EUREKA......The VERY best in vacuum cleaners
Hi Austin,
I just gave away a model like that to my super cool next door neighbor to use in his cottage in northern Michigan, as he lets Marty and I go up when we wish and use it. My machine giveth away was orangy red like that, but had a four position "Dial-A-Nap", 3.5 amp motor, and the Disturbulator which has the nickable and damaging plastic beaters described above, which I replaced before I gave it to him.
Also Jeff is absolutly correct about how to get off the lens without removing the hood, by inserting a small flathead screwdriver,at the edge of the headlight housing and as described pry VERY carefully...and you should see how to replace the lens.Most later lenses with this type of housing were either held in by pressure fit, or in this case with the older series...has two small metal ears that hold the lens in place. These metal ears are held into the housing by two small flathead screws.
As to the "Disturbulator", I usually when I get these replace them with a CWP "aftermarket" brushroll that doesnt use beater bars, but instead uses different stiffer density bristles to impart that beating action, and then softer sweeeping bristles, and do a superb job of grooming the carpet, and produces a good, dirt removing buzz to the carpet. In the case of the vinyl bags...Eureka for whever reason as in comparison to Hoover, used either a different style of vinyl or had a inferior process to mold it, pleat it and emboss it as described elsewhere, becasue I have ran across FEW bags of Eureka design that diddnt have some sort of fraying, or chafing so to speak, that diddn't look tatty in a way. Your bag looks good.
I seem to have a soft spot for older Eureka's wheras Jeff primarily likes older Hoovers...
1. Chrome and black Eureka Model G, from about 1938, which was one of Eureka's first "rotary brush" models, that looks wildly like a Kirby 505; that does not have the original cloth bag, but has a good looking black replacement that only a trained eye could distinguish or care about.BUt strangely is only a single speed model.
2. Burgandy and creme yellow Eureka D272 from 1947-48, two speed model, with the original cloth bag that Has had to be sewn in spots to correct minor places where dust leaks, original brushroll AND Cord which is somewhat rare an has the clip style plug connector.
3. Two Tone Blue and Chrome Eureka model 260B "Dual Power Automatic" two speed, from about 1959 accroding to Ads that I have found...which as described in a previous reply of mine is all original, a few minor scratches to the hood, and has a chrome light lens like on your new cleaner, and the original, but stained...woven twill bag...which on ALL Eurekas have seen from the late 1950's and Early 60's until they went to vinyl in the 1970's have disintigrated into oblivion. It also has a square handle rahter than the more traditional round style.
4. My next one was a very wonderful gift from Jeff which is my Queen Anne Gold and cream Eureka "Touch Power" from about 1974-75. It's a Two Speed model 2082 with Cordaway, Rugulator, Vibra Groommer I, and a floral design tapestry style Boxtop bag. The best feature on this model was that in the molded handgrip was a squueze type switch, that when grasped started and stopped the cleaner in the LOW or HIGH positions. The third "middle" position of this switch was a TOOLS mode that allowed the cleaner to operate on HIGH without squeezing the handgrip. Becasue of the weaknesses described above and before in other posts, the zipper on this bag is VERY weak now (ironically a design flaw for Eureka bags IMHO, so I put a fresh F&G back in it and I just don't use it anymore. I restored it anyway so It's sits with the collection. Now that I did what I did to the below machine I should be able to have the bag zipper on this one too replaced soon.
5. Eureka "Brandywine" Series Model 2097A from 1980, which was teemed with frosted white color. I found this machine while visiting Jeff several years ago, while thrifting at the HUGE outdoor garage sale/flea market in Alsip Illinois. It's the first ESP 6.5 amp cleaner from Eureka, and as usual a two speed cleaner, and is similar in design and setup to the above, but without the "Touch Power" handgrip, becasue like Jeff has explained before was really NOT popular with buyers and therfore only lasted thru the previous season's cleaners which were the green series cleaners from 1978-79. I believe...hey Jeff fill this in. In any case, the bags on the Brandywine cleaners all were weak, and while the bag is in beautiful untorn or tattered condition...this bag TOO now has a broken zipper, and I have replaced the zipper after finding a tailor in town that was willing to tackle the job...after LOTS or cajoling...as he thought I was the strangest thing to ever walk pavement to ask him to fix it..a vacuum cleaner bag. But I use this machine in rotation with the next cleaner and my Premier Commercial, also a gift from Jeff.
6. My next one, and most current Eureka model in my home as of now, is the best Eureka upright vacuum cleaner I have ever owned in terms of what I consider cleanibility, versatility, rug appearance, filtration (for that time) and in general looks. Eureka Self-Propelled Two Speed ESP upright from about 1983-84 model 5071-D. It's like a Frigidaire Poppy Red color...not sure of what the actual color is, with frosted white accents, headlight, motor is a 6.7 amp design that was powered up for the self-propelled mechanism, uses the excellent Vibra-Groomer II, Rugulator, and their premo..IMHO Tietex material Triple Filter multicolor striped bag...and what I consider tho be the ultimate feature a 30 ft cord I believe...Im not going to measure it now as it's in the closet...but it's MUCH longer than the more normal 18 ft corded models. It also has a strong chrome handle that was replaced in later designs by a cheaper plastic handle. I bought this on the single premise that the Self-Propelled mechanism not only worked well,but wasin proper adjustment, and needed NO repairs whatsoever, and looked like it just taken out of the box and shoved to the far back recesses of a closet. On these machines the Self Propelled mechanism IMHO usually wears out before the machine does, and renders the machine unpushable...and has to be junked , or a donor machine has to be found for a transplant of the mechanism proper as all patts were discontinued LONG AGO.
8. I also have a Eureka Canister which is the mate to the Eureka "Touch Power" model above above. It's a Emperss II Roto-Matic Model 1288A In Queen Anne Gold and Frosted White. It's a Two Speed model with a six pushbutton suction control panel on the cansiter, a blower port, a 16 ft Cordaway cordreel and Eurekas excellently designed attachments with the additional two wands with the curved attachment elbow to use both the regualr Eureka carpet nozzle and the floor-wall brush. I replaced the original "Disturbulator" design brushroll witht he later Brandywine Series Vibra-Groomer I style brushroll used inthat and subsequent styles of Roto-Matic powerheads. I had to change the belt pulley on the brushroll mandrel to use the smaller "Disturbulator" circumfrence pulley as the one on the VGI was larger than the space would permit between it and the bottom plate of the head.
All in all I love Eureka's and love to see it when another is rescued from the landfill. I usually try and limit latly my cleaner's that I buy; and try to , unless it's in pefect shape otherwise stay away from the lower level stuff and try and find high end machines. The Eureka's of today as with Hoover or any manufacturer are a far cry from what they were making. I wouldn't drop a dime into a Eureka from today NOR would I for a Hoover.
If I had to buy a vacuum cleaner from today it qwould probably be a current Rainbow, or a Royal PowerCast...
Im done now...sorry
Chad
