I found one of my first vacuums!

[vacman117]

My dad and I were driving home from Chicago an hour ago, and I saw a Bissell Powerforce in the garbage as we drove by, of course, I didn't think about stopping for it, but I looked past again, and saw something red laying on the ground. I had my dad turn around and I found a Hoover Encore upright! It is basically the same thing as the Elite 200 but red.

So here is the story with this one-
My great grandma had one of these, and I specifically remember vacuuming her shag carpet in her trailer with this when I was about 4 or 5. It was very hard to push! When she passed away, the entire family was at her house cleaning it out and what not after the funeral, and I wanted that Hoover! My grandpa promised that he would get it for me, but I thought someone else would take it. So I had him 'hide' it in the furnace room! A few weeks later I was outside of my house playing with two of my friends, when my grandparents pulled up and I saw the handle of the vacuum through the back window the van! That was so exciting. I used it all over the house I remember. The day my mom's Fantom Fury died, she used that to vacuum. We also brought it to clean our camper out once as well! One day I was outside with one of my friends, and we took the bag topper off and vacuumed the lawn with it! After that I'm not sure what happened to it. But I wanted to share that story as it is a very sentimental vacuum to me!

This one runs pretty good. It was rained on yesterday in a bad storm that we had, so the bag was clean inside and out when I got it! The inner bag was STUFFED, bad, with dirt. It also needs a good cleaning and a belt. I'm so happy that I found it though!

 

[thevacuumman]

It's always good to have a childhood vac I have 3 of mine my grandpas Kirby, My Rainbow D4C, and my grandparents Electrolux E

 

[hoovercelebrity]

The Encore has always had a special place in my collection.  I don't know why exactly I honed in on that model, and wanted one so badly -- but I did.  Jay Leno gave me one when I was on his program in 1994.  I should have had him autograph it...

 

[eurekaprince]

OMG!!!! Fred! You were on Jay Leno? I thought Kyle was the only famous vacuum kid! Now you too? Is there a YouTube clip of the segment from the show somewhere?

 

[fanonthefloor]

Braian I tried to find it but when it was uploaded nbc called a copyright claim on it. I looked in the fourm archives and there was a link but it was copyrighted.

 

[myvacsrock]

Definitely not famous. Lol..

Fred made the "circuit of shows" once before also. I suppose it's just the newer generation.

Fred - that is an awesome photo, definitely a treasured machine. I had Jay sign a blue RSL4 Supralite for me, and that machine holds a special place. I remember the day before we filmed i was at the studio and requested to see the video of your segment, and the producer dug it out of the "vault" of tapes. It was quite a joy to watch. I chuckled watching you carry that 20's coffee can Hoover out. Very cool.

Chase- congrats on the find! Didn't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[eurekaprince]

We are in the presence of television stars here friends!!!

Okay...when I finally meet the "famous" Kyle (famous even in Canada, buddy!) and our poster guy Fred - I WANT AUTOGRAPHS!!!!!!!!!

(G-d I wished I had seen other young vac fans on TV when I was growing up in the 1960's. It would have made a major impact on my self-esteem, and I could show my parents I was not crazy.)