Picture it...1962..your local SEARS !! WHISPERTONE!

[collector2]

Hey Hans - one correction. The Whispertone 90 was always that colour. The pink machine you are thinking of was the Whispertone 80 which was out at the same time as the 90. The only difference was that the 80 had a single speed motor and the 90 was a two speed motor. There were 4 different accessory kits available for those machines. The standard kit, a kit with the triangular shaped power head and cord on the hose, a kit with the triangular shaped power head and a power hose and a delux kit which featured the hose you have and the L shaped power head.

This is a picture of my 90 with the complete standard kit.

 

[collector2]

Just thought I'd add a couple of pictures of a friends model 80 so you can see the difference

Side

 

[collector2]

Front - note the lack of bag indicator or two speed switch

 

[kenkart]

Hi Doug..

I hate to disagree..BUT, the 1961 Lady Kenmore Whispertone was PINK and grey, I know this because I have the catalogue,it became green in 62 and they changed the name to the Whispertone 90, I think probably the difference was the Canadian machines may have been different.

 

[kenkart]

US Models, Fall and Winter 1961

Lady Kenmore Whispertone is listed as a Soft Pink Finish, then the 75 which is listed as having a light beige finish with a charcoal brown base, and the 50 is listed as turquoise with a brown base.

 

[vacuumman206]

Wow I never knew the whispertone name went back that far. That is a pretty cool machine, and the L-shaped pn you speak of is certainly something I've never seen on a kenmore.

 

[kenkart]

Think of it..

Sears had a L shaped Powermate with a light and a pistol grip direct connect hose in 1961, Electrolux didnt have an L shaped powerhead until the 80s, Sears was Way ahead of its time.

 

[kenkart]

But..

Like most things far ahead of there time, it was not popular and was gone in 2 years.

 

[williamr1248]

Picture it...1962..your local SEARS!! Whispertone

Hans,
Thanks for posting such a great example of a top of the line Sears vacuum. I have
NEVER seen anything like it.
What is really shocking is where you post the machine next to the Electrolux G. Can you imagine pulling that huge box around the house! I bet it was heavy and I can see it catching on everything with the wide square front end.
As a child I could never understand why anyone would want a no name Sears sweeper when they could buy a genuine Hoover, Electrolux or Air-Way, but the vac club has changed all that and this is one beautiful top of the line machine. Thanks again for sharing your treasure.

 

[collector2]

Interesting. It doesn't look like those even came to Canada - the 1961 Simpson Sears Fall and Winter Catalogue only lists the 40 - in two tone blue, the 60 in turquoise/ charcoal (with and without the triangular pn, and the top of the line 70 (which was single speed) in beige and charcoal brown.

Then the 1962 Spring and Summer Catalogue lists the 30 in powder blue, 40 turquoise / blue grey, 60 in oyster white/blue grey, 80 in light pink / green and the 90 in oyster white / green

Doug

PS - I have the manual for mine too and it shows 30-40-60-80 and 90 as well as all the optional kits

 

[Davinator1977]

1962 Kenmore

Wow that is so very kewl. I would love to see it in action on video! Very very nice, thank you for sharing!

 

[kenkart]

And the wierd thing is...

I have a 1962 model 75, the book had a loose leaf page in it showing the machine, it wasnt even listed, also in my fall 1962 Sears catalogue they had already brought out the much smaller machine like they used in 63-64, but the Whispertone 90 was still top of the line...with the more conventional square powerhead and regular grip hose, the L shape Powermate and pistol grip hose had been discontinued sometime in 62. Sears was notorious for changing stuff!

 

[eurekaprince]

Wow! I am loving the on-board wand storage!!!!!

You gotta hand it to Whirlpool or Birtland or whoever made these for Sears.... They really came up with great innovations in canister vac design. This seems to be a wonderful characteristic of Kenmore canister vacs throughout the history of Sears: spending lots of time and effort to make cleaning with a canister better and easier.

 

[kenkart]

By 62 it was Whirlpool,

They took over Birtman in 57.

 

[caligula]

Hi Kenkart.

A year ago I embarked on researching my family tree on all sides. While it's exhausting, it's very rewarding. By typing in names, I can research people now out of touch, or no longer alive. So I made Craig Long my latest project. Here's what I found out.

He's Craig D. Long, and was born on August 1, 1955. As there is no mention of his death, I assume he is alive, and out there somewhere. My project is to try and find him, and if he's interested, bring him back to the fold. Yes, it's going to be a lot of brick walls, but who knows? I just might locate him.

Alex Taber.

 

[kenkart]

That is him..

Because I remember he was about 10 years older than me, I hope you find him!

 

[caligula]

Sad news to report.

I just found out that Craig D. Long passed away in June of 2009. Not only was he one of the original members, but one of the most entertaining. I still remember him standing in my living room in Naperville singing 'Shuffle off to Buffalo'in false setto, and I can still taste that great lasagna he made from scratch.

Alex Taber.