Rick, there's only one version of the 85 but that's not to say that many Constellations haven't been 'modified' by well-meaning DIY-ers and Service Depots salvaging parts and transferring them to other machines. Within Series ranges bottom shells from one model can be intermixed with differently coloured tops to create colour combos the factory never produced.
Then you have the official variations put out by the Hoover Canada concern in Burlington (later Hamilton) Ontario and the Perrivale UK/European versions.
With that all said my Survey info on Constellations goes like this:
The Constellation was built from November 17 1954 to Jan 30 1975. The same basic Henry Dreyfus spherical machines were produced to the end with only colour changes and tweaking of the original design.
There are TWO Series if you will...the First with hose at top center, Second with hose entering near the top and sub-series Two which has the same hose coupler but the cleaner body tilted in relation to the base ring. (Three Series if we include the mid-2000 Maytag/Hoover Opalescent White or Stainless Steel Satellite Constellations...)
Series One:
The hose is attached to a heavy steel arm that swivels 360 degrees around its top center mounting.
The debut model is the two-tone blue Model 82 with dusty blue rubber bumper ring, Ultraflex hose & cord, which does not float. A 4-caster dolly was available for easy trolleying from room to room.
Within months, if not weeks, floating Models 84 in two-tone Mulberry and the 85 in White over Heather Rose, both with matching coloured rubber bumper rings but off-white ultraflex hoses, were introduced. These fulfilled the Market Strategy of Bottom, Middle and Top of the Line versions.
The base donuts are the same shape with the floaters having a hole in the bottom corresponding with the vacuum's exhaust port. All three bases are hinged on one side to swing away allowing the hose 'pipe' to connect for blowing.
Under the lid, the bag collar support is a one piece curved steel stamping and the slub-felt motor filter disc is held in place with a steel 'hat' band joined with a short spring.
Minor differences between the three other than colour is the trim ring applied around the hose inlet and the Bug badging on the side.
The debut 82 has a very decorative wide aluminum ring festooned with shooting stars and Hoover Constellation script with a single round bug badge on the side.
The mid-line 84 has a thin chrome ring set into the hose inlet and again a single bug badge on the side but Constellation script in red silkscreened just below it.
The top-of-the-line 85 goes a decorative & utility step further with a plain wider aluminum scuff ring 'donut' around the hosepipe inlet and the bug is incorporated in a trim piece that runs down the side to the bumper trim, as shown on Fred's 85.
It adds some wire frame tool posts attached to the base ring and little ear tabs above the bumper for cord winding.
All three versions were in production from 1954 to 1957.
Series Two:
The fixed non-swiveling Ultraflex hose coupler moves to a side location and a new handle setup design incorporates a rear tailfin for winding the cord around. The floater base is now a flared trumpet-shaped ring that is permanently riveted in place. You simply tilt the entire vacuum over sideways to connect the hose to the exhaust port. The hose now stores very neatly nested inside the flare. At some point on some models wire tool support posts rise from the base above the hose winding area for on-board tool storage & trundling.
The bag support becomes a shaped wire frame with a steel fitting welded on that accepts the bag collar. The filter clamp becomes a steel wire coil that is a bit trickier to put on. These changes continue to the end of the run.
The second series began in 1958 with the gold coloured Model 86 (which later in its run became Porcelain Blue), followed by successive coloured models, thus:
Model 87 - 1959 - Garland Green with electric hose On/Off feature (discussed here many times - do an archives search for this singular model) Matches the Model 66 Convertible.
Model 88 - 1960 - 'Pank' officially known as Fawn - matches the Model 67 Convertible.
Model 434 - 1961 - Canton Red and Pearl White - matches Model 574 promo Convertible.
Model 444 - Bittersweet orange - matches Model 34 Convertible Special.
Model 454 - Nassau Blue - matches Model 36 Convertible Special.
Model 843 - Autumn Gold & Seal Griege - This is the tilted model - matches Model 1060 Convertible.
after 1971 base colour changes to Medium Taupe.
Model 858 - Pumpkin & Seal Griege - matches Model 1120 DAM.
after 1971 base colour is Medium Taupe and in 1974 top colour is Poppy Red.
The last two models, 843 & 858 were both in production until January 30 1975 when the Constellation was discontinued in North Canton. At the beginning of the 1970s the Constellation was promoted as an entry level Economy cleaner which sold around the $30 price point.Keep in mind that Hoover also badged the machines for JC Penney (Pencrest) and other stores so there are many variations out there.
The Canadian Hoover factory put out variations in colour combos not available in the USA. Here in Canada around 1974 for instance, at Consumers Distributing Outlets a stripped down Connie Model 888 could be had for $54.97.
Other exclusively Canadian Models:
Model 821 - clone of blue Model 82 swiveltop.
Model 841E - clone of Mulberry Model 84 swiveltop.
I don't think we had a Heather Rose 85 variant. (?)
Model 862 - white top. side hose over orchid mauve (Mulberry-ish) bumper, bottom and base ring.
Model 866 - all over Fawn Pink w white trims.
Model 867A - 1964 - White dome over pale Pea (not Garland) Green handle, bumper trim, base and lower dome. (I guess that answers my Canadian-only other colour coordinated handle/bumper trims question)
Model 869 - Robin's Egg Blue all over w white trims.
Model 438 - Pearl White w Canton Red handle, bumper and base ring.
Model 451 - all over Mustard Yellow w white trims.
Model 888 - 1971/73 - all Sky Blue w white trims, later 1974/75 all Bilious Lime Green...er...Apple Green w white trims.
Then, around 2006 came the 'Series Three' Maytag Satellite in Stainless Steel which was brought over to North America via China as the Hoover Constellation S3345 in SS & Black trims & clear hose or painted shimmering Opalescent White with Gray trims & a shorter gray hose. Around 2007/08 these were both sold in Canada at Home Hardware stores and others for a short time until late 2008 when Internet Mail Order Closeout became the only way to get one. The price gradually plummeted from a high of $299 to $149, to $99 on the Hoover Website when I ordered mine. On a road trip in 2009 as Hoover Outlets were closing I saw some in stores marked down to US$75.
Any corrections or confirmations gratefully received, please.
Whew! That's a wrist-wracking heap 'o Sunday mornin' typing!
Dave.
No Constellation Survey is complete without the Patent Drawing:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=YG...=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false
