Blue hose

The Constellation was built from Nov 17 1954 to Jan 30 1975 The same machine was virtually untouched to the end with the major engineering refinements to accommodate the floating function and the hose change from top swivel to side inlet after 1957.

There are 3 basic machines - The first design with the top swivel, the second with the hose entering off-side and the third which has the same hose entrance but the whole cleaner body tilted on the base.

It can be argued that the Jan 1 1959 to April 4 1960 Garland Green model 87 represents a fourth version for its electric on/off switch feature on the hose handle and the hose coupling bezel's electric contact point modifications to the side hose inlet which has a crude sideways sliding plate bezel ring to turn the cleaner on when using the blower position.

The 5th version being our beloved contemporary Stainless Steel or Pearl White New Constellations...get 'em while you still can.

First series from 1954 - 1957 is comprised of the Blue 82, the Mulberry 84 and the Heather Rose 85. The spherical body is not flush with the base, being held suspended by the hinge and two 1/4" rubber buttons. The 82 is a non-floater - the base is like a flat bottom hollow dog dish stuffed with muffler felt, with inner rim holes that direct the exhaust upward between the base and the body sphere, while the next two have same base with the inner rim holes the in the base blanked out and the exhaust directed through the matching gasketed port of the flat bottom base to enable the hovering.

The second series with the fixed side hose and finned handle for wrapping the cord began in 1958 with the Gold model 86 and later the Porcelain Blue 86, the 87 followed by the Pink model 88. After that the model designation became 3 digits with the Model 434 in Canton Red and White.

The last two models - the Autumn Gold & Seal Greige 843 and the Pumpkin & Seal Greige 858 were manufactured simultaneously until Jan 1975 when production ceased...until the New Connie was resurrected. It's interesting to note here that through the decades of colour combinations that the Canadian Plant painted their models in colour combinations not generally available in the United States, such as the Model 438 that was all white with Canton Red base, handle and rubber bump ring - the handle can be seen at the bottom right of the picture and was the one found derilict in and rescued from a Petrolia field with the Yellow Eureka Roto-matic.

I guess we can only surmise that the floating feature, while probably understood clearly by engineers (if not the Designer), was not appreciated fully by the Marketing Dept but funding was swiftly supplied to re-tool the base for the subsequent models.

I know there are Constellation fans more versed than I about this so please chime in.

You can see the differences in the bases of these top shelf machines, 82 on the left, and the 85. I also have the Canadian version of the Mulberry 84.

I like that darkish blue pool hose on a blue Connie and would do the same if & when I fine one curbside in the Spring. The 40 foot pool hose I have on a Roll-Easy is a much paler. green/blue.

Dave


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Post# 60813 2/20/2009 at 14:39 (5,543 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)
Checkrate/Likes Anybody know where this hose came from? It would be a great replacement for many of the older ones. Nicholas CLICK HERE TO GO TO constellation86's LINK on eBay

Post# 60814 , Reply# 1 2/20/2009 at 16:24 (5,543 days old) by filterqueen83 ()
Checkrate/Likes *its a* Pool hose. I have one for my pool.

Post# 60816 , Reply# 2 2/20/2009 at 17:28 (5,543 days old) by brandon_w_t ()
Checkrate/Likes lol that is funny. A pool hose! We use that same one! (on our pool of course!)

Post# 60823 , Reply# 3 2/20/2009 at 22:28 (5,543 days old) by codyf ()
Checkrate/Likes *doesnt float?* he says this one doesnt flot like the newer one? anyone know why?

Post# 60827 , Reply# 4 2/20/2009 at 23:44 (5,543 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)
Checkrate/Likes *This is the debut model of the Dreyfus designed Constellatio* The Constellation was built from Nov 17 1954 to Jan 30 1975 The same machine was virtually untouched to the end with the major engineering refinements to accommodate the floating function and the hose change from top swivel to side inlet after 1957. There are 3 basic machines - The first design with the top swivel, the second with the hose entering off-side and the third which has the same hose entrance but the whole cleaner body tilted on the base. It can be argued that the Jan 1 1959 to April 4 1960 Garland Green model 87 represents a fourth version for its electric on/off switch feature on the hose handle and the hose coupling bezel's electric contact point modifications to the side hose inlet which has a crude sideways sliding plate bezel ring to turn the cleaner on when using the blower position. The 5th version being our beloved contemporary Stainless Steel or Pearl White New Constellations...get 'em while you still can. First series from 1954 - 1957 is comprised of the Blue 82, the Mulberry 84 and the Heather Rose 85. The spherical body is not flush with the base, being held suspended by the hinge and two 1/4" rubber buttons. The 82 is a non-floater - the base is like a flat bottom hollow dog dish stuffed with muffler felt, with inner rim holes that direct the exhaust upward between the base and the body sphere, while the next two have same base with the inner rim holes the in the base blanked out and the exhaust directed through the matching gasketed port of the flat bottom base to enable the hovering. The second series with the fixed side hose and finned handle for wrapping the cord began in 1958 with the Gold model 86 and later the Porcelain Blue 86, the 87 followed by the Pink model 88. After that the model designation became 3 digits with the Model 434 in Canton Red and White. The last two models - the Autumn Gold & Seal Greige 843 and the Pumpkin & Seal Greige 858 were manufactured simultaneously until Jan 1975 when production ceased...until the New Connie was resurrected. It's interesting to note here that through the decades of colour combinations that the Canadian Plant painted their models in colour combinations not generally available in the United States, such as the Model 438 that was all white with Canton Red base, handle and rubber bump ring - the handle can be seen at the bottom right of the picture and was the one found derilict in and rescued from a Petrolia field with the Yellow Eureka Roto-matic. I guess we can only surmise that the floating feature, while probably understood clearly by engineers (if not the Designer), was not appreciated fully by the Marketing Dept but funding was swiftly supplied to re-tool the base for the subsequent models. I know there are Constellation fans more versed than I about this so please chime in. You can see the differences in the bases of these top shelf machines, 82 on the left, and the 85. I also have the Canadian version of the Mulberry 84. I like that darkish blue pool hose on a blue Connie and would do the same if & when I fine one curbside in the Spring. The 40 foot pool hose I have on a Roll-Easy is a much paler. green/blue. Dave

Post# 60829 , Reply# 5 2/20/2009 at 23:57 (5,543 days old) by briankirbyclass (Eudora Kansas)
Checkrate/Likes Back in the day when i was selling for Kirby, i sold one to a lady that had a Connie, and said that she hated it because it blew dust all over on a hardwod floors, and it also burned a hole in her carpet after she let it sit too long in one spot from the exhaust. (She must have had very old and thin carpet!) She was glad to see the Kirby man! Thanks for the sale, Hoover! lol (I'll bet alot more people threw out or traded a Kirby for a Hoover, then the other way around!)