My almost 40 year old Eureka 2081

[alexb1186]

Last week I was kind of on a Eureka kick and got this out of the attic.  Born 6/28/71, I got this clean specimen the day after it's 38th birthday at an auction in Bellefontaine but without an original boxtop bag.  I found a donor machine, harvested the bag and gave the bag a bath and a new cardboard top (real easy fix), and I'm surprised at how quiet these motors are.  It could use some new brush strips real soon in the agitator but overall an impressive cleaner.

 

[alexb1186]

VG1 agitator

I thought these originally had a disturbulator but a previous thread indicated some pre-74 TOLs had the VG1 agitator; I first thought the woman had a disturbulator but went to a VG1 when the old brush wore out.

 

[alexb1186]

Handy tip for cord reel machines, leave some slack out to prevent wear on the plug!  I need to go upstairs and do this on my canister machines

 

[kenmore81]

Very nice Alex. It looks like a 2 speed, am I right?

 

[alexb1186]

It is indeed

 

[portable]

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Beautiful!</span>

 

[eurekaprince]

*sigh* 'Tis indeed a thing of beauty......*drool*

The only way we can know for certain if the 2081 came with a VG brush roll is to determine the year that Hoover's beater bar patent ran out. I may be wrong with this, but Eureka had to wait until the patent ran out in order to bring their Vibra Groomer to market. If this was after 1971, then we know that the Vanguard originally came with only a classic Eureka Disturbulator. In fact, I am almost positive this is the case - Eureka always added the "Vibra Groomer" label on the hood of their uprights or power nozzles. The name appears no where on the Vanguard. I think the only Vanguard innovation was the Rugulator height adjuster. The Vibra Groomer came later on the 2072 and 2082 in 1973. I think that was the debut year.

 

[brandon_w_t]

Nice machine!

I once passed one up at a thrift store for $10. The boxtop was kind of crushed. Should have grabbed it now that I think of it.

 

[brandon_w_t]

PS. This would have had the VG1 in it as original. That is probably the original in it.