Thread Number: 34442  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
The "Original" Shop Vac
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Post# 372597   5/22/2017 at 23:19 (2,502 days old) by Seijun (Portland, OR)        

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I have a 1973 "original" shop vac. Does anyone have any info on this vac? Who made it? How does it compare to other canister vacs from around the same time? Check the link for pictures (not mine but I have the same one). It is a brown metal can with an orange diamond pattern around the side.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO Seijun's LINK on eBay


Post# 372606 , Reply# 1   5/23/2017 at 10:33 (2,501 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
Wow!! Interesting.

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I have 2 of them, marked "Hoover", by The Hoover Company. One is smaller than the other. I always thought of "Shop vac" as the one everyone always referred to. That's why Hoover didn't succeed with the "utility vac". It just didn't "sing". I have a new in box one of those , too.

Post# 372623 , Reply# 2   5/24/2017 at 08:29 (2,500 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)        

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1973, wow I didn't realize the shop vac brand went that far back. I thought they started with the smaller white and blue model that was very common in the late 70s early 80s

Post# 372624 , Reply# 3   5/24/2017 at 08:34 (2,500 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

Nice find, nice price (wait, you say that's not the one you bought?)!! Very interesting vacuum....

 

Kevin

 

 


Post# 372626 , Reply# 4   5/24/2017 at 09:50 (2,500 days old) by Seijun (Portland, OR)        

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I got mine for $30 at goodwill. I will post a picture later today, but it is the same model.

Post# 372764 , Reply# 5   5/27/2017 at 12:15 (2,497 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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I've seen a few. The Hackettstown NJ address means early, later they moved to Williamsport PA.

Post# 372765 , Reply# 6   5/27/2017 at 12:19 (2,497 days old) by seijun (Portland, OR)        

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Has anyone ever successfully replaced the paper air/dust filter in this unit?


Post# 372785 , Reply# 7   5/27/2017 at 18:23 (2,497 days old) by thermokid (Casper, Wyoming)        
Gotta have a hoove

John , I had the big Hoover shop vac .. The one where you could take the motor off and use it for a leaf blower. Unfortunately it got left behind in California when I moved here. I sure miss it. I would love to find another one like it or smaller... Dan

Post# 373461 , Reply# 8   6/8/2017 at 14:05 (2,485 days old) by Seijun (Portland, OR)        

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Here are pictures of the one I own.

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Post# 373619 , Reply# 9   6/10/2017 at 19:10 (2,483 days old) by seijun (Portland, OR)        

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To the others here who own this model, have you found any attachments that fit snugly?

Post# 380742 , Reply# 10   11/5/2017 at 20:30 (2,335 days old) by seijun (Portland, OR)        

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Some shop-vac updates!

It is actually dated 1972.

I was able to solve the missing filter bag problem by cutting the top off of a Kennmore type U filter bag and slipping it over the motor.

I also outfitted it with a "Mintcraft" plastic plant dolly. Works great!

After some gentle prying, I got the hose off the intake valve. I can put it on the exhaust valve and use it as a dust blower. No more buying canned air!


  View Full Size
Post# 380743 , Reply# 11   11/5/2017 at 20:40 (2,335 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        
Seijun

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Pam,

 

That is wonderful what you were able to do with this early Shop-Vac!

 

~Ben


Post# 380746 , Reply# 12   11/5/2017 at 20:51 (2,335 days old) by seijun (Portland, OR)        

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I also found some attachments that fit! They are the more rubbery small attachments that came with my Constellation, although I can't be 100% sure that they are Hoover-branded. One of them has a crown-like logo on the front.

Post# 380749 , Reply# 13   11/5/2017 at 21:05 (2,335 days old) by Gj3476 (Prosper,TX)        

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Thermokid, since u mention that, when I was a little kid around the late '90's/early 2000's, we used to have a Hoover wet dry vacuum, it didn't have the blower attachment but the funny thing is that I used to be a little scared of it probably because it was a little loud. But I have no idea what happened to it. Probably got thrown out.☹️

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Post# 380768 , Reply# 14   11/6/2017 at 09:07 (2,334 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)        

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I'd like to see your attachments

Post# 381456 , Reply# 15   11/16/2017 at 21:35 (2,324 days old) by Seijun (Portland, OR)        

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Here are the small attachments that came with the Hoover Constellation. The group on the left are the ones that fit the shop vac. One has a crown logo. Anyone know what it is from?

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Post# 381457 , Reply# 16   11/16/2017 at 22:13 (2,324 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Of the four on the right, the top two and bottom one are Hoover, the third from top is Eureka.

The three on the left I am not sure of, the orange one looks like a modern tool from a newer shop vac.


Post# 381461 , Reply# 17   11/16/2017 at 22:45 (2,324 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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Let side top - Cream dusting brush - Regina
Red small nozzle - unknown
bottom - Dusting brush and small nozzle - Eureka

Right side - Dusting brush - Hoover
Crevice tool - Hoover
Rug Nozzle - Eureka
Floor Brush - Hoover


Post# 381506 , Reply# 18   11/17/2017 at 22:17 (2,323 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

Agree....and as far as Connies, all mine have the button lock...except the crevice tools which are with and without the button. Since Hoover models shared floor tools, I can never be sure, except from old adverts, what came with new Connies.

 

Kevin


Post# 381509 , Reply# 19   11/17/2017 at 23:29 (2,323 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Ahh, Regina, I knew I'd seen that logo before, and I thought the bottom two were Eureka but I couldn't quite place the upholstery tool.

As far as I can tell, the early Connies had the wheeled floor tool with hose-like neck, the later 50s and 60s models had the big curvy floor/rug tool with rollers, and the later ones had a smaller tool with felt pads like was on the Slimline and Quikbroom, although that last one tool may have just been on late Canadian Connies.


Post# 381518 , Reply# 20   11/18/2017 at 04:28 (2,322 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)        

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I seen a Sunbeam clone of this vacuum on eBay last week, same design and layout. It's funny they look just like someone stuck a motor in an oil drum "let's call it a shop vac!"

Post# 381527 , Reply# 21   11/18/2017 at 06:38 (2,322 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

At one time you could get a "bucket vac" was simply a lid with a motor,filter,hose inlet-outlet -it also came with a dolly to put your Lowes or other cleaned 5 Gal plastic bucket on.The machine came with a hose and attachments.Should have gotten one when they were available.Was several years ago.

Post# 381531 , Reply# 22   11/18/2017 at 08:18 (2,322 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Singer sold the metal drum vacuums also. Later they had a plastic orange and black Fat Cat model similar to those bucket vacs.

I remember the bucket vacs at Home Depot but didn't know they had attachments or wheels. The ones I saw were the top and hose only.


Post# 381533 , Reply# 23   11/18/2017 at 08:32 (2,322 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
Attachments

The small Eureka atts above are 'deluxe'.
The first blue Constellation did not float and had rug nozzle with no wheels similar to their tank models.Then the wheels with spring and flex hose.One of the later rug nozzles had rollers all across front,later only 2 at sides.Until mid 60s most were colored to match vac,later shades of brown.


Post# 381564 , Reply# 24   11/18/2017 at 16:45 (2,322 days old) by Ultralux88 (Denver, Colorado)        

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What about the "cardboard" drum shop-vacs? I've got a Sears one.

Post# 381580 , Reply# 25   11/19/2017 at 01:39 (2,321 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

My Dad had one of those "cardboard" shop vacs when I was little-was the haircut vacuum-after he cut your hair with his clippers-he vacuumed your hair with the Sears shop vac.At first didn't like it-but then LOVED having my hair vacuumed with that vacuum.

Post# 381583 , Reply# 26   11/19/2017 at 08:45 (2,321 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

As far as I can tell, the early Connies had the wheeled floor tool with hose-like neck, the later 50s and 60s models had the big curvy floor/rug tool with rollers, and the later ones had a smaller tool with felt pads like was on the Slimline and Quikbroom, although that last one tool may have just been on late Canadian Connies.

 

I  think I have the last of the Connie floor heads with rollers that is lower in profile than the familiar beige one, which I also have. However, even though it came with the old Connie I bought, it might have been from another Hoover vac....dunno. I should post a pic of it so someone could recognize it and chime in. It's off-white.

 

Kevin



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