Lewyt Canister with a Powerhead...

[funvacfan]

Here is another recent find. It seems hardly used at all!

Guy

 

[funvacfan]

A picture

of the bag chamber...

 

[funvacfan]

The bag

inserted.

 

[funvacfan]

The underside

of the powerhead. Sure looks low mileage to me! It also came with the owners manual.

Guy

 

[funvacfan]

Last one

Here is a shot of the backside. There is a missing something or other on the top side, opposite of the on/off button. Any ideas?

 

[dysonman1]

We didn't have this model in the USA. It's a Shetland Lewyt "Lifelong" with a Douglas Power Nozzle. Douglas is a division of Scott and Fetzer (Kirby) and that was a 'fit all' power nozzle available for about $25 through vac parts wholesalers. Nice cleaner. Very rare to include the Power Head. I did a story on the Lifelong in the next issue of the VDTA (Vacuum Dealer Trade Association) newsletter.

 

[funvacfan]

Well

that's interesting timing then Tom! Why did they apply the "lifetime" moniker? Was it touted to be a high quality, long liver?

 

[dysonman1]

You could take it apart with a coin, and all the parts were available to the ultimate consumer, direct from Shetland Lewyt (a Division of Smith Corona Manufacturing - SCM - who also made typewriters). The consumer was encouraged to fix it themselves. The whole thing broke down into six pieces. But the plastic was thin and creaky and broke after a number of years (less than ten). Most were thrown away and they were considered 'cheap' at the time (I was alive when those were new models).

 

[rugsucker]

Lewyt

Looks great and as Tom said not seen in US.While this is the modular Lifelong body style does it have the slide off side strips to take apart?Hard to tell from pics.The missing part was probably a blank cover for non cordwinder versions or a push button for deluxe with CW.

 

[collector2]

Hey Guy:

I have the same machine. In Canada they were sold by Consumers Distributing, Canadian Tire and Macleods (among others).

If its the same one that I have it will be a Type VC3 Model 02. Sold between 1981 and 1983. Consumers price for them was $199.95.

Doug

PS the missing piece on the back that you noted is just a black cover. Some models also had a cord reel, in which case that hole had a step on switch to reel the cord back in. In those without the cord reel they just put a blank cover over it.

 

[eurekaprince]

Just one small correction to the explanation of SCM Lewyt: the initials stand for Smith Corona Marchant.

The SCM Corporation also bought the Procter-Silex company which made small kitchen appliances...

http://www.smithcorona.com/history/

 

[chan55]

Life long

I recall about the same time as this vac, Proctor Silex had life long as well.
Coffee pots, irons, etc. My aunt and uncle had a coffee perk, it was glass, and could be taken apart to repair. They had it a long time.

 

[funvacfan]

Nice

to know the extra info! Someone must have just put this one in a closet somewhere to store...

Guy