Kenmore Magicord "Sears Best"

[danemodsandy]

Waaaah!

Toby - I want one!

P.S.: Your carpet is great - I really like it. Very retro.

 

[eurekaprince]

Can I add another question to the Kenmore/Whirlpool discussi

When did Matsushita (National Panasonic) of Japan buy that Whirlpool plant in Tennessee that seems to have been making the Kenmores up until about a year or 2 ago? I hear that that Tennessee plant was closed and all Kenmores made by Matsushita are now made in Mexico. Can anyone fill us in on when this Japanese company entered the Kenmore scene?

 

[filterqueen83]

ge 69

that is perfect you have all the attachments. Maybe one day I will for now she is put away.

 

[rugmaster37]

When did Matsushita (National Panasonic) of Japan buy that W

Well,

I'm amking an educated guess here, as I never have conversated with people about Kenmore post 1980's era. They aren't even still exciting to me, and I havent done ANY research at all.

It does stands to reason that this may have happened sometime after 1983-1984, as this was the year that the new Panasonic bodied canister came online for Sears.

These machines were still made under the Panasonic and Simplicity lines as well. The Simplicity machine was called the Simplicity Summit.

BUT....that wouldn't make sense would it. My final guessestimate would be in the mid 1990's after Whirlpool was done with vacuum cleaners round 2, and the vacuum manufacturing fell completly to Panasonic as even the Singer built uprights were gone....

Someone may have to do some footwork to find out about this.

There are several unanswered questions that I have mself...

1. When did Whirlpool stop using the original manufactuirng facility that used to be Birtman Electric in north Chicago Illinois? The plant is still there, as I found it awhile ago, and posted that in a fallen thread.

2. Why did Whirlpool even bother with a new vacuum cleaner line under it's own name during the 1980's and early 90's, when they clearly wanted out of the game during the early 1960's to begin with. And becasue Sears kept the pressure on them to continue vacuum manufacture of the canister line.

3. I was under the assumption that Whirlpool made all their canisters up in Chicago at the 4140 Fullerton Avenue Address, and was unaware that there was any plant in Tennessee. So now that that's in the works, maybe they used both, mayube they used just the southern plant after awhile who knows.

I guess we'll either need to find someone who may have more information, or simply start finding out the 4 W's and an H.

Chad

Ann Arbor Michigan

 

[electroluxkirby]

I had Sears canister like green one but it was all white or ivory in 1984 or 85 complete with power nozzle. It was a great vacuum, excellent suction. I had it until 1993 or 1994 when a roommate stole it.

 

[petek]

I Youtubed the light green two speed canister.

 

[eurekaprince]

I found the identical machine in Florida two years ago...

My parents were escaping the Canadian winter in 2007 with other "snowbirds" and they rented an apartment in Hallandale. The place had a Kenmore identical to the one shown in your video, Pete.

My mom has gone down to Florida to stay for a few months in the same apartment, and I flew down for a week to help her get settled. Mom said she wanted me to get a replacement for "Kenny" because it was too hard for her to use. The instruction manual had a print date of 1969! The hose had cracked near the handle and I did not want anyone getting electrocuted, so I went out and got my mom a Hoover Tempo Widepath for $75 + tax at Best Buy (great machine, by the way).

One of the best things about that late 1960's Kenmore is the crevice tool and the floor brush, believe it or not. I really think the designs for these two attachments are pure genius in that they are really well thought out. The design of the crevice tool allows you to lay it flat under furniture or between tight crevices, as the channel is positioned to one side of the tool. The floor brush must be the first ever to be designed with a centre bristle strip, allowing dirt to be taken up on the back-stroke as well as the forward stroke. I think Hoover later improved on this concept with the floor brushes they have sold in the last 2 decades.

Brian

 

[DesertTortoise]

I love how these old Vacuumland threads keep popping up during web searches of parts for my little fleet of ancient Kenmore iron.

I have exactly the same Kenmore 4.1 depicted above by rugmaster37. It has been ours since it was purchased new circa early 1980s and used by my mom for decades (my dad probably didn't rouch it after mom died). No one really gave it any love, yet it's still a fine vacuum with absolutely nothing wrong with it. I have cleaned it up, rebuilt the hose using the original ends and cuffs and bare vacuum hose stock from Sears. I have rebuilt the Powermate on it using current production parts for a Hayden Superpack. Other than the shape and color of the exterior plastic cover and headlight cover, the rest of that old Powermate is part for part identical to modern powermates from Panasonic, Hayden, Cen-Tek and several others. In fact, you can update these old Powermates with modern quiet motors, new style brush rollers and quiet serpentine belts. The lower housing has remained unchanged all these decades! All the manufacturer of these things does is put a silver adhesive data plate on the bottom for each different brand name. Absent the data plate there is no difference.

I also have a couple of earlier specemins, including a Kenmore 3.9 on the same body as the 4.1 and an earlier model from the mid 70's with a green steel lower body and the tools tucked into a slot in the front of the lid. I put an Ametek Lamb 115923 motor in it (447 air watts, 122 cfm and 100.5" sealed water lift !) and little domed HEPA filter over the motor cover. This one sucks through a modern Hayden Superpack. A little hot rod! Unfortunatley the plastic flexible hinge on the lid just broke last weekend so I have to find a suitable piano hinge that clears the rubber gasket and figure a way to attach it that doesn't lose vacuum. I also have to reinforce the lid so it doesn't flex so much when it pulls a hard vacuum. Fun for a rainy winter weekend.

All Kenmore products have a three number prefix that tells you who manufactured the product. If you look at the serial numbers of these vacuums, you will see the three number prefix is 116, the prefix for Matsushita Electric Manufacturing Company. They built Kenmore vacuums at one of several plants they owned in the US. Matsushita is the parent of Panasonic, the current manufacturer of Kenmore vacuums. The Matsushita name was retired a decade or so ago and the prefix on post Matsushita Panasonic machines is 568. I don't know that Whirlpool ever made a vacuum for Sears and certainly not these. These are all Matsushita/Panasonic machines.

Oh yeah, you can rebuild old Kenmore hoses using modern hose stock and your cuffs and handle. Alternatively you can use modern Kenmore hoses for their central vacuum systems, but pay attention to the details of the handle and the other end for how the two prong plugs are situated. If you pay attention you can buy brand new hoses for these things from companies like MD Central Vacuum in Bakersfield CA of all places (home of the Buck Owens sound, lol).

 

[fan-of-fans]

Whirlpool definitely made machines for Sears/Kenmore. Originally they were built by Birtman Electric, then Whirlpool took over. They made them up through the rounded body swivel hose machines that came out in 1984, and in 1991, the vacuum division went to Panasonic, shortly after the Whispertone was introduced. Whirlpool-made machines actually used the same 116 prefix as Panasonic did when they took over. They also kept the designs that Whirlpool had used, which continued until the original Whispertone body was done away with by Sears/Kenmore in about 2000-2001. That's when the "jellybean" styled machines came out (the original Progressive line came out around 1998). That's also about the time the last Ametek/Lamb motors were used. Now they all use small Chinese made motors such as Cip Cinderson Ltd or Panasonic.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Whirlpool definitely made machines for Sears/Kenmore. Originally they were built by Birtman Electric, then Whirlpool took over. They made them up through the rounded body swivel hose machines that came out in 1984, and in 1991, the vacuum division went to Panasonic, shortly after the Whispertone was introduced. Whirlpool-made machines actually used the same 116 prefix as Panasonic did when they took over. They also kept the designs that Whirlpool had used, which continued until the original Whispertone body was done away with by Sears/Kenmore in about 2000-2001. That's when the "jellybean" styled machines came out (the original Progressive line came out around 1998). That's also about the time the last Ametek/Lamb motors were used. Now they all use small Chinese made motors such as Cip Cinderson Ltd or Panasonic.

 

[DesertTortoise]

I have contacted Panasonic with the question of who made these vacuums with the 116 prefix. I'll let everyone know their answer. My vacuum repair source tells me they are Matsushita products. They were certainly manufacturing electronics in the US by the 1970's.

 

[DesertTortoise]

Btw rugmaster37, that 4.1 of yours is simply beautiful. Hang on to it because it's a keeper.

 

[paul]

Sears Source Codes

According to the partial source code chart below, Desert Tortoise was correct that the 116 prefix indicates Matsushita products rebadged by Sears. The link contains the entire list--at least to that point (I don't know how long ago it was made or updated). I would add that the list is incomplete according to another source, as I noticed one omission, 118-Corning, was not included; so there may be others. That other source was also incomplete in that it didn't list include the 116 code.

Anyway, it appears that Matsushita vacuum cleaners were first manufactured for Sears in the 1960s (there is a current eBay listing of Model 116.29400 from that era). Interestingly, the prefix is stamped on the bottom of the canister but is not printed on the label. I noticed that on the Model 29781, as well.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~gbishop/Public/SearsSourceCodes.htm

 

[dirtmaster37]

Desert Tortoise was correct

Actually, he's not...

The current information supplied by Sears is the just that. The Current information. Matsushita has been manufacturing canister vacuum cleaners with the 116. prefix since 1994 when the business was purchased from the Whirlpool corporation.

This is a SEARCHABLE, proofed out tome of FACT based correct information that hopefully will put the subject to rest. Desert Tortoise was a member who consistently argued fact. Published, actual fact. To a point that he was asked to leave, and hasn't returned. Because he couldn't put it in the happy box. And not argue factual history.

So, Production of Kenmore Vacuum cleaners began in a factory on Lake Street in the heart of Chicago. 600 Lake St, Chicago Illinois. There is ample information on such, and a search of google-maps bears this out. When Birtman began production for Sears Roebuck and Co, they were assigned the manufacturing prefix of 116. This also borne out on their smaller electrics as well. Birtman also made mixers, blenders, toasters and such for them. again simple google searching will born this out.

Birtman, by the end of the 1930's moved to a large modern industrial complex at 4150 Fullerton Avenue. If you look on google maps, you will see a large complex flanked by a major rail line, and a semi circle rail-spur. Again, simple looking bears this out as being so. They still retained the 116. prefix.

IN this document here : file:///C:/Users/Adel/Downloads/history_100years_factsheet.pdf

...In the 1957 category, it states that Birtman was discontinued in Chicago and moved to Minnesota St. Paul in 1957. This was completed in total by 1960. Sears and Whirlpool asked the Birtman factory to run off a three year supply of parts for all previous models, and then closed them down.

Production was moved to Cottage Grove Minnesota, sometime fully, around 1960. It has been said by historians far more versed than "some" that Birtman employees, who had a VERY strong, and militant union; were told BY Whirlpool executives that they were loosing their jobs. Hence the move to Minnesota.

This was a move by Whirlpool to consolidate their manufacturing bases closer together. Whirlpool also took over Seeger Refrigerator Company in St. Paul Minnesota around the same time as Birtman, but built a modern vacuum facility for the vacuum cleaners On Jamaica Rd, in Cottage Grove. The moment Whirlpool had majority stake in Birtman...it ceased to exsist, and NOW Whirlpool now owned the prefix 116. And would IN FULL until 1994.

The Cottage Grove vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility was closed in 1984. So all the beloved Powermates from 1960-1984 were manufactured in this plant, along with the Duo-Powers, and other Whirlpool built machines. ALSO alongside of the Kenmores they built similar WHIRLPOOL badged machines. They were in production from 1958 thru at least 1967. There is documentation to prove this out too...

Here is the news of the Cottage grove closing. https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=-WwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5133,7367917&hl=en

Production was moved to Danville Kentucky to a lower cost, semi-idle factory there. Again to bust unions and make cheaper machines. This continued until the vacuum cleaner division was SOLD to Matsushita Electric in 1994. View the same document in the 1994 section. There is other information available to prove this out. file:///C:/Users/Adel/Downloads/history_100years_factsheet.pdf

AFTER this. and only after did Matsushita become the owner of the 116. prefix. From there forward it was so. I haven't found the Danville plant, nor do i care to.

This hopefully should help answer finally that
1. Desert Tortise isnt right.
2. Google is your friend. |
3. Many people know this information and have consistently kept the story pretty straight.

AND 4. Sears people can barely tie their shoes, run a business, or let alone count back proper change without an abacus. It's stands to reason, that most people who walk around in a daze up in Hoffman Estates Illinois couldn't give a frogs fat about proper history. Too many are still sewing their golden parachutes to use, when the final RED button is pressed.

If you want factual history. It's ALL here in vacuum land. And it's all find-able to fact check if you do the homework.


Chad

 

[portable]

"The current information supplied by Sears is the just t

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">That's correct. I believe, back in the 30's and 40's, Sears was numbering vacuum cleaner models beginning with 116. It's just a prefix they used for vacuums. There were some not numbered that way, but most model numbers on vacuums began with 116....</span>