Model 28 Hoover

[vinvac]

You have all heard me speak of my neighbor across the street. While I was at home after the surgery she had me come in the as she wanted to show me something. Out of the closet she pulled her Model 28 Hoover that was a wedding gift from 1946 (I hope that date is correct). She has been using it ever since as her daily driver. With help from Tom Anderson and Charlie Watrous, I was able to put the vacuum back in good shape for her. The bag had been mended on several occasions and Tom supplied me with a replacement bag. Charlie sent me a new set of brush strips. I cleaned it up, put in the new brush strips and fitted it with a type C Hoover paper bag and it works like a new vacuum. While I had it apart I was going to change the headlight bulb, but realized it may have been the original bulb.. so I asked what repair work she has had done to the machine. Other than changing the belt, she replied nothing. Not even a new headlight... now that is a machine built to last. It has the orginal cord and switch and until today the same bag. She commented on how she also has her sisters Kirby and the cord is shot on it.

 

[vinvac]

more pics of the 28

The original bag.

 

[vinvac]

one last shot

Full steam ahead and ready for a 60 years of service!

 

[hygiene903]

Nice 28, Morgan!

And I think your neighbor lady will love the job you've done on it for her! Does she have the tools for it? great to have the original bag, even if it has been mended a few times, but the replacement you installed for her looks great, too!
The 28 has always been one of my favorite Hoovers. I have one in my collection that Tom Anderson rebuilt for me last year, and he also gave me a set of tools for it! A great machine that I enjoy running.
Jeff

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Cool!

That's awesome, Morgan!

I've never seen a model 28 with a Belden cord, only the Hoover embossed cord. But, I have heard that early 28s could have had that Belden cord on them... am I correct, Tom?

Is that a bakelite hood, or a metal hood? Again, I believe that early 28s had painted metal hoods.

~Fred

 

[sukething]

I have a question about this..

Do you have to have the lense infront of the head light, and does this do anything with suction? I had one on one of my 28's and a cleaning lady of mine used it one time and she broke the lense. I was told that the metal hood was also used for commercial use meaning it went where they used the 28 in hotels and so on.


David

 

[vinvac]

Fred

The hood is metal, my 28 does not have the metal hood. She has all the attatchments and uses them weekly. That is what she like best about the machine, it is so easy to connect the hose.

It does still have the original headlight lens and believe it or not, I think it has the original headlight bulb...she can not remember ever doing anything to the vacuum other than replacing the belt and mending the bag. I took it back to her yesterday afternoon and then picked up her Kirby, she vacuumed all afternoon with the 28. She was so happy, she thought the vacuum worked like new again. Her neice wants her to by an Oreck.. now she has no reason.. THANK GOD!

 

[vinvac]

David

The headlight lens will not affect the suction of the machine at all. In fact, it has two or three little slots in it that I am guessing would allow for air movement to help dispurse the heat of the light bulb.

Morgna

 

[hoover28]

nice hoover

I just got done vacuuming with my model 28 hoover. this was my first pre convertible hoover in my vacuum collection. I have had it for over 10 years, now I have meney 28s and outher models of vintage hoovers. I love working on the old hoovers they are so easy to service and rebild, they just need a few pumps of my hoover grease gun nozzle in the bottom bearing and brush roll bearings, and they are good to go. I have some with model hoods to and beldon cards but the card is in black not brown could black be orginal or a replacement.

thanks chris

 

[myhooverco]

Speaking of 28's...here is my latest aquisition. This one is complete down to the owner's manual. I almost had the original bill of sale but the guy wanted to keep it since his mother had signed it. I understood. This one does have a replaced cord that is in very nice shape. The cords could have been belden, Hoover, or even a "flat" molded plug with no cord clip. I have even seen them use black cords on these. I think that depending upon the supplier, the cords were just put on so that the machine could be sold. There was a lot of material shortages after WWII so this could explain it. The metal hoods could be replacements, original, or intended for commercial use. Again...they just needed to sell the machines which were being sold as fast as they could build them in the consumer hungry post war era.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here are the tools...still packed inside the carton...model number 6100...The 28 was sold outside of 1950 too! It was sold in the 1950s as a fleet model for sale to hotels, restaurants, etc...I know this from reading the old IBAISAIC newsletters that went out to the sales force which has been long since discontinued. I believe that this is when they used the metal hoods. I cannot confirm this since I have only seen photos of the machines.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is the underside of the machine. The gentleman said that his mom was very careful with her upright. She did indeed take very good care of it. And she used it! I had to put on a new set of brushes since the originals were so worn down. It has a number of dates on the bottom which I was careful not to disturb. It looks as if she had the machine service very regularly. This is what is meant by a quality product. One that can be maintained for LONGER than 5 years.

--Tom

 

[charles~richard]

Somewhere out in my garage

I have, or THINK I have, a metal hood for a 28. I say, I -think- I have it, because it may have been one of the things that my "little helpers" took during my "Great American Garage Clean-ups." If I can get out there, and if I can find it, I'll take some photos. If I recall correctly, it looks exactly like the bakelite hood (same shape & size), except that it's painted with glossy dark brown enamel so it has a smooth finish instead of the mottled look that the bakelite hoods have.

 

[hygiene903]

Another Great Looking 28!!!

Congratulations, Tom, and the fact that you got the complete ensemble makes it even better! And what a beautiful original bag!
And speaking of recent acquisitions, just minutes ago I won a model 541 Hoover on ebay, for only $6.00 plus shipping. It looks a bit rough, don't know if it runs, but I'll be bringing it along the next time I come to North Canton, as I know you'll help transform it into something nice.
Jeff

 

[myhooverco]

Jeff...

Congrats...I look forward to working on it. I am sure that it will run just fine! You just cannot kill those REALLY old Hoover cleaners...and you can't beat that price...so how many vacs are you up to now Jeff?


--Tom

 

[vinvac]

Tom

Another great 28. Eleanor is so happy that her machine is back in good running condtion. I am going to get a picture of her using the Hoover with and with out the tools.

 

[myhooverco]

Morgan...

I look forward to seeing Eleanor use her "new" machine...just goes to show you that a vacuum can be built to stand the test of time! It really turned out nice.

--Tom

 

[portable]

Wow, so nice

The 28 is my almost-favorite Hoover. My mother had the 28 until she replaced it with the 31 Special. I have wonderful memories of that great striped box that the machine came in. We kept it under the basement stairs. It sat there for 30 years and was used for various things.

What a nice thing you did for your neighbor, Morgan! Hopefully she'll use it for many years to come - to heck with getting an Oreck! And Tom, you landed a great find. Isn't it great to see the date stamps on the bottom? It makes you want to know what the owner was doing that day and if they missed the Hoover while it was in the shop. I wish my 28 wasn't stored at my sister's house in Oregon - I feel a need to do some 28ing...

 

[hygiene903]

Tom,

The 541 will be #25, unless we include my son's recently acquired Royal Power Tank (just arrived today), then it would be #26. We're anxiously waiting the 541's arrival.
Jeff