This 1933 Hoover 800 has a SECRET!!!!

[myhooverco]

Well you always hear about something someone bought at a flea market for $1 and it is worth a lot more...well it finally happened to me. I picked up this Hoover model 800 at my local vac shop. I wanted it for parts. It had the handle completely gutted. They had taped a long cord with a Hoover plug to the outside of the handle. Rubber bands played some sort of roll in keeping the cord on the handle too. I removed the handle and the tape/cord. The grip is perfect and some of the original bag strap was inside. I have a 925 that was going to be the recipient of this fine handle. I turned the base of the machine (which I have had for months now!) to see if there was a decent brush roll. There was and it had obviously been used. I checked the serial number to see where it was in production. The number was 8100001. Any Hoover nut knows that this number is very odd. So I checked my book...this is the FIRST 800 off of the line! I have to rethink this machine now. It is going to have a complete restoration. I do not have the original bag but I do have one that will do. The bumper will need to be replaced. All in all this will turn out nice. There aren't any gouges on the base. Here are some pics of it.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is the whole base. Note the different badge from the regular 800's of the era. It has a clear bumper on it that has yellowed. It is a complete mess! You have to love the design of this machine with its built in headlight and sculptured top.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is a close up of the badge. Note the "86" inscribed in the base. This is a tatoo that Hoover put on all of the cleaners that went to the "vault". They were all tagged too. This might be the 86th cleaner added to the vault! How it got out I have no idea. I wish this machine could tell its story.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is the handle grip and the original Hoover plug. These grips as any Hoover collector will tell you are as rare as hens teeth!

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is some of the handle and all of the residue of the tape. The spring was inside the handle and that is some of the original bag support strap. Too bad the original bag was not attached! The bag on it was from a 913 commercial from the 70's and full of dog hair.

--Tom

 

[vintagehoover]

:O

There are finds, and then there are FINDS!

And what coincidence that the person to buy it should be one of the few who would recognise it for what it really was!

It's gone to a great home, and shouldn't be too difficult to restore - the handgrip looks to be in lovely condition - barely worn at all. I have a couple like that, but they're definitely the exception, not the rule!!

As you say, how it came to be out of the vault is a mystery, but at least it'll now be in a great home once again!

 

[vacuumkid3]

Amazing Tom!!! I bet you are thrilled with this find! How cool is that? I wonder if they will want it back. Probably not with the buyout. Anyways, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! You are very deserving of such a vacuum. Great Thanksgiving find, and have a good one!

~~K~~

 

[electrogirl]

Amazing

Tom,

That is a spectacular find! It is fate that you happened upon it. I look forward to seeing your restoration as it progresses.

 

[normvac]

It found it's rightful home!
Norm

 

[petek]

What a find...congratulations.. Maybe somebody walked out of the vault with it in their lunchbox?

 

[luxg]

Tom I think it is just fantastice that you found this!! It is just where it should be!!

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Wow.. that's incredible!

I'd love to find a handle with the bag strap still in tact... or at least figure out how to get one apart and find suitable replacement parts to get it working again.

Terry is right/// that cleaner is definitely where it should be!

So, if that's number one - what number is in the Historical Center? I'd be interested to find out - that 800 that is in the Historical Center is probably the most beautiful and perfect-running old Hoover that I have ever plugged in and brought to life! Simply amazing.

And I'm sure you'll find an original bag for it at some point or another.

~Fred

 

[hoover28]

wow

good find. glad it found a good home with you.


Chris

 

[charles~richard]

WOWWWWWWWWWW!!

Can't wait to see the "after" pix!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

[hygiene903]

Exceptional Find, Tom!!

And I can't think of anyone more deserving of the first one off the line!! I'm happy for you, and as Charles said, can't wait to see the "after" photos!
Jeff

 

[chestermikeuk]

Wow!!

Now thats a thanksgiving present or Christmas come early, well done Tom, looking forward to the restore and seeing it next year, Was it only certain models that had the handgrips???

Cheers, Mike

 

[arh1953]

What can I add to that, except glad it didn't go elswhere. I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[myvacsrock]

WOW! I would have figured Hoover would have had that machine!
Nice!

 

[sfovacman]

I'm speechless

Tom, I'm not often speechless; but I was after seeing the pictures of your 800 that was first off the production line!

With many others of us, I'll be anxious to see the finished product.

Ad multos annos!

Jim Kirby

 

[myhooverco]

I had a little free time today so I worked on the unusual model 800. This is how she looked once I put some Mother's on her and installed a used 800 bumper from a donor cleaner.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is the agitator with the famous It Beats As It Sweeps As it Cleans beater bars. This is the before. The original brushes were not too bad.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

The agitator is all cleaned up. It did not turn out as shiny as I had hoped, but it is in very decent shape. I greased the bearings and she turned freely. I also installed some NOS brush strips. The one in the photo is the longer of the two. The new one is nearest the agitator. These are simply spring loaded, no screws and very easy to install. You can see the corrosion on the once shiny beater bar.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is the finished product. Here I have reinstalled the motor. The original "long" type bulb was still in good working order. I am just amazed at the overall condition of the base. It was basically just dirty. The handle had no wires in it whatsoever. There was no switch! I had a nice parts machine that donated all of the parts to make this historical model 800 live again. I could not repair the original bag strap. So I used a genuine Hoover replacement "patch" that goes over the opening of the original hanger. I used a spring to attach the bag.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

And, drum roll please....the finished product. I am not sure where the bag came from. It looks nice enough on this machine. I may some day run across an original for it.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

This is just another shot of the machine running. It has two speeds which according to Stan Kann, the lower speed is just enough to do your rugs. Hoover got out of the two speed cleaner market after the model 150 ended production in 1939. The Convertible cleaner reintroduced this feature in 1957.

--Tom

 

[aeoliandave]

Holy Cow, that's stunning, Tom. Stories like this give us all something to hope for. As the Disney song goes 'Tales can come true, it can happen to you, if you're young at heart...'

Right place, right time, good karma and no second guessing yer instincts. This holds true for beater vacs that just need a good hosing off,as well as that forgotten old stock in a hardware store shut down in 1959 new in unopened box vacuum that never sold and ends up in a flea market.

Been a very very good Full Moon Thanksgiving for the worthy from coast to coast, I'd say.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Wow!
That's amazing!

Congratulations again!

~Fred

 

[hygiene903]

Nice Work, Tom!!

That 800 was a special machine to begin with, but you have done an excellent restoration job on it, and the finished product is beautiful!! And I agree, that bag does look good on it.
Jeff

 

[swingette]

very very nice.

its too bad two-speed cleaners arent more common. i like that feature and with all the 12 amp models today i think it should be more popular.