Thread Number: 12712
The Beautiful 68 Convertible
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Post# 135828   5/8/2011 at 22:47 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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We took a trip up to Minneapolis last weekend to visit our very own webMaster(s) and had some good luck at the estate sales, as we usually do. Both Fred and I found Hoovers at one house, a very nice model 28 and a 68 Convertible.

Post# 135829 , Reply# 1   5/8/2011 at 22:48 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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Here are finds for the day - and more in the back seat!

Post# 135830 , Reply# 2   5/8/2011 at 22:53 (4,708 days old) by Brandon_W_T ()        

HEY!

I had one of those! :)


Was my great great uncles. Used it until the original bag was packed full and then sat its entire 50 year life in a corner.


I miss that machine! Probably the nicest convertible I have ever owned.


Amazing finds! Your bag looks so mint and unused.


Post# 135831 , Reply# 3   5/8/2011 at 22:54 (4,708 days old) by vacumaniac ()        

Very nice finds!!!!

Post# 135832 , Reply# 4   5/8/2011 at 22:55 (4,708 days old) by Brandon_W_T ()        

And Greg....

whats the story behind that umbrella? LOL

Im coming over this week sometime to see that 68. Watch out!


Post# 135834 , Reply# 5   5/8/2011 at 22:55 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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When we got the machines back home, Fred set about tearing the 68 down and giving it a spa treatment. Watching him work on these machines is just amazing, he knows them inside and out and clips along like a Hoover restoration machine! He disassembled the entire machine, cleaned and greased all the necessary parts, ran the base and washable parts through the dishwasher and washed the bag.

Post# 135836 , Reply# 6   5/8/2011 at 22:57 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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Polish and elbow grease made this machine shine like new again - truly stunning in person!

Post# 135837 , Reply# 7   5/8/2011 at 23:01 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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Here is the finished 68, back in service and sounding like it just came out of the box!






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Post# 135838 , Reply# 8   5/8/2011 at 23:05 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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While working on the 68 and doing some washing in the other room, we loaded up the dishwasher with more Convertible parts Fred was working on. He used only STPP (phosphates - water softener) for the cycle so there are was no chance of harming any of the painted parts with detergents, bleaches, etc. This method does a phenomenal job of making these parts just sparkle again.

Post# 135839 , Reply# 9   5/8/2011 at 23:10 (4,708 days old) by dial-a-nap (Omaha - the home of the TV Dinner)        

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Here are our twin 68's in the kitchen - this color is just hypnotic!

Thank you again Fred and Robert for a fun weekend and the overwhelming job on the 68, I love it!!



Post# 135862 , Reply# 10   5/9/2011 at 11:01 (4,707 days old) by alexb1186 (Ferguson/St. Louis, MO)        
I have a drool puddle now on my bed

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Is that the 68 field coil in the dishwasher and if not, how did you get yours so clean without taking the motor apart?

Post# 135863 , Reply# 11   5/9/2011 at 11:06 (4,707 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        

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Thank you again Fred and Robert for a fun weekend and the overwhelming job on the 68, I love it!!

 

Yay, totally our please Greg.  I wish all of us had powers to zap ourselves around the world so we could have visits like this every weekend.  Gotta love those estate sales!


Post# 135864 , Reply# 12   5/9/2011 at 11:15 (4,707 days old) by vacfanatic (Omaha, NE)        
Dishwashing Motor Parts

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I too have washed field coils and armatures in my dishwasher, but I did use a bit of detergent - they came out so clean!

I then put them on a cookie sheet and baked them on "Keep Warm" for a few hours to get rid of any excess moisture in them.

:-)

Andrew


Post# 135875 , Reply# 13   5/9/2011 at 13:02 (4,707 days old) by Kenmore81 (Warwick, RI)        

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Very nice, much nicer than mine but still my favorite Hoover.

Post# 135877 , Reply# 14   5/9/2011 at 13:22 (4,707 days old) by Automatic-Shift ()        
Fred,

Amazing! You are not afraid to get in there and make it shine! Wow! That 68 is incredible. Lucky find. I had one a long time ago, but no where near this condition used. Enjoy! Ron

Post# 135890 , Reply# 15   5/9/2011 at 16:40 (4,707 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill (Birthplace of the Railway),England, UK.)        
Seniors & Convertibles

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Wow great finds there boys, as always at the Minneapolis estate sales!!!, lovely blue colour...the agi bar looks brand new...

A surprise to see the field coil in the dishwash - Fred do you dry them off with a hairdryer etc??


Post# 135893 , Reply# 16   5/9/2011 at 16:59 (4,707 days old) by Brandon_W_T ()        

How does one obtain this STTP? I need some.


I Have a bagillion parts to wash in a dishwasher. Could wash them all at once at Gregs! :)


How would a metal base verity do in a dishwasher? Would think high pressure of dishwasher would take some paint off an old one?

I do have the beast of a dishwasher- the slightly older Whirlpool machine, that cleans like none other.


I have been told to stick armatures of old fans in the dishwasher, and even old phone cords. LOL never thought possible.


Post# 135899 , Reply# 17   5/9/2011 at 17:55 (4,707 days old) by alexb1186 (Ferguson/St. Louis, MO)        

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I have stuck hoses in the dw and I think some plastic Convertible bases but usually full hood bases as I have no clue if the phosphates/detergent would mess up decals/lettering on hoods or bases with Penneys or Wards graphics.


Post# 135905 , Reply# 18   5/9/2011 at 19:55 (4,707 days old) by hooverhurst (northwest pennsylvania)        

New to the forum, but have been skulking around reading it for years.
Your 68 is beautiful...fond memory for me...My parents remodeled the house in 1962 and also decided it was time for a new vacuum. My mother took me with her and she let me pick it out..had a choice of the 66, 67, 68 and the rare gold one at the time (I forget the model #). I chose the 68 because I loved the color, though she tried to talk me into the 66, as it would have matched the new forest green carpet better! Also talked her into the attachments, but she didn't buy the deluxe set, since we already had a Constellation 82.


Post# 135910 , Reply# 19   5/9/2011 at 21:01 (4,707 days old) by Brandon_W_T ()        

I just had a thought.


The 68 was my first hoover convertible ever! :) (besides my 344 that I had since a kid at papas house)


Post# 135924 , Reply# 20   5/9/2011 at 21:31 (4,707 days old) by hamiltonbeachbo (Milwaukee )        

Fred,
Beautiful job on the model 68.
That particular machine is special in the lineup since it includes the handle grip along with the blue handle and bail ... beautiful color scheme.
Like you, I love breaking down machines and detailing them from the bottom up.
Greg, that has to be a keeper in your collection.
Glad to hear you all had a great weekend.
Thanks for sharing!
psf


Post# 135963 , Reply# 21   5/10/2011 at 04:46 (4,707 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
oh...

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Ooh I never knew you could wash the field coil and armiture.
There you go I learnt something new lol:o)

James:o)


Post# 135970 , Reply# 22   5/10/2011 at 08:11 (4,707 days old) by luxg ()        

Greg, what a beautiful machine.  I have a feeling it didn't look that good the day it was bought.  I would love to see Fred do a complete restoration like that some time as well.  Great machine and a keeper for sure.  


Post# 136022 , Reply# 23   5/10/2011 at 16:00 (4,706 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        
OMG THAT'S THE VACUUM FROM

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the "who's minding the store" clip i uploaded here!

Post# 136030 , Reply# 24   5/10/2011 at 17:23 (4,706 days old) by vacfan6384 (Larksville,PA)        

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Wow thats amazing!!! I hope to someday find a Hoover model 68 or one similar. I hope someday I can meet some of you guys on here and would love to learn how to take apart a Hoover convertible and clean it up and put it back together.

Post# 136079 , Reply# 25   5/10/2011 at 21:38 (4,706 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)        

Wow what a find! That's my favorite convertible.
I wish we had estate sales like that around here!
Nicholas


Post# 136663 , Reply# 26   5/15/2011 at 12:07 (4,701 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        
Thanks for starting this thread, Greg!

Yes, it is a beautiful specimen of the model 68 Convertible.  And like I told you -- probably the nicest, mint-est Convertible I've ever had the pleasure of rebuilding.  I could tell when I took it all apart that it had never been serviced.  You just know when you take out the screws that the last time they moved was when they were being put in at the factory.  :-)

 

It was an absolute pleasure bringing it back to life, and now she's ready for another 50 years!

I'm greatly looking forward to seeing it again the next time we visit you in Omaha!  Is your blue model 86 Constellation enjoying its new roommate?

 

Here are some pictures I took:


Post# 136664 , Reply# 27   5/15/2011 at 12:08 (4,701 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        

Another shot:


Post# 136720 , Reply# 28   5/15/2011 at 23:23 (4,701 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
A great machine.

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My friend in Scranton has the vault model. Mine has no bag.  Maybe someday.


Post# 137187 , Reply# 29   5/21/2011 at 09:58 (4,695 days old) by vacfan6384 (Larksville,PA)        
What type of Lubricant do you use on the modor bearing?

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Hi just a quick question? Someday I would love to find a older Hoover convertible and learn how to take it apart and clean it. Just wanted to know what type of Lubricant should I buy for the modor bear?

Post# 137203 , Reply# 30   5/21/2011 at 12:58 (4,695 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        

I just use high temperature grease for the lower motor bearing. I have it in a grease gun, and I have a special grease gun nozzle that used to be available from Hoover specifically to grease lower motor bearings and agitator bearings.


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