Appliance Abuse

[myhooverco]

I thought I would post some pictures of a Hoover Dial A Matic that my wife picked out of the trash this week. The machine is from 1975 and is all original. However, just check out the abuse set forth by the original owner (neighbor down the street). The handle broke as usual with these machines. So they attempted to "fix" it. I think they used some bondo and some very big screws. Check out the big steel plate they used to hold the gold cover to the white body. The cord while also original has been yanked out of the handle. The machine is very clean and has the original brushes on the agitator. It does not have the usual scuffs. That is why this machine is so sad. If they just didn't try to fix it...it would have had a chance. I am thinking about restoring this one. Not that it is rare...just I feel sorry for it. I thought it might be fun if some other folks here posted some pictures of other abused appliances and some of the ways naive people try to keep them going.

--Tom

 

[myhooverco]

Here is another view.

 

[myhooverco]

And yet another view...I wish you could see how clean this machine is!

 

[toggleswitch]

OUCH...

I'm intrigues by those HOOVERS all of them.... especially the W&Ds. Any chance of pic of those in action?

 

[timborow]

Green Hoover

The green Hoover Convertible has an opening on the side of the hood. What is that for? Is it for attachments? Tim
P.S. A great collection. I would also like to see the w/d in action.

 

[myhooverco]

hole in the side of a convertible

The hole in the side of the green convertible hood is a vent for the motor. The top of the motor has a cooling fan that moves air over the motor. The blue machine behind it has a vent with a different style opening. By the way those are "Penncrest" machines...private label vacs made for JCPenney. The green one is the first model in 1964. The tools for these old convertibles went in the bottom in the rear "under" the bag between the rear wheels. There is a track and a high speed switch where the converter slides in, down, and over the fan opening...not very efficient but definitely cool!

 

[hoover1060]

That poor DAM!!!

That model especially seemed to suffer from broken necks more than any other... must have been something in the plastic!
That will be an easy rebuild, especially of you have another gold front.
I am amazed at how nice the rest of it looks with the neck patched like it is...

 

[tolivac]

I definitely don't want to come back as a vacuum-poor thingss-as Rodney Dangerfeild says-"I get no respect"its amazing how people treat the machines that clean their homes for them.I see battered vacs at the "Vacuum Cleaner Hospital" here in Greenville-most have to go to "intensive care" from their abusive owners-some come back for repeat visits.Most common is broken fans in Sanitaires and kirbys-people seem to think these will pick up anything-anything on the floor they will try to pick up-the Sanitaires come from the University here in town-also handles(metal) get broken-guess someone on their janitorial staff hates to vacuum.So he breaks the vacuum!Bill even has a jar(bill is the vac shop owner operator)that he puts the coins he finds in broken vacs to pay for his dinners!I have seen METAL handlebars on Royals,Kirbys broken as well-he doesn't ask-just fixes em and charges for it-don't blame him-He says to me"Gave up asking what happened long ago"Someone also brought in a Royal metal upright(user from a church)that had a broken floor nozzle-I asked Bill-How did he do that?" we wonder on that one.He fixed it and went on.Got a floor nozzle from a scrap machine.The best one is when someone at one of the Hamburger joints brought in a commercial Riccar upright that had been used to pick up a --HAMBURGER!!He said as he dropped it off-doesn't pick up and it smells"Took Bill and me to help almost all day to clean up that one.Another vac dealer I visit got a Sharp upright from a customer-the user vacuumed out his fireplace with it-the live ashes still in the bag melted the vac to a heap!He left it on display.The motor in it did still run.

 

[toggleswitch]

Kyrie Eleison

LHM

Lord, have mercy!

 

[toggleswitch]

BTW the hoover W&D in the background are of interest to me. Any chance of pics?
TYVM

 

[westytoploader]

Oh no!! That poor DAM...yet another case of where it was best to just leave it alone!

Your Penncrest Convertibles are very nice, especially the blue machine with the cord reel. I like the Coppertone Hoover twinnie and matching dryer as well...do you use them on occasion?

--Austin