W2 are also loud (though I don't think that loud) but they are much more stable when using tools.

Chris

 

[eurekaprince]

The Hoover Self Propelled WindTunnel is one of the best upri

Newer versions are still top-rated by Consumer Reports even 10 years after the first version hit the market. It seems to be one of the few uprights that rates an "excellent" for all three of the following: Carpet Cleaning, Bare Floor Cleaning, Tool Air Flow.

The biggest problem I found was the lack of a suction regulator/valve on the tool hose, along with the very cheap set of attachments provided. The lack of a control makes using the cheap plastic upholstery nozzle very dangerous for delicate fabrics, curtains and bedspreads. The extremely short hose is rather useless unless you are dusting off a night-table with the vac standing right next to it. Hoover should really take some lessons from Riccar/Simplicity here and provide a regular "non-stretch" 15 foot hose that would attach to the back of the unit for tool use. With the power of the WindTunnel, suction through a regular 15 foot hose would still be fantastic and practical and efficient.

The best thing about it is the low profile! In the "underbed position" it is really low to the floor!