Spot the New Arrival!

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lol,

that's cheating, hehehe :)

You're right, it's my new - wait for it - 1935 Hoover Model 150 Cleaning Ensemble! A stable-mate for my UK Models 160 and 960. I think the only other variation of this design is the Canadian 155. I've wanted a 150 for ages, and thanks to Tom's garage sale, I have one of my own at last.

I was even more pleased to discover there was a set of tools to go with it, in their original caddy, no less! I'm just waiting for the tools to turn up - hopefully they should be here tomorrow or Saturday.

The 150 is going to be my next restoration project, and I can't wait to get started. I love working on these machines, they're so simple and well-constructed. I've stripped, cleaned and rebuilt 4 of these motors over the last year.

Here's the new arrival with another NorCa-made Hoover. I now have 5 vacs in my collection which have come all the way from the US!

8-28-2008-19-02-38--vintagehoover.jpg
 
Possibly for the first time...

...American and English cousins side by side. One from North Canton, Ohio, one from Perivale, West London.

I believe this is the first Model 150 in the country - at least, I'm not aware of any other collectors who have an example.

8-28-2008-19-14-48--vintagehoover.jpg
 
The biggest difference is, of course...

...the handle bail. The 150 has the older, snap-action 'pitch-fork' style. The 160 has the new, more streamlined, integrated style.

However, although the 160's may be sharper-looking, I've come to the opinion that the 150's is actually the superior design. Ok, it won't go under low furniture to the same extent, but the 160's design is very fragile, and often found broken nowadays.

What I like best about the 150's handle design is that being attached towards the front of the chassis, it makes the cleaner feather-light to push - it really glides across the carpet, whereas the 160 feels a little heavier to roll along.

8-28-2008-19-18-38--vintagehoover.jpg
 
And underneath...

Turn the cleaners upside-down and the differences between the two designs become very apparent. The 150 has mechanisms for the 'Time to Empty Signal' and 'Automatic Rug Adjuster'.

The 160s underside is a lot simpler; no bag check indicator, and 'self-levelling' wheels, as on the models the 160 replaced. The broad front wheels rode along the carpet pile, while the narrow rear wheels sunk in a little, raising the nozzle off the floor to roughly the appropriate height.

When inserting the 160s tool converter, you press down on the rear of the cleaner. The converter holds a little lever down, retracting the spring-mounted rear wheels and keeping the nozzle off the carpet.

8-28-2008-19-27-48--vintagehoover.jpg
 
Spot the new arrival

Jack,
Thanks so much for the pictures. It was so interesting seeing the difference between the two machines. You are so correct about the handles. I never appreciated the difference until I was visiting a collector friend in Ohio and he had me use one of his older Hoovers with bail handle. The machine was so well balanced. It just glided over the carpet.I think it was maybe a model 26. Very different from the clunky plastic Hoovers of today.
Rob
 
Congratulations On Your New Arrival!!

And thank you for sharing the pix. And as Rob and Norm noted, the comparison between the 150 and 160 is quite interesting. And you're getting the cleaning tools as well? That's the frosting on the cake!!
It was a pleasure meeting you at the Convention.
Jeff
 
makes us Brits feel cheated!

Not having all the bells and whistles on our 160! I'm glad she arrived safely though, and look forward to seeing the finished beastie.

It is remarkable how different machines on both sides of the Atlantic were, despite their superficial resemblances. And it's great you've got the tools, the whole ensemble couldn't have gone to a better home!

Si
 
Love your 150 and 160 vintagehoover!

The 160 was one of my dream finds some years ago – it was sitting in a collectables shop in East London (complete with original 160 bag – Hoover lettering with blue lines under) but it wasn’t one of the collectables! The guy said they had found it in the basement when they moved in and they used it to Hoover the carpet. ‘It doesn’t work very well’ he said! I asked whether I could have it if I replaced it with a fully-serviced ‘modern’ Hoover and he agreed. (you can imagine how I felt!). 2 weeks later I arrived at the shop with a fully serviced Hoover Senior 652A 2-tone grey (they were more common then!) and I took the 160 away.

I can see your rare commercial Model 925 in the first photo. A beautiful machine. I wonder why Hoover only put the art deco styling ‘wings’on the body of the 925 and not the 800. Maybe it was to do with the thickness of the metal casting – I presume the 925 is a heavier machine and the casting is thicker thus allowing for the detailing.

Best wishes, Jon
 
Hi Jon,

very interested to hear from you, since I see you live in Surrey as well! Where abouts are you? I live in Woking! If you ever felt like visiting sometime you'd be more than welcome.

The 925's wings denote it as a commercial model, the most deluxe and expensive cleaner money could buy - they were also used on the 900, which the 925 replaced. The 800 was just the standard domestic model, so it didn't get the extra styling touch of the wings.
 
150's chassis

is floating...the wheel carriage is completely separate from the base, for the rug adjuster mechanism.
Glad it arrived safe Jack, I know you were thrilled to get that!
 
Hi Jack

Thanks for the invite. Would love to but a bit snowed under at the moment. Hopefully in October! In the meantime here's a photo of my Model 160, Serial No. A.19571 along with the toolkit.

9-1-2008-17-26-37--1066hoovers.jpg
 
Jon,

that's a stunning 160! Where do you get your cleaners from? Both this and the 638 in the picture you posted - at least, I think it was you! - look brand new!

Happily, my 150 tools have now turned up. Here's the complete Ensemble:

9-2-2008-19-29-31--vintagehoover.jpg
 
And ready to go!

Along with some related reading material! Sorry about the artlessness of the photos; I'm waiting until after I've done the restoration to take some really nice photos of the cleaner.

9-2-2008-19-31-13--vintagehoover.jpg
 
Nice to have the whole 150 ensemble Jack

That hose looks in really good condition. Mine is a bit stiff and leaks like crazy!
I got the 160 from a Hoover repair man in Basingstoke about 6 years ago. It had the toolkit with it. Its quite an early one. The blue band doesn't say 'ensemble', it says 'Model 160', which I'd never seen before. Heres a pic.

9-3-2008-15-08-59--1066hoovers.jpg
 

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