My Eureka Model Data Thread

[texbodemer]

Hi, everyone! This is going to be the thread I will use to document my journey into creating a Eureka F and G upright database, to make it easy to date your Eureka F and G upright. Please edit as needed.

250.....1950
255.....1955-58
238.....1963-72
258.....1961-??
260.....1958-70

1401....1972-??
A continuation of the Eureka 238 upright.
1402....197?-7?
A continuation of the 1401.
1403
1405....1975-??
A basic upright (like 1401 and 1402.)
1406....197?-7?
A basic upright, with two-position Dial-a-Nap. Body, hood, handle, and vinyl outer bag are all Lagoon Blue.
1407
1408
1409
1410
1411....1981-??
A budget upright, with two-position Dial-a-Nap and a headlight.
1412
1413
1414
1415
1416....1975
Mid-range upright, with a four-position Dial-a-Nap.
1417
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423....1975
Mid-range upright, with a four position Dial-a-Nap, and a headlight.
1424....1976-79
High-end upright, with a six position Dial-a-Nap, and a headlight.
1425....
A basic upright, with a two-position Dial-a-Nap, with a white body, handle, and outer bag
1426....
1427....1981-88
A high-end upright, with a six position Dial-a-Nap, headlight, and Vibra-Groomer II. Advertised heavily by Woolco stores.
1428....1981-89
A mid-range upright, with a four-position Dial-a-Nap, and headlight, with white body and Windsor Blue base. White plaid vinyl bag.
1429....1982-88
Mid-range upright, with a four-position Dial-a-Nap

 

[eurekaprince]

You can certainly add the Model 270 that was sold from 1968 to 1969. This was the last model to feature a top side hose port, but the first to feature a large box top bag.

Here’s an old Vacuumland thread showing this beautiful early version of the famous 2070 Eureka Vanguard with the very first Rugulator height adjuster:



https://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?29044

 

[texbodemer]

270.....1968-69
Vanguard upright, with new hood design. One of the very last hose-port models. Rugulator added, creating the model 2070.

 

[paul]

Nick,

Apparently, you keep missing my posts to let you know that I have completed my own Eureka F & G upright lists (200, 600 1400, 1900, 2000, 4000, and 5000 Series) and posted them last May on another thread. Search "Color-Pak" and when you access it, scroll down to replies 16, 17, & 18. Here is the 200 Series list:

 

[texbodemer]

Paul

Paul,

Thank you very much! My goal is to help sort out the various letters by year. Because there seems to be no serial number data available for Eureka uprights after 1947, my biggest goal is to make it possible for a person to date their Eureka without having to rely on the nipple from the molding process. I know after 1990(?) Eureka started incorporating a date code into their serial numbers.

Similar work has been done with typewriters, for a collector database, and I think our hobby could benefit from it too.

 

[paul]

You're welcome, Nick—looks like you've gotten off to a great start!

 

[texbodemer]

Thanks Paul!

Thank you! I'm hoping anyone with any data points can add them to this thread, especially those that can expand information on manufacturing date and model variations. (I'm trying to make heads/tails on each letter suffix)

Thanks!
Nick

 

[eurekaprince]

Hi Nick and Paul,

If you have not already done so, you should visit a great webpage set up by Vacuumland’s sister website for washers…click the link below. For a small download fee, you can buy several nice sets of scans of specification sheets for Eureka vacuum cleaners, including uprights. It’s worth the price to get original Eureka documents. As well, there is one Eureka Roto-Matic clone user’s manual under Montgomery Ward.



https://www.automatice.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi

 

[paul]

You bet, Nick! I hope you are able to figure out the differences among the Types; that's quite an undertaking, but patience and determination will lead you to success.

_______

Thanks for the tip and link, Brian! I have visited the site a few times but hadn't perused the ephemera scans available for purchase. It would be awesome if Eureka's online vintage ephemera were more complete. Kirby definitely takes the lead in that category!

 

[appliguy]

I have Eureka model 260 D that seems to be an anomaly.

Nick I was wondering what your thoughts are on my Eureka 260 D in the picture below. The model number plate says it is a 260 D but it has a square handle with the rear facing switch and has chrome hood but there is no K on the model number plate to indicate it should have the chrome hood. What do you think the situation is? PATRICK COFFEY

 

[texbodemer]

I don't know when the handle changed from square to round. Yours looks all-original, so I'm guessing it is. I think it's a case where all models with K are chrome, but not all chrome ones are K models?

 

[texbodemer]

Also,

Also, what's the serial number of yours? Are there any dates underneath?
Nick

 

[paul]

Patrick,

Please post a close-up photo of the manufacturer's tag. It looks to me like a 260-B.

 

[appliguy]

My Eureka is defintely a 260D............

according to the model number plate and the serial number is 100521. PATRICK

 

[eurekaprince]

If the bag on this 260D is original, this is also a change from the original 260A. The first bags on the 260 had only a small vertical rectangle at the top of the bag. At the top of the rectangle was the famous curved E+W Eureka Williams logo. Below the logo were vertical stripes and the word Automatic written vertically. The first 260 had the golden 50th anniversary colours of green and gold. After the anniversary year of 1959, I guess the 260B debuted with a white hood and square handle and Lagoon Blue bag, base, bumper, cord and plug. This is the version we had when I was a toddler. It was made at Eureka’s Canadian factory in Kitchener, but assume the 260B would have been identical in both countries.

 

[appliguy]

Nick do you have any info on the model 239 Eureka upright?

Here is a picture of mine. Close to the model plate there is a little circle with a 72 stamped inside. I was told by another vacuum collector that this means my 239 was made in 1972, is that correct? PATRICK

 

[texbodemer]

I didn't know there was a 239

Patrick,

I didn't know they made a 239. Can you post the serial number? Based on my data for the 238, a manufacturing date of 1972 would be likely.

 

[appliguy]

Nick you did not know they made a model 239 because.......

they didn't, I misread the model number. My Eureka is a 238 not a 239......sorry about the mistake and thanks for all your help. PATRICK

 

[appliguy]

Hey Nick! My 260D has the serial # 100521

Does that mean that the early 260D's might have had the 260B's square style handle and rear facing switch and that the conversion to the round handle and front facing switch did not happen until sometime later in the 260D's production run? PATRICK