Montgomery Ward Tank

[kenkart]

This one is made out of genuine CARDBOARD!!!

 

[kenkart]

A Eureka product!!

I have heard this was made during the metal shortage after WW2,it really is just a leatherette covered cardboard tube!!

 

[kenkart]

Oh yeah, before anyone asks!!

That is a rhubarb pie you see in the background!

 

[luxg]

They just keep coming!!

Hans, thank you so much for sharing all of these treasures with us!! Cardboard, imagine that.... Rhubarb pie one of my favorites for sure!!!! Wish we were closer!!!

Terry

 

[kenkart]

And we think plastic is CHEAP!!

But I know why it was done,metal was in short supply,If you remember your history,President Truman threatened to draft striking steel workers into the army because the steel strike had crippled the economy.

 

[vacbear58]

Cardboard or not

I think it is quite an elegant looking machine. How does it perform?
Al

 

[kenkart]

very strong

It has great suction,and is suprisingly quiet.

 

[electrolux~137]

The later Filtex tanks were also made of cardboard, like this one (see photo).

Hans, I'm not crazy about rhubarb pie but anytime you whip up a scratch apple, peach or cherry pie, I'll be right over!

 

[vacman117]

I have that same one! Except yours is about 307503 times nicer! lol

 

[kenkart]

oooooohhhhh

Love the filtex!!

 

[electrolux~137]

Yes, I loved it too because of the turquoise color and retro-looking design. It's a very powerful vacuum cleaner. But it went the way of a garage cleanup long ago.

 

[portable]

Beautiful MW, Hans

I had a Eureka of the same era that was also "fibreboard", as they called it. It didn't make them much lighter, though. That sure is a nice one.

 

[electrolux~137]

Yes, the "fibreboard" body of the Filtex was, like, 3/16" thick. It was durable, and pretty heavy. I always wondered why they used that material. That model was not a war model, it was from the mid 1950s.

 

[aeoliandave]

Stunning smooth Tank design!

I have a German-made Progress cylinder vacuum shaped very much like an Electrolux 'Loaf'. The end caps are bakelite and the body end rims are cast aluminum, as are all the trim fittings. It uses European metric size wands and tools.
The body case however is fibreboard, as is the motor bulkhead and attached cylinder tube the motor is pressed into. The Bakelite motor cap has a stiff coil spring that keeps the motor/fan assembly seated against the bulkhead motor can.

I must say that the Montgomery Ward Tank is a very handsome machine in those stately colors. It has all the design cues for a streamline pre-WW2 bullet machine and the hose coupler alone is sleek. Any clues as to it's age, Hans? Does it have wheels or sled runners?

You have such beautiful and unusual vacuums in your collection, Hans. Keep them pictures coming, please.

Dave

 

[joe22]

i think the wards was made by eureka, as were most of their vacs for a long time. tools are eureka style