chan55
Well-known member
Hoover
If the first Connies did not float, how did you use it? Did it have wheels?
If the first Connies did not float, how did you use it? Did it have wheels?
LOVING CONNIE
- Thread starter StellationGuy
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aeoliandave
Well-known member
Fair enough question, John.
You vacuumed with the vacuum stationary in the center of the room like a GE Reach-Easy, early Eureka Roto-matic or an Air-Way 55. The GE Reach-Easy swivel-top and Lewyt side hose canisters had a blister dimple in the center bottom that kept the body centered on carpet and floors, that aided the entire vacuum rotating in place. Runners for cylinders and smooth flat bottoms on round canisters was the norm in the late '40s to early '50s. Wheels seem like a no-brainer to us now but they had not been considered yet. Aftermarket wheel kits were made available for cylinders with runner rails and by 1956 wheels were fairly standard on all vacuum models of every brand.
The Constellation 82's advantage is that it came with an Ultraflex hose that could stretch - without kickback - to twice it's length.
The bottom ring was smooth with 4 shallow convex 'dimple feet' so you could drag it across floors and carpet but this was not recommended and could scratch hard floors. Exhaust blew upwards around the body.
Hoover later remedied this with an optional wheeled base rack but these are exceeding rare, tho a few members have one.
The other two Constellation swivel-tops have a modified base ring that directs the exhaust down to lift the vacuum slightly off the floor and low pile carpet for effortless gliding
Subsequent Connies had a redesigned ring that performed the same lift principle and hovering ability and the hose connection was moved from the top center to further down the side.
Dave
You vacuumed with the vacuum stationary in the center of the room like a GE Reach-Easy, early Eureka Roto-matic or an Air-Way 55. The GE Reach-Easy swivel-top and Lewyt side hose canisters had a blister dimple in the center bottom that kept the body centered on carpet and floors, that aided the entire vacuum rotating in place. Runners for cylinders and smooth flat bottoms on round canisters was the norm in the late '40s to early '50s. Wheels seem like a no-brainer to us now but they had not been considered yet. Aftermarket wheel kits were made available for cylinders with runner rails and by 1956 wheels were fairly standard on all vacuum models of every brand.
The Constellation 82's advantage is that it came with an Ultraflex hose that could stretch - without kickback - to twice it's length.
The bottom ring was smooth with 4 shallow convex 'dimple feet' so you could drag it across floors and carpet but this was not recommended and could scratch hard floors. Exhaust blew upwards around the body.
Hoover later remedied this with an optional wheeled base rack but these are exceeding rare, tho a few members have one.
The other two Constellation swivel-tops have a modified base ring that directs the exhaust down to lift the vacuum slightly off the floor and low pile carpet for effortless gliding
Subsequent Connies had a redesigned ring that performed the same lift principle and hovering ability and the hose connection was moved from the top center to further down the side.
Dave
vacbear58
Well-known member
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Just uploaded a 1958 or perhaps 1959 TV advertisment for the UK Constellation 822A Constellation. It looks rather like the cleaner on the bottom left hand of the second picture Dave posted in reply 12, although the hose would have been blue and we did not have telescopic wands. Ours also had a step on switch rather than the toggle switches shown above.
Al
Just uploaded a 1958 or perhaps 1959 TV advertisment for the UK Constellation 822A Constellation. It looks rather like the cleaner on the bottom left hand of the second picture Dave posted in reply 12, although the hose would have been blue and we did not have telescopic wands. Ours also had a step on switch rather than the toggle switches shown above.
Al
MikeKLondon
Well-known member
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- Jan 8, 2011
- Messages
- 166
Ultraflex hose
I used a family Hoover Constellation when I was about 5/6 and it was one of the easiest vacuums to use the floor tool cleaned rugs very well given it was suction only and the Ultraflex hose and top swivel meant you could clean a good sized room or flight of stairs without moving it, what I would like to know is why the Ultraflex hose fell out of use, it it just down to cost. The nearest I have to this in recent years is the optional hose for stair cleaning on a SEBO felix, There is no vacuum on the market that I know of that still uses the Ultraflex that was so common from the 50s to late 70s. The only bad point I ever found with a floating connie was that unless you always cleaned behind radiators and under low bookcases etc. They would blow the dust out when it floated past, the upside of that is you always had dust free rad.’s. My aunt that had the Connie, was a Firm believer in the motto “a clean and tidy house is the sign of a wasted life” and would leave must of the vacuuming until I visited her.
I used a family Hoover Constellation when I was about 5/6 and it was one of the easiest vacuums to use the floor tool cleaned rugs very well given it was suction only and the Ultraflex hose and top swivel meant you could clean a good sized room or flight of stairs without moving it, what I would like to know is why the Ultraflex hose fell out of use, it it just down to cost. The nearest I have to this in recent years is the optional hose for stair cleaning on a SEBO felix, There is no vacuum on the market that I know of that still uses the Ultraflex that was so common from the 50s to late 70s. The only bad point I ever found with a floating connie was that unless you always cleaned behind radiators and under low bookcases etc. They would blow the dust out when it floated past, the upside of that is you always had dust free rad.’s. My aunt that had the Connie, was a Firm believer in the motto “a clean and tidy house is the sign of a wasted life” and would leave must of the vacuuming until I visited her.
eurekaprince
Well-known member
Connie Cwestion: weren't you supposed to wind the electric cord around the handle? I always thought that this was a neat feature. That left the base ring free to store the hose securely in the round trough at the bottom. Is this not correct?
StellationGuy
New member
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
- Messages
- 4
forever connie
thank you all for your great comments....
Mike in London, thanks for your memories of being a lad in love with Connie...
Aeolian Dave, you sure know a lot about these.. thanks for sharing.. and if you can, please let me know when the Connies switched over from the horizontal bumper belt to the jaunty tilt forward model, and maybe if you know, why...
VacBear, I LOVE that old TV commercial.. The Newest, the Latest! Every woman with young ideas wants the exciting new Hoover Constellation! You bet, and every guy too! I'd like one in LIME GREEN!
Tom Anderson's collection is DREAMY! How finely displayed too. His must certainly be the cleanest house in town!
John Long, you have some beauts too.. I like the yellow and peach ones, and is that an electric yellow one too, or a pale lime color? I can't tell. But you look very contented, in Hoover bliss, on your stair case...
Lee in the UK. thanks for welcoming me, and posting your great and unified collection of all white top Connies.. I love 'em.. one for each day of the week ! Were those specially made for the UK?
You are all great to share.. Thanks again! And don't forget, if anyone sees a Lime Green one out there, please give me a shout!
Cheers to all!
thank you all for your great comments....
Mike in London, thanks for your memories of being a lad in love with Connie...
Aeolian Dave, you sure know a lot about these.. thanks for sharing.. and if you can, please let me know when the Connies switched over from the horizontal bumper belt to the jaunty tilt forward model, and maybe if you know, why...
VacBear, I LOVE that old TV commercial.. The Newest, the Latest! Every woman with young ideas wants the exciting new Hoover Constellation! You bet, and every guy too! I'd like one in LIME GREEN!
Tom Anderson's collection is DREAMY! How finely displayed too. His must certainly be the cleanest house in town!
John Long, you have some beauts too.. I like the yellow and peach ones, and is that an electric yellow one too, or a pale lime color? I can't tell. But you look very contented, in Hoover bliss, on your stair case...
Lee in the UK. thanks for welcoming me, and posting your great and unified collection of all white top Connies.. I love 'em.. one for each day of the week ! Were those specially made for the UK?
You are all great to share.. Thanks again! And don't forget, if anyone sees a Lime Green one out there, please give me a shout!
Cheers to all!
aeoliandave
Well-known member
There is no correct way with a Connie - personal choice.
I think you can wrap the cord any way you like.
1. wrap it around the handle, takes a while to un-wrap.
2. coil it up and push the bundle under the handle, pull out the bundle and it's ready to plug in. Best for a Daily Driver.
3. wrap it around the base, harder to deploy.
4. if you look at the Rose one in my top pic you can see the two half-round tabs just above the bumper ring. This allows you to wrap the cord around the bumper and it easily lifts off. Hoover did this on purpose.
5. Just plop the tangled cord ball on top of the machine and toss the whole thing in the back porch...ok, maybe not.
Yes, I wrap the hose around the base whether there's a cord there or not.
For display purposes I like to feature the clean Sputnik shape not the cord.
My take.
Dave
I think you can wrap the cord any way you like.
1. wrap it around the handle, takes a while to un-wrap.
2. coil it up and push the bundle under the handle, pull out the bundle and it's ready to plug in. Best for a Daily Driver.
3. wrap it around the base, harder to deploy.
4. if you look at the Rose one in my top pic you can see the two half-round tabs just above the bumper ring. This allows you to wrap the cord around the bumper and it easily lifts off. Hoover did this on purpose.
5. Just plop the tangled cord ball on top of the machine and toss the whole thing in the back porch...ok, maybe not.
Yes, I wrap the hose around the base whether there's a cord there or not.
For display purposes I like to feature the clean Sputnik shape not the cord.
My take.
Dave
hotpoint95622
Well-known member
hotpoint 95622
Christopher
I think all the UK constellations are white tops except for the 822 which is the first floating model; it’s off white almost grey in colour.
Cord wrapping, I always wrap it around the base, keep the machine running so it if floating and twist it all the way back to the wall socket…
Lee
Christopher
I think all the UK constellations are white tops except for the 822 which is the first floating model; it’s off white almost grey in colour.
Cord wrapping, I always wrap it around the base, keep the machine running so it if floating and twist it all the way back to the wall socket…
Lee
guardsman69
Well-known member
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- Jul 25, 2011
- Messages
- 398
the king of all hoover constellations is you
desr lee you always blow my mind with your total restortions ....i would love to see you restore a senior....ranger or power plus
desr lee you always blow my mind with your total restortions ....i would love to see you restore a senior....ranger or power plus
hotpoint95622
Well-known member
hotpoint 95622
I would like to restore a senior, but, the constellations are the ideal size for storing or displaying with easy.
I’m also on the look out for the two missing constellations from my line up which is the darker sage green and the blue that would complete it for me.
And maybe a rose and white, I have one but it was painted GPO red instead.
I would like to restore a senior, but, the constellations are the ideal size for storing or displaying with easy.
I’m also on the look out for the two missing constellations from my line up which is the darker sage green and the blue that would complete it for me.
And maybe a rose and white, I have one but it was painted GPO red instead.
Lee,
Your work looks like they just left Perivale.
Your work looks like they just left Perivale.
hotpoint95622
Well-known member
hotpoint 95622
Thanks chaps, I love working on the constellations and gives me great pleasure working on them, it’s my stress buster.
So rewarding turning a rusting hulk that doesn’t work, back to life, such a great design as well.
Thanks chaps, I love working on the constellations and gives me great pleasure working on them, it’s my stress buster.
So rewarding turning a rusting hulk that doesn’t work, back to life, such a great design as well.
hotpoint95622
Well-known member
hotpoint 95622
..
..
"BOSS HOOVER" himself
would be proud.
would be proud.
portable
Well-known member
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;">Lee,</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;">Were these the Connies you found in a shed?</span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;"> </span>
<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: medium;">Were these the Connies you found in a shed?</span>
hotpoint95622
Well-known member
hotpoint 95622
Yes, both the yellow and the rose (know post office red)
Where found in a shed just a short walk from my home.
Yes, both the yellow and the rose (know post office red)
Where found in a shed just a short walk from my home.
vacbear58
Well-known member
Infinite variety
How's about this one from New Zealand which was just posted in the Hooverland Yahoo group. Some interesting differences here with the decorative panel in the top (well I cannot see it performing any other purpose), the nod to US styling with the logo under the hose entry (I believe the parts for these models were sourced from North Canton), and of course the step-on switch which seems to have been a feature of the Aus/NZ Connies, we in the UK had the familiar toggle switch from the introduction of the 862 in 1959 almost until the end if production (around 1982). Personally I rather like the colour scheme
Al
How's about this one from New Zealand which was just posted in the Hooverland Yahoo group. Some interesting differences here with the decorative panel in the top (well I cannot see it performing any other purpose), the nod to US styling with the logo under the hose entry (I believe the parts for these models were sourced from North Canton), and of course the step-on switch which seems to have been a feature of the Aus/NZ Connies, we in the UK had the familiar toggle switch from the introduction of the 862 in 1959 almost until the end if production (around 1982). Personally I rather like the colour scheme
Al
dial-a-nap
Well-known member
Lee - that yellow Connie restoration is just breathtaking! Love the yellow trim ring around the inlet opening!
ultimatevacman
Well-known member
I love the Hoover Constellations, they look so different compared to any other vacuum. I'm hoping to buy one soon. Yes, that yellow one is just fantastic!
guardsman69
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2011
- Messages
- 398
john longs favorite connie
he is a bit tilted....but we love him anyway lol
he is a bit tilted....but we love him anyway lol
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