Hello all,
I just acquired this vacuum from eBay. This is my first Convertible since the late 1970s, so I wasn't aware that at some point Hoover switched to plastic bases. Actually that worked in my favor, because the paint scuffs came off more easily than from painted metal. The vacuum arrived with the handle disassembled in the middle, and the cord was cut there. The cut was clean so I can't help thinking that whomever packed it did so to make it easier to pack. The seller said it was shipping damage and offered a full refund but I wrote that the vacuum would be repairable, I just didn't want to jeopardize getting a refund if I found hidden damage after I got it running. The seller really appreciated my honesty and he's standing by giving me a full refund if I can't get it working, or a partial if I can. I added about 4" of cord so I could splice the original cord, and I'm happy to report that the vacuum works fine. For some reason I love the sound of the old Hoover uprights. This one sounds like I remember, pretty rough around the edges compared to my Royal upright, but that's the way I like them. I'm very happy with how well this cleaned up.
This model hardly qualifies as a convertible, which is marked on the outer bag, because it has no attachment port. The agitator has only bristles. That surprised me! What happened to "It beats, as it sweeps, as it cleans"? The motor is rated 4.5 amps, and the fan is plastic. I popped the hood so I could oil the top bearing, and I could see where corners definitely were cut over the years compared to the pink 1960s one I had as a kid. On the other hand, I noticed that the top bearing plate has locating nubs to get it positioned exactly right. And I love how lightweight this is! It's a featherweight compared to my Sanitaire S688B.
Four questions:
Does 1985 sound right for its year of manufacture? That's what an archive search turned up.
Can I substitute an agitator with a beater bar, or will that not make a lot of difference in cleaning ability?
Where can I find the rubber ring that holds the paper bag in place? An eBay search turned up nothing, but it has to be a very common part.
The outer bag is tearing apart near the bellows. Does anyone have an intact outer bag that would go with this vacuum that you are willing to sell? If so, please email at the address in my profile.
I wonder how many millions of Convertibles Hoover made. Just the number of models is mind-boggling.
Joel
I just acquired this vacuum from eBay. This is my first Convertible since the late 1970s, so I wasn't aware that at some point Hoover switched to plastic bases. Actually that worked in my favor, because the paint scuffs came off more easily than from painted metal. The vacuum arrived with the handle disassembled in the middle, and the cord was cut there. The cut was clean so I can't help thinking that whomever packed it did so to make it easier to pack. The seller said it was shipping damage and offered a full refund but I wrote that the vacuum would be repairable, I just didn't want to jeopardize getting a refund if I found hidden damage after I got it running. The seller really appreciated my honesty and he's standing by giving me a full refund if I can't get it working, or a partial if I can. I added about 4" of cord so I could splice the original cord, and I'm happy to report that the vacuum works fine. For some reason I love the sound of the old Hoover uprights. This one sounds like I remember, pretty rough around the edges compared to my Royal upright, but that's the way I like them. I'm very happy with how well this cleaned up.
This model hardly qualifies as a convertible, which is marked on the outer bag, because it has no attachment port. The agitator has only bristles. That surprised me! What happened to "It beats, as it sweeps, as it cleans"? The motor is rated 4.5 amps, and the fan is plastic. I popped the hood so I could oil the top bearing, and I could see where corners definitely were cut over the years compared to the pink 1960s one I had as a kid. On the other hand, I noticed that the top bearing plate has locating nubs to get it positioned exactly right. And I love how lightweight this is! It's a featherweight compared to my Sanitaire S688B.
Four questions:
Does 1985 sound right for its year of manufacture? That's what an archive search turned up.
Can I substitute an agitator with a beater bar, or will that not make a lot of difference in cleaning ability?
Where can I find the rubber ring that holds the paper bag in place? An eBay search turned up nothing, but it has to be a very common part.
The outer bag is tearing apart near the bellows. Does anyone have an intact outer bag that would go with this vacuum that you are willing to sell? If so, please email at the address in my profile.
I wonder how many millions of Convertibles Hoover made. Just the number of models is mind-boggling.
Joel
