Australian made Keymatics

[ozhoover]

I don't post here very often but do read all the posts daily, but I had to share my latest find with you.

Well I'm pleased to say I have managed to get hold of an Australian made Hoover 3226 Keymatic to go with the 3224 I already had.

It's not in the best of condition with some surface rust and the rubber and starting to crack but the door boot and internal hose's are in fair shape with no major holes that I can see.

It came with one Keyplate and the motor is still working not bad given it's been sitting in a garden shed for over 10 years....

I'm just really pleased to now have both of the Australian made Keymatics, a real piece of Hoover history. It wasn't until I got the 3224 about five years ago that I realised that Hoover made them in OZ and didn't imported them from Hoover UK.

I had to wait until I went to visit the family back in Melbourne last week to check it out.

Here's a couple of pictures
Mark

 

[ozhoover]

pic 2

Like the internal door on 3226

 

[ozhoover]

pic 3

The close up

 

[ronhic]

JEALOUS!!!!

Well done for finding that fab machine. It does look very clean inside, especially for a shed find.

 

 

 

 

[ozhoover]

And a picture of the older brother the 3224

Cheers
Mark

 

[ronhic]

Mark

A quick question for you....

 

Where abouts did you pick up the 3224 from?

 

[ozhoover]

Hi Chris,

Got it from an old washer and vac repair store in Northcote, Melbourne, the store was called The Hoover Shop.

I also just about to post a picture of a Hoover 560 Top Loader I got from ebay back in July.

Mark

 

[mayfan69]

a question:

Nice finds Mark.

So, a question: now that you've found these 2 Keymatics, if any others do go up for auction on ebay: will you be bidding on those as well?

Cheers
Leon

 

[appnut]

Difference between 3226 & 3224

Mark, a super keymatic congratulations!!  I see the 3226 has what appears to be some sort of cycle sequence/progress dial/display.  What else are the differencdes between the older &newer model?  Bob

 

[ozhoover]

Hey Leon,

No more for me, I have the two and will hopefully be able to get one fully up and running.

Where you and I bidding against each other on the 3226 ? Opps really sorry if we where.

Mark

 

[vacbear58]

Aussie keymatic

Mark,

What a great find for you - interesting to see that the 3226 appears to have a stainless steel inner door, I think ours only had the white door. Hope it proves to be a runner for you - if not there is a fair bit of knowledge one here - sadly not in my head!

By the way, seeing your other thread (nice machine too!) have you moved back to Australia?

Bob,
Both machines had a progress display - on the 3224 it's the red strip to the left of the name, on the 3226 it was a circular one.

Al

 

[cfz2882]

impeller

so these keymatics tumble washed and had a seperately rotating impeller/pulsator
at the back of the drum?

 

[ronhic]

Correct. Depending on which cycle was selected, depends on if the impeller was engaged though all cycles tumbled - there was no 'impeller only' action.

 

[cfz2882]

cool!-just needs a window to veiw the extra wash drama the impeller provides

 

[mayfan69]

Fair's Fair.

Hi Mark

Yes, it was me you were bidding against, but no need to apologise. It was a fair auction.

At least i know there's one less person to compete with regarding a Keymatic. If you haven't seen it, the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra has a 15 minute showreel about the Keymatic's introduction to Australia...everything from advertising, marketing etc. It's fascinating.

Cheers
Leon

 

[ronhic]

Really?

Is that available on their website Leon?

 

[mayfan69]

Yes it is....

Hey Chris

Yes it is.....search under Washing Machines....

It was one of the very few adverts i was able to borrow and see here in Qld. considering you're there...go have a look

Cheers
Leon

 

[mayfan69]

Here's the link

Here's the link...

There are so many adverts i wanted to view, but can't as many don't have any copies made of them, but this one does...

Leon

http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/s...=Hoover Keymatic;querytype=;rec=3;resCount=10

 

[warwickaust]

Great find

Hi Mark, what a great find, one of my dream machines.

Still remember the one mum had 3226. when it died and they couldn't or wouldn't repair it. It was stripped for the wash tub and mum still has it. It's blue with plants growing out of it on mum's back porch.

There a washer repair guy in morrabbin with one as shop display.

All the best with getting machines up and running.

Warwick

 

[arrrooohhh]

Wonderful Hoovers.

Love the 560.

 

[gizmo]

Last Aussie Keymatics

Does anyone here have any info on the very last Aussie Keymatics?

I have vague memories as a kid of there being a last "Keymatic" that was NOT badged as a Keymatic.

My Mum had a 1960s Hoover Convertible vac and she used to get bags and spares from Westwoods Hoover in Frankston. (Westwoods still exist but have moved.)

I distinctly remember on one visit they had a Keymatic on display in the corner and on the door it had a square or rectangular blue badge with the Hoover logo and a model number, I think it was a 400 series number. [That would fit as the next shape was the Hoover 455 which I think the Poms call a Matchbox]. The machine I'm talking about was a sloping front Keymatic. I don't think this machine had the word Keymatic on it, as I remember thinking "that is a Keymatic" and being surprised the name wasn't there. Colours I remember on it would align with the Hoover 500 series top loaders coming out, whenever that was.

I have never seen or heard of such a machine ever since. Maybe I dreamt it?

Our neighbours has an earlier Keymatic and I loved the shape of it, though my Mum told me at the time it was very unreliable and was always being fixed.