Dyson & Sebo Vacuum Cleaner Repair & Advice Forums
Other Vacuum Cleaners & Site Suggestions => Hoover Vacuum Cleaners => Topic started by: beko1987 on October 19, 2017, 11:05:20 pm
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This post has been a long time coming. Long before I knew about ManchesterVacs, when I only had one child, when I still had my Ford Puma (or 2013 to be more precise), I saw 'an old Hoover' on ebay and won it for I think a tenner. It didn't work at all, and was in quite bad shape.
I don't have many pictures of it really. I lost a load when I messed up a backup, so have these few that I've scraped from various places, mainly the Vacuumland thread I posted at the time...
So we shall start from there! Here it is looking sad in the corner of my old Mancave
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The bag it came with was presumably the original, but in terrible shape
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And full of dirt
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That's Asda price!
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I sent it to a collector/random bloke who used to be on the scene, and he supposedly repaired it/let in new material, but it got lost in the post/he never did anything with it and vanished off the face of the planet, or at least facebook. Hey ho, it wasn't a big loss, it was too far gone to do anything with.
I also did some motor fettling before I fired it up for the first time
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Which I'm glad I did as the wiring was not the tidiest
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Some modern wire was procured
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Wires chopped
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and new wires crimped on (might re-do this at some point, or not. Who knows! I'd solder it nowadays either way)
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It was all heatshrunk, and I skinned the non broken original wires too for extra security
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And ran them through the cable guide
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None of that you can see when it's together so that's fine! It was this point I filmed this I think
I then refurbished the brushroll (I presume...) and got this
However, with the handle attached, it didn't run (the wiring runs from the switch to a socket in the base of the handle, that then plugs into the plug on the motor end. The switch cover was also looking like this
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So, I basically lost interest in it, and never did anything with it. This year though, I managed to get another full handle, and a better condition genuine bag. So, last week, I spontaneously got the main head out of the shed where it was sat awaiting a repaint (which it doesn't need, moar on that later!), and everything else from the loft, where it was scattered about!
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However, first hurdle, the replacement handle was from a different machine, as the socket was different. The bag holder was also totally different too...
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Both are as tatty as the other
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The issue with the original handle is the socket wouldn't come out of the handle. When I tried back in the day I cracked the bakelite, and basically wrote it off
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However, in the preceding few years, I had a plan, so basically smashed the :censored: out of it until the socket came out, broken wires and all! Also making an appearance was the remains of the bag holder, which I will expand on later
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The 875 has a bag strap type assembly, where the bag is held up by a tensioned strap that runs through the handle, over a roller and out to the bag, rather than the now common way of hanging a big spring from a hook. This is whats left of that
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When I got the machine the bag was held up with some proper old looking rope tied to the top cord hook, so this had been missing in action for a fair while I think!
This is the roller, which has 1933 cast into it!
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The strap was so perished I could pull it apart, so that needs sorting
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It turned out, all I actually used from the replacement handle I bought was the rubbery bits, which are in superb fettle
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I did toy with the idea of using the old rubber cable that was fitted, but on closer inspection the internal insulation had gone all soft and mushy, and Charlie plays with cables when I'm vacuuming, so I didn't fancy that, originality or no originality. Plus it was perished on the outside too
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So I found this nice length of modern black cable with one of those new fangled moulded plugs on. When this was new I imagine it plugged into the light fitting!
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I then put my handle plan into action, and found 2 crimps that fitted on (with a bit of opening up) to the motor wire prongs
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Fitted the motor
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Dug out the screw card which miraculously was almost complete, just missing one motor screw!
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Some DC01 mains flex was cut down to size, and the 2 crimps crimped on!
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The other side was hooked up to the switch with more modern horrible looking crimps! I left just enough slack in the handle wire that the handle can be removed, and pulled up enough to flick the terminals apart at the handle base, but if I hadn't have told you, you wouldn't have guessed!
With the motor fitted we have this now
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Time to fit the brushroll, the whole cage swings out from underneath
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And the brushroll slots in, then the cage is closed
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Might make this my new avatar picture...
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Whilst I was re-assembling, I sprayed everything that moved (or should move) with silicone grease spray, and worked it in
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And fitted the replacement bag I have for it
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Which looks lovely, but it's utterly bogging, so this grey bag that goes with my yet to be seen 612 came out to be used!
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Bye for now original bag
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It's none too minty either
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Because the bag strap is missing (I removed it for now) I cabletied the bag onto the roller
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I then got the CIF to tidy the bakelite hood up, and idly gave the hood a rub. I'd written it off as needing a full re-paint, which is why it was in the shed, but blow me if it didn't start coming up clean!
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Even underneath came up nicely
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So I gave the exterior a good going over
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The next day, I went back into the loft and found the baseplate! Forgot about that...
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And fitted a 912 belt, and checked it worked
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It does! There's a full proper video coming on that next week (Tuesday I think, so if you subscribe you'll get notified) so I won't dwell on that much. I also gave the new bag a good handwash
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The flange end really is tatty though
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I did a full video of that too, so that'll come soon, I'll post links up when their live!
And that brings us onto TODAY! Because I had another brainwave, and found myself at our local cobblers
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Where, much to the guys amusement, I bought some almost the right width bootlace, and had him crimp it onto the tension spring just like the original! Because I don't have the other end, we left that long, and he gave me a handful of crimps!
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Cost me a fiver, which I think was fair. Did try to get black, but the only reasonable size was in navy blue, so it'll have to do!
So this evening, I got the now dried bag out of the airing cupboard
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It's not 100% perfect, but much, much better than it was!
Fitting it was a chore, had to tuck bits under that usually were not tucked, and ensure no air gaps
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Perfect! It's NEVER going to see dirt, so doesn't have to be anything better than just able to inflate for show! I'll fit the grey bag for using it
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Now to re-fit the tension spring. Handle off!
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Removed the strap roller, and fed the spring down. I hooked it onto it's tab, and closed the tab up just to hold it in place at that end
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And fed the new strap through the roller
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I had to guess at the length needed to tie it onto the bag. I had the stop rivet replaced in the same position, so I know that's right and won't pull through, so for now I just tied a loose knot into the bag slide
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And for the first time in probably many decades, the bag hung properly on the old girl once more!
I left all the slack on the strap for now. I need to find some form of clip, wether a modern attempt or find an original one I don't know yet
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I also uncovered the height adjustment knob
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Which again I thought needed paint, but it just needed a good clean!
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And this is where we are up to!
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Will try it out tomorrow, and adjust the strap for the inflated bag if needed. Next year (missed the boat for painting now this year I think) I'll rub all the handle and bail down, then re-paint it. Trying to work out if smooth hammerite brushed on would work OK, or if I should mask everything off and spray paint it.
I have a while to decide that though, I'm just happy to have it working fully for the first time in my ownership! And boy does it work well, I'll link up to that video when it goes live!
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love it :thumbsup:
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So here it is with the bag fitted and inflated!
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Beautiful! Next year, when the weather goes nice again I'll wire brush the handle and bail down, then paint it up, but I'm not doing that at this time of year. For now, it's finished!
Well, nearly, I filmed me fitting the above bag and the inflation after I did my DC75 vs Hoover 875 video, but accidentally deleted the source files, so will have to lie and film it again and pretend it's the first time! Not a huge hardship though!
Then it needs to stay about for a little while longer as I have another vintage vac, so they can have some group shots, and maybe even kept out until a certain coffee can comes my way from Manchesterland!
Getting quite fond of these old girls now!
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Who was it laughed at me for using black modern flex on a Hoover Junior? :whist11:
Looks like you have three from Manchester land. I've just done a deal on a 30s Junior as well, and you may as well do all three at once. I'll buy some vintage style cable for mine and send down some period plugs too.
The bootlace and crimps work nice. A sympathetic modification methinks. But black might be better.
As an added thought, why not fettle up and de-flake the handle and try whatever the modern equivalent of black lead is on it? What you use on fire places. It will darken and tidy it up without losing all patina.
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I know, although it looks a little better on an already black vacuum! If Charlie wouldnt play with the leads I'd have left it alone, but I don't fancy the risk! May I be cheeky and ask for 2 packs of your kettle lead kirby cables? For this and my other vintage one that isn't yet on here...
Another 30's Junior? The group shot at the end of this will be amazing! 262 isn't 1930's though so it'll have to have it's own picture!
I went through all the shoelaces the shop had, and the dark navy was the only one that was as wide as the original. Plus I don't mind it too much, as it shows it's a repair, rather than spending far too much time and money finding something truly original. I need to find some form of hook for the bag now (for this and your 750). I'll find a picture in a sec and pop it up and we can put our collective heads together, otherwise I'll find some tiny bulldog clips and use those! That way it can all be changed with no issues should something better come up in the future!
RE handle and bail, my plan is to wire brush it all down next year, but not take it back to bare metal then brush paint smooth hammerite on it, then polish it by hand. I'm hoping it smooths out as it goes on, but doesn't look too factory fresh as that would not work. Not worrying about that tis year though, it's too cold and damp now to be painting outside. Will have a look at whatever this black lead stuff is though, but it can't come off on stuff, if Charlie grasps the handle with both hands then runs around touching everything you'll never hear from me again and Amy won't tell you where the body's buried...
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Another 30's Junior? The group shot at the end of this will be amazing! 262 isn't 1930's though so it'll have to have it's own picture!
I have a Junior 375 coming tomorrow, along with the 725 and the 262 I have already. They made 262s both sides of the war I read IIRC.
I'll get on power coating the head on the 262 and get some vintage style cable in. Our 725 has the roller bracket but not the roller itself. We may drill it and solder in a Dyson axle or something before it comes.
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A DC41 head wheel would work! But is the spring in the handle still? You can't check without removing the handle and plug from it, maybe shake it and see if it rattles? Or I'll get some pound land bungee cord and improvise
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Modern equivalent to black lead is graphite paste, never really dries and leaves your skin looking like you have covered it in pencil. :D
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Just discovered this thread-great restoration job.
What caught my eye was the reference to 'vintage cable'. If this refers to the original ribbed rubber Hoover cable in a kind of faded red/brown colour, then I've never managed to find anything modern that remotely resembles this.
If that's what it is, could you possibly post a pic, or a link to the supplier please? I have a pair of Hoover 375's that are very much in need of new cables.
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The closest I could find that was ribbed was Kirby cable, but the colour wasn't right.
Having given up, I now use these (https://shop.manchestervacs.co.uk/dyson-upright-vacuum-cleaner-spares/dc50-spare-parts/lavender-dyson-kirby-extra-long-flex-cord-lead) with a vintage plug.
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What about this?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Style-COPPER-twisted-fabric-braided-3-Core-0-75mm-Electrical-Lamp-Cable/152016988094?hash=item2364eb27be:g:fUEAAOSwAuNW6IgH
Or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Twisted-Vintage-Style-Braided-Fabric-Electrical-Cable-Three-Core-11-Colours/141484652601?hash=item20f1247839:m:mHmB5vB1euGps-JoibhRoDg
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I saw those but they wouldn't have had that on originally as vacs, should be black rubber cable really. So what I am using is the modern equivalent.