Thread Number: 25596
Fitty buuuuks an sum gaaaas
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Post# 287390   7/5/2014 at 23:59 (3,553 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

This is what $50, actually $49, some gas and some offensive driving in LA nets you.

The white 4.5 was in the salvage pile of my favorite vacuum store, along with a couple of equally roachy 3.9s and a Whimpertone to be taken apart for repair parts. I couldn't let it be taken apart like that. Not this one. We plugged it in and it ran, though it blew a huge cloud of dirt out the motor exhaust. It turns on and off at the hose so I bought a $50 eBay hose with 3 pins and the off/floor/carpet switch on the handle for it and a $35 wand compatible with these later hoses. Of course I will now have to modify one of my power heads with a swivel that has the electrical connection built into the swivel so I can use it with that wand.

Since the 4.5 had a bad cord, the owner of the shop tossed me that Whispertone cord reel for free. What a great shop! I think a little work with a dremel to remove the Whimpertone style cord release roller thingie and it'll work in the 4.5 and other similar vacs. When the right part isn't available you have to innovate. The shape of the bracket is right but unlike the old reels, this one is plastic. Such is life.

The blue one is the one I find most interesting. It is a Craigslist find. I have seen versions of these vacuums with the tool tray built into the bag lid and the tools left exposed, particularly beige 3.9s, but never one with the tool tray built into the motor cover. Also unique is on this one the motor cover overlaps where the furniture guard would be, and the rubber furniture guard only extends back to the motor cover. It doubles as the seal for the lid. The wheels are unlike those on other vacs of that series, the wheels on the later Whispertones or the wheel Sears Parts Direct shows as their replacement. Good thing this vac is in pretty nice shape. No big battle scars at all, just dirty to beat the band.

On my other vacs like this I had wondered why there appeared to be another position tomount a switch dead center on the housing under the motor cover. You can even see that unused spot on the image of the 4.5 with the motor cover removed. Now I know why it's there. What is funny is that the toggle switch underneath is shown as available on some models and unavailable on others. I ordered one to see what happens. The style of the data tag (forgot to photograph it, darn) is more like that of a Mexican built Whispertone. It doesn't say Made in the USA like US made versions of this vac, or early US made Whispertones. Hecho en Mexico? The bag lid and how it hinges to the motor cover are unique. It only has a 9 amp motor (haven't peeked under the cover yet) and it is a suction unit only. It came with the hose, wands and a pretty nice wheeled floor brush. The price in Craigslist was $25 but all I had in my pocket were a bunch of twenties and four one dollar bills. Lacking change to break two twenties she took $24. I'm smiling. I used it this afternoon to clean up my kitchen from the mess left by a contractor doing some tile and cabinet work on my home. I have the 2-pin electrical socket/wire harness assembly and the striker to convert it to allow use of a powered brush on order from Sears (they still stock them). The lower body has the openings for the wires. Easy peasy. Maybe in the future this vac will get the big motor out of the Avocado Bomber, assuming I ever get it's original motor sorted out.

Oh, and in searching for vacs on eBay and Craigslist I roundabout discovered a source for brand new pull to retract Kenmore cord reels, heh, heh, heh. And, no, I ain't sharing yet, not until I have a good number of them stashed away (buy one each pay check). Then I'll share.


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Post# 287465 , Reply# 1   7/6/2014 at 13:39 (3,552 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Update. Someone is parting out a 3.5 of the same body style and same color. I just bought a perfect looking rubber surround, what Kenmore calls the "Furniture guard". The replacement furniture guard Sears sells is dark charcoal gray (at least you can still get the part even if the color may not match). This one is pale gray like the original so I will be able to maintain the original appearance. Sweetsweep sells matching wheels while Sears only sells a charcoal gray wheel. I think this restoration will come together nicely. More serendipity for the Desert Tortoise.

Post# 287473 , Reply# 2   7/6/2014 at 14:15 (3,552 days old) by Gr8DaneDad ()        

Just love it when everything falls into place! Rare, but when it happens - JOY!!!

 


Post# 287475 , Reply# 3   7/6/2014 at 14:18 (3,552 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

suckolux's profile picture
nice finds

Post# 287483 , Reply# 4   7/6/2014 at 14:51 (3,552 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Now the same seller of the light gray furniture guard is selling a matching light gray almost cream colored pull to retract cord reel, which I need for my older Kenmores. We are dickering over shipping charges because I don't really need expedited shipping, and I want to combine shipping with the furniture guard.

Post# 287754 , Reply# 5   7/8/2014 at 09:42 (3,550 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Update, the Whimpertone cord reel is too wide to fit in the cord reel slot in these older vacs. Bummer. Now I have to come up with another plan.

What is a shame is that on the white 4.5, the reel itself works fine but the cord is pretty well damaged in three places. Same thing with the gray 4.1. That makes two otherwise good cord reels with damaged cords. What do people do with these cords? I guess I will have to find a good replacement cord and get busy with the soldering iron and heat shrink. There is just no way to take the reel apart far enough to swap a cord cleanly onto the original contacts. I could possibly put a pull to retract cord reel on it, but then the operator would have to hold the button down and then pull the cord to get it to rewind. Cheesy, but a possible last resort work around if my soldering skills come up short.



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