Thread Number: 4163
My Hoover Model 638
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Post# 47156   7/26/2008 at 16:36 (5,723 days old) by 1066hoovers ()        

As requested, here are some photos of my Model 638! The serial No is JP191620 making it late 1957. Motor is only 325 watts (no filters in those days!), but gives a pretty good clean. Note the blue 'Disposall' bag support, the only bit of the 638 in the lighter blue of the toolkit. There is also a pic of the blower converter in position.
This was the model my parents owned and which got me into this whole Hoover thing!
Jon
Ps Thanks all for the welcome messages.


Post# 47157 , Reply# 1   7/26/2008 at 16:37 (5,723 days old) by 1066hoovers ()        
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Post# 47159 , Reply# 2   7/26/2008 at 16:38 (5,723 days old) by 1066hoovers ()        
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Post# 47160 , Reply# 3   7/26/2008 at 16:38 (5,723 days old) by 1066hoovers ()        
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Post# 47161 , Reply# 4   7/26/2008 at 16:39 (5,723 days old) by 1066hoovers ()        
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Post# 47164 , Reply# 5   7/26/2008 at 17:03 (5,723 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        
Hey 1066hoovers...

portable's profile picture
Here's a 1957 ad, just posted to thread 4054, for the 638. You sure have a beauty...and it goes well with your carpet color, too! Sorry, ad too big for scanner bed to fit the whole thing.

Post# 47191 , Reply# 6   7/26/2008 at 21:41 (5,723 days old) by normvac (COLUMBUS, OHIO)        

Very nice John, Beautiful condition, why they two hoses, where they both available? Assuming the strech one is the
orginal, right.
Thanks for sharing!
Norm


Post# 47193 , Reply# 7   7/26/2008 at 22:05 (5,723 days old) by myhooverco ()        

John...(drooling onto shirt...)

This is a BEAUTIFUL Hoover Cleaner. I am so impressed with the completeness of the unit and the AMAZING condition. Thanks for sharing the photos. I have looked at them over and over. I am always surprised to see the foot switch and the external cord which was so very different from the US models. I will bet that she just purrs!

--Tom


Post# 47205 , Reply# 8   7/27/2008 at 02:05 (5,723 days old) by seamusuk (Dover Kent UK)        
WOW!!!!

Thats gotta be the nicest 638 ive ever seen!

Kinda green here ;)

Seamus

P.s the link is to the 1957 TV ad for the 638- Grit is kinda evil looking dont ya think!!


CLICK HERE TO GO TO seamusuk's LINK


Post# 47210 , Reply# 9   7/27/2008 at 06:31 (5,723 days old) by 74simon ()        

Hi Jonathan, a belated welcome from me too!

Wow, did the previous owners ever actually use that 638? First one I've seen that wasn't battered to hell hehehe.

I knew early Dustette 2614s had the braided hose, but wasn't aware the 638 did as well. Thanks, love learning more! Look forward to seeing the rest of your collection!

Si


Post# 47213 , Reply# 10   7/27/2008 at 06:51 (5,723 days old) by seamusuk (Dover Kent UK)        
*Waves@ Si*

And says cheers for posting the ad!

Seamus


Post# 47219 , Reply# 11   7/27/2008 at 10:09 (5,723 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
Are you sure

gottahaveahoove's profile picture
you didn't JUST take that out of the box?????

Post# 47239 , Reply# 12   7/27/2008 at 14:20 (5,723 days old) by turbopowerpaul (UK)        
My god Jon!!!!

even to my untrained eye, that 638 of yours is in absolutely exquisite condidition.

truly looks superb - very envious!

paul


Post# 47279 , Reply# 13   7/28/2008 at 05:35 (5,722 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill (Birthplace of the Railway),England, UK.)        
Senior Dirtsearcher...!!!

chestermikeuk's profile picture
Hi Jon, a warm welcome from me as well, the 638 is a stunning vac, Mint!!!well, have never seen a braided hose for that model, I always assumed it had the stretch hose as well

nice one, Mike


Post# 47280 , Reply# 14   7/28/2008 at 05:47 (5,722 days old) by seamusuk (Dover Kent UK)        
The Motor..

Hey Jon

I believe the motor is possibly only 300w- in some cases where the wattage is -25w Hoover had a habit of including the 25W for the Dirtsearcher lamp!

Seamus


Post# 47295 , Reply# 15   7/28/2008 at 16:26 (5,721 days old) by z30soulbrother (West Midlands, UK)        
braided hose

That hose must have been very shortlived, I didnt know dustette had 1 first. I see its handle end has at that time evolved to the modern type rather than the 612 or 119 handle. Would like to see some pics of this "crossover" hose if anyone have any from whatever Hoover model of that time. FANTASTIC CLEANER BY THE WAY. LOVE IT!!!!
Si


Post# 47296 , Reply# 16   7/28/2008 at 16:26 (5,721 days old) by 1066hoovers ()        
Reply and More on the 638.

Thanks everyone for all your messages and really interesting comments. Its great to be on the forum. Yes, I am very happy to own this machine!

I got the 638 and the cleaning tools from the basement of a vac shop in Hampton Wick near Kingston back in 1993.

It was the first of many visits to that basement, now long gone.
I only visited the shop because I was hunting for some new bellows because the bellows on my mum’s 638 had cracked.

(My mum and dad bought the 638 when they got married in 1959. She said they chose the 638 because she preferred the blue colour to the pink of the new cleaner!. The shop must have had both ranges in. (1959 was the year 638 ended and 652 began)).

Anyway, instead of new bellows I came home with another 638, the one in the photos! Was already pretty clean, but I took it to pieces, cleaned it all and put it back together again.

The braided hose is the one which came with the early machines, so it wouldnt have come with this one. By 1957 it had been replaced with the double-stretch hose. Its the only one Ive ever come across - must have swapped over to the double-stretch hose pretty quick!

I did have trouble with the rubber handle - this one has another handle I bought off Ebay (bit of luck that!). the original handle perished over one summer when I had stupidly left the cleaner in the loft. The rubber bubbled and just fell off! Ive learnt from that not to store cleaners in hot places and to spray the rubber parts with 'ArmorAll' Protectant Rubber and plastic cleaner. You can get it from car stores (Halfords in the UK).

Cheers, Jonathan



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