I DO like Green Ham and Bags...

[aeoliandave]

What a wonderful 2 days I had driving down to visit Kyle Kritchbaum, dropping in on Chad, thrifting my way up through Michigan, overnighting in Sarnia with Pete and again thrifting my way home on Tuesday via London and St Marys.

So much happiness came my way at every turn and as usual the Subaru became stuffed up to the windowsills with treasures. Because I am now working 4 12 hour days in a row it will take a while to post all the pictures.

So I will begin this thread, aptly named Green Eggs and Ham...er...Green ham and Bags, with the astounding thrill that at last I have a 1958-62 era green/yellow Eureka 2010 Mobil-Aire 'ham' and 3 bags, thanks to a chance statement about scarce ham bags I've been questing for that Kyle picked up on and took me back to The Shed...forever grateful, Kyle! He also came up with 3 genuine Ham bags...

 

[aeoliandave]

Does it not look too perfect along with the Roto-matic in green?

Kyle had all the green tools for it and Pete co-incidentally had found a green Vibra-Beat nozzle with a Blue cardboard tool caddy stuffed with blue tools when I got to his place. Wow!

The 1955-59 blue Compact C4 with the flat lid is the one Kyle posted back in April that we struck a deal over. My failure to apply for and receive my passport delayed retrieval until now.

 

[aeoliandave]

As for the Bags reference I came across a motherload of 35, that's thirty-five, genuine Kenmore branded bags for the square Kenmore Magiccord 2-speed series.

 

[aeoliandave]

Thre is ever so much more to post to excess...

...and you know I will, but it will take a few days.

For your wacky pleasure I found this H20 complete with extra optional accessories that looks never used, for $9.99 at the Sally Ann in London.

I didn't have the heart to leave its silly self behind as it will make for a contrast with the 4 Rexair Rainbows already in residence.

 

[aeoliandave]

One more studiously composed glamor shot in Pete's basement with his fantabulous corner divan set and high-style boomerang coffee table. I'm holding up a GE Roll-Easy magazine ad. Yippee!!!!!!

Not the only magazine ad I received but more on that and much much more in our second installment of:

I DO like Green Ham and Bags.

 

[vacman117]

ohhh

how i wish i could of stayed longer so I could of looked in the shed . I probably could of found SOMETHING worth taking.....

 

[vintageroyal611]

You were VERY lucky to have found those bags for the 2 speed Magicords. Around here they are scarcer than hen's teeth. I've resorted to using Hoover K bags in mine.

 

[aeoliandave]

That's not all that followed me out of that shed, Chase. See below.

But there's still plenty in there that I left for others who will desire them more than I, should they be so fortunate as to be invited in...

While I am sure - just as with my spare partz junk pile area of stuff that holds no appeal for me - this is stuff Kyle just wanted to be rid of and I still feel mighty privileged.

Dave

 

[luxg]

Dave it sounds like you had a wonderful trip!! Glad that you found so many treasures!!!

 

[arh1953]

Wowzers!

Dave, your vacuum haul is typically spectacular! Kyle's "junk" has another Eureka canister? Two in one trip? Pete has orbs in his first picture, interesting.

 

[williamr1248]

I do like Green and Ham

Dave,
Did you notice the very strange "bend" or angle for the Eureka hose handle. I always wonder why it was designed at such a almost squared angle. Never saw any other Eureka made like that except the Green Mobile Air.
Rob

 

[aeoliandave]

I did notice that extreme bend right away,Rob. Thanks for confirming it is correct. The other end is certainly not original in blue but then neither is the one on the Roto-matic. No problem. The Roto-matic green hose is supple and leak-less but the Mobil-aire's leaks like a sieve. Since it is a saran weave it will get the latex treatment and perhaps I'll paint the blue connector green in a few months. The gold plastic Eureka Script is gone from the lid so my temp plan is to scan the script, color it in gold and apply it over the lug holes rather than call them relief vents. I wonder what the vacuum tester will read after plugging them?
Til then the quest for more 'Ham Bags' is on...I know there are some 'out there'...

Also on my way out of London's East end I spotted an older vacuum repair shop sign. It was closed but through the window I was able to make out some vintage shapes. It sure looked like an old time one-man operation so hope springs eternal it's a parts mecca. It could be and well worth checking out next time through...

I picked up a few appliances here and there, too.

Two Sunbeam Radiant toasters, a T-40-1 and a T-48.
A chrome percolator made by the Opal Mfg. Co. Ltd Toronto that takes the older style cord with the wide spaced prongs.
A lovely glass SCM Procter-Silex clean, complete and ready to brew.
A complete and clean Magic Hostess Ice Crusher. There's a grind control dial on the back; this is a serious electric iceberg demolisher...Too bad there's no room for ice trays in my freezer but they sell ice by the bag at the variety store across the street so I'm getting a hankering for fresh localy grown raspberry slushies for Sunday breakfast.

 

[aeoliandave]

Both on the same shelf at the Sally Ann where I found the H20. $3.99 each.

 

[aeoliandave]

It has been in the recent news about the Security Spy Blimps tethered at border points - it was still a shock to see this high over Port Huron...

 

[aeoliandave]

Got a closeup - it's a doublewide.

 

[aeoliandave]

Now, about those Hoovers from Kyle's shed...

Two 115s that need the TLC but they run. Need 4 new brush strips, tho.

The Model 25 Special made my heart skip a beat. pulling it out into the sunshine I saw it was BLUE! and in fairly excellent cosmetic shape under all that dried mud and dust. As we were carrying it across the lawn, the handle fell of, which is when I discovered it has a receptacle inside the bale barrel that the handle plugs in to and secures with a Hoover bolt. Cool!
Found the White Dustette in St Marys.

Tell me again, Kyle, what machine the Hoover Variflex hose is for? I forget and didn't put it in my notes.

 

[aeoliandave]

This 25 is gonna be a project. Here are the before pictures.

I washed the bag, which took 12 rinsings before clear water. It has a few nasty faded streaks but the lettering is solid. I think it deserves a gentle dye job? I'll have to reference Jack's site for details.

 

[aeoliandave]

side

 

[aeoliandave]

rear

 

[aeoliandave]

on the kitchen table bench being assessed. It's going to be gorgeous. Thank you, Kyle.

Dave

 

[aeoliandave]

Help wanted

Oh dear, I can't find a reference to or picture of the 25 special anywhere.Other than I know Special means rebuilt at the Factory and it says so on the trim band, what can folks tell me about this attractive blue & brown Hoover?

Tucked in with the Kenmore bags was this manual for the Kenmore Canister.

Also, a mystery dusting brush. It's molded of dark red rubber and has a raised ridgeline down the front. It looks familiar but for what brand?

Dave

 

[normvac]

Hoover hose ! What a find

The machine end of the hose your showing with your 115s and
the 25 special. Is for the 115, I have bid on at least 3
of those on E bay, every time I just miss getting it !!
Lucky you !! Dave
Norm

 

[aeoliandave]

Really Norm? And now I recall Kyle did say it was for the 115. I didn't see how it would fit but now I think I see it clamps directly to the fan intake inside the hood for full suction? try it tomorrow.

This is what the 25 special looked like before.

 

[aeoliandave]

Found I had a brown spiral-ribbed Hoover cord with old replacement plug on it so...
took the rubber strain relief in to work and reamed out the excess rubber cord jacket. New cord fits perfectly. Once home I hooked it all up, found a bolt for the bale, gave the hood a quick wash and voila! and it runs nice.
As I surmised through the mud coat there's barely a scratch or chip on it other than on the front face of the handle pole. Someone took care of this cherished Hoover before it got chucked out.
This weekend I'll take the wirewheel to the brushroll, do the detailing and polish up the Bakelite.

I just love the blue/gray knobbletone paint and the surprising light weight the magnesium base imparts.

Question: the brushroll revolves forward, that is brushes the debris ahead of the advancing 25. Is this normal? I really don't know...

and the plea again...what year do we think this is and any other info.

Dave

 

[aeoliandave]

Kyle gave me a brown Bakelite Hoover crevice tool that fits on the hose and I have a pair of spare curved aluminum hoover wands that match the latch. The latch is a spring tab that clicks into a square open hole just like my Canadian 281 so that clues me in to a possible date. (?)

 

[portable]

Dear Dave....

The US 25 debuted in approximately 1937. It was the second in the Hoover line-up behind the fabulous Dreyfus Model 150. The original color scheme was brown base (lightish, similar to the Model 28 that would follow years later). The hood appears to be the original color. The double-bale handle was the last machine with that set-up produced by Hoover. I believe the tool set used was the newer style, one generation after the 150 tool set. I will try to dig up some old ads of the 25. It was a simple but elegant machine. They were real workhorses.
John L.

 

[aeoliandave]

Thank you so much, John. I have the 28 in Canadian form as the 281 and see the similarities - the converter for the 281 slides right in.

Can I assume that the base is that delightful blue/gray to indicate it's a re-build? A lovely colour combo, I think.

There's just over 1/4" of thick bristles on the brushes so it does contact the carpet. Any longer and it would push the vacuum backwards...now about that...can I also assume the debris spitting brush action is intentional?

Well, naturally it won't spit it out if the carpet is laid freely and sucked up to the pummeling beater bars; it's first test run was on glued down carpet. :-(

I have Sunday an Monday off and it'll probably rain. Going to have so much fun running the 281, 5 qnd 115s. Put on my thinkin' cap and figured out the Jr hose attachment. nifty device.

 

[portable]

Well, as far as I know...

the 25 had a rather unique tool converter (unless the slide-in channel was changed at the factory when they rebuilt it). It was a bakelite strangely angled affair. I seem to remember that the 25 was one of only a few machines to have this strange converter. And the tools had a weird different type of latch on them than the usual pushbutton style. I've gotta find some ads.....I wonder if someone could post a picture of this unique converter??

 

[kenmore81]

Ohh Boy Dave!

looks like you had quite the time,I lokve the toasters, the Silex perculator, and the hoovers. The dustette brings back memorys. My faternal grand parrents had one and I got to vacuum the stairs and furnature almost every time I visited,wich was every W/E seeing they were only 2 streets away. I couldnt use the "big" vacuum till I got bigger and I couldnt wait. It was a BOL eureka 3.3 amp in lovely orange. by witch time they got a new one,The Boss and yes threw out the old because it smelled like rubber. Anyway The Dusteete was given to me.