Sears Kenmore Line ->1979-1980

[petek]

Ah there's the blue two speed twin fan I found a few months ago with the flowery bag...1979 eh? It's actually a much brighter blue than what the scan shows in real life. I've got the matching yellow version as well. Not sure if it's pre or post the blue one though...me thinks pre blue.
Amazing how many variations on a theme Sears could crank out. I guess they had to so there's be something "new" for each years run of catalogs.
The only annoying thing with the cord reel versions is the cord on those models is always much shorter than the wrap around cords

 

[mattshaver]

My mom bought a Kenmore upright vacuum and it had a green handle and white face, much like the 79 model but different colors, I believe. I think she bought it in 1977 and I was only 7 years old but can remember exactly how the man demonstrated that machine.

My grandma tried to get her to go with a Kirby but sadly that vacuum died when our house burned in 1984. So much for that Kenmore. She ended up replacing it with another Kenmore but this one was a canister model.

Yet, I can remember using that green and while Kenmore upright when I was much younger.

Matt
Spfld, IL.

 

[hoover1060]

Hard bag uprights...

Ian,
The Kenmore uprights here were really the only competition for the Hoover DAM. If I remember right, Sears dropped the Duo-Power from its line when the '82 models came out.

Pete, the blue twin fan models were 1978 in the US. Look at the model number of your cleaner. The 2nd digit will be the year.

I have two of the older -99 series powermates, a 2699 and a 2799. Both are in good shape and still work very well.

 

[petek]

Yes my blue flower bag one like above is 3874C
The identical green one I have is 3660C, so 1976. The green hood on it matches your green canister power nozzle and my departed 76 ish Duo Power.

What number dates the canisters?

I have the blue canister 2994C similar to your green one in the video, almost matches anyways..magicord, hidden tools, same looking power nozzle. The difference is that your tool tray removes to reveal the bag. Mine has a lid for the hidden tools with non removeable tray.. you have to open the second lid, the whole top to get into the bag, motor filter. No light in the power nozzle. And one speed only

My light green two speed canister with magicord and power nozzle is model 29914C. Any Idea the date?

And downstairs put away I have the brownish one that's missing the power nozzle if anyone happens to have a spare for sale

I hvae some more Twin Fan uprights as well but they're shoved in a corner downstairs as well right now.

 

[rugmaster37]

Gorgeous......

And

As usual Jeff you pulled something out of your vault of info and wowed the crowd. I still have the Brandywine Series Eureka Canister Pamphlet and the Green Round Continental hood F&G uprights pamphlet you gave me so many years ago back when you were in Richton Park.. I pulled them out after seeing this.... you truly have a one of a kind info trove.

As to the Kenmore line pictured, of course Kyle now has the two-speed 3076 that I got from e-bay a few years ago. I loved it, but I got a few Singer's from you, including my Golden PowerMaster which is in my room now, as well as the earlier S-3 which is in storage. I've since that time had several levels of Singer built Twin-Fans, and wanted badly the Premier Cord Reel, that we agreed to do a swap of that 3076 as many of you already know.

About 6 years ago, I found that 1978 Chrome Hood Kenmore with a slightly different bag, mine was all two-tone grey hounds tooth without the red middle panel. It was for sale for $50.00 at a local vac shop here in Ypsilanti. It was in perfect shape but there was something wrong with the motor sounded louder than normal, and had a very bead bearing growl to it. This was back when I worked for Hoover, and really hadn't started appreciating the Singer built machines or the Kenmore clones..

For whatever purpose of insanity I traded that plus cash to a friend of mine in Grand Ledge who traded me a 1975 Eureka Empress II which I still have. To many it may not seem so but I feel I got the far better deal.

These are excellent pictures BTW.... do you have one of the later 1984? ish series, that has the first pushbutton Kenmore canister that has the touch pad power and speed control. Not the slide power control, but the touch pad. That model I will never forgive myself for giving away. Anbother freind who promised to be "nice" to it, and trashed it also. It met it's fate after ebing used to suck out wet gravel from a fish tank.

Come to think of it, I did have a 2999 that had an all orange bumper on the PowerMate, in the same hue as the bumper that goes around the canister. That stupidly I left for an ex- who clogged it, then later threw it away without my knowledge.

Ah well, you win some you loose some... Very few people get things from me anymore.

Chad

 

[alex1983]

Singer/Panasonic

When did Sears stop selling the Singer Twin Fan based models and begin selling the Panasonic designed cleaners? I've seen catalogs from the late '80s and it seems that Sears was still selling the Singer models until at least 1988.

What made them stop selling the Singer based cleaners?

 

[alex1983]

Singer

Quite frankly, what did happen to Singer? The early '90s Singers seem to look exactly like the Bissels that were out at the time, and now it seems that they only make the cheap Euro-pro based vacuums.

I know they're still making sewing machines, so why did they scale back the vacuum line?

 

[collector2]

To my knowledge Singer never actually made their own vacuum cleaners. They were always made by other companies but modified to the singer specs (eg - the Golden Glide was made by Eureka but was fancier than the standard Eureka models of the time). When Singer went away from having their own Singer Sewing Centers in favor of selling through various other shops the vacuum line seems to have died off.

 

[swingette]

What made them stop selling the Singer based cleaners?

If i had to guess, i say the twim fan models were outdated by the late 80s. The Panasonic style machines and the Regina Housekeeper and the Hoover Elite made the old twin-fan design look dated.

Singer maybe gave up on vacuums when Sears dropped them?

 

[alex1983]

Confused

If Singer had their vacuums made by other companies, then who made the Kenmore cleaners? I always thought it was Singer, the way that Hoover made the JC Penney vacuums of the '60s-80s.

And who/what is Ryobi?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I'm sort of new at this.

 

[hoover1060]

Singer Vacuums

Singer mad their own vacuums from 1930 up through about 1982, when Ryobi bought them. At that point, Singer has basically been reduced to just a name, much as Hoover and Eureka are today.
The twin-fan upright was made in variations from 1949-1982 by Singer. After the Ryobi buyout, the twin-fans were called "The Singer System"
These were around into the early 90's(maybe 1994)and discontinued. They were made for Sears from the early 60's all the way to the early 90's.

As for Sears vacuums, they were made by Birtman Electric into the 1950's, then Whirlpool started making them. Westinghouse I believe also made an upright for Sears around this time as well. Whirlpool made all the powermates, and the Duo=Power uprights. Whirlpool sold off their vacuum business to Panasonic sometime in the early 90's, and since that time, Panasonic has made Sears vacuums.
Hope this clears up some of it!

 

[eluxomarty]

Jeff

Thanks for that explaination but i have some questions about the canisters. The Singer canisters of the late 50's through the 60's. Did Eureka make them for Singer or did Singer make them for Eureka. I fugured Whirlpool made the Silver Glides and the Compact Powers for Singer in the late 60's and the 70's. Do you also know who made the Canadian Model C7? Thats one we both have.

Thanks, Marty

 

[eluxomarty]

Oh!

And BTW, Thanks so much for posting the Sears Brochure. Its great to look at vacuums i actually remember seeing at Sears.

Marty

 

[hoover1060]

Marty,

Eureka made the 1959 Golden Glide for Singer, and the little roll-a-magic cleaners, but the others(the C-6/7/8) and the compacts(E9/10/11/12) and the C series machines through the 70's were Singer made. They even made their own canister motor as well.
The Golden Glide like your Aunt had was Singer made...

 

[collector2]

Thanks Marty - that one I had never heard either. But the later ones still used a variation on the Eureka accessories and the C8 is definately a Eureka Empress. (out sourcing for the parts perhaps?) The last machines also say made by Ryobi right on them.

Doug

 

[16willth]

Whats this sears kenmore the helpmaate I keep hearing about. I heard it was a cansiter noozle with a bag going up to the tub and when the dirt gets to the top it drops into the bag.I want one really bad if anyone in vacuumland could help me look for it or send a pic that would be great I know somebody on youtube has one and I could not find it anywhere else. again if any one could help me that would be
great thanks Tommy
wills

 

[kenkart]

Re sears manufacturers..

In 1957 Whirlpool ,prodded by Sears,engeneered a takeover of both Birtman electric who made Sears vacuums, and most of their blenders and mixers, and Seeger refrigerator company, who made the Coldspot stuff, this put most of what they sold under 1 management,I have a 57 Kenmore Horizon that is one of the last Birtman built machines, Birtman built their own motors,and thats how you tell, Any Kenmore with a 116 prefix is made by either Birtman or Whirlpool, Whirlpool sold off the mixers to Hamilton Beach, and any Kenmore mixer you find with a 400 prefix is a HB product.Here is a Birtman Built Blender.The portable is from the late 50s and is a Hamilton Beach built mixer.

 

[kenkart]

1957

Horizon, Birtman built.

 

[kenkart]

And the

Motor, you can clearly see its NOT a Lamb, in the 60s Whirlpool used a GE motor in some of the cleaners that was not repairable, it was a great motor but you cant fix it, it is cemented together!but other than that lamb made everthing after late 1957.

 

[kenkart]

filter..

As you can see, the Birtman motor uses a much bigger filter.