Sanitaire Blue Line Series Introduction?

[kirbyclassiciii]

May I ask if anybody here remembers exactly what year Sanitaire's "Blue Line" series of consumer-use vacuum cleaners came out?

I want to think it was 1983, which was the year they had their canned-ham canister model S440A. The first few uprights in the Blue Line were models S639 (same as commercial SC679 "Maid-Saver"), S644 (SC684), S646 (SC686) and S648 (SC688).

~Ben

 

[paul]

Ben,

As Sanitaire rarely advertised in newspapers, I was unable to locate anything to verify the start of its blue professional line.

1980s hospitality industry or home maintenance trade journal and catalog advertisements and articles likely have the information. You may be able to access digitized copies or request hard copies at worldcat.org or other sources through your local library.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Ben,

As Sanitaire rarely advertised in newspapers, I was unable to locate anything to verify the start of its blue professional line.

1980s hospitality industry or home maintenance trade journal and catalog advertisements and articles likely have the information. You may be able to access digitized copies or request hard copies at worldcat.org or other sources through your local library.

Paul,

Another way to date these Sanitaires would be to look at their nameplates.

If the nameplate is both black and silver, then it will date from 1987 or earlier.

(the example nameplate is from an S440A; this example dates to 1983-87)

But if the nameplate is primarily silver, with black text, then it will date from 1988 or later.


~Ben

 

[paul]

Paul,

Another way to date these Sanitaires would be to look at their nameplates.

If the nameplate is both black and silver, then it will date from 1985 or earlier.
View attachment 169137
(the example nameplate is from an S440A; this example dates to 1983-85)

But if the nameplate is primarily silver, with black text, then it will date from 1986 or later.
View attachment 169138

~Ben

Thanks, Ben. A former Eureka executive relayed to me that the nameplates were outsourced when he joined the company in 1978 and were later made by Eureka. I imagine the computerized version is the latter; although I always thought that the change occurred in the late 1980s. Good to know.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Thanks, Ben. A former Eureka executive relayed to me that the nameplates were outsourced when he joined the company in 1978 and were later made by Eureka. I imagine the computerized version is the latter; although I always thought that the change occurred in the late 1980s. Good to know.

Paul,

I changed the start and end dates of the nameplates. I believe 1987 was when they switched over to the computerized version.

Why? I spotted a 1986 SC684D and it still had the older nameplate design.

~Ben

 

[paul]

Paul,

I changed the start and end dates of the nameplates. I believe 1987 was when they switched over to the computerized version.

Why? I spotted a 1986 SC684D and it still had the older nameplate design.

~Ben

Thanks for the update, Ben. 1987 is closer to my guess of 1989. I know that Hoover changed its serial number format around 1987, so I thought Eureka followed suit a year or two later. Although it may be that both were apprised of the software around the same time.

I do hope you'll locate some old periodicals and catalogs which will provide a timeline of model introductions, including the start of the blue industrial line.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Thanks for the update, Ben. 1987 is closer to my guess of 1989. I know that Hoover changed its serial number format around 1987, so I thought Eureka followed suit a year or two later. Although it may be that both were apprised of the software around the same time.

I do hope you'll locate some old periodicals and catalogs which will provide a timeline of model introductions, including the start of the blue industrial line.

Yes, Paul, and I also found a Eureka Express 8285B canister which also had the older nameplate design.

~Ben

 

[paul]

Yes, Paul, and I also found a Eureka Express 8285B canister which also had the older nameplate design.

~Ben

Ben,

I located newspaper ads for the 8285 (sans the types) from February 1986 to November 1987, so that's another clue.

Attached is a January 1987 ad:

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

I corrected the dates again for the labels I shared:
1987 = end of date for old label style
1988 = start of date for new label style

If you have any vacuum with the new silver label but no date code yet, chances are you have a 1988 model.

I wonder if the S485A first appeared in 1988, also because of the Express-style PN?

~Ben

 

[paul]

Ben,

I'm a bit confused as to how you arrived at 1988 as the start of the new label style. Have you actually seen a computerized label with 1988 numeration? Not being disrespectful in any way - just wondering.

As for the S485-A with the Express-style power nozzle. I would hesitate to take for granted that Hesco's schematics are complete as I have noticed missing pages (going by page number when parts lists to diagrams are omitted from time to time). Just saying that without a line drawing or photo it may have been paired with the older style power nozzle. If, however, it did indeed have an Express-style one, it could have debuted in 1986 with the Express.

 

[paul]

Ben,

On second thought, I may have misunderstood your meaning of "new style" thinking you were referring to the computerized one. However, I think the attached style was on your mind.

Btw, I located ads for the Express 8288-A in 1987 and 1988, and there were no other types listed in online parts lists.

 

[paul]

Ben,

On second thought, I may have misunderstood your meaning of "new style" thinking you were referring to the computerized one. However, I think the attached style was on your mind.

Btw, I located ads for the Express 8288-A in 1987 and 1988, and there were no other types listed in online parts lists.

P. S. This doesn't necessarily mean that all the 8288's had the same style of nameplate.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Ben,

On second thought, I may have misunderstood your meaning of "new style" thinking you were referring to the computerized one. However, I think the attached style was on your mind.

Btw, I located ads for the Express 8288-A in 1987 and 1988, and there were no other types listed in online parts lists.

Paul,

Yes, that's the one.

And this video is how I found out about why I corrected them again:

(look at when he flips the vacuum over)

~Ben