I picked this up about a month ago, from a local Kijiji ad. Always wanted to get one of these!
I finally found an Airway upright!
- Thread starter funvacfan
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I was really surprized at the suction of this oldie (through the top). It does not have it's original cord.
As you can see, the floor attachment is missing it's side wheels. If anyone has any extra wheels or another floor attachment, I'd be happy to buy it!
The lady I bought it from told me it was her Mother in Laws only vacuum that she ever had!
Any ideas what age would it be?
Guy
As you can see, the floor attachment is missing it's side wheels. If anyone has any extra wheels or another floor attachment, I'd be happy to buy it!
The lady I bought it from told me it was her Mother in Laws only vacuum that she ever had!
Any ideas what age would it be?
Guy
aeoliandave
Well-known member
I have what you need, Guy! Let's discuss a pick-up or parcel mail to you.
I think it's even the same model Air-Way with the black 'composition' hollow handle.
I used my junker for spare parts (it had no bag and a perished cord) and the motor to restore my Green Goddess.
Anyway, the floor nozzle needs a polish, has good wheels with intact springs, and an excellent chromed swivel barrel tube, but the red rubber carpet guide strips are hard and the back strip is also warped.
Does the bottom of your nozzle look like this?
I think it's even the same model Air-Way with the black 'composition' hollow handle.
I used my junker for spare parts (it had no bag and a perished cord) and the motor to restore my Green Goddess.
Anyway, the floor nozzle needs a polish, has good wheels with intact springs, and an excellent chromed swivel barrel tube, but the red rubber carpet guide strips are hard and the back strip is also warped.
Does the bottom of your nozzle look like this?
aeoliandave
Well-known member
The handle as you can see is severely warped.
I would be happy to detach and donate the nozzle and swivel tube to the cause...
Let's discuss...unfortunately I am now working Mondays thru Saturdays so boxing it up and snail-mailing it to Hamilton is probably the best method.
Your bag looks to be in excellent condition as well as the handle and fittings.
Dave
I would be happy to detach and donate the nozzle and swivel tube to the cause...
Let's discuss...unfortunately I am now working Mondays thru Saturdays so boxing it up and snail-mailing it to Hamilton is probably the best method.
Your bag looks to be in excellent condition as well as the handle and fittings.
Dave
aeoliandave
Well-known member
I notice now that mine has 3-4 screws holding the rug strips in place while your's appears to have the remnants of an external rubber bumper strip?
Also you have the rotary ring switch and bag rod capture system.
Doesn't matter - it's an Air-Way, eh? The wheels & suspension springs are interchangeable on these models.
Dave
Also you have the rotary ring switch and bag rod capture system.
Doesn't matter - it's an Air-Way, eh? The wheels & suspension springs are interchangeable on these models.
Dave
Hey Dave...
I thought there would be no way anybody would have spares! E-mail me at [email protected] and we can work out the cost.
Here is pics of the underneath:
I thought there would be no way anybody would have spares! E-mail me at [email protected] and we can work out the cost.
Here is pics of the underneath:
Mine does turn on with a ring. How does yours?
Guy
Guy
aeoliandave
Well-known member
Will do, Guy.
Jiggled the nozzle tube out of the fan case. I'll find a perfect box to ship it in.
As you can see the wheel assemblies simply slide out of the nozzle after depressing the top spring catch.
It looks like your nozzle separates from the up swivel tube by turning that knurled ring; Mine has the ring riveted 'permanently' 'tho I suppose you could drill out the rivets if the chrome tube is in better shape than yours.
Or, you could replace the warped carpet strips (they have also shrunk inward away from the outer screws) with the rubber Litter Gitter strips from a Hoover...or somesuch.
Of course, after cleaning them up you will then have alternate floor nozzles. LOL
Dave
Jiggled the nozzle tube out of the fan case. I'll find a perfect box to ship it in.
As you can see the wheel assemblies simply slide out of the nozzle after depressing the top spring catch.
It looks like your nozzle separates from the up swivel tube by turning that knurled ring; Mine has the ring riveted 'permanently' 'tho I suppose you could drill out the rivets if the chrome tube is in better shape than yours.
Or, you could replace the warped carpet strips (they have also shrunk inward away from the outer screws) with the rubber Litter Gitter strips from a Hoover...or somesuch.
Of course, after cleaning them up you will then have alternate floor nozzles. LOL
Dave
aeoliandave
Well-known member
My Green Goddess has a beautiful engraved polished aluminum ring switch. It is one of the first vacuums I found back in the 1970s and I have spent years adding bits and pieces to it. The motor commutator finally shattered to flaming smoking pieces and so I snatched the black one from the dump for the motor.
The donor black one had an equally beautiful engraved black bakelite stand-a-lone inline toggleswitch case attached to the tube. I have saved it to the parts bin. As I say, with a severely warped handle tube there was no way to restore the machine and it is a simple early or BOL model, I think. I'd hazard a guess that the ring switch was a later improvement over the inline switch. (?)
I know there are Air-Way gurus who have more extensive & accurate knowledge.
From my research files I'm loosely guessing our Air-Way uprights could date from 1920 to 1935 when the two-motor upright was introduced. I may be completely wrong...
I see that yours does not have the chrome handle for lifting the machine to get ceiling cobwebs (and protects the clear yellowed celluloid valve disc). Perhaps it too was lost over the years.
I had assumed that all the A-W uprights had the lifting handle - and that is why the Air-Way handle is hollow and made of a light fibre composition material.
Anyway I have a memory that I somewhere have a spare one lying around in the bins so when I find it yours will be that much more complete...
emailed you.
Dave
Oh yeah, your nozzle has the two levers that increase the tension on the wheel springs - a sort of carpet nap adjuster. The Green Goddess has them, too.[this post was last edited: 4/9/2012-21:52]
The donor black one had an equally beautiful engraved black bakelite stand-a-lone inline toggleswitch case attached to the tube. I have saved it to the parts bin. As I say, with a severely warped handle tube there was no way to restore the machine and it is a simple early or BOL model, I think. I'd hazard a guess that the ring switch was a later improvement over the inline switch. (?)
I know there are Air-Way gurus who have more extensive & accurate knowledge.
From my research files I'm loosely guessing our Air-Way uprights could date from 1920 to 1935 when the two-motor upright was introduced. I may be completely wrong...
I see that yours does not have the chrome handle for lifting the machine to get ceiling cobwebs (and protects the clear yellowed celluloid valve disc). Perhaps it too was lost over the years.
I had assumed that all the A-W uprights had the lifting handle - and that is why the Air-Way handle is hollow and made of a light fibre composition material.
Anyway I have a memory that I somewhere have a spare one lying around in the bins so when I find it yours will be that much more complete...
emailed you.
Dave
Oh yeah, your nozzle has the two levers that increase the tension on the wheel springs - a sort of carpet nap adjuster. The Green Goddess has them, too.[this post was last edited: 4/9/2012-21:52]
2011hoover700
Well-known member
Did these come with a shake out bag option or just the ( patented at their time) disposible bag system?
A few things I can share:
The, "bumper", was rivoted on but you can drill out the rivots and use screws as long as they are short and won't impede air flow or catch threads/hairs. (Although I doubt you would use it as a daily driver!)
Generic black bumper material is available and will work fine. Most people won't remember what the original looked like.
Davey is correct on the era: 1920ish and even beyond the revolving brush uprights for a short period of time.
There was never a shake out bag. What made Air-Way, "The Air-Way", was the patented wood pulp cellulose disposable bag---revolutionary at the time. It was the first of it's kind and they held on to that patent until around 1946/47, when Hoover introduced the the model 60 with the HandiSac bag.
I think the chrome lift handle was optional as far more do not have it but it is a wonderful idea for the time.
Davey! That Green Goddess is stunning and one I have been trying to find for years to add one to my Chief, Super Chief and DirtMaster collection. I am planning on bringing all three to Milwaukee next year for the convention.
I'm sure most posters here are aware you turned the swivel dome towards towards the hollow handle so you could add the hose and attachments. The Super Chief handle was changed to metal and a smaller diameter. Both the Chief and Super Chief had mechanisms to turn off the revolving brush roll motor for above the floor cleaning.
The DirtMaster had just about the same sized handle as the Super Chief but was an entirely different vacuum with twin fans but only one motor. But, it does have a hose port for above the floor cleaning. Very unique and put Air-Way, WAY, ahead of it's time.
Guy, you have a wonderful piece of vacuum history. Glad you saved another one! And, the bag is fantastic! I can probably help you out with a paper bag if you need one.
Charlie
The, "bumper", was rivoted on but you can drill out the rivots and use screws as long as they are short and won't impede air flow or catch threads/hairs. (Although I doubt you would use it as a daily driver!)
Generic black bumper material is available and will work fine. Most people won't remember what the original looked like.
Davey is correct on the era: 1920ish and even beyond the revolving brush uprights for a short period of time.
There was never a shake out bag. What made Air-Way, "The Air-Way", was the patented wood pulp cellulose disposable bag---revolutionary at the time. It was the first of it's kind and they held on to that patent until around 1946/47, when Hoover introduced the the model 60 with the HandiSac bag.
I think the chrome lift handle was optional as far more do not have it but it is a wonderful idea for the time.
Davey! That Green Goddess is stunning and one I have been trying to find for years to add one to my Chief, Super Chief and DirtMaster collection. I am planning on bringing all three to Milwaukee next year for the convention.
I'm sure most posters here are aware you turned the swivel dome towards towards the hollow handle so you could add the hose and attachments. The Super Chief handle was changed to metal and a smaller diameter. Both the Chief and Super Chief had mechanisms to turn off the revolving brush roll motor for above the floor cleaning.
The DirtMaster had just about the same sized handle as the Super Chief but was an entirely different vacuum with twin fans but only one motor. But, it does have a hose port for above the floor cleaning. Very unique and put Air-Way, WAY, ahead of it's time.
Guy, you have a wonderful piece of vacuum history. Glad you saved another one! And, the bag is fantastic! I can probably help you out with a paper bag if you need one.
Charlie
Hi Charlie...
Can you show me a picture of the paper bag. That way I'll have an idea of what to look for.
For fun purposes, I duct taped a hoover C to the outlet port. The cloth bag is in great shape considering the age! The inner lining is quite frayed though. I vacuum dusted the bag with my Miele on its lowest suction.
Guy
Can you show me a picture of the paper bag. That way I'll have an idea of what to look for.
For fun purposes, I duct taped a hoover C to the outlet port. The cloth bag is in great shape considering the age! The inner lining is quite frayed though. I vacuum dusted the bag with my Miele on its lowest suction.
Guy
Guy,
I will try to post a picture tomorrow.
I have used the Hoover C bag in the past until I built up an inventory of Air-Way bags.
If you know a good tailor/seamstress, you can have the original bag relined with similar material to preserve the outer portion. I am so glad you rescued this vacuum! They are becoming rarer and rarer.
Charlie
I will try to post a picture tomorrow.
I have used the Hoover C bag in the past until I built up an inventory of Air-Way bags.
If you know a good tailor/seamstress, you can have the original bag relined with similar material to preserve the outer portion. I am so glad you rescued this vacuum! They are becoming rarer and rarer.
Charlie
