The Air-Way Super Chief Arrives!!

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(Ya know I love ya like my luggage.)


I'll take that as a compliment seeing as you didn't say "lost luggage" that would make me angry LOL

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I have the one key machine missing in Charlie's lovely set -- a Green Goddess. It needs to be cleaned up but is complete. I can't get to it at the moment to take photos of it as it is in storage.

It's a neat machine but pretty garish looking. The painted trim is done in a metallic lime-green color, and the bag is purple with green lettering. It's a unique sort of paint that I've never seen anywhere else. It kinda resembles hammertone except that instead of the mottled, textured look, it looks more like a very fine crackleature effect with traces of metallic yellow and gold running through it that reflect the sunlight.

The other thing that distinguishes the Green Goddess is that it has a portable handle like the old Kirbys. The long hollow handle comes off and a small metal handle clamps onto the top of the machine.
 
Charlie -

Those are 3 wonderful sweeties. And I learned something new about the tool conversion on the DirtMaster. Fabulous! JL
 
Charles Richard,

I think the Green Goddess is fascinating. At last year's convention, I did a presentation on Air-Way's and I used the very first 55, (borrowed from Duane Taylor), a MINT Green Goddess, (loaned from Stan Hagan), and then my own Chief and DirtMaster.

Stan Hagan's Green Goddess looks it was made yesterday at the Air-Way factory. The person that owned it used it only to fluff pillow feathers! So it never got any real, "ruff and tumble", use.

Maybe some day I will find one as I should add a straight suction vacuum to the collection. My favorites, obviously, are the upright revolving brush models.

THANKS everyone for your kind words. If is was not for the club, I probably would not have found all of these wonderful Air-Way's. So many folks have helped in so many ways.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in Austin!

Charlie W.
 
My Goddess is not in the greatest of shape cosmetically but it runs great. The bag, with two spring-loaded support rods that clip between the motor and ring switch, is severely faded with the silk-screened graphics barely legible.

But enough paint remains to show it is a two layer application. The black fiber handle tube is first painted that garish lime green with a second (varnish?) coat of a transparent mottled gold hammertone-ish effect that indeed does shine & gleam with an inner light.

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Found mine over 30 years ago at a junk shop for $10. I didn't really know what it was or it's significance at the time. It was just so kinky looking I had to have it. :-)

I later got an orphaned bag but the attachment points are different - the removable rods are now steel bars rivetednto the bag with fold over clasps to hold the halves together. From another model?

But with the fresher looking bag were the fiber crevice tool and dusting brush that fits on to the crevicetool - I have identified these from an Air-Way manual.

But what about these two hammertone blue & black rubber bumper Air-Way nozzles?

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Dave,

Those go to the Air-Way Sanitizor model 66, (circa. 1949), which is blue to match your tools. They did indeed slide onto the floor nozzle and were quite effective.

People at the time and still today, rave about the felt floor pad. The bristled attachment worked fairly efficiently considering the time frame. We know today that a dental notch brush strip or shorter brush row in the front work better.

The steel bars are different from the round rods. I think, and I emphasize, THINK, the steel bars are from earlier models probably starting with the model F from 1928.

And, yes, you are correct, the dusting brush did slide onto the crevice tool. The dusting brush did not become it's own entity until later in production.

I wanted to post a pic of your Green Goddess that I had access too, but had problems doing so, so I am glad you did. Your model is very nice! I've seen several over the years and most have not aged as well.

But, we have to keep in mind these vacuums are from an era long passed by. They also were made of materials that probably were not designed to last 75 years!

Hoovers, arguably, seem to last somewhat better. My Hoover model 150 from somewhere from 1936 to 1939 seems to be far sturdier and interestingly enough, you can still find other 150's out there to get parts from!

Try finding a bumper for a Air-Way DirtMaster! Or an outer cloth bag. Or even disposable paper bags for that matter. I suppose this is why the Air-Way vacuums are so collectible and rare.

Thanks for the great pics and now go find a model 66!

Charlie W.
 
Further delving reveals the conundrum that perplexes me.

Charlie, I do have two each of the Models 55, 66 and 77.

I'm sure you meant to type 55 aka the Hydrant.

Now, I have tools and tool bags and caddies for all three models but I suspect the tools that came with my 55 are actually from a 66, or a late 55, when a change was made to produce separate all in one aluminum cast nozzle bodies - with the felt polishing pad a clip-on interchangeable attachment...

...because I do not have the slim upholstery nozzle these 55 'feet' are designed to slide on to, as shown in this page from the 55 manual.

Also, the wands & floor nozzles/tools that came with my 55s are not compatible with the 66/77/88 etc wands - and vice versa - in that the 55 tool flange ring is set further from the wand end and the end taper is larger. The right tools on the right J wands go together only one way. The retaining tab is different as well.

Curiouser and curiouser...Inquiring minds need to know. :-)

Dave

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Oh wait!

I do have that upholstery nozzle, after all. It came with a second 55 snap-on caddy bag I snatched up last year. Silly me. I shall correct the contents of the 55 saddlebag forthwith...

I also have a triangular Air-Way dusting brush ( like the dirty gray one in the picture) in black rubber, which colour matches the 55 floor tool bumpers. Yippee!

All it takes is a nudge to the noggin that threads like this inflict to make connections that bring it all together from the various spare parts bins, nooks and crannies.

Thanks, Charlie.

Dave

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Here's what I mean about the wand to tool difference. As to whether this change was made during the run of the 55 or began with the 66, I simply do not know.

You can see the upper wand has a longer end beyond the clamp ring.

The top tools will fit only on the top wand and the lower only on the lower wand.

The bore inside the lower tools is only as deep as the wand end and so the tools are not interchangeable on the wands.

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Wow Charlie,

Just beautiful. I remember how happy you were when you got that machine. All of the work you have put into the restoration was sure worth it. I too hope that we will be able to see it in Austin. Your entire collection is fantastic.

Terry
 
Terry,

Due to some shipping issues, I probably won't bring it to Austin. When a convention is drivable for me, then I will bring all of them.

It is just too risky to ship. If anything gets banged and broken, I'll be SOL!

See you soon!

Charlie
 
My apologies for inadvertently hijacking Charlie's thread.

I do want to get in this final nozzle/wand picture. Two types of latches for securing the nozzles so that they can swivel freely. The early one is a simple screwed on and adjustable tab and the other is a spring-loaded 'hook' catch. As I observe, the two wand ends are different enough in length, diameter and taper that the nozzles will not fit on each other's wands.

More information on this and other things 55/66 I will continue over on Pete's new 55 thread...



http://www.vacuumland.org/TD/THREADS/VINTAGE/8852.htm?2
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