Riccar 2400 Canister - Whirlpool?

[bagintheback]

This eBay listing recently caught my eye. I've never seen or even heard of this model before. It canister body looks awfully like a Whirlpool/Kenmore machine of the early 90s, as does the brush roll and hose. I wonder how well these sold, as you could easily pick up a similar product at Sears, or since you're already at a dealer anyway, why not go for Electrolux?

Can anyone enlighten us on the story behind this machine?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Riccar-2400-5-4-Canister-Vacuum-/171935251969?hash=item280823be01

 

[3rdgenvacguy]

riccar- kenmore- panasonic

Good call, Definitely a whirlpool machine, or even a later Panasonic. 3 wire hose that had the rocker switch with 6 terminals. When switched to floor, it would send power back to the canister and power on a relay to turn on the vac motor. must be early riccar to be private labeled like that.

 

[dirtmaster37]

Early Riccar and Simplicity canister....

The machine in question here, was Tacony's first attempt at a full sized Power-nozzle cleaner. It was manufactured for Tacony, by Matsushita, with it's lineage back to Whirlpool, who owned the vacuum division until 1994-5-6 ? area sometime.

The canister and hose of this machine here, is as what Kenmore received too, but with slightly different power-nozzle "bodies" for the Kenmore line depending on model. The body of the Power-nozzle/Mate that was used here, was used by : Panasonic, Hayden, Whirlpool and Royal and prob. a few others.

Tacony offered this model, and the respective "Simplicity Summit"; of which my store was a retailer for back when these were new, for a time, until they were able to source their own canister later on..

About a year ago more or less, one had a pristine "Simplicity" example that was traded back in for a newer cleaner that would be better for the customers allergies. I sent the machine on to Tom, at the Tacony Vacuum Cleaner Museum of which most know. He has it displayed with the other early Tacony products the museum has.

Lets just say the machines are quite uncommon or "rare". I dislike using the word "rare" on a mechanized item as rare describes a properly grilled choice steak, not a vacuum IMHO. But for this, it seems aprops. As I have never seen another in 22 years in the vacuum business. To that end, Ken Tacony, president of the firm has NEVER seen one in person before. It was that uncommon apparently.

It operated just like Kurt mentioned, and really offered nothing to the consumer that Kenmore or Panasonic or even Whirlpool ( which at the time were better known names) did. It was fairly pricey too for a Kenawhirlasonic badge-engineered clone. I have a orig service manual too, that has the list price written on the back at $599.99. Thats a lot of money for a machine that could be had for $200+ less, a few short miles away at a local Sears store....


Chad

 

[vacman1961]

Yes, the Riccar 2400 and Simplicity 8100 were built by Whirlpool, before the Panasonic takeover, they were introduced shortly after Whirlpool stopped producing their Power Clean line of vacuum cleaners. The power nozzle on the Tacony twins was actually the identical power nozzle used on the Whirlpool FC7500 canister. The Whirlpool FC7000 which was Whirlpool's best seller lacked a headlight and double row of bristles on the brush roll, the FC7500 had a headlight and 2 rows of bristles on the brush roll, the top of the line FC9000 was all electronic and had the tachometer inside the power nozzle that read the magnet that was inside the red beater bar on the brush roll shutting it off sooner than the conventional circuit breaker style. I was a Whirlpool dealer up until 1989 when they stopped producing vacuum cleaners and when I found out that Tacony was using the Kenmore Whispertone style body, I immediately became a Simplicity dealer and sold hundreds of 8100 canister vacuum cleaners. All the replacement parts that Tacony supplied for the 8100 canister when they were first produced came in the familiar Whirlpool FSP packaging, later the packaging changed. They were great vacuums while the were manufactured by Whirlpool, quality was much higher than when they were manufactured by Panasonic.