Your Favorite Royal Metal Upright or Canister? (No Dirt Devil Stuff, Please)

[kirbyclassiciii]

What is your favorite Royal metal upright or canister (models made prior to March 1995 are preferred)? No Dirt Devil models, please.

To start things off, here is my 1988 Stark Deluxe 5000NA upright.

~Ben Edge (KirbyClassicIII)

 

[gsheen]

My favorite

My Royal 215
Ben can you Give me an age of the machine if I give you the serial no

Gareth

 

[tolivac]

Most any of the metal uprights except the ones with the "Auto Toe-matic" height adjust.and of course the metal tank vacuums from Royal.

 

[vinvac]

<span style="font-size: medium;">Ben,</span>


 


<span style="font-size: medium;">As long as it is metal and it says "Royal" on the label...it has won my heart.  I have always loved any of the Royal products.  So well built, got the job done, and last a lifetime. </span>


 


<span style="font-size: medium;">When I was a teenager I worked at the school during the winter part time and full time during the summer as a student custodian in charge of the students under a government assisted school/work program.  We used Royal vacuums in our building under the name of "Hild"  We had three vacuums and one set of attachments.  Those vacuums lasted us almost 15 years.</span>


 


<span style="font-size: medium;">At the high school building, they decided since there was so much more carpet that they would trade in the Royal vacuums they were using for Hoover's.  The models with dirt cups and also had the plug on the side of the vacuum for large objects that were picked up....can't think of the model.  With in the first month, they replaced the motor in one of the Hoover machines and by the end of the school year they were borrowing our Royal machines as the Hoovers were not keeping up.  Hoover Conquest...that might have been the models...they ended up replacing all of them that first year and the most they would last would be three years....</span>


 


<span style="font-size: medium;">I bet if I were to go back, there would still be one of the "Hild" models still sitting in the corner as a spare...now probably 30 years  old.</span>


 


<span style="font-size: medium;">Morgan</span>

 

[akabent]

No Dirt Devil stuff, please......

No Dirt Devil stuff......EVER!!!!   lol


 


P.S.   BEAUTIFUL Black and Red, above.


Rick

 

[electrolux~137]

 


 


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">Playing the Devil's Advocate here... what if someone's favorite upright IS a Dirt Devil?</span>


 


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">For many of us, the appeal of a particular vacuum cleaner has little to do with its performance and much to do with our "nostalgic resonance" with it as the machine in our households when we were growing up.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">Granted, it's a sad lot for the young collector-to-be who's raised in a home with a Dirt Devil, EuroPro or DustBuster (etc., etc.) instead of a Royal, Kirby or Miele (etc., etc.). Not only does he have to bear the terrible misfortune of being raised in a filth-laden home, he'll also have to endure the lifelong shame of being scorned by collectors who enjoy more "appropriate" machines.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">But that doesn't make his candidacy for VCCC membership any less valid.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">Or does it?</span>


 


<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva; font-size: medium;">I wonder sometimes.</span>


 


 

 

[kenkart]

BUT!

We as a group, can teach the younger members, and the less knowledgable folks, about the good stuff,case in point, a while back one thread asked what the best Hoover ever was, many responded the Elite!! Now to me, that is just more modern plastic stuff I wouldnt even look at, but remember, I was born in 1965, not 1985 or 90! same goes for Royal, my 2 speed 259 , or my 975 pink canister would be my favorites, but the younger folks have never been exposed to real quality, made before the days of computers doing everything, and most of all before the days of Made in ...... There was nothing else but USA, to most folks! If you lived here, you bought what was made here!

 

[kenkart]

975

1963...pink.

 

[kenkart]

259

two speed, brass covered brushroll.

 

[kenkart]

side view,

fan housing and rug nozzle are one casting!

 

[kenkart]

Oh yeah...

Here is the 260 tank!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

How many of you have come across a Royal Prince 501 as sold by Certified Chemical & Equipment Co.?

Here is this one dated April of 1985. Note the gray trim for the handle and cord instead of blue.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130572889009#ht_500wt_1361

 

[gsheen]

childhood vacuums

I totally agree with Electrolux 137 , its a link to our child hood, Mine is a plastic piece of rubbish as most would put it a moulinex major , my moms ( hope I spelt that right) the other is a UK electrolux 404 my grans and despite haveing over a 100 vacuums in my collection ( allot in need of repair ) I do not have these two and would pay way much more money than they are ever worth to get them.


Even my car is one from when I was  teenager , It was the car to have when I was young a status symbol something to achieve so last year when it came time to replace my modern normal car and <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">opportunity</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span>came knocking I bought it fast


 


I do however love older stuff but then again I use a modern vacuum in my home , I do collect both old and new.


 


I am on the hunt for more royals though, I love my old one  

 

[hoover1]

My favorite

is the Royal Prince 501 handheld vac.

 

[vacman117]

That's a tough one for me....

I honestly like all of my Royals, but these three are my favorites and the most special ones to me. My 1982 Royal Model 608 Commercial. My uncle saw this in the garbage and felt that he was obligated to grab it for me since it was a Royal. It was most likely used as a household vacuum considering its condition.
Next is my 1978 Royal 880. I was so excited when I got this one. It had been on my list for years, and I was very lucky to find this mint condition one.
Lastly, my 1989 Royal Model 9005 Classic Edition. This was my first 'household' Royal. I found it at a yard sale for 10 dollars. As soon as I was getting ready to leave the sale because they didn't have anything, one of the guys brought this out of the house and said his boss wanted him to tell it for her. I figured it would have been a lot, but when he told me the price I about collapsed.

 

[electrolux~137]

 


 


 


<span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva; font-size: medium;">Speaking of the value of old machines, and teaching young people, it is VERY important to keep a good "poker face" when finding a treasure at a thrift shop or yard sale when its price is shockingly low. You do not want to gasp, faint, get the vapors, scream, do the touchdown dance or anything ... not even a faint gasp or "Oh my." You say, "Cool, thanks, I'll take it," and then get the hell out of there. Otherwise, that old piece of junk they were about to throw out will become a rare, priceless, irreplaceable artifact worthy of display in the Smithsonian, and, of course, worth a fortune. "Been there, done that, don't have the t-shirt and don't have the vacuum cleaner either because I told the greedy seller where he could stick it!"</span>

 

[massagemiracle]

My Fave Royal!

I should have kept this vacuum!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

vacman117

Chase,

The 1988 Stark Deluxe 5000NA had been on my list of wanted vacuums, and now I have one (bought it for $24.95 at Red, White & Blue). Mine is, however, the first version (based on model 889, rather than the 9000) because it has the Rite-Hite screw-type adjuster knob rather than the Au-Toe-Matic toe-touch type your 9005 Classic has.

~Ben

 

[hygiene903]

I Agree With Morgan!

Anything with the Royal label is #1 in my book, especially the Royal-built Electro-Hygiene. Some of my favorite Electro-Hygiene models include the 903, 966, 950, and my recently acquired 980 and 2-230.
Jeff

 

[ryanm]

Here is my Royal with the original box it came in, I bought it new. Very powerful machine and great power nozzle.

 

[2011hoover700]

I love my royal 608 that I rebuilt as an 886.


Also, I love my royal prince model 501.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

@2011hoover700

Damien,

How did you attempt to add the deodorant chamber on your 608?

~Ben

 

[thissucks]

in response to electrolux~137 you speek the truth, dont let them on, let them belive its just a old piece of junk. thats how i got two kirby omega's for $35. i just let them know that my vac just broke (ha ha) and i need a new one if they ask.why would i need a second? for upstairs because they are heavy.

i have a early 90's 8.7 amp green upright, love that vac but pops ran over the drapes repeatedly and now needs a motor.

 

[collector2]

As far as favorite Royals for me it would be a toss up between two machines. The first was actually the first Royal I ever saw up here - the model 401 from 1959. (I still havnt found the proper grey straight wand for it)

 

[collector2]

and the second would be a more recent aquisition - The Royal model 258 from 1947.

 

[elux-o-matic]

Favorite ROYAL

Here is a pamphlet (sales brochure) i have at home.
It's my favorite Royal. I never had a chance to use one, but i love the style.


Andre

 

[eluxomarty]

886FH

I stopped at a thrift store on the way to San Diego a few months ago and found a Royal metal upright 886FH in dark blue trim for $20.00. Other than putting a new belt on it, nothing was wrong with it. It's currently the daily driver.

Chase, I think I watched several of your videos on YouTube last night. I recognize that green shag rug! Great I watched vacuum videos on YouTube on a Saturday night and I wonder why I'm still single LOL!

Morgan, Don't you have the Electro-Hygiene upright with the removable front nozzle like a Kirby, to hook on the hose? I thought you did. That would be cool to see. Hint hint.

Marty

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

eluxomarty

Your 886F is just the standard 886 but with the Au-Toe-Matic toe-touch height adjuster instead of the Rite-Hite screw-type height adjuster. I hint yours was made after April 1991 and before March 1995, correct?

~Ben

 

[eluxomarty]

Hi Ben

I don't know when this vacuum was made. The name plate reads:

Model 886FH Plant:A

Serial D94317374A

6 Amps

The decal on the nozzle reads: 5 year warranty.

Mine has the Au-Toe-Matic levers in the back. It has a headlight but no place to put the fragrance cystals. It also has the four "fat" wheels and takes type B bags.

Can you tell its age from that description? It was made in Cleveland, that much I know.

Thanks, Marty