crouzet951
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2013
- Messages
- 278
Hello and greetings from Brisbane Australia.
I’ve been reading lots of threads in the archives over the last few days and they’re fantastic – so many great machines and people. The UK and Australian market posts, including about the 455, have been fascinating, as have the gorgeous US machines. My interest in washers commenced when my parents bought a new Hoover 525 top loader in the early 70s, after mum had put up with a Pope wringer machine for years. I talked them into getting the model with a heater, which was never used anyway. Top loaders ruled the Aus market in those days. The machine was fascinating to a 14 year old boy, and that fascination has never ceased. Alas, the 525 went years ago and all that remains is the instruction book. It was great to see photos of various 500 series machines again. I’d forgotten how handsome they were. Hopefully you may be interested in my 455 washer and its matching 155 dryer.
I bought the 455 new in October 1980, for the sum of $360. The replacement Aus made 465 had been out almost 12 months by then, and the only reason I didn’t buy one of those was there was no detergent dispenser. Not knowing much about these machines at the time, it’s a decision that was never regretted. Mine would have to be one of the last 455s sold new in Aus. The manufacture date is February 1979. Over the years I’ve replaced the tub bearings and seal a few times, the tub back plate, the door interlock, and a few hoses. Overall it’s been very reliable.
In a moment of madness I retired it in 2007, after the tub bearings failed in a big way. I stupidly replaced the ceramic seal face on the spider on the last bearing change (it was hardly worn) and it came loose, allowing water into the bearings over the next few years. The tub had about 10mm of up and down play at the front. I’d love to hear what other people have used to retain the seal face when replacing it.
It languished in my garage until now. I’ve come to miss it over the last few years, so the 455’s being resurrected, mainly due to the enthusiasm gained through this site. Alas, on initial disassembly just yesterday, there is a small rust hole through the outer tub where the drain tube connects. Hopefully epoxy water-proof putty will do the trick after it's cleaned up. The inner tub is still in good condition.
The 155 dryer falling into my hands was one of those moments of serendipity that don’t occur very often in life. The local electricity supplier at the time was SEQEB (South East Queensland Electricity Board), and they had stores, much like the Electricity Board in UK. When driving past a SEQEB store one day in the early 90s, sitting forlornly outside was a Hoover 155 dryer. The car was turned around very quickly. It turned out the dryer was a trade-in, and it didn’t work. The thing that struck me was the incredible cosmetic condition of the machine. It obviously had been someone's pride and joy. The drier was picked up for princely sum of $10!
The machine would not tumble, but the heating elements were working. It turned out the motor windings were burnt out due to the fluff clogging it. My advice to anyone cleaning one of these machines internally is, don’t neglect the motor. A new set of windings were obtained from Hoover and the motor was back in action. The drum front nylon bearings were replaced, the clockwork timer replaced with a Diehl electric timer (Hoover sold the conversion kit in those days), and of course the stretchy fan belt was renewed. It’s run beautifully ever since. The manufacture date is December 1978. I’d dearly love to find a stacking frame for this British dryer to fit on the washer, as then it could come out of the garage.
Over the years I’ve collected: lots of new & used parts for these machines; the service and parts manuals for the 3236H, 455, and many of the Aus manufactured front loaders; and also brochures for most of the Aus front loaders. The service manuals have been scanned into a 36mb PDF, so let me know if anyone would like a copy emailed. If anyone’s interested, I can scan the brochures and post on here as well.
My only other Hoover products are a U6033 Power-Drive Dynamatic (as Dial-A-Matic vacuum cleaners were known in Aus), and a rather funny little 8337 Runabout carpet sweeper.
The following images were taken in 2001, just after the tub back plate was replaced on the 455. They were taken with my previous digital camera, so apologies if some of the images are not completely sharp.
Sorry for the length of this posting. Hopefully it hasn't been too boring.
Regards John
The 455 in all its glory. All the paint is original, except for the door which has yellowed. It was repainted over 20 years ago due to rust, and needs to be done again.
I’ve been reading lots of threads in the archives over the last few days and they’re fantastic – so many great machines and people. The UK and Australian market posts, including about the 455, have been fascinating, as have the gorgeous US machines. My interest in washers commenced when my parents bought a new Hoover 525 top loader in the early 70s, after mum had put up with a Pope wringer machine for years. I talked them into getting the model with a heater, which was never used anyway. Top loaders ruled the Aus market in those days. The machine was fascinating to a 14 year old boy, and that fascination has never ceased. Alas, the 525 went years ago and all that remains is the instruction book. It was great to see photos of various 500 series machines again. I’d forgotten how handsome they were. Hopefully you may be interested in my 455 washer and its matching 155 dryer.
I bought the 455 new in October 1980, for the sum of $360. The replacement Aus made 465 had been out almost 12 months by then, and the only reason I didn’t buy one of those was there was no detergent dispenser. Not knowing much about these machines at the time, it’s a decision that was never regretted. Mine would have to be one of the last 455s sold new in Aus. The manufacture date is February 1979. Over the years I’ve replaced the tub bearings and seal a few times, the tub back plate, the door interlock, and a few hoses. Overall it’s been very reliable.
In a moment of madness I retired it in 2007, after the tub bearings failed in a big way. I stupidly replaced the ceramic seal face on the spider on the last bearing change (it was hardly worn) and it came loose, allowing water into the bearings over the next few years. The tub had about 10mm of up and down play at the front. I’d love to hear what other people have used to retain the seal face when replacing it.
It languished in my garage until now. I’ve come to miss it over the last few years, so the 455’s being resurrected, mainly due to the enthusiasm gained through this site. Alas, on initial disassembly just yesterday, there is a small rust hole through the outer tub where the drain tube connects. Hopefully epoxy water-proof putty will do the trick after it's cleaned up. The inner tub is still in good condition.
The 155 dryer falling into my hands was one of those moments of serendipity that don’t occur very often in life. The local electricity supplier at the time was SEQEB (South East Queensland Electricity Board), and they had stores, much like the Electricity Board in UK. When driving past a SEQEB store one day in the early 90s, sitting forlornly outside was a Hoover 155 dryer. The car was turned around very quickly. It turned out the dryer was a trade-in, and it didn’t work. The thing that struck me was the incredible cosmetic condition of the machine. It obviously had been someone's pride and joy. The drier was picked up for princely sum of $10!
The machine would not tumble, but the heating elements were working. It turned out the motor windings were burnt out due to the fluff clogging it. My advice to anyone cleaning one of these machines internally is, don’t neglect the motor. A new set of windings were obtained from Hoover and the motor was back in action. The drum front nylon bearings were replaced, the clockwork timer replaced with a Diehl electric timer (Hoover sold the conversion kit in those days), and of course the stretchy fan belt was renewed. It’s run beautifully ever since. The manufacture date is December 1978. I’d dearly love to find a stacking frame for this British dryer to fit on the washer, as then it could come out of the garage.
Over the years I’ve collected: lots of new & used parts for these machines; the service and parts manuals for the 3236H, 455, and many of the Aus manufactured front loaders; and also brochures for most of the Aus front loaders. The service manuals have been scanned into a 36mb PDF, so let me know if anyone would like a copy emailed. If anyone’s interested, I can scan the brochures and post on here as well.
My only other Hoover products are a U6033 Power-Drive Dynamatic (as Dial-A-Matic vacuum cleaners were known in Aus), and a rather funny little 8337 Runabout carpet sweeper.
The following images were taken in 2001, just after the tub back plate was replaced on the 455. They were taken with my previous digital camera, so apologies if some of the images are not completely sharp.
Sorry for the length of this posting. Hopefully it hasn't been too boring.
Regards John
The 455 in all its glory. All the paint is original, except for the door which has yellowed. It was repainted over 20 years ago due to rust, and needs to be done again.
