My Personal Hoover Challenge.....


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Thread Number: 10605
My Personal Hoover Challenge.....

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Post# 193438 2/25/2007 at 12:22 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes ....and now I need your help. Over the last year or so , my interest in washers and dryers has really taken off again, having spent many years lying dormant underground. This interest has manifested itself in a personal challenge to myself to collate and tabulate information on all Hoover front loading washing machines and their dryer siblings which have been sold in the UK from the 3224 Keymatic through to the abandonment of the square door in the early 1990s. Thanks to the help of Mike King (yep I have finally joined Mike), Kevin Cox and Alistair Kerr, I have managed to gleen a pretty good understanding of the Hoover ranges through the 60's, 70's and 80's. BUT there is one machine which no one, apart from me, seems to remember or has any knowledge of and it is driving me mad! After the initial Keymatic (3224 and 3226), Hoover introduced the 27" widebody series of machines, such as the 3203/3223H keymatics and 3208/3221H automatics and it is to this series of machines that my 'problem' belongs to. It was owned by and aunt and uncle of mine and was a widebody automatic, the design of which was the spitting image of the RED version 3236H matchbox machine which would have superceeded it. It had grab handles on the bodysides, in case you were mad enough to try and move it and a door lever in the same style as all the other widebody machines. A slate grey powder drawer on the front, silver facia and red logo and ring round the programmer dial. Those are the certainties - lost in the mists of time are whether it had an AorB button or a programme guide. Now for the assumptions. I would have thought that it would have been on sale alongside the 3223H keymatic and could have been one of two things: either a simple automatic replacement for the 3221H (which had no powder compartment at all) OR Hoovers first ever Automatic de Luxe. The reasoning behind this thought is that it was, styling wise, pretty much identical to the 3236H Automatic de Luxe which would have replaced it. Any help on solving this mystery would be very much appreciated (as would any images of these early hoover automatics). Rather embarrassingly, when initially enquiring about the machine, I did an MS Paint rendering of what it sort of looked like and, oh my god, I have attached it. Please don't laugh too hard! Rack your brains and fingers crossed on my part that someone out there knows what I am on about. All the best Paul

Post# 193488 , Reply# 1 2/25/2007 at 15:28 (6,267 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill Home of the RailwayTrials Merseyside,UK)
Checkrate/Likes *Matchbox!!!* Hi Paul Welcome to the club & glad you finally joined, must thank you for the stirling job you did on the timeline of the Hoover machines, its fascinating working out all the variations, just need the time to do it... I`ve asked a couple of Hoover dealers who trained on the sixties machines and none of them say they remember seeing what you describe, also have looked at two sets of Hoovers manuals thinking I might be missing something in mine, but all show no model like this.... I wonder if it was a renovated model, like a Hoover engineer/shop could have retrofitted a timer into a problematic keymatic etc....or sold it like that?? one thing I did notice was that those fascias where in a number of parts, and as the whole top hinged & pivoted for servicing you could easily swap out the keplate for a timer... I first remember seeing a 3208 timer automatic in the school domestic science classroom, and because it had no conventional powder dispenser on the front I assumed that what we now know as pull out handles, that it was a pull out powder draw, however narrow it may have been... Happy hunting,Mike heres a pic of the matchbox series..

Post# 193491 , Reply# 2 2/25/2007 at 15:31 (6,267 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill Home of the RailwayTrials Merseyside,UK)
Checkrate/Likes *Hoover 3223 Keymatic*

Post# 193493 , Reply# 3 2/25/2007 at 15:36 (6,267 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill Home of the RailwayTrials Merseyside,UK)
Checkrate/Likes *Powder Drawer* The first Hoover with Fabric Conditioner Dispenser, dont you just love the old style creamy Persil Powder & Turquoise Comfort!!!

Post# 193495 , Reply# 4 2/25/2007 at 15:46 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Mike Yep I finally took the plunge and joined up. Excellent picture above there - my parents machines were a smart looking pair. The washer lasted from 1973 through to about 1990, with many repairs to keep it going, including a full overhaul when it was taken completely to bits and rebuilt from its constituent parts. It had to have a new backplate to the outer drum as the washing powder and water, over the years, had eaten away and the metal was only just water tight. Gave about four more years service - my parents replaced it in 1986 upon the installation of a new kitchen, but it saw the rest of its time out working for an aunt of mine who got two more years out of it and two years on top of that in her back yard. I'd love to know if any still survive - but I doubt it somehow. The dryer was slightly different though in that it had a full length facia accross the top. The one above must be a very early version (or indeed a prototype?) or it could have been done to match the 3235, which also had a half length facia. Have just spent a huge amount of money on 2 Hoover service manuals, allegedly showing all hoover products 'from 1965 through to about 1985' - fingers crossed that a)they do or else its money down the drain and b)my mystery machine is in there. The hoover quest has expanded and have spent the last couple of days dealing with Hotpoints - the bulk purchase of Which magazines from 1976 through 1990 was highly useful. Fingers crossed. Great to hear from you Cheers paul

Post# 193496 , Reply# 5 2/25/2007 at 15:48 (6,267 days old) by 74simon ()
Checkrate/Likes *Sounds like quite a task!* Will you be putting the results of your research online at any point? I don't know much about the wide Hoover automatics, but I do know there was quite a price jump between the 3221H and the 3223H (�88 and �135 respectively), so a mid-price machine would make lots of sense. Si

Post# 193497 , Reply# 6 2/25/2007 at 15:51 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Love the 3223H. A neighbour of a mate of mine had that exact machine and it was still going in the early 1990s. I need to pluck up the courage to go and see him again. Can you imagine if it was still there! Picture is all that I have of the half panel 3235 - the cold fill only machine below the 3236h.

Post# 193503 , Reply# 7 2/25/2007 at 15:59 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Simon. I have just e-mailed you a copy Cheers Paul

Post# 193508 , Reply# 8 2/25/2007 at 16:17 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Mike....bit of a question Is the dryer attached the D6E16, modelled on the D6074 that you let me know about? Hi Simon..... Just to let you know that the spreadsheet is not all my own work by any means. I put it together, but without the knowledge and help of Kevin Cox, Mike King and Alistair Kerr it would have fallen flat on its face.

Post# 193513 , Reply# 9 2/25/2007 at 16:50 (6,267 days old) by 74simon ()
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks Paul!* Most interesting! Nothing wrong with getting a little help information wise. Hope those sevice manuals shed a bit of light. I'm sure you'll end up owning at least one of these machines sooner or later - being able to move around one's home without tripping over vintage appliances is rather overrated if you ask me...

Post# 193533 , Reply# 10 2/25/2007 at 17:35 (6,267 days old) by hoovcand ()
Checkrate/Likes *MY PERSONAL HOOVER CHALLENGE* yo im alex tis is a hoover(HOLIDAY)MACHINE THERE SO RARE SOURCE HOOVER SEREVICE DATER HOOVER SERVICE CENTRES HAS THE INFO

Post# 193548 , Reply# 11 2/25/2007 at 17:51 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *EARS PRICKED UP ALEX!* Please tell more - this machine has been driving me insane. You say the Hoover Service Data and Centre has the info - is that the official Hoover Service File issued to engineers? I have just bought two complete (hopefully/allegedly) hoover service manuals covering from 1965 through to approx 1985 - is this your source? (see attached picture)

Post# 193559 , Reply# 12 2/25/2007 at 18:01 (6,267 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill Home of the RailwayTrials Merseyside,UK)
Checkrate/Likes *Dryers* Hi Paul Yes it is the Electra D6E16 dryer without creasgard, it matched the 800 & 1100 Electra models...Glad you won the Hoover manuals, They are THE source of Hoover Info, I`m sure you wont be too dissapointed if your machines isnt in, there is so much more to see... Cheers, Mike p.s. Who won the other two manuals from same seller??

Post# 193565 , Reply# 13 2/25/2007 at 18:24 (6,267 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *The Manuals* I got the hotpoint one, but i wasn't aware that there was a fourth one available. what was it for?

Post# 193658 , Reply# 14 2/26/2007 at 06:15 (6,266 days old) by hoovcand ()
Checkrate/Likes *MY PERSONAL HOOVER CHALLENGE* YES THATA THE MANUALS I WAS REFERING TO LIKE THE U4274 SENIOR THE INFOS THERE BUT NO PICTURE IT MIGHT BE UNDER BEFOR ELECTRONS AL

Post# 193689 , Reply# 15 2/26/2007 at 10:24 (6,266 days old) by robm (Buxted)
Checkrate/Likes *Hello New Members* Hi there Alex and Paul I absolutely love Hoover machines. Welcome to the site, I'm sure your input will be invaluable. Attached is one of my dream machines. Rob

Post# 193720 , Reply# 16 2/26/2007 at 13:15 (6,266 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)
Checkrate/Likes Look whats on ebay! CLICK HERE TO GO TO newwave1's LINK on eBay

Post# 193724 , Reply# 17 2/26/2007 at 13:23 (6,266 days old) by cbosch ()
Checkrate/Likes *I remeber those machines* My Gran had one of those machines that you so excelently drew with mircorsoft paint. It had an AB selector switch with one dial that you had to push in to get turn it. It had a red control fascia and no dispenser drawer. What a great machine tht was. I sadly don't have any pictures left of it but will have a look to see if the manual still exists in my grans house.

Post# 193733 , Reply# 18 2/26/2007 at 13:58 (6,266 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Darren and everybody who has posted since last night. Great to hear from people who remember the machines of my childhood. It's uncanny isn't it how I start the thread and then someone decided to sell a matchbox dryer. My understanding is that this is version 2 of the 3022 - the initial version was the machine for which i posted a copy of the instruction manual cover (the slate grey facia with red detailing - this was the machine I grew up with). I was also very familiar with the later version, a silver and orange pair of machines being owned by my best mates parents. Indeed, when their washing machine was pensioned off it was stored in the garage and became a play thing for us kids. Ironically the washer was replaced by an older 3224 keymatic, which lasted until about 1983 when the drum dropped - being left behind in the cellar when they moved house. Indeed, if you went back in time to 1983 or so and visited the house you would have found a silver and orange 3236h, 3022 and 3224 Keymatic, all of which were left behind and replaced by the 'new generation' Hotpoints of the time (the washer was 95450). All the hoover's probably still exist, unfortunately at the bottom of a landfill. It kills me to think of it! Another relative had an A3110 and I loved to hear it spin - superb machine, later replaced by a Zanussi FL series. A number of brochures were on ebay recently - unfortunately I was outbid, but the attached shows the complete A3108 through A3114 series. Before this I had never seen the keymatic or selectamatic ever before. Does anyone have any full images of the Keymatic and/or selectamatic? Did these two machines have full chrome door, like the previous prestige models before them? Enjoy!

Post# 193737 , Reply# 19 2/26/2007 at 14:09 (6,266 days old) by keymatic (London / UK)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Paul, sounds a bit of a challenge you have on your hands there !!...I have a bit of an apology to make, Kevin sent me your spreedsheet quite sometime ago, but i have been sooooo busy with work, and i am in the middle of moving house didnt really get time to look at it....i am going to see a mate in London this week, so i will print off a copy and get him to scan over it to see if he can fill in any of the holes..I did have a glance at it the other week, but to be honest, Hoover automatics were never my strong point.. I see that you maybe be venturing onto Hotpoint's later on maybe you could do Servis as well...their production of washers were relativily easy compared to Hoover's...if you need any help on compiling that list i would be more than happy to help, and have a large selection of information available. Cheers..& good luck !! Keith

Post# 193738 , Reply# 20 2/26/2007 at 14:09 (6,266 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *I remember those machines* Hi Cbosch - my confusion grows deeper. I was sure that my machine had a powder drawer - the machine always grabbed my attention whenever I saw it as it was VERY (not shouting - just emphasising) similar to my parents 3236h - just a bit fatter! The attached picture is of the 3221H from the November 1969 Which magazine and was kindly sent to me by Kevin Cox. Could this be the machine you remember, although it doesn't appear to have an A/B button? If you were to graft the styling of the red version 3236h matchbox onto this machine (but not replace the programmer knob - as the 3221h's is the right style - i.e not as deep as on the matchboxes), then you would have the machine from my memories.

Post# 193741 , Reply# 21 2/26/2007 at 14:14 (6,266 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi there Keith - the quest has developed and the weekend just gone saw me go Hotpoint crazy - I will send you an updated and expanded copy for you to peruse (will send to your advertised e-mail address). Cheers paul

Post# 193910 , Reply# 22 2/27/2007 at 08:25 (6,265 days old) by cbosch ()
Checkrate/Likes *Nearly* This machine does ersemble what I remeber but my grnas definitley had a AB selector switch. So many models out there with so many differences I think the model I am thinking about would have been bought 1979/198?. It was a great machine with a wonderful distribute before spin with all the water in the drum . If I remeber it had 7 programmes B1 Whites, B2 Fast coloureds A3 white synthetics A4 minimum iron B5 non fast coloureds A6 delicates B7 wool. I recall that the A switch simply stopped the machine spinning and it simply did a distribute for the entire spin programme. The machine ran until 1999 beautiful machine and I miss it.

Post# 193945 , Reply# 23 2/27/2007 at 12:51 (6,265 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *Hi Cbosch* Thinking of my options here. Bought 1978/8 (was it purchased new)? Was it a 'widebody' machine like the 3221H is OR a 'narrowbody' machine like the 3236H is (see the second post in this thread for the 3236H image). The wider machines were replaced by the matchbox/narrow series in the early 70's and the matchbox series replaced in the mid 70's. However some matchbox models continued to be sold through to the late 70's, through dealership exclusive models. One of these was the A2018 Automatic E (bronze facia, no powder drawer/with an orange logo and ring round the programmer - obviously not the one you remember). This model was based upon the A2020 Automatic though. I don't know for certain what one of these looked like, but there is an image of a machine in an old copy of Which magazine (november 1982 - oh to have a scanner)which is a matchbox (narrow machine) with slate grey facia, what is probably a red logo (which would equal red ring round the programmer) and no powder drawer - all matchboxes had A/B buttons and your programme description matches the Cold Fill machines (scroll up and have a gander at the 3235 facia panel image which I posted and you will see it tallies perfectly). Without a clearer image I can't confirm what it is, but I think it could be an A2020. Basically scroll upto the image of the 3022 dryer instruction manual and cut a hole in the door and you would have the machine that I am talking about. Could this be your machine? If Yes brill! If not then, and this depresses me a bit, there could be yet another model out there!!!!!! Sorry for the essay - just trying to get a clearer picture.

Post# 194108 , Reply# 24 2/28/2007 at 06:47 (6,264 days old) by cbosch ()
Checkrate/Likes *I think you may be right* "One of these was the A2018 Automatic E (bronze facia, no powder drawer/with an orange logo and ring round the programmer - obviously not the one you remember). This model was based upon the A2020 Automatic though. " You may have been right this oculd be the machine. Although if you cut a hole in the door from that fryer picture you would get what the machine looked like aswell. I can't remeber the colour exactly. but definitley had an orange ring round the programme dial. Sorry I can't be of more help but would love for oyu to tell me exactly what it was.

Post# 194178 , Reply# 25 2/28/2007 at 12:54 (6,264 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *The A2018 in all its glory...* ....I have been drawing again! This was a machine owned by an aunt and uncle of mine - the A2018 Automatic E (sold through the Electricity Board Shops). Their's was written off by a 50 pence piece! Anything like your grans machine Cbosch? Replace the bronze facia with all over slate grey and the orange detailing with red and, I think!, you may have the A2020.

Post# 194179 , Reply# 26 2/28/2007 at 13:03 (6,264 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)
Checkrate/Likes Paul. This is an australian model! Did it look anything like this? Darren

Post# 194184 , Reply# 27 2/28/2007 at 13:30 (6,264 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Darren - no doubt about the look of the A2018. The machine lived through to about 1990 and I saw it regularly due to the Aunt and uncle being very close family memebers whom we visited regulary. The A2018 was as per the drawing (or at least the one in my family was). The Autralian models definately are of matchbox contruction - just facia differences and lacking a door slide. I occasionally pop over to the Australian ebay site, to have a gander at theses machines. Cheers paul

Post# 194187 , Reply# 28 2/28/2007 at 13:59 (6,264 days old) by cbosch ()
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks* The machine in your latest drawing was exactly the machine beautiful machine it was loved the door slide and the the orange dial! Many thanks Match box

Post# 194189 , Reply# 29 2/28/2007 at 14:12 (6,264 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *no problem* glad we got your mystery sorted out cbosch. also brought back memories for me and am glad that i drew it as it reminded me what a smart machine the A2018 was (haven't seen its image for nearly 20 years myself). Also pleased as it means that there isn't another 'mystery machine' out there to worry about (yet!) - it's bad enough trying to identify my own. Cheers paul

Post# 194190 , Reply# 30 2/28/2007 at 14:38 (6,264 days old) by hoovcand ()
Checkrate/Likes *MY PERSONAL HOOVER CHALLENGE* DONT FORGET THE HOOVER HOLIDAY MACHINE SOMEONE WILL HAVE THE INFO I JUST READ IT SOMETIME AGO EVERYONE LOOK THROUGH YOUR HOOVER SERVICE DATER ITS THERE (TRY UNDER SERVICE UPDATES)ALEX HOOVCAND

Post# 194281 , Reply# 31 3/1/2007 at 05:47 (6,263 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)
Checkrate/Likes I found this piccie in my photo collection i think this is from the selectamatic era.... Darren

Post# 194282 , Reply# 32 3/1/2007 at 05:48 (6,263 days old) by newwave1 (Lincoln, United Kingdom)
Checkrate/Likes Hmmmm paul is this what you were after? Darren

Post# 194323 , Reply# 33 3/1/2007 at 12:15 (6,263 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes Hi Darren - thanks for posting the piccies. The first one would be the A3108 - I have never seen a full picture of this machine before - so major thanks on this one. The second machine is tha A3052 automatic de luxe which, as it states, was an exclusive model sold through house of fraser only and based upon the 3236h matchbox. I have seen this machine before, but only through searching through the forum archive and discovering one of your old posts. I can tell you I was ecstatic when I discovered the picture as, prior to then I had not seen this machine before and, well, I do love my matchboxes. Anyone got a picture of the A3040 (same machine, but with blue and white facia) which was a currys exclusive. If so it would be a)fantastic & b)the first time I will have seen the machine since I was about three years old. A mate of mine at play school (pre junior school!) lived in a pub and an A3040 was a pub-kitchen machine. The private quarters had a stacked bendix 7147 washer & 7446 dryer combo. Fingers crossed for an A3040. Cheers Paul (p.s hope you like my latest piece of 'appliance art' - the A2018. I know the door is set too high and it has been changed on my hard copy)

Post# 194370 , Reply# 34 3/1/2007 at 17:25 (6,263 days old) by mattywashboy (Perth, Western Australia)
Checkrate/Likes does anybody notice that on the australian models (the Zodiac), there is no soap drawer. I had one of these breifly and it was impossible to use softner, you had to chuck the soap in at the start and to put softner in was just a load of messing around waiting for doors to unlock etc etc.

Post# 194372 , Reply# 35 3/1/2007 at 17:49 (6,263 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes first thing my aunt would do was dump a pile of Surf straight into the drum of her A2018, pile the clothes in and then turn on. weird to think that machines with no powder drawer were being produced well into the late 70's.

Post# 195066 , Reply# 36 3/5/2007 at 13:36 (6,259 days old) by matchboxpaul (U.K)
Checkrate/Likes *Bit of an update* Got my ebay purchases - pretty much comprehensive Hoover service manuals - over the weekend. Have spent this afternoon checking all the models against my spreadsheet and everything tallies - apart from the mystery machine which started this thread! I searched long and hard and not a trace of a widebody 'de luxe machine' like my drawing could be found (Alex - would it be possible to provide any further info re the machine you read about at your end ?). Unless you come up trumps Alex (no pressure), I am going to have to resign myself to the fact that my mind (at 28!) is playing cruel tricks and that the machine that I remember was probably the 3221H and didn't have a powder drawer (I am sure it did though). Looks like it is forever going to remain a mystery. Cheers paul

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