NORCA

[myhooverco]

This past friday, another package arrived at my doorstep from my friend Gary. Again there was another rarer Hoover item inside. This was a model 80 Norca upright from 1939-1942. Check out the molded "NORCA" letters on the hood. This was very much like our Hoover model 305 from the same period.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here are the bag details. This one is an original sans the bojack black cord. It runs like a top!

 

[myhooverco]

...a close look at the lettering on the name plate below the headlight.

 

[myhooverco]

Look, Ma, no beater bars!

And here is the main difference between a Hoover model 305 and a Norca model 80...NO BEATER BARS! The Norca only used brushes (four of them) so it did not beat as it swept as it cleaned. This was considered less efficient than a genuine Hoover. These were sold by dealers where there was already a Hoover franchise in town. They wanted something to sell and compete. Since Hoover did not want to compete with itself, they invented "Norca". There were only two uprights built both before the war. There were three hand cleaners one of which made it to the 1950s. The Norca brand was then applied to bags and accessories for other vacuum makes. It was then simply abandoned in favor of puting Hoover on everything. This is a rare treat, Gary, THANK YOU!

--Tom

 

[camelotshadow]

Nice!

great shape too...thanks for sharing

 

[rugmaster37]

How cool....

Well then I know of two. I found one many years ago in Charlotte Mich, that I ended up giving to Jeff. His bag is just a little different, but it may be becasue it's earlier or something. Maybe he can chime in and tell us , and or "show us" more.

I also thought it strange that the roller had four canoe brushes instead of beater bars. He explained to me back then, that it was that way for exactly the reasons described. I believe either he or someone else told me that this was a model you oculd get thru Macy's or other department stores of the day.

It does look wonderful tho...

Great Cleaner

Chad

 

[charles~richard]

And for those who haven't figured it out:

NORTH CANTON

 

[hoover28]

wow

I need to find one of those to go with my model 1


Chris


P.S. I had had a good time talking HOOVER to you tonight.

 

[hygiene903]

Beautiful Norca, Tom!

Looks like it's in excellent condition, too! Generous of Gary to send you such a rare machine. Congrats,
Jeff

 

[swingette]

Are those Norca brushes interchangeable with any from the Hoover lineup? They look a little different.

I believe "Norca" was previously used as a trade name for the special fabric used on model 700 bags. Somewhere i have a tag from an original model 700 bag that tells the miracle of Norca fabric!

 

[vintagehoover]

I LOVE this machine!

What a great bag graphic - I've seen this model with a different bag graphic (I have a picture of it saved somewhere on my computer, but I can't find it at the moment).

Do you have any photos of the whole machine? I'd love to see one!