My Awesome Find

[gusherb]

I spent my afternoon with a friend going to a couple resale shops in town. We ended up at this place called Tom's Treasure Chest and he has a pretty large warehouse in back and that's where I found my latest (old) toy. A Hoover Concept One. Powerdrive model. It was covered in some filth, tested it and it runs fine. Brushroll belt was broken, and the Powerdrive belt was stretched and cracked.

Fortunately I had time to run to the vacuum shop and get some new belts for this sucker. I cleaned it all up and it really does look brand spanking new now. I think it was very lightly used in it's past. The brushroll didn't have anything more then some carpet strands stuck in it. The brushroll bearings need some maintenance though.
Even the power cord is sparkling white with no dirt on it.

Could anyone tell me how old this thing is? I assume it's somewhere in the serial number.

 

[gusherb]

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[gusherb]

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[jodan3399]

Looks like it's in awesome shape! I love the green.

What year was this? I see the shag setting, so I'm assuming maybe 70's? The power drive looks virtually the same.

 

[gusherb]

Haha, I have no clue as to it's age. I think the Concept One was introduced in 1979(???) My suspection is this could be an earlier model, judging from the little design emblem in the center, and maybe the fact that it has a shag setting??? Hopefully someone that knows these machines can step in and tell me.

 

[eurekastar]

Very nice!

 

[suckolux]

a few months back, someone posted how to read the serial # for date, can't remember though. Sorry.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

That's really a beautiful model.. I think it's from around 1980.. maybe 82. One of my favorite color combinations... And it does appear to have been used very little! Congrats! Because that cleaner is from pre-1987, one can't tell date of manufacture.

 

[vintagecanister]

My favorite...........

color combo of all on these machines. I've found two within the last two weeks, but the white/green with the front design is my favorite.

Here's what I found.......

 

[vintagecanister]

And the Power drive........

model U3341

 

[gusherb]

Thanks Fred

After I took the photo's I disassembled the machine to maybe find a clump of dirt or something that could have been the cause to it smelling "old" when I ran it, but to my surprise everything inside the motor housing was SPOTLESS. I even checked the carbon brushes and they looked brand new. So I wiped it up, greased the bearings, and put it back together. It clearly was very very lightly used. I greased the brushroll bearings too, they were very dry and making a terrible racket.
Now everything sounds very smooth, and it's making that very nice growly "solid" sound that Concepts do. and it's not ear splitting either, despite being fairly loud.

 

[ohio_tuec]

U3105

I have a U3105 in my collection, which I've had since about 1996. I asked how old it was to a Hoover expert on this site, and the reply I got back was 1982.

- Karl

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I have a Hoover print out sheet on the whole Concept line sent to me by another member (Thanks Alex) and it said the model 3105 ran from 1979-1986 and also had a matching non power drive sister model 4205 running the same time.

 

[gusherb]

Transmission

Can anyone tell me how the transmission's in these Concept One's are for reliability? Mine seems to have developed this very annoying racket when you make a quick pass, in forward and reverse, even when you push it fast across with the drive release button held down (no assistance). It sounds very similar to grinding gears in a manual transmission car, which obviously would be very bad. But when it's doing that it has no effect to the performance of the Powerdrive. Overall the transmission assists very well, just as eager and jerky to try and rip my arm out as the last Windtunnel S/P I had in my possession.
So would anyone happen to know anything about this?
Thanks.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

good question, I would like to know that as well. A lot of mine have a kind of sreaming noise mostly in the pull back but they still work great.

 

[kirbyvertibles]

@ vintagecanister

your first model is 4203 and ran from 1978-86 and the powerdrive one is 3341-900 and was a K-mart model that ran from 1991-92.
This is however what the spred sheet said.
I would love to know if there is a way to copy and post the whole thing for us on this site. It's very detailed as to the years and colors on all of the Concepts.
Did anyone know there is like 30 models?

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I think I figured it out

Hoover Concept List
MEMO The years Of Production Might Not Be 100% Correct.
Concept One Powerdrive

Old Style,
1. U3101 Jamaican Blue And Horizon Blue/ PowerDrive, Headlight, Cordreel, 2 Speed. Hight End 1978-1986
( I have this one )
--------------------

2. U3103 Rust Brown And Pale Honey/ Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, 2 Speed. Lower End 1978-1986
( I have this one )
-------------------

3. U3105 Holly Green Oyster White/ Powerdrive, Headlight, Cordreel, 2 speeds. High End 1979-1986
( I have this one )
-------------------

4. U3107 No Info on this model Havn't ran across this one yet



5. U3109 Rust Brown And Pale Honey With Southwestern Bag Pattern/ Powerdrive, No Headlight, Cord Hooks, Single Speed Motor.Low End 1978-1986
( I have this one )
--------------------

6. U3109-100 Pastel Beige And Burgundy/ Powerdrive, No Headlight, Cord hooks, Single Speed Motor Burgundy Plaid Bag. Low End 1988-1991
( I have this one )
-------------------

7. U3223 Look Like Jamaican Blue And Horizon Blue With Either A Light Blue Or White Bag.This Also Might Be All White With Darker Blue Trim (Blue Matching That Of The U3101. Front Panel Is Plain Blue With No Filagree, Powerdrive, Cook Hooks No Headlight



8. U3225 No Info Yet



9. U3305 Mist Gray And Light Gray and Black/ Powerdrive, Headlight, Cordreel, 2 Speed. High End 1983-1987( U3305-030 Only Differences That I know Is Top Of Handle is Light Gray Rather That Black And Maybe Does Not Have air Freshener?)
( I have this one )
-------------------

10.U3307 Slate Green And Black/ Powerdrive, Cord Hooks, Headlight, 2 speed Motor, High End JCPenney Exclusive 1985-1987
( I have this one )
-------------------

11.U3311 Rust Brown And Oyster White/ Powerdrive, Cordreel, Headlight, Rust Brown Hood, 2 Speed Motor. High End 1987-19?



Newer Style
12.U3315 Blue Shadow And Pastel Beige/ Introducing New Power surge Handle, Powerdrive, Cord Hooks, No Headlight, Blue Plaid Cloth Bag. Medium End 1987-1992
( I have this one )
-------------------

13.U3315-070 Exact Same as Above Except Blue Stripe bag. K-Mart Exclusive 1987-1991



14.U3317 Burgundy And Pastel Beige/ Power Surge, Powerdrive, Cordreel, Headlight Burgundy Plaid Bag. High End 1987-1991


15.U3319-900 Cashmere Blue And Blue Shadow/ Power surge, Powerdrive, Cordreel,Headlight, 1987-?



16.U3329 Slate Green And Black/ Power Surge, Powerdrive, Cord Hooks, JCPenney Exclusive 1988-1992
( I have this one )
-------------------

17.U3335 Blue Shadow And Pastel Beige/ Power Surge, Powerdrive, Cord Hooks,Headlight, Blue Cloth Plaid Bag.Heavy Duty 1989-1991
( I have this one )
-------------------

18.U3339 Camargue Blue/ Power surge, Powerdrive, cordreel, Headlight, high Performance Sears Model. High End 1988-1992
( I have this one )
--------------------

19.U3341-900 Dark Hunter Green and Black/ Power Surge, Powerdrive, Cord Hooks, No Headlight, Heavy Duty, K-Mart Model? Low End 1991-1992
( I have this one )
-------------------

20.U3345-900 All Black/ Power surge, Powerdrive, Cordreel, Headlight, Heavy Duty Sears Model, High End 1991-1992
( I have this one )
--------------------

Concept One Non Powerdrive

Old Style,
1. U4201 Jamaican Blue And Horizon Blue/ Non Powerdrive, Headlight, Cordreel, 2 Speeds, High End, Mate To U3101 1978-1986
( I have this one )
-------------------

2. U4203 Rust Brown And pale Honey/ Non powerdrive, No Headlight, Cord Hooks, 2 Speeds, Low End, Mate To U3103 1978-1986
( I have this one )
-------------------

3. U4205 Holly Green And Oyster White/ Non Powerdrive, Headlight, Cordreel, 2 speeds, High End, Mate To U3105 1979-1986
( I have this one )
--------------------

4. U4209 Rust Brown And Oyster White/ non Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks,K-Mart And Macy's Exclusive, Low End, Mate To U3311 1987?



Newer Style
5. U4219 Cashmere Blue And Blue Shadow/ Introducing New Power Surge Hendle, Non Powerdrive, Cordreel, Headlight, First Had Blue Vinyl Bag, Later Had Cloth, High End, Mate To U3319-900 1986-1990?
( I have this one with vinyl bag )
-----------------------------------

Concept Two Powerdrive

Old Style,
1. U3301-030 Mist Gray And Light Gray And Black/ Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, Electronic Speed Control, ( 030 Models Have Air Freshener) High End, Mate To U3305 1983-1986?
( I have this one )
-------------------

2. U3303-030 Mahogany Brown And Honey Beige/ Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, 2 speed Motor ( 030 Model Has Air Freshener) High End 1983-1986?
( I have this one )
-------------------

3. U3309 Slate Green And Black/ Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, 2 Speeds, High End, Mate To U3307 1985-1987



Newer Style,
4. U3321 Burgundy And Pastel Beige/ Power Surge, Powerdrive, Cord Hooks, Cloth Plaid Bag, Mate To U3317. I Don't Yet Know Anything Else About This One 1987-1991



5. U3323 Cashmere Blue And Shadow Blue/ Power surge, Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, Electronic Speed Control, Blue Plaid bag. Mate To U3319 And U4219 1987-1991
( I have this one )
-------------------

6. U3331 Slate Green And Black/ Power Surge, Powerdrive, Electronic Speed Control, JCPenney Exclusive, Mate To U3329 1987?



Concept Two Non Powerdrive
1. U4211 Mist Gray And Light Gray And Black/ Non Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, Electronic Speed Control, High End Mate To U3301 And U3305 1983-1986?



2. U4213 Mahogany Brown And Honey Beige/ Non Powerdrive, Headlight, Cord Hooks, 2 Speed Motor. Mate To U3303 1983-1986?
( I have this one )
-------------------

3. U4217 Slate Green And Black/ Non Powerdrive. Have Not Seen This Model, So Information Is Unknown.



Concept One Commercial

1. U7097 Info Not Yet Known. Powerdrive With Old Style Handle.