Thread Number: 37006  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
POD Apex 603
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Post# 395538   7/25/2018 at 04:18 (2,095 days old) by kenkart ()        

This was in my estimation one of the 2 greatest upright vacuums ever made, the other being the Hoover 150, This Apex was so far ahead in design and performance when compared to anything else being made at the time, The air had less restriction from nozzle to bag and the airflow on these is unbelievable, this is one machine I want for my collection, one of the few I have never found, it was also sold as a private label machine in Firestone stores.If you have ever seen a Royal 501 Prince hand cleaner, this was similar in design, the motor was sealed in a housing and the air stream went around it , these will outclean almost if not all machines built today, Like the Apex Strato Cleaner, its THAT much better than anything else.

Post# 395545 , Reply# 1   7/25/2018 at 11:47 (2,094 days old) by Phaeton (Los Angeles )        
Montgomery Ward Hand Held by Apex

phaeton's profile picture
Hello kenkart and All,
You lost me which may not be that hard to do. I do own a Hoover 150 which is a good machine and of spectacular design and function for its day. I know the Apex Strato was one of the more powerful canister cleansers. I know almost nothing about their tank type cleaners as, I never worked on one. I do not really know what is meant POD and I have never seen an Apex 603. Poor me, lost again. My Montgomery Ward which is hand held and was made by Apex has a sealed motor which is more powerful than I thought it would be.
Please let me know which 2 uprights you mean.
Forgetting about airflow, I think you can't beat the Singer R1 for raw style and for design and totally new functionality the Singer S1 which I believe won a design award in 1949 or so. I have an article somewhere on that if I have not tossed it.
If I have gone totally of track, please let me know.
Thank you for looking,
Pete


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Post# 395546 , Reply# 2   7/25/2018 at 12:16 (2,094 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        

electrolux137's profile picture

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"POD" refers to "Picture of the Day," a feature in Vacuumland. You can see the link to it on the main entry page.

 

I'm with you about the Singer R-1. Not only is it among the most beautifully designed vacuum cleaners EVER, it is very powerful and efficient. The Hoover 150 is another of the "vacuum cleaner stars" as are the Apex 601 and 603. There actually are quite a few, when you think about it! The Eureka Challenger. The Kenmore Imperial. The Kirby 505. And these are just a few uprights!


Post# 395548 , Reply# 3   7/25/2018 at 13:45 (2,094 days old) by kenkart ()        
The 603

Is todays picture of the day, it is designed very similarly to the MW hand cleaner, which of course Apex made.

Post# 395558 , Reply# 4   7/25/2018 at 16:30 (2,094 days old) by Phaeton (Los Angeles )        
Thank you electrolux137 and kenkart

phaeton's profile picture
Hello and thank you all,
I got it now POD, LOL.
I would have never guessed that the Apex 601 and 603 would have been manufactured with a sealed motor similar to hand held Montgomery Ward.
I have worked on many vacuums while working for Mr. Condo but I never worked on any of the early vacuums at the shop. The oldest I remember repairing was the Hoover 28, which I am fond of and have a few. I repaired hundreds of Hoover Convertibles and Eurekas but never had any Apex uprights in for repair. I remember Ben taking in a really old Cadillac for trade in but that is it. I remember some of the green Air-Way and black ones in the bin along with some straight suction machines, but that is about it. I have had my Singers for a least 40 years and I did have a really nice Hoover 700 years ago. I have a number of 20's to 40's Hoovers and a 509 Kirby along with 2 Electrolux G, which is my favorite Electrolux.
I find it interesting to go through some of the old Threads here on Vacuumland and see some of the antique and unusual machines that Members own as well as the modern ones.
There are some what I will call rare vacuums I would have like to have owned such as a GE Model 111 and Model 111-A, Montgomery Ward Majestic, Apex Which-Way and Premier Grand. Am I wrong in the in thinking that the Singer R1 if added to this group was a bit more popular? I have never seen any of these in aforementioned vacuums in person except the Singer R1.
Thank you for all the good information and for looking,
Pete




Post# 395562 , Reply# 5   7/25/2018 at 17:29 (2,094 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

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Here are a few shots from an Apex brochure, showing the various Apex uprights. They were amazing machines. I wish Apex had continued making uprights.

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Post# 395565 , Reply# 6   7/25/2018 at 19:10 (2,094 days old) by Phaeton (Los Angeles )        

phaeton's profile picture
Thank you portable and all,
The first picture of the brochure is the Apex that has the sealed motor. I find that to be interesting. I wish when I was younger I had seen some of these Apex vacuums.
Thank you,
Pete


Post# 395577 , Reply# 7   7/25/2018 at 22:28 (2,094 days old) by kenkart ()        
603

Had the sealed motor, the much more common 601 was like any other upright.

Post# 395584 , Reply# 8   7/25/2018 at 23:34 (2,094 days old) by Electroluxxxx (……)        

Years ago I saw the same MW hand vac at an antique store... the design is very intriguing. I believe they were asking $45 so it sat until the place closed.

Hans: was the design of the upright with the sealed motor similar to that of the hand vac where the dirt passes around the motor and into the bag?


Post# 395599 , Reply# 9   7/26/2018 at 10:32 (2,094 days old) by kenkart ()        
Yes

But with a backward revolving brush

Post# 395611 , Reply# 10   7/26/2018 at 13:11 (2,093 days old) by Phaeton (Los Angeles )        
Backward Revolving Brushroll

phaeton's profile picture
Hello kenkart and all,
So I did read that on the POD yesterday. So that Apex brush roll is revolving in the same direction as my Singer R1, revolving upward at the front of the vacuum?
What is interesting is that Singer stopped doing that with their R2 series vacuums. My Singer R3, R4 and R5 all revolve downward at the front as say does a Hoover.
Some time in the mid 70's I replace my great aunt's R1 with a Kirby D80 as the R1 that she and her husband bought new had burnt. I sent the motor out to be rewound. I installed it only to find that they had reversed the polarity and the belt kept slipping off when the brush roll was revolving upward at the front. The belt would stay on when revolving downward at the front. I took the motor back and they corrected it so it ran correctly.
From standing behind the vacuum, as if vacuuming, backward revolving means counter clockwise and forward would mean clockwise? For when I would do automobile repairs right and left sides are determined from the drivers seat or behind the steering wheel.
I still wonder why say a Singer R1 was more plentiful then say GE Model 111, GE Model 111-A, Montgomery Ward Majestic, Premier Grand and Apex Which-Way including this sealed motor Apex upright. All of these vacuums seem to be truly rare or do you blame the Door to Door Salesman for taking them in on trade?
I have owned 4 of the R1 Singers, 1 of the R2, 2 of the R3, 4 of the R4 and 1 of the R5 over a 40 year period but never knew of these other rare vacuums until I became a member of Vacuumland.
Thank you for all the information on this Thread,
Pete


Post# 395632 , Reply# 11   7/26/2018 at 16:05 (2,093 days old) by Electroluxxxx (……)        

Thanks Hans! I was curious about that!


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