The weather being highly co-operative, I drove to Syracuse last Friday for the weekend Annual Christmas Dinner at buddy Rich's. I've written of these gastronomical feasts before.

I decided, well, since I'm here in NY state I might as well continue the Grand Tour.

Sunday afternoon I headed over to Oneida to visit with Chris Szwejk and a couple of other vacuum fellers who heard I was coming.

Monday I headed down to Greene NY to spend the day with Mike Gravlin.

Today I am in Pittston PA. going up to Dunmore to see John Gregory - he doesn't know this yet.

This afternoon I'll spend a little quality time with John Long and then I'm heading west toward Lock Haven PA and attempt to find Chuck Chatham.

From there on to Youngstown OH to Don O-Conner's shop and see about getting the Premier brushroll re-bristled.

And of course that will take me to North Canton OH.

For now, though, here's what's hopped in the car so far:

Two Singer S4 bases, a cool GE hairdryer in Deluxe case (from Mike G)...and in that box is a Toast-a-lator toaster I snagged for $70 in primo shiny un-marred condition except for one chip out of the bakelite base. A Grail Toaster! Found by happenstance when Mike & I took the wrong exit thrifting in Binghamton and came upon a row of Junk & 'Antique' stores.

There's some other stuff in there but I can't remember what just now. LOL

In the trunk - two Singer S4s in differing states of dis-repair that will make one perfect pink S4.

A cute green/blue Eureka with tool clips around the base

another Grail Vac - the Singer tub.

Some gray early GE Reach-Easy tools

a perfect GE Moth Cloth

and a model XXX shell in LX leatherette livery.

Lots of bags

Oh, and a cute Hoover Floor Sweeper over on the left side.

It's a start and there's lots of room yet...

Dave

Davy's off and running, Looks like a nice start. The Singer base closest to the door looks to be in nice shape. The blue/green Eureka is the one I had as a kid, it was left in the basement of my parents first house they bought. The floor tool was a grey metal, the suction wasnt as strong as our Kenmore, but the airflo seemed to be better. It picked up nicely. I remember hurting my wee hands trying to unscrew those knobs sometimes ;)

Have a safe trip.

Kenny

My prayers have been answered and I have located daytime whereabouts of Chuck Chatham's Vacuum Shop. Hooray for the WWW.

So, starting with Syracuse, my Organ Buddy Rich completed another project in restoring his federal mansionhouse. Except it was not finished until 3 days before the Dinner, so when I arrived he was at least 5 days behind in preparations.

PS, the darker red extension at the back is the pipe chambers and back passageway for his 3/33 Aeolian Duo-Art organ.

He had Chris Szwejk rebuild the motor for the Orgoblo. Cool, eh?

Rich had the two front rooms on the left of the house painted and wallpapered by thos west coast custom wallpaper folks that do all that work for san Francisco homes, etc. an old lady spent a week on her back om scaffolding to do it.

Of course the living room and then the dining room had to be utterly cleared out of furniture  first. Then the plaster & lathe walls had to be pinned and stabilized. But the results are muted-ly spectacular.

How the extended table looked after we set out service for 40 persons. The larger man in light blue shirt does ALL of Rich's custom woodwork and cabinetry and refinishing for years now. You've seen that bathroom...

I had quickly visted Chris in Oneida on Friday when I got into town and he suggested and arranged that we all get together on Sunday afternoon to see his vast collections at home.

I can not possibly show all the pictures of Chris's place but here's a few teasers.

Some of Chris's cars. he ain't called Ramblerman for nuthin'.

At another farm up the road is more more more. again, all I'll show ya is the Lux Bus.

There must be around 7000 Electrolux carcasses piled to the ceiling on  either side of the aisle. This is where I spotted the LX/XXX and had to rescue it.

More Chris pics when I get a chance but now back to Syracuse.

I've talked about the house on the factory before.

Penfeilds was a mattress and bedding firm at the turn of the century. Mr Penfeild had a two story house constructed on the roof where it is a famous landmark today. It is only a shell - there are no walls or interiors.

Across the street form this building is an amazing 4 story Antique Emporium that has to be seen to be believed.

The house is much easier to see from a distance and unfortunately there is a billboard on the best view side that blocks the view - you can see it behind the house in this view I shot with telephoto setting from the Carousel Mall across hiway 81.

One of the table centerpiecs of the Dinner was this amazingly alien looking broccoli Flower. Geez.

Other centerpieces were the traditional epergnes festooned with fruit and erect bananas in provocative arrangements.

The desert cakes. wickedly chocolate

I took my leave os Syracuse on Monday and traveled down to Greene NY to spend the day with Mike Gravlin.

The drive is a rollercoaster ride up down over and around the geography. Stunning views even in brown winter.

Greene NY is a charming American town with ancient roots.

The Main Street bifurcates as you enter the downtown with gorgeous business building fronting onto a central parkland strip.

More downtown businesses. I will have to merge some panoramic shots to get the full effect.

After some coffee and cake and meeting Mike's GF gal we went thrifting all the way down to Binghampton.

First stop was the Thrifty Shopper and found nothing of interest but I love the wooded hill behind the mall. Typical vista in these parts.

Next we headed into Binghampton to the local Salvation Army but again, nothing of interest.

But! I took a wrong exit and we ended up, after taking an impressive drive through the downtown core, at a humble strip of junk & antique shops. Most places were optimistically pricey.

Had I the room this stuffed half o' bear might be sitting in the passenger seat but alas it was not to be...

Unusual assortment of things and this Magnus reed organ caught my eye and wallet. Perfect original condition, it's one of the must-haves for a mechanical  usic guy..

I was also quite taken with the smoothly sculpted heavy brass shark paperweight and the pewter eagle was one of the better models I've seen.

Then, on top of a shelf in back I spotted a Toast-O-Lator! In superb working & undamaged condition except for a chip in a back foot of the bakelite base.

had to have it - kinda haggled, got the price down and got a discount along with the other items I relieved the gentleman of. I could barely contain my excitement, as Mike can attest.

The aluminum Mirro-Matic 4 cup percolator was given to me by John Long today (as it is not a Hoover anything, LOL)

The Mirro Company manufactured "The Finest Aluminum Appliances" in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

Thanks John - it's a humble beauty, no dents or scratches, complete with braided cord and all the innards and will polish up very nicely..

I have a few pictures of Mike I forgot to process but this is the interior of the shop.

The magnus organ, as you may know was a well made toy for children. It uses a squirrel cage fan to blow the reeds. What is desireable about it is the wonderful Bakelite cases and the sturdiness of the construction, as well as the chromatic keyboard.

Also very simple construction and a hefty motor that gradually spins up to speed and is remarkably quiet.

Also very simple construction and a hefty motor that gradually spins up to speed and is remarkably quiet.

The Toast-O-Lator walks the bread through the cabinet on those barbed rails, where it emerges perfectly toasted according to your done-ness setting. The porthole windows glow red from the elements.

Good examples are highly sought after and usually command a King's Ransom to purchase. just google it.

This a an all original corded Model G and I've never seen finer other than in other toaster collections. I am very pleased to add it to the collection at such a bargain price. it will be a labour of luv to clean it up.

That's enough for tonight.

This is a vacuum shop in Syracuse called Vacuums Galore owned and run by a very handsome Biker Guy. He adorns his front window and shelves with vintage vacuums folks give him. he is not a collector but is handsome as the day is long.

Sadly, he closes at 2PM on Sundays...

Here's Mike routing around looking for treasure.

About those Singer S4s:

One is serial # 7957918 and the other is 8061806.

They are slightly different paint shades which is too overall to be fading.

The darker one has the broken handle, beyond repair and no bag.

But it has a perfect cord and few scratches on the hood.

alas, it also has a broken glass lense and it must have sat in a wet shed as the cord strain relief spring is rusted to collapse and the brushroll is horrendous. The cordwinder medallion has seen better days, too.

The lighter one, on the other hand, has a perfect handle, brushroll with good bristles, a clean strain spring, and a perfect glass lens. The medallion looks like new as does the bag.

But it's shell is badly scraped, the cord rubber is dry-rotted.

The darker one matches the Singer tub so it's a no-brainer which machine will receive the donor parts transplants for one near perfect S4.

The fronts

and the tops. I see I have confuzzled which machine has which flaws but the pictures make that clear. We'll be restoring the darker pink one.

I'm off to the west to find Chuck Chatham and tour the Piper Airplane factory Museum in Lock Haven PA.

Norm...toast? What toast?

But I did pounce upon a bargain Toast-O-Lator in Binghampton...

Liberace? I've been snapping up every Liberace vinyl LP I find at Stratford's Sally Ann and Goodwill. He was fantastic and I surely remember watching his show on B&W TV. Mom and the grandparents loved him...Dad, not so much maybe. :-) In any event on later listening 40 years later Liberace was very very very good! (I have zero interest in the Micheal Douglas bio-pic currently in post-production) I prefer to remember the real man without the fictional gauze of time and innuendo infecting his legacy.

John, everything was perfect including your fine handsome 'keeping heart&head-above-water' self; you are in the best of hands - your own, my friend. A few select pictures will be posted.

But first - I just pulled off the road in torrential rains here in Clearfield PA for the night at a nice old Rodeway Inn.

I did make it to Chuck Chatham's shop in Lewisburg at noon and we managed a delightful 2 hour visit before he had to close and keep appointments. Wonderful charming one-man vacuum Store expertly serving the community and liberally 'decored' with vinatge vacuums on display throughout - more pictures will be posted.

I then scooted on to Lock haven to tour the Piper Airplane Museum for the second time. As I left it began to sprinkle and so here I am, safe and off the road for another night. And it's still only Wednesday...

Pittston and long John...er...John Long.

Pittston, like all the settlements along the west side of the Pocono Mountains, lies in a valley. In fact the shores of the Susquehanna River.  Consequently these towns and cities have steep side streets with neighborhood houses perched upon the hillsides.

here I am coming down John's hill toward the downtown core.

John's house is hard to make out on the left about opposite the yellow 'children walking' sign.

John's house - with the round attic occulus - be-wreathed for the holidays.

John was raised in this house and you can see how close he is to his church and the nuns.

Festive, 'tis the season

We went out for a fresh air walk down the hill past the church then across a bridge to the opposite side to stroll past the grand homes that were deluged halfway up the first floors by the floods.

Crossing the Susquehanna affords a glorious view of the downtown.

Unless you'd lived it, it is difficult to imagine even from news reports that the flood waters reached the deck of this bridge. Meaning the water also crept up the bluffs destroying foliage, trees and houses alike.

Tree damage

more remains.

Flood waters crested at least 8 feet above that street in the background. Grand homes are built on that street facing the river view.

As John explained, most of these homes are once again occupied but folks are living totally on the second floors which did not flood. The ground floors and basements are still being restored by an army of renovators.

House 2

House 3

House 4

Rocco, or his staff were working on this house. I was stopped in my tracks when the strapping lad moved into the front window hefting a beam or something with muscles popping from his tight t-shirt.

Like a crazed stalker I lingered on the sidewalk chatting with John while we waited for the guy to appear again. This is the best I could manage before I felt like we were being too obvious. LOL

Equally obvious were the Christmas decorations and flags out on almost every house as Pittston-ers strive to remain upbeat about their situations.

I'm not sure if this 1950s home escaped the flood waters, as it sits higher up on a corner lot but I loved the flat-roof post modern design. Notice the slanted picture windows.

Back across the river we came strolling up to the street behind John's. man o man, Davy's wee legs are not used to walking up hills. This rock lane points towards John's backyard up the hill, to the left of the fir trees.

Back inside John made me some hot cacao and got right to work painting the kitchen walls. Then the phone rang.

No slouch he...John multitasks with ease, out of necessity to get this reno DONE.

Fortified by steaming cacao I bid my adieus until next year. As John mentioned, he gifted me some nonHoover items and a very nice blue Handivac. I've removed the handle for this pic so it would fit in the car spaces.

Up the road to Dunmore to see John Gregory's Sweeper central Store.

I thought I had taken a good picture of the storefront but I must have deleted it. This will have to do...

Last time I was here two years ago the store was decorated with some of John's vintage collection.

They are all cleared out now having been sent over to TTI's Glenwillow Ohio Corporate offices where they are on display in the 'History Walk', I think it's called. I hope to see them on this trip.

So now his gorgeous gleaming store displays all the latest Hoover models as well as Royal - TTI product lines.

Other wall

Prominent inside the entrance is this new Hoover line of Steam Cleaners. I first saw these in Minneapolis and was quite taken with them.

While John attended to customers I was able to examine them more thoroughly and I do believe I want to have the big round one with the long wands. Excellent build quality and extremely versatile.

From Dunmore with the sun setting I returned to my funky Rodeway Inn in Scranton which has thi lovely blue tile bathroom.

It was only on my return that I noticed the large SUBARU Dealership directly across the street. That was my first stop Wednesday morning. I got a key chain and a dealer sticker as souvenirs. The guys all came out to admire the Sprocket Rocket.

How could I  miss this?

The sign looked so pretty all lit up I parked in front of it for a photo.

Prepared with Chuck Chatham's vacuum Store address I set the Garmin for Lewisburg PA.

The entrance into Chucks shop gives a hint of the type of architecture that lines the downtown corridor and side street residences. Cucks building retains its original interior layout and he has artfully arranged vintage vacuums to share the space with the Tacony vacuums he sells. but as the sign says - he services ALL makes.

"Nestled between the Susquehanna River and Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, founded in 1784, is an architectural gem listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown Lewisburg features an original 1941 Art Deco movie palace, the Campus Theatre, still showing film nightly the way it was intended….on the big screen, plus dining options for every palate from gourmet to family. Its vibrant retail district is anchored by Barnes and Noble at Bucknell University and filled with friendly, charming independent businesses."

It does indeed appear to be a vibrant prosperous down town of ~6000.

another view

The aforementioned 1941 Moviehouse.

When you open Chuck's door this is what you see first in the narrow hallway.

Turning in to the front showroom on the right.

The RICCAR display

Continuing down the hall the second room takes you past some more vintage and newer used vacs for sal and leads to a set of back rooms of storage.

Yeah Lady, we got hoses...

Back in the hallway Chuck has backlit a series of vintage vacuums inside a built-in bookcase.

Lower shelves. Purty!

Up those two steps brings you to the Sales Office room. More vintage vacs on display in a very sunny room.

Premiere and GE uprights and a flying handvac.

Electrolux Thrift model

a gray Reach-Easy

the workbench. Chuck uses an Air-Way 66 at the bench.

coming down the hallway this stopped me in my tracks and had to catch my breath.

It's the inherent nature of a road trip like this that folks can not always be available to vivit. I am grateful to all who found a few minutes.

In Chick's case, I was lucky to find  him in the shop. that's the Davy Luck.

As a one man operation he was out that morning on a central vac call, had just got back when I arrived unannounced and unexpected and had plans for his evening and th store closes at 2PM on Wednesdays.

So we had a delightful 2 hour visit chatting about this & that and yes...various and sundry personalities in the VCCC. chuck is one of the stalwarts that just had to stay away once he began this shop in 2001. He does occasionally read the site and I encouraged him to do so more often. He has not read the threads about the Minneapolis Convention yet! I expect he'll be devouring it now.

So, it was time to leave  and Chuck generously gave me some lovely parting gifts...

This unusual - to me - handvac.

Made by the Clements Manufacturing Company it features the old style wood dowel handle and has no switch it just goes when the perfect original supple cord is plugged in.

More interesting is that it is called the MARYLIN model as inscribed on the motor plate.

But the bag...oh the bag is alos in great condition.

The kindest prize is two original Air-Way upright liner bags in the paper wrapper dated 1941, for my Green Goddess.

Thank you Chuck for being there. Very nicely put together store and obviously from the customers that came in you are depended upon to keep them cleaning efficiently. See you another year when we'll have more time.

Boy oh Boy! I made it easily to Youngstown and O'Conners Vacuums. My Premiere brushroll will be snail-mailed to me in a week, Don & I had a great visit and he sent me to the basement to scour the shelves.

Davy found another Grail Vac and it's getting spa-ed tonight.

5:15 and I'm in my Canton Knight's Inn. Off to Denny's for dinner, to Target for bojak Mr Erasers, then return to photo, clean and post...

Lucky Davy

Stayed overnight in a Clearfield, PA Rodeway Inn.

left this morning after breakfast of Steak n Eggs toward the Ohio border.

Along the way detoured down twisty 2-lanes to Kittaning and on to Butler. Actually about 3 miles east of Butler where my especially good red-headed buddy Farmer Carl lives. Carl ain't a farmer tho, he works in a plant that builds industrial transformers.

I had several phone messages and emails out to Carl but haven't heard a thing yet. Nonetheless, as I may not see him this trip I did want to drop off a Christmas card so went to where his country house is and left it in the mailbox.

This is Carl's house, much much bigger and taller inside than it looks - check the height of the front door transom and the size of the chairs. The floors are level with the door. Carl is 6'4" feet of furry red German bear. :-)

Kitty-corner to Carl's house from the front porch is the Church and graveyard. Carl's Family have been on this road for 5 generations. The road bears the family name.

The church has a Saint's Grotto resembling ancient ruins.

This is Carl's back forty yard view.

Carl's Chrysler 300. we both saw this car's debut before it was for sale and he loved it then and said he'd buy one. So he did.

The road east from Carl's.

I do hope he gets those messages so I can visit him on the way back home on Sunday. But he'll get the Christmas card.

I continued the drive to Youngstown, just across the PA/OH border where I garmined my way to O'Conner's.

Again, I was not expected and was welcomed with open arms when I introduced my 'serious vac collector' self.

Don is a bit hard of hearing so the other man - his son? - took me out back to the shop to introduce me.

O'Connor's was started by Don's father in 1931 I recall and the present building was purchased in 1944.

The front showroom right

Showroom left side - this is 'behind the counter' territory.

Don & I had a terrific chat. The impetus reason I went here is because of all the discussion about re-bristling brushrolls.

I brought along the brushroll from my Premier and showed it to him.

Don said, no problem, take a few days and I'll mail it USPS to Canada for you. Yippee.

Naturally a picture of we two had to be taken.

Don's knees not being what they used to be he had this handsome man take me downstairs.

"Anything you see that you like or need, bring 'em up and I'll give ya a deal"

I had no idea what I might find...

First wall - little parts - screws, bolts, tools motors, etc

vintage NOS paper bags.

I snagged a brand new old stock, never installed and still sealed in the plastic with instruction sheet burgundy GE upright cloth bag.

And a 4- pack of GE Roll-Easy bags for the graphics.

Center aisle. More bits

Let your imagination run wild about what's in those boxes and packages...

A few Luxs on the floor.

The man plucking out the GE bag. He'd heard me discussing upstairs and said - 'this has been down here for decades. No one wanted one until now.'

More of the same. Anyone bored yet?

Over on the far wall, stacks of small new appliances.

I asked and it was explained. Kitchenaid doesn't want them fixed. Just give the buyer a new one from stock.

tells you something about today's build quality and manufacturer's expectations, eh?

Seriously, O'Connor's sends them - and irons and toasters and blender and especially 'Pod' coffeemakers - back to the company for credit.

Now, the really wonderful thing about Don O'Connor is that he is as willing to fix up an old sweeper as he is a modern vacuum. No difference as far as he is concerned. Love him and his guys!

So, the front section of the basement under the main store is virtually empty now - it used to contain hoards of vintage vacuums.

Thye tell me some collector came by and bought up the lot!

I spotted this under a bench covered in dust & schmutz. I took it out and could see it was a flawless diamond in the rough. They used it to clean the basement floor a few times. Don's man noticed my adoration and hauled it upstairs.

I asked about Hoover orange Litter Gitter strips because the fingers are always ground off and missing. They have a box-load of at least 100 - I got 6.

Y'all may recall how excited I was to get an entry level BOL corded Sunbeam Courier a few months back.

This full-featured TOL cord reel Courier with bag full indicator and foot switch paddle and more glamorous trims is a Davy Grail Vac. and now I have it!

The hose is replaced but everything else is original.

Speaking of hoses in another thread. This is the type I like. Snaky and supple and 8 feet long.

With a few more chats with Don and the brushroll re-bristling & shipping paid for I bid the fellers a fond fairwell and a promise to return next year.

Stopped at a nice saucer shaped Rest Stop in the pouring rain (it did not rain until I had the vacs in the car and then the heavens opened and it poured and bounced all the way to Akron.

Anyway, I picked up the Motel Price Saver magazine and located this Canton Knights Inn for only $40 a night. I have discovered that the Price saver has even lower rates han the internet pre-booking.

I love this style of motor hotel. All the rooms are arranged in rows with parking at the door and cute fake 'Elizabethan' diamond pane windows. Free Wireless internet, of course. :-)

my window

Went out for a hearty Friendly's dinner and droppedcinto Target for Spa Supplies.

I bought their generic Magic Erasers...6 boxes for home.

And promptly began cleaning up the Courier revealing the superb gem underneath all the grime.

This shot of the side shows half the gunk removed, including the Sunbeam logo

The cord and plug are perfect but filthy. Again, half cleaned. All blue again.

Inside before. Original empty bag, too.

The LitterGitters and two GE packs of bags. Well, the burgundy cloth one is still sealed in plastic and has an included paper bag and Instruction sheet as well.

Front side before. No dents or scrapes.

Backside.

And now, showroom clean again.

No tools so I am on the hunt for blue Sunbeam accessories...

If you know, the Courier has a single large turbine fan about 8" in diameter. 

The motor in this one takes fully 14 seconds to wind down to a stop. Very nice sound.

The plan for Friday is to zip up to Cleveland to the Glennwillow TTI headquarters to see the Walk Of History, where most of John Gregory's vacuums are now.

Then I will check out a few car and Airplane Museums in Canton, Morrison's Sweeper Place shop and of course, a return visit to the Hoover Historical Center.

I'll attempt to contact Tom Anderson and at least leave a Christmas card in the mailbox.

Saturday begins the trip home, with hopefully a stop in Butler as I head for Niagara Falls and Canada. Home on Sunday.

I know this thread is getting long but I'm gonna finish it. Friday and I should be home by late saturday or Sunday morn.

Very busy day today - went up to TTI's headquarters this morning and saw & photoed the 'History Walk', a large room lined with current and vintage Hoovers. It is not a museum as such but more a Corporate hallway not generally open to the public.

Next to the MAPS Airplane Museum in North Canton...

mapsairmuseum.org/...

...where I had a nasty messy accident as I was about to leave the parkinglot. No, not a collision...

I was in the car to get the spare cam battery. Not noticing, I put my arm down on top of the staw in a 90% full x-large coffee. It punctured the bottom of the cup and when I came outside again, the 2-cup well was holding about 3" of brown sticky coffee.

Took me a half hour to soak it up with a towel, clean the cup well, wash out the towels & cup tray and seperator, and be on my way...with NO COFFEE! yikes. Fortunately the well is a one-piece molding so there's no chance anything leaked down in to gearshift & handbrake areas, or carpets.

Running late, I headed south to the Canton Classic Car Museum which is housed in a 1920's Automobile Dealership Showroom and Service facility.

www.cantonclassiccar.org/...

After dinner and processing all the photos I'll be posting. Saturday I'll visit the Hoover Historical Center, check out Morrison's Vacuum Shop, drop a Christmas card off at Tom's and begin the drive home.

later...Dave...

TTI Corporate Offices in rural industrial edge of Glenwillow Ohio, just outside and east of Cleveland.

I'm tellin' ya, it's a vast Industrial wasteland out here with a few residential developments that struck me as too perfect - almost Stepford-ish.

The building is huge strectching from the Dirt Devil section at one end and Hoover at the other with TTI in the center.

This is the DD side

The Hoover side

And the Corporate Headquarters entrance

Entering you are met by the Receptionist who 'directs your calls, How May I help You, and offers up coffee and cookies while you wait for your appointment.

Of course I had no appointment but upon explaining myself she called someone who came out to meet me and show me the History Walk.

I cooled my heels awhile in a barcelona chair knock-off and watched a video, with fingers crossed I would be deemed acceptable. Perhaps I should not have been dipping my cookies in my coffee but what the heck, I'm from Canada. It's a very suit, shirt & tie, barbered haircut environment. :-)

To the right of Barbara's Reception Desk is this pink Hoover. and a lonely box...

Gazing down a long hallway I squinted and saw...

I was admitted. met by a young man of 30 or so (who knew very little about the vintage machines but we'll let that pass for what it is).

The History Walk is a large inner lobby dimly lit that is at a central office corridor crossing. It seems placed to inspire the office folk and executives to think about why they're here as they pass by.

This is the Hoover side

The Dirt Devil side with a few vintage Royals thrown in.

I stress again that THIS IN NOT A MUSEUM, as such. As the young lad explained, they have many more machines stored in the warehouse and don't know exactly what form the display could eventually take.

Ter are some Vault Machines with inventory tags on 'em. I assume these are all from the John Gregory Collection.

The lad did not know a thing about the famous Floor Washer so as I explained it's purpose I took the liberty of unlatching the jug to show him the cleverness of it all.

Floorwasher Vault Tag. A late Yellow model before the Blue one was introduced.

Remeber the first Floorwasher debuted in 1959.

Bojack bag on a coffee can upright.

The corridor off to the right.

The Model O sarcophagus.

This is one beautifully preserved machine.

top front

side

Front from another angle

Naturally I had my picture taken with it...as usual grinning like a flaky goon. :-)

And that was my hour of greatness at TTI. I am thankful and grateful I was allowed to view the History Walk.

6:30 Friday night.

In East Erie at a Super8. Had to get off the road from the lake effect snowsqualls. Did some visiting this morning (Tom A) and left North Canton in light dusty snow flake-lets. By the time I reached Cleveland it had turned into heavy slushy snow which pretty much inundated Interstate 90. Whiteout conditions and saw at least 7 cars/suvs off the roads in ditchs and one clearly took the exit ramp too fast and spun & tumbled down and across the ramp gully ending up on its roof. Many flashing blue and red lights racing up the left lanes. Silly drivers. No problem in the Subaru - sticking like glue and slicing through the slush.

But it's dark now and best to be off the road. Dinner - I feel like a Prime Rib - then back to this cozy room and more posting, picking up where I left off.

Dave

Next stop was the MAPS Air Museum. Housed in a large hanger with a few planes outside on the flightline, on the far north side of the North canton Airfield, it is a humble but comprehensive collection of planes restored and under restoration.

The flightline

With about a dozen aircraft inside, the MAPS Veteran Volunteers - all former WW2, Korean War, Viet Nam and even some Gulf War vets - restore what they have a pay extra attention and displays to fallen or still on patrol  (aka deceased at Pearl Harbour).

My guide was Bob, who flew in WW2. A fount of wisdom and experience who quickly realized I wanted to hear his stories.

With so many planes to choose from, I will just show pics of the one that got me attention - The Goodyear Blimp.

Well, this was an experimental Blimp that has a luxury gondola for 8 and two ducted fans for flying control. Unfortunately, this experimental crashed, MAPS salvaged the wreckage and the project was canceled by Goodyear.

Note how the huge plexi windows wrap down and under for super views, also the bubble front which has a clear floor too.

Ducted fan. Yes they can rotate 360 for forward, reverse, up & down maneuvering.

Alongside are display cases about Dirigibles and Airship history.

A section of Duraluminum girder from the Shannedohah.

Literally so lightweight you can blow it over with a breath.

I think it would make a very nice table accent lamp with rice paper inside...

Shot of the cockpit of the Blimp

Seating area for 8 lucky passengers. How 1960s...how Pan-Am.

Some original WW2 fuselage art.

another from a sub hunter amphibian

They have an extensive Uniform collection donated by members. Pilots from America, England, Japan and of course the full Luftwaffe.

One large case exclusively for pilot's flight helmets with oxygen respirators and all - that Doug Smith would appreciate.

Also the ladies uniforms of the WACS, who delivered the planes overseas to spare fighting men for...fighting.

Also a large room devoted to the 'Rosie the Riveter' gals who built the planes in wartime factories. And much personal memorabilia from the guys and gals who served.

It was humbling and electrifying all at once to read personal journals and postcards.

Large detailed models of the Liberators and Flying Fortresses.

How to fly a B-29 Super Fortress

Nasty li'l buggers but that's the reality of War Combat.

Off down to Canton to the Classic Car Museum.

This is the back of the old car Dealership - the parking lot. The fence is original, too.

The front of the Dealership. They sold and serviced high end luxury automobiles here.

The Museum, I was told, is the private lifetime collection of the scion of a wealthy Canton family, now deceased, who decided to purchase this building when the collection grew too big. Consequently it represents the man's interests. As a young man he restored all these automobiles himself and gathered up trinkets and gew-gaws that tied in somehow.

It is very impressive, if a bit crowded...

The building is square with two showrooms up front and a wide central hallway between. The equally large rear area is for servicing and repair, with a lounge for the Chauffeurs.

Very interesting walnut auxiliary radio speaker/plant stand for the well-appointed home.

a small table of radios...

A case of Car radiator and hood mascots. Some of these don't even appear in the glossy Hood Mascot reference books I've read.

This red flaming rocketplane would look good on my car...

The glass panes did not afford for the best photography but I did my best.

more

and some more

more still...

Oh the glamor and allure of the Winged Woman.

not done yet.

Buck Rogers road site

Last but not least...a Vulture

The oldest car in the collection. a 1901 Hispano Suiza chassis given to Henry Ford.

The man's sense of humor is historical and hysterical.

Above the main showroom is a viewing gallery for prospective customers. The owner has placed life sized Celebrities up there, and throughout the museum.

How many do you recognize?

Link to the Canton Classic Car Museum:

That was all I could fit in on Friday. Back to motel for dinner and processing and reading.

This morning I packed up the car and motored over to the old Hoover Complex and to the Hoover Historical Center.

Sadly the Center closed for the season only two days ago and will re-open in the Spring. :-(

The tannery building that has all the non-Hoover vintage sweepers.

The Big Ol' Barn and Gardens

Back up the street to the factory. By this time it was beginning to sleet so not very good pictures.

The 1950s white building to the east has been converted to Lawyer & Doctor offices. I'm told you can just walk in off the street and down the corridors to see the elevators and staircases and general office settings. i meant to do this but...um...forgot to remember.

It is unlikely that the front red building will ever be inhabited again, due to current fire codes and such. But there is no likely-hood it will be torn down, either. The new owner is quite proud of the building's legacy.

I wanted to drop off a Christmas card to the Andersons - Tom, Heather and Scott - and arriving unannounced, Tom & I were able to have a nice hour long visit down in the Hoover Cellar Vault. Tom does still  monitor Vacuumland and is up to date on all the doings.

There have been a few new additions since I visited last in 2008.

These two are 'older than dirt' and were sold alongside the Model O in it's final years.

A few more Convertibles have taken up residence, too.

In the course of conversation I told Tom about how impressed I had become with the new Hoover line of Steam Mops. He told me about the 'this weekend only' Factory Direct sale going on in an abandoned Grocery Store back by the Hoover Factory.

As well as found a lone Garland Green floor nozzle for the electric hose Constellation in his parts drawer!

Another Grail Item completes my Garland Green Connie. Thank you Tom.

I figured, what the heck, let's see what kind of deals might be had.

Tom also told me that because TTI wants to put their brand on everything they are paying former employees to tear open old stock Hoover Bags and repackage them as TTI , keeping some folks employed.

meanwhile back at the Factory Sale - two days only - sleet has turned into wet snow.

Yikes, Duh, OINK!