I used to hate these!

[stricklybojack]

I was all about metal vacs, what happened?
Even when some plastic stuff came into the picture
that I liked this model Hoover was still too boring all around...
not even ugly in an interesting way.
But there it sat and the more I thought about I knew there was
only one thing to do...
buy it, clean it up and get it back on the road. This made
no sense, but it was the right decision as it put a smile
on my face straight away.

 

[stricklybojack]

Serial

What bags do I get for this one, Type Y? Never heard of it.

 

[suckolux]

Landlady has that machine, strong machine, but I prefer to use my Concept 1, just this one kind of bothers me. Y are like the A bags but a big smaller

 

[poconovacman]

I have that same model. Yours is dated April of 1999 and mine is 1 month newer, from May of 1999. The North Canton produced WindTunnels were some of the best plastic vacuum cleaners ever made. Enjoy it!

 

[gsheen]

This was my first introduction to modern USA Hoovers. A customer brought one back from the USA after a stay there and needed it converted to 220v. In the end he bought a Electrolux ultra smart vac and traded this in. I still have it ( Some were ) and what a machine it is. More recently I got my hands on another US one

 

[gmerkt]

Those U6400 series bagged SP's are very decent product. I've probably sold more of these in the secondary market than any other single design. They've been made for well over 10 years. The later ones were assembled in Mexico and have a smaller, Chinese-made motor. Of the many I have in right now, there is a late one Model U6485900, date code 2012. There is a successor model, IIRC the UH50000 series. If I've worked on one of these, I don't remember it. The presence of significant deviations from the original design would have caused it to stay in my memory.

A great many of the early U6400's like the one in the OP are done in forest green, most common color. Quite a few black ones in earlier production. Navy blue not common. Getting into the middle production, lots of lighter, metallic colors such as silver and lavender. Some maroon, a color I like. Most common colors in later production are silver and medium blue.

 

[vacuumfreak95]

Very Nice Find!!!

I have two Hoover Windtunnels both are self propelled. One is from 2004 or so and the other one I bought new from Sears a year ago. They are both great, but I like the older model better and I'm always keeping my eyes open for another older one in better shape then mine. The one you have pictured is my very favorite model the Green premium from 1999! I'd LOVE to get my hands on one!

 

[stricklybojack]

Cleaning it up...

I gave it a good, but not thorough cleaning. Meaning I stopped short of splitting the case & getting into the motor and or it's compartment.
I think there is a bearing under there somewhere! Turns out this has the same brushroll as my windtunnel2 parts vac so I swapped it in as it had noticeably less wear.

 

[stricklybojack]

More...

Got a new exhaust filter off EBay. The old one not only was filthy but disintegrating.

 

[stricklybojack]

Another

Looking good on the way back together. Lots of elbow grease, Q-Ttips and compressed air.

 

[stricklybojack]

The bottom

Original brushroll was black withe lime green bristles.

 

[stricklybojack]

Close up

Just wanted to give it a good try out. My WindTunnel2 also donated it's unused Hepa type Y bag so I was good to go... I thought.

 

[stricklybojack]

All done

But a quick run revealed a stretched flat belt (as opposed to the V belt it also has), common on this machine says a Govacuum video on YouTube. Good feature that visible brushroll! The hose is new I found out in this process and not too much wear found on the vac.

 

[suckolux]

the V belt can look good but gets worn and rides low in the v also

 

[stricklybojack]

Thanks for the info...

I put a new Genuine Hoover flat belt on it and that has cured what ailed it. After this new flat belt wears out i will replace both belts if i still have the vac by that time. I really need to lighten my load of vacs & these continue to be built (but not in the USA like this baby!) & are popular enough for this to sell for a fair price i hope.

 

[stricklybojack]

let me add...

jeezum crow is the tool suction powerful on this machine!
We're talkin' chrome off a trailer-hitch power here people.

 

[sptyks]

What does the "Mach 6.9" refer to?

 

[thehooverman]

The windtunnel

looks in very good shape!

 

[stricklybojack]

Bumpin' my own thread...

thank you all very much all for the responses.
I have a question, what's your favorite color for this machine, and when did it come in black like this one pictured?[this post was last edited: 2/10/2014-21:32]