Hose not later, but earlier
Fred,
It looks like a Junior hose, but for the earlier version, by the time of the 1348 it was a plastic connector. The earlier version used a slightly different convertor so the metal version may not fit the later. If you check out the spec sheet, you will see the convertor which you hold up to the front of the cleaner (having removed the plate of course) and twist it counter clockwise to lift the belt and lock the convertor in. The hose then goes straight in. The earlier convertor had a little handle on the locking ring and I seem to think (may be wrong) that it turned clockwise.
The suction is at least as good as the convertable, and probably a bit better, as the hose goes right up to and cobers the fan chamber.
Seamus is right though, yours has the later height adjustment control, as seen in your 1977 group shot, as compared to the spec sheet.
This basic design continued for amost 25 years from the 1334, through to the U1012 which was discontinued as a Hoover mainstrean model in 1977, although it lived on for another 5 or 6 years as a catalogue exclusive and even had a hardbag incarnation - Rob or Paul posted a picture of this recently.
This picture was taken in 2007, the top cleaner is a catalogue 1346 (not new style height control) which is the green combo I referred to earlier, along with the first 1346 and the rare 1016. From the U1012 (which looks like the 1981 version but with a yellow bag rather than the golfing trousers version you had) Juniors in the UK had a top fill bag
.
