Hoover electron question

[stubbyeddy]

Hello

I just got an immaculate Hoover electron 1100 in white my question is looking on the back plate its stamped A3474-001 whats the significance of the (-001) part? It was originally purchased by someone who worked at the Hoover factory in Cambuslang and has been serviced and maintained in A1 condition ever since. I would love to know a little bit more about the history of this model ect and info would be great!

 

[matchboxpaul]

Hi Eddy.
Welcome to the club and congratulations on acquiring the machine.

If it's fascia is still white then you are lucky as generally, as with all white plastics on machines of that era, they generally turn a shade of cream or in the worst cases a shade of yellow.

The sickly shade of yellow tends to affect Hotpoint far more than Hoover, but then again Hotpoint had a range that included lots of Polar White models, whereas Hoover started off in 1986 with just the one - your A3474.

The angled fascia electrons were introduced in 1984/85 and all of the models had black fascias and white cabinets.
A year of so later Hoover finally twigged that 1980s kitchen tastes were beginning to favour colour co-ordinated appliances.
Hotpoint had been producing Almond appliances since 1982, to fit in with shades of wood kitchens, and Polar White models to fit in with stark all white kitchens since circa 1985, as well as their standard colour models with white bodshells and contrasting bronze fascias.

Hoover decided to introduce a similar sort of range all based around the Hoover A3350 Electron 1100 de luxe and D6216 Electron Dryer de luxe with Creaseguard.

A3350 below...

 

[matchboxpaul]

D6216 below...

 

[matchboxpaul]

The new range arrived....

...in 1986 (image below courtesy of Mike King)...

 

[matchboxpaul]

The new range consisted of three models of washer and three models of dryer.

A3470 with Harmony Beige bodyshell and mink fascia
A3472 with white bodyshell and mink fascia
A3474 with 'in white' finish, consisting of white bodyshell and white fascia

matching dryers were respectively:

D6292 Harmony Beige
D6294 white
D6228 'in white'

The older model A3350 and D6216 was also retained in the lineup, to give Hoover a range of different coloured 1100rpm models. No other model variant i.e 800rpm models, received this treatment so it was still quite restrictive when compared to Hotpoint, who offered three colour options across virtually their entire range.

 

[matchboxpaul]

The washers ....

 

[matchboxpaul]

The dryers...

 

[matchboxpaul]

and ...

 

[matchboxpaul]

-001 and the manufacture date

I'm a bit unsure as to what the 001 bit means.

I have been and had a look at the ratings plates of all the Hoover machines I own and they are either 001 or 501, with my A3350 being a 501 model and others being 001 models.

Will have to try an do a bit of digging to find out what these numbers mean.

You can identify the month and year when your machine was made.
Using my Electron 1100's serial number as an example, after the 'A3350' bit, the next digit refers to the year, but you need to deduce the decade yourself.
Both the A3350 and A3474 were 1980s models - my A3350 is '6' meaning 1986.
The next two digits refer to the month i.e 03 for March and 12 for December - my A3350 is '01' meaning January.
The remaining numbers are that individual machines identity, my A3350 being number '3199'.

Let us know when your machine was made and a photograph or two would be great, as its not everyday that an A3474 surfaces!
All the best and any further info required - just let us know and I am sure someone will try to help.
Regards
Paul

 

[stubbyeddy]

Hello Paul

Thanks for all the information!! I relay appreciate it! With the holidays out of the way when things have calmed down in the next few weeks i will put up more photos but here is a little quick snap shot i took. The machine is in superb condition but as you can see the white control panel has gone a bit cream over the years. from looking at serial number over the years being in the white goods trade im going to guess the number mean something like Mark 1 or 2 perhaps the only way to prove that one would be to compare the same models and see if the machines with anything other then 001 would have a much later manufacturing date. just a guess

 

[stubbyeddy]

more photos of the machine

 

[stubbyeddy]

side

 

[stubbyeddy]

front 1 before cleaning

 

[stubbyeddy]

front 2 before cleaning

 

[stubbyeddy]

top

 

[stubbyeddy]

back 1

 

[stubbyeddy]

back 2

 

[stubbyeddy]

drum

 

[stubbyeddy]

Came with a new pump that was bought in error years ago