I have seen several collections of Hoovers throughout the years, but does anyone collect Eureka? Tim

I have a few, okay i alot of Eureka's LOL! I love the canisters from the 50's and 60's. Love their attachments because they are full sized and sturdy. I have few Round Roto Matics and "Canned Hams" , the Mobile Aires. I also love the uprights of the 70's.

There is not alot of info out there for production dates. I see alot of Hoover Kirby and Electrolux info out there but not much Eureka. Hello fellow collectors, get your literature out:)

BTW, did you ever find a blue GE rug nozzle for your swivel top? Still looking here in Cali for you!

I have a few in my collection as well, I love Eureka too, a few canisters and some uprights.

Skip...

I would love to see some old eurekas. My mom had blue upright back in the seventies. It was the dial-a-nap without a headlight. Probably a pretty cheap one since it was a second vac to her Lux Golden J. I used to love that old eureka. I pretended it was a lawn mower to "mow" our green shag carpet.

No Marty, I never found the tool for the GE, but it died anyway. I flipped it on and it shocked to fool out of me and stopped running. I gave it to a vac repairman here in town. I really didn't need it anyway. He probably repaired it and sold it for a good price. now I use my Oreck and Lux Super J. Tim

I have a late 60's (blue) Eureka upright, before the dial-a-nap. In fact now that I think about it, probably 1959/60.
I runs well, has a normal and low setting on the back axel.
The rectangular plug in front of the light, on top of the brush roll is where you plug in the hose. I have a hose but you
need a plastic plate that seals the bottom plate so the suction goes to the hose!! I have a 1970's red and White
Eueka upright that my former mother in law had until this
spring. I also have a 1920's straight suction, with black
bag on the front. I really liked to sell the ESP's (extra
suction power) uprights in the 80's Would like a 2087, with
a vibragroomer 1, or a 2097 with the cord a way. Great machines. There were a lot of wide tracks from that same period
that we sold against wide front Kirby's.

seems nobody is as enthusiastic about Eureka as many are about Hoover. i like them for using sealed bearings in their uprights early on, for using sealed bearings in the Vibra-Groomer, and for the very efficient dial a nap control. i dislike them for their leanings to cheap motors (princess/1400 uprights) and using sleeve bearings in brushrolls for so many years.

This may seem like heresy around here,but as I grew up in the 70s,overall,I greatly preferred Eureka over Hoover for many reasons.The F&G bag was way better than the Type C "fountain fill" system,the Dial-a-Nap and Rugulator front end adjustment
knocked the socks off of the 4-position Convertible adjustment,and even the 3.3 amp. machines cleaned carpets better than the Convertibles,though to be fair,Hoover upped the power of it's Convertibles in 1975 by 50%,and really came out with a winner in 1978 on carpets with the Concept One.Eureka at that time introduced a 6.0 amp ESP upright that came close to the Concept in cleaning.There ARE certain Hoovers that I love from then,such as the 1348 lightweight and the Heavy Duty 918.

i like that desc! is that Hoover jargon, or did you make it up? describes the c bag concept perfectly.

Fountain Fill was Hoover's description of it's bottom -fill Type C bag.

Love it!! sounds impressive until you come to empty it...especially after a few months...LOL

We need to make a list of all those marketing terms, priceless!!

Mike

here is a 70s Eureka on eBay. kinda pricey. this is a relist. looks very nice

I have a blue roto matic with all the matching tools, hose. I also have the Eureka chest for storing the vac - unfortunately in a not so pretty green colour.

Gary

Eurekas considered "cheap" compared to Hoover? They were very popular down here in the south. Tim

was actually more expensive than Hoover, well a Convertible anyway.
Eureka always had a TON of models with varying features, so there was quite a range in price from the bottom to the top of the line.
No doubt though, the Eureka was an excellent performer, at times better than the Convertible. When Eureka added their Dial-A-Nap and Rugulator height adjustments, their machines were better than Hoover's 4-position Convertibles.
IMO Eureka made their best uprights from about 1969-1979, especially the 2000 series machines with their original 3.5 amp motor. These cleaners were well made, sturdy, and cleaned beautifully. They also had a flashy pizzaz to them that the Hoovers did not.
I have a handful of Eurekas in my collection, my favorite being a pristine 1972 Golden Vanguard model 2092, complete with cord reel, chrome motor hood, box top bag, and their infamous touch power hand grip. Its a fun cleaner to play with!

i agree. the two position rug adjuster (axle style) on the 60s machines is not flexible enough IMO, and you have to turn the machine over to adjust. and a cheap wooden agitator. then sometime in the ESP era, Eureka started using very cheap motors in most cleaners. in a 1981 catalog i have, the single speed ESP Eureka (with cheap motor and sleeve-bearing VGII) is only one dollar less than the lovely polished metal Guardsman. i'll take the Guardsman. the local Hoover store guy has some cool Hoover literature detailing the cheap materials Eureka used in the 80s.

Eureka is another brand that hits close to home for me...my favorites are (of course) the 1400-series uprights, with the 2-position Dial-A-Nap and wooden Disturbulator. We had an orange and white 1970's machine, as well as an unknown blue version, until I was about 4 years old. The closest I have come to my childhood vacuum is my red-orange/white "Kmart" model 664A, though it's not the exact match. I just wish they were as common as the Convertibles and that there were more around.

I had for a short time, a 2135 upright that I became bored with because it didn't sound like the Eurekas I remembered, and subsequently gave away. While in Tucson, I test-drove Roger's Vanguard upright with the "touch-power" handle grip and was impressed at how quiet it was. Of course, that was because I was still used to the "blender-motor" machines!

Well, you asked for it so here is a series of pictures of my Eurekas. This just scratches the surface of what I actually have as many are in storage unrestored. In fact alot of these machines I'm posting pictures of are just cleaned up and not actually restored. So, I'll start with uprights. Onthe left is a 5047 Power Drive model, center is a model 265 from the mid sixties and the right is Model 2250. I have many other uprights that are more vintage, but like I said, they need restoration.

Joe

First of the canisters are the Roto Matics. The center one is the Golden Anniversary model.

Joe

Now for what I call the Canned Hams. Kinda self explanitory.

Joe

A Eureka by any other name is still a Eureka. Left is a Wizard Super Jet for Western Auto, Center is a basic Eureka Canister and on the right is a Wards Signature. All Eureka.

Joe

This I believe is what was once called the Princess model. I call them Lady Bug Vacuums. They came in a variety of colors and were also branded by other companies. On the left is a Western Auto and the right is a basic Eureka. I've seen these labeled Kenmore also.

Joe

A JC Penney Canned Ham by Eureka. This is a newer model in that it has a power nozzle and takes either the style B or S bags. The other canned hams I've shown take the obsolete style L bags.

Joe

I found out that Eureka also made a tank vacuum. Here is mine along with the ottoman its stored in. This is a complete machine with all the paper work including the users guide.

Joe

thanks,man. I love those old Eurekas. I sure wish I could find my mom's blue one from the seventies. It had the same color scheme as the blue canister in the middle of the OEM machine pic. It had a white rocker foot switch and a white handle release switch. I knew there would be someone out there that had an interest in Eureka vacs. Tim

I have yet to add a Eureka Canister to my collection, looking for just the right one!
Here are my uprights: A 1979 model 1458A, a 1986 Sc888B Sanitaire, and a 1989 self propelled model that belonged to my sister

a 1972 Golden Vanguard. I remember I found this at the Melrose swap-o-rama the Sunday after 9/11. I was just barely above broke, and spent my grocery money for this vacuum. The little old man I bought it from said it was his wife's and was too heavy for her to use anymore.
The cleaner is in beautiful condition, and won 2 ribbons at the 2004 VCCC convention here in Chicago

Tim: I think I may have a Eureka like your mom's packed away. Can you give me any more details?

Here's a W.T. Grant/Bradford canister made by Eureka; I'm guessing early-70's since this one doesn't have a plastic handle. Since bags are probably NLA, instead of using one of the vintage bags that came with it, I was able to modify a Hoover Type H bag to fit this machine simply by enlarging the opening on the cardboard collar.

As nice as the original woven hose is, it leaks like a sieve and while the suction is quite strong at the machine end, it's virtually nonexistent at the hose end. I've seen later Eurekas similar to this one on eBay with plastic "curved" handles at the top (similar to the Constellation) and white ribbed hoses.

--Austin

Close-up of the main unit...the pictures make it look bigger than it really is. VERY lightweight machine.

Obligatory toggleswitch shot!

(There were no other vacs to be seen at the house where this was found, but I opened the door to the laundry room which had a "Keep Out" sign on it and saw a late-70's Speed Queen washer which wasn't for sale...darn!)

It was powder blue with a blue bag. It didn't have a headlight, but an all metal hood. It had a black Dial A Nap dial and creamy white handle relase and on/off switch. I think it did have a vinyl handle cover in blue also. This was probably a bottom of the line basic machine since it was just used for daily cleaning. She had a Electrolux Super J that she thought was the best cleaner. At the time, we all did because of all the hype over tank LUX cleaners. In all reality the Eureka probably cleaned our shag carpet better. Tim

... is the late '50s Golden Crown canister. I had the one-model-later green Roto-Matic with the silver dome that was in really nice condition that I gave away. I don't miss it, and it's in a new and much more appreciative home, but it was the closest to my "dream Eureka" that I've ever come to.

My Aunt Dabney had one, never saw her use it; I always just saw it sitting in her garage with the woven green hose up on a nail.

She had an old beat-up Kirby, probably a 515 based on what I remember about it. For some reason, she mostly used it with the hose, and on the end of the long gray plastic wand ... the green rug tool from the Eureka. The wand was kinda short, even with the "long-neck" carpet tool, so she would sort of hunch over and vigorously "scrape away" at the living room rug.

I saw that Kirby for the last time when I was about 5 years old but I clearly remember how the gray cloth hose would jiggle back and forth as she swept the rug with that long rug nozzle, and how the handle and bag would bob back and forth as she pulled the Kirby around the living room.

I would watch her "Kirbying" through the screen, on the safety of her front porch. I was TERRIFIED of that old Kirby because it made a terrible racket, and I wouldn't go near it! Looking back, I am sure it had a broken fan blade or bent fan blade spindle. I can clearly remember the loud vibrating roar it would make!

I also remember that she did not "empty after every use" as the manual advised --- the bottom part of the bag where it attached to the saniemptor was always turgid and full of dirt!

Anyway, so if any of y'all come across a nice Golden Crown that you don't need - the later one with the long neck on the floor tools - send it to me! :)

that Bradford is Badass!!! nice color. and guess what, it uses the Eureka type H bag that is STILL CURRENT. same bag as the Princess. i THINK i have also seen replacement hoses in beige for that same canister.

Joe
I have a big ole Salesman's case, full of 70's Eureka litature! Having been a Eureka rep. in S. Ohio and Columbus
Vacuum cleaner Repair stores. I have double and Triple of
flyers and pics from that era. If we plan another Ohio mini
meet at Tom Anderson's again. I'll bring that case and you
can pick what you'd like to have!!!
Do you have any of the Wide Track Uprights form the 70's?? The
orginal green ones had 3.5 motors then in 78/79 when the ESP
came out they used the 6.5 amp motors. Sold a lot for commercial use!!! I sold the Wide trac new in my Vacuum Shop
in the 80's with tools against rebuilt Kirby's if a customer
just had to have new. With tools they sold (then) about $179/$189. Rebuilt kirby's about the same.
norm

maybe you can post some of the more interesting eureka lit HERE? any Eureka commercial/heavy duty literature?

Your mom's cleaner sounds like model 2010, which would date back to about 1970 or so.
I have one packed away downstairs in beautiful shape. Let me see if I can find it and I will post some pictures.

My aunt had a Golden Crown also with the matching storage chest. Whenever we visited I also had to sneak a peak at it. And on occassion I got lucky enough that I could actually watch her use it and once I even got to use it myself.

Gary

Hi Norm,

Yep, the next mini meet in N. Canton sounds good. Of course, its up to Tom to host one again. I'm only 4 hours away from him. Also, I go thru Columbus on occasion for business in Dayton. Could be an opportunity to meet also.

Afer all the years of ignoring Eureka, I'm starting to grab the ones I see now. The older stuff is disappearing. Just like any of the older vacuums. For the longest time I just took it for granted that the old vacuums would always be around. Now its the windtunnels and bravos that show up in the thrift stores.

Joe

I like the Bradford. I've got one similar that is a Singer. It too used the style "H" bags. I should of posted a pic of that too.

Joe

I am very envious of all of those beautiful Eurekas! They just shine. The Eureka uprights are darn good cleaners...I just don't see them around here.

Joe...I really like the one in the hassock and your blue cordaway! Great pics!

Jeff...you have the ultimate Eureka...the gold box topped bag model...I have used this machine and it runs great and sounds good. I know it is not a Hoover but it is still cool nonetheless.

Great thread.

--Tom

Thanks, man. I would love to see the pics. Tim

Here are some of mine. Canned hams!

New and old

This one i got from Charles Lester at one of the Garage Clean Ups!

Roto Matic 800 series

Marty,

Those are very nice machines you have pictured. I have this thing for canisters and Eureka canisters are what I have the most of. I do have a few Eureka uprights and I'm starting to grab them as I see them now. Before I would just pass on them and look for Hoover uprights. Now its anything older, Hoovers, Eurekas, Kirbys etc. I'ce turned into a closet Kirby collector, but that's for another thread.

Jeff, I have a boxtop upright as well. Your's does look nice. Of course all your machines you picture look great.

Joe

Here is my self propelled upright

This is my Bradford I got From Tom Gasko. I have since put the tool carrier back on it

I have since put a bumper on it

I have 2 of these I also have the blue and white one these are 4 brush polishers

Joe
Keep your eyes open for the wide front Eureka's. I have a
feeling there going to be hard to find. Especially an ESP
Burgandy one.
Let me know if you happen on to one or even if you have one!
Norm

Here is mine but it's green and white

Skip...

One of the coolest Eureka uprights I have ever seen is a commercial model which is two Sanitaires in one housing --- I saw one at Boulevard Vacuum here in Los Angeles. Anyone seen one of these? They're really cool!

Marty, that's a GORGEOUS Eureka Standard! I don't recall ever seeing it. Where did you have it hidden?!

I bought the Eureka Standard at Angelview in Palm Springs. I first saw the hose and it was thread bare. Thats an understatement, it was almost non existant at one portion of it. The attachments and hose pictured are from John Lucia. Greg Bushman and I were driving back to California from Seattle and we stopped in Portland and John and Brett Schiewe were waiting for us and John had a few goodies out for us to take and i wound up with the Eureka hose and attachments.

Yes I have seen the commercial one You are talking about they show up every now and then on ebay

Skip...

I'm posting this because I thought someone might be interested in it

Skip...

This is another I thought someone might like to get also

Skip...

Growing up, we had Hoovers at home, so Eurekas were always more interesting to me. Eureka had a great design up until the Bravos took over. They tried to match Hoover model-for-model for decades. I still think the Sanitaires are among the best choices for new carpet cleaners.

I once saw the "double-wide" Sanitaire upright; looks like they meant to build a competitor for the Hoover Conquest. They had one at an atheletic stadium; I had to go over and take a closer look.

Oh, the Sanitaire I am talking about is --much-- wider than the Conquest! I know the Sanitaire model you are talking about -- the brush roll is about as long as a Kirby Classic and the ends of the housing stick out on both sides to accommodate it. I have always wondered if they have the same motor as the standard-width "Sannie." (heehee!)

The one I am talking about is literally TWO Sanitaires in one housing -- two motors, two agitators, and, IIRC, two bags -- but of course with just one handle. The extra-wide red housing just wraps around the two motors and agitators. It was literally as if they had taken two Sanitaires and bolted them together and then covered them in a single housing.

I'll see if I can dig up a photo of one ... hang on

....... {{Hold Music}} .......

Okay, I am back. Sorry, could not find a photo on the 'Net. I'll call the vac shop tomorrow where I saw it and see if they still have one etc.

Charles, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about! I remember seeing that particular Sanitaire in the Granger catalogs, oh, about 10 years ago. A picture still would be nice to refresh my memory! Wish I had kept those catalogs. Looked in my current Granger catalog for it; no such luck there, otherwise I would have scanned it in for everyone.

Hoover has the Conquest wide-area vacuum which looks like 2 vacuums joined together with a wide "lawnmower" handle.

Here's my Sanitaire SC899 "wide track" upright with the extra-long VG I brushroll. It's a big, powerful machine that is of course fun to use, and the bag inflates so fast on startup it shakes the handle! The SC899, SC888, and SC886 (the latter two are normal width) all have 7-amp motors.

Ohhh, now how cool is THAT!! I thot you meant the one in the link below--
go

yes i collect eurekas I also collect hoovers, dirt devils, electrolux, bissell, fantom, kirby, euro pro, and readi vacs.

this is the one charles richard talked about:

Wow, that thing is a beast! Were it not filthy I would consider bidding just for the novelty of having such a vacuum.

that's it. Except the one I saw had a chrome and red base instead of white (plastic?)

It IS kinda scary eh ... the original "Monster Vac" ?!

My favorite Eureka looks like no one has it. Mine got lost, sadly is the Eureka Challenger. That particular upright was incredibel I think. The power, the streamline, the Kirby like handle,the swivel wheels on the back. The one I had was in great shape and sadly miss it.

The other one that is an item which to own. Is that the green and red round canister had a hassic or round ottoman to wich to store the vacs in. Does anyone have this?

I have two ottomans one for a filter queen and one for a singer. They both have the machines inside them. I also have one of the Eureka tanks like the one shown above without the ottman, but mine is cardboard only the ends are metal.

David

That isn't a Euerka M You are talking about with the Kirby handle and swiveled wheels in the back

Wow, that is awesome! I bet there aren't many of those around. If it wasn't so damn nasty I'd bid on it...I don't think doing a complete teardown/cleaning on that one would be as easy as a Convertible. Hopefully one in better shape will turn up soon.

And that is a nice Eureka you have Skip; I really like those right-bag machines. They seem better suited to left-handed folks like me.

--Austin

Hi Austin Thanks very much as I love that Euerka M , I had one complete the chrome one but traded with a young collector from the club 3 years ago and the one I traded to Ben was even complete with the attachments and the original attachment box.
Here is a picture of it

Skip...

Here are the attachments in the original attachment box

Skip...

Yes thank you to both Skip and Austin. Both of those vacuums I have had in my past. They were incredible. Thank you for sharing you pics..


David

Here is my Eureka collection:
Self Propelled with 2 speed ESP 6.7 amp motor and VGII
Upright with HighPerformance 5.5 amp motor and VGII
Upright with 4.0 amp blender motor and VGII
Sanitaire with 1 speed ESP 6.0 amp motor and VGII
Model #260 with 2 speed 3.5 amp Sanitaire motor from David Cibrian
Self Propelled Whirlwind with 12 amp motor
Express Canister with 4.0 peak HP motor and VGIII

I don't like my Whirlwind at all! It has poor performance when compared to my Self Propelled ESP!

Here is the vacuums that I grew up with:
Eureka 1428 with 4.0 amp blender motor and Disturbulator
Eureka 1458 with 3.5 amp blender motor and VGII
Eureka 2034 with 1 speed ESP 6.5 amp motor and VGII
Eureka 1934 with 5.0 amp blender motor and Disturbulator
Hoover U4397 with PowerSurge 6.0 amp motor

I also grew up with a Hoover U4455 with 5.0 amp motor.
" " " " " " Kirby G3 with attachments and shampooer.
" " " " " " Kirby Heritage with attachments and shampooer.

When I was 4 yrs. old my grandmother bought a Lux 1205. She gave her Eureka M and her old blue/gray Constellation to my mother, who was taking them to put in the Junior League rummage sale. My mother barely even let me look at the Eureka M. She said "no way"! She told me later it was because it wouldn't take bags and she had visions of me spewing dust all over her house. I ended up with the Constellation until I used a steak knife to pry its plug out of the wall and got zapped. To this day, my hair still gets a little curly when it grows out.

just a month ago my neighbors threw avay a gold vangaurd with that electro-grip thing didint tage it due to the fact i got coverd in snow we han.

My Eureka 2034A Boss ESP upright actually had the HighPerformance 5.5 amp blender motor with the tall fan blades and sleeve bearing VGII.
Eureka advertised it as having the 1 speed ESP 6.5 amp Sanitaire motor with the tall fan blades and VGII.
This is misleading advertising!
Why did Eureka mislead so many buyers of the 2034A Boss?!

Well, none of them probably will ever be collector's items (although you never know!), but I have, now, four Eurekas. The oldest is their original dual-chamber Whirlwind bagless design. Then a full size single chamber bagless Whirlwind with pleated filter (quieter motor than the original model but I hate that pleated filter in the dust bin). A little lightweight Boss Superlite bagless, that I lent to my mother when she couldn't manage a full size vacuum. Finally, I just acquired a modern commercial bagged "True Hepa" upright, and it seems to be the best of the lot. Cleans quite well, and very quiet, as well.

The oldest residential upright in my collection is a Hoover "Convertible" from the 80's. Although the only convertible thing about it is the name on the outer dust bag. It's an upright-only with no attachments kind of deal. Then there's the Electrolux Model 30 cannister, circa about 1948, came with the house, and which still works just fine, too. I would use it more if I could find a paper bag solution for it. I tossed the GE swivel top cannister I had for years... wish I had it now. It never cleaned very well, even after I cleaned the fine dust out of the fan assembly (interesting flat squirrel cage type of impeller design).

Here's a picture of one of the two oldest Eureka's a have.