Thread Number: 15456
Electrolux 500 series
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Post# 164299   1/2/2012 at 09:30 (4,469 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

Hi can anyone give me some info and history on the electrolux 500 range, ie model numbers and colours etc.
Thanks in advance
Mark


Post# 164300 , Reply# 1   1/2/2012 at 09:39 (4,469 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Here is what I know:

1975-1979 - Electrolux 502 with a 500W motor and in a yellow colour
1980-1985 - Electrolux 502S with a 500W motor and in a cream colour
1980's - Electrolux 550 with a 550W motor and in a cream colour
1980's-1990's - Electrolux Twin Turbo with a 550W motor and in a dark grey colour

There was also a 504, 540 & 560 model range, but I'm unsure of the dates and motor sizes of those.

I hope I've helped somewhat!


Post# 164302 , Reply# 2   1/2/2012 at 09:46 (4,469 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

My gran had a a kind of olive green coloured one which i think was a 502. what is the difference between a 502 and a 502S
Also i have saw a 500 picture here.
www.flickr.com/photos/47381765@N0...


Post# 164306 , Reply# 3   1/2/2012 at 10:02 (4,469 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
The difference between the 502 and the 502S, or the 502Super to give it its full name, is very little!

The colour changed from a yellowy green to a more modern cream, and the stripe on the front of the cleaner extended to the bottom instead of stopping half way down as it did on the 502.

Apart from that - They were the same cleaner!

100% of the mechanical parts stayed the same, it was just aesthetic changes.


Post# 164307 , Reply# 4   1/2/2012 at 10:08 (4,469 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

I have seen else where on here that the 502 isnt an easy machine to work on when things go wrong like the bearings etc but if i remember right they were a not bad machine.

Post# 164309 , Reply# 5   1/2/2012 at 10:14 (4,469 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Yes, I've heard that too.

Luckily though - You'll probably never have to try and work on them seeing as they will last for years flawlessly in my experience.

A new bag and belt every now and then and it will keep on sucking.


Post# 164315 , Reply# 6   1/2/2012 at 11:26 (4,469 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        
ok i might be slightly wrong with dates

turbomaster1984's profile picture
1969/70 sees release of the Lux 500 in white with blue and yellow decals.

1975 sees release of the 502 which is the BOL cleaner in Olive green.
504 is the TOL with variable suction on the cleaner head and hight adjustment in Sunshine yellow.

1980 saw in the 502S.

1983 sees the 505 and 506 which ran short and renamed the more commonly known 550 and 560.

550 was similar to the 504 but in a different colour. The 560 had electronic variable power.

These ran until the 600 series took over and then became the cheaper Turbo models in various styles and colours. Blackish grey. White, Red, Lots of variants as exclusives in those.


Post# 164317 , Reply# 7   1/2/2012 at 12:03 (4,469 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

Thanks for the info. my grans was olive green but had a motor speed ajustment on the shoulder and a min - max at the hose attachment could this be a 502?

Post# 164318 , Reply# 8   1/2/2012 at 12:11 (4,469 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
the motor speed adjuster wasnt that.

thats what everyone thinks but the 502 didnt have variable speed. that is actually an adjustable whistle for the bag indicator. you set it on the scale for the dirt you normally pick up and it sets a diaphragm inside to whistle as air flow reduces in the bag. IIRC its a low number for finer dust and a higher number for fluff and airy things


Post# 164321 , Reply# 9   1/2/2012 at 12:16 (4,469 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

Ah i see thanks i just watched a demo of this on You tube. so can you confirm the olive green colour would make it a 502?

Post# 164338 , Reply# 10   1/2/2012 at 15:05 (4,469 days old) by SeamusUK (Dover Kent UK)        
The 500 series......

Hey Guys

Rob is pretty much spot on with the possible exception of the 500 which I think was 71 although Ive seen 73 mentioned as well.......

This isnt me its my amazing better half and his Mum. He looked for a 500 for ages and we ended up rescuing one from a garage in Crawley- it came up 99% mint :)

Seamus


Post# 164341 , Reply# 11   1/2/2012 at 15:11 (4,469 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Ah that is how the whistle works (high number for large dirt particles and low number for dust etc...).

Thanks for explaining!


Post# 164346 , Reply# 12   1/2/2012 at 15:42 (4,469 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

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I am amazed at the complexity of the air path in this vacuum design. Some kind soul on Vacuumland explained to me that the handle of this upright actually has three air channels: the first from the fan to the bag compartment, the second (in the center) from the bag compartment to the brush cavity for pickup, and yet a third to exhaust the air from the motor!

Would love to see a "repair diagram" of the handle on one of these uprights just to get better understanding of how the air made it to and from the motor into the handle. The only hose I see comes from the brush cavity under the motor and up into the handle - the other two channels seem to be hidden somewhere.

Very complicated, in my opinion....but I guess if the configuration works well, why not?


Post# 164347 , Reply# 13   1/2/2012 at 15:50 (4,468 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

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Yes - A complex design indeed!

I'd like to get an old scrap 500 Series some day to strip down!


Post# 164353 , Reply# 14   1/2/2012 at 16:20 (4,468 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Also sold in Canada

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Doug (or perhaps Pete) can confirm that this design was alos sold in Canada, as a Volta I think.

From Electrolux's documentation 500 was 1971-1975, the 502 taking over in 1975. The more upmarket 504 is from 1974 onwards - i dont have any more infomation on that except that I think it might have been renamed 506 shortly after the 502 was introduced.

Al


Post# 164354 , Reply# 15   1/2/2012 at 16:23 (4,468 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

Hi would you mind if i used the above image to show a friend?

Post# 164374 , Reply# 16   1/2/2012 at 17:25 (4,468 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        
oh dear

turbomaster1984's profile picture
just slip in the hose in at the back....

titter titter :O

Cracking advert by all means. Never seen it before Al. thanks for posting.


Post# 164376 , Reply# 17   1/2/2012 at 17:50 (4,468 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

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"Just slip in the hose at the back" - I'd never noticed that before, ha ha!

Post# 164434 , Reply# 18   1/3/2012 at 00:37 (4,468 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Image

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yes, of course you may use the image - it is the public domain anyway :)

Post# 164438 , Reply# 19   1/3/2012 at 03:40 (4,468 days old) by SeamusUK (Dover Kent UK)        
500 Explained

Well a 504 actually- 8.50 into this...

Seamus


CLICK HERE TO GO TO SeamusUK's LINK


Post# 164442 , Reply# 20   1/3/2012 at 08:05 (4,468 days old) by 74simon ()        

I think the 500 series was a very impressive design, and certainly put other manufacturers to shame! Essentially it took all the best features of the Hoover Dialamatic/Convertible in a cleaner that was lighter, cheaper and easier to use. The hose arrangement and the suction adjuster (operated by a vent) were pure DAM, although the Electrolux cylinder heritage is also evident.

After the DAM/Convertible, Hoover dropped Clean Fan Action in its subsequent uprights, and it didn't make a reappearance until the Turbopower 2 in the 1990s. In the meantime, both Electrolux and Panasonic brought out machines that were very similar to the overall design and appearance of the Hoover, the 610 series and the Jet-Flo respectively. The Hoover design was very ahead of its time, but as the top of the line cleaner it was also expensive (in the UK at least), and didn't seem to sell well at all - they're all quite rare (for Hoovers!) in the UK now, especially the post 1975 versions. Shame they let other manufacturers develop the design instead of refining it themselves.


Post# 164445 , Reply# 21   1/3/2012 at 08:32 (4,468 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

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Thank you for that wondeful video, Seamus....it does indeed show a cutaway of the air flow channels in this Electrolux upright.

The only part of the design that still remains a mystery to me is: If the handle can rotate 90 degrees from "stored" position to "under bed" position, how do the air channels allow the movement of air to and from the motor? The "cutaway" demonstrator vac does not clearly answer this question. I would imagine that this needed to be designed very well so that over the years of use, the constantly-rotating "neck" of the vacuum handle would not leak air as the air made its way to and from the motor.


Post# 164452 , Reply# 22   1/3/2012 at 11:03 (4,468 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

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"The only part of the design that still remains a mystery to me is: If the handle can rotate 90 degrees from "stored" position to "under bed" position, how do the air channels allow the movement of air to and from the motor? The "cutaway" demonstrator vac does not clearly answer this question. I would imagine that this needed to be designed very well so that over the years of use, the constantly-rotating "neck" of the vacuum handle would not leak air as the air made its way to and from the motor."

The dirt gets from the head of the machine to the main cleaner via a flexible hose meaning it can go all the way flat without any compromise in suction.

What I have found however, is that after a lot of use that "inner" hose will split, as it did with mine, but a bit of black tape sorts it out!

Much cheaper than paying over the odds for a tiny bit of hose.


Post# 164453 , Reply# 23   1/3/2012 at 11:19 (4,468 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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Hi Al:

Quite right - they did sell them originally as Volta then as Dometic in Canada. I have the Dometic U505 which was sold in 1979.



Post# 164461 , Reply# 24   1/3/2012 at 12:45 (4,468 days old) by markus79 (Finland)        
Electrolux Z500

I hope these pictures help you=)
I think this airflow goes thought the joint.

Markus


Post# 164462 , Reply# 25   1/3/2012 at 12:46 (4,468 days old) by markus79 (Finland)        
Z500

picture 2

Post# 164463 , Reply# 26   1/3/2012 at 12:48 (4,468 days old) by markus79 (Finland)        
Z500

dustbag airflow

Post# 164464 , Reply# 27   1/3/2012 at 12:50 (4,468 days old) by markus79 (Finland)        
Z500

joint and motor airflow

Post# 164465 , Reply# 28   1/3/2012 at 12:52 (4,468 days old) by markus79 (Finland)        
Z500

the hose inlet

Post# 164469 , Reply# 29   1/3/2012 at 13:02 (4,468 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

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Ahhhhhhh.......NOW I UNDERSTAND!!!!

Thanks so much for these scans and photos - they explain the mystery to me very clearly.

There must be some very good gaskets around those air "holes" in order to prevent any leakage of air and reduced suction where they join the lower portion to the upper portion. I wonder why they did not just exhaust the air through the top of the motor housing....that would have been simpler solution, methinks.....hmmm....


Post# 164472 , Reply# 30   1/3/2012 at 13:11 (4,468 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Dometic and portholes

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Doug,

I knew you had one and I was sure Volta was not the name - I just could not remember that it was Dometic.

Jamie, you have not quite answered Brian's question, and indeed nor could I until I recently had to make a (sort of bodged) repair on one of these. Brian you need to pause the video around 9.10 to get a better idea of how this works - there are indeed three air channels in the handle.

If you look at Dougs picture above (or even mine further up) you can see the chrome clip which holds it shut - the whole top is hinged across the rear which will allow it to open through 180 degrees. The bag is vertically mounted with the bag entry at the top. It looks for all the world like an ordinary cannister.

Air is drawn into the bag chamber via the hose from the brushroll through the central channel. This bends through 90 degress at the top of the bag chamber exiting into the bag. Air is drawn out of the bag chamber through the left hand channel, through the motor and out again through the right hand channel - you can see the remains of the exhaust grill at 9.17.

What is not shown in the demo is that at the bottom of each side of the handle are round "portholes" (for want of a better word) which engage with each side of the motor shroud shown in red in the demo. It is these which allow the handle to swivel up and down whilst maintaining suction. The pully for the brushroll belt is just behind the right hand front wheel.

How do I know? I recently got one of these for 99p (Say $1.00) which presumably had been dropped or maybe just misused and part of the porthole moulding on the right was damaged. It superglued the remaining parts together and although a bit wobbly still the cleaner works fine as the left hand port (suction) is still intact.

Hope this makes it a bit clearer

Al



Post# 164473 , Reply# 31   1/3/2012 at 13:12 (4,468 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Markus beat me to it!

vacbear58's profile picture
Well I hope my text made as much sens as his photos and scans :)

Al


Post# 164475 , Reply# 32   1/3/2012 at 13:24 (4,468 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

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Many thanks for your answers everyone!!! :-) (Happy New Year from this side of the Atlantic....)

Post# 164505 , Reply# 33   1/3/2012 at 15:49 (4,467 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

Actually my model 503 is labelled Dometic-Volta

It's a nice little vac. I should use it more.

Here's my ancient video of it



Post# 164721 , Reply# 34   1/5/2012 at 01:21 (4,466 days old) by tazcatsdad (Buffalo, NY)        
I actually have two of these cleaners!

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One, seen in the video link below, was made by AB Electrolux sometime around 1984 (please correct me if I'm wrong) for the American sewing machine maker Viking and was sold through their exclusive distributors.  Electrolux also made a line of canister/tank models for Viking as well, as I recall.  I had one in the early days of my collection, in fact: wish I had kept the silly thing!

 

As for my other machine, it's one of the later grey colored models ... a Z1045, to be exact.  I'll put a video link to it up in another post.



CLICK HERE TO GO TO tazcatsdad's LINK

Post# 164722 , Reply# 35   1/5/2012 at 01:23 (4,466 days old) by tazcatsdad (Buffalo, NY)        
Here's the other one

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Post# 164724 , Reply# 36   1/5/2012 at 01:32 (4,466 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Husqvarna

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Hey Bill,

Happy New Year

It was a similar machine to the one shown in the link above that I mentioned repairing above - do you have tools for it as well?

Of course Husqvarna has long been an Electrolux brand and I recall an magazine ad here in the 1970s which actually had the (male) model dressed up as a viking. Although best known for sewing machines, we did have TOL Electrolux refrigeration products and I think ranges (cookers!) under that brand as well.

A good while back I think we had a discussion here about a Lux 345 cannister sold in the USA - I wonder coudl this have been one of the Viking cannisters you mention

Al


Post# 164915 , Reply# 37   1/6/2012 at 14:57 (4,465 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

I just bought a 502 from Ebay cant wait to reaquaint myself with this as my gran used to have one.

Post# 164916 , Reply# 38   1/6/2012 at 15:10 (4,465 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Post# 164918 , Reply# 39   1/6/2012 at 15:28 (4,465 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

Sure is and you cant go wrong for 99p
It looks as if the furniture guard is missing off it but i am not too bothered about that i just wanted it.


Post# 164919 , Reply# 40   1/6/2012 at 15:34 (4,465 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

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Are you actually going to hand her 99P ? Ha ha.

Hopefully you won't have any problems with the transaction. The reason I say that is because a few times when I've won things for super low prices (E.G 99P) the seller has refused to sell it to me because they expected it to go higher.


Post# 164920 , Reply# 41   1/6/2012 at 15:35 (4,465 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Just noticed that it is in Stockport, so I guess you'll be getting it delivered via courier ?

Post# 164922 , Reply# 42   1/6/2012 at 15:43 (4,465 days old) by juniorsenior ()        

I had actualy offered her £20 for a quick sale as i have no paitence and wanted it straight away but she wasnt sure how to add a buy it now price so i just said i would wait till the auction ended and got it for 99p
She probobaly wanted more who wouldnt but i think she is glad its going to a good home and she is sending it via a courier.


Post# 164924 , Reply# 43   1/6/2012 at 16:03 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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While we are on the subject of the 500 series I was just wondering if anyone had a spare of the mustard coloured crevice tool or flip over floor/rug tool that came with the Dometic. I took another picture of it to show what I have for parts (the hose, wand and brush were still in the box pictured behind the machine when I got it and I dont think they had ever been used)

Doug


Post# 164927 , Reply# 44   1/6/2012 at 16:42 (4,464 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Doug

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To the best of my knowledge this combination was never offered in the UK which came with white hose handle & tools Until the later version with completely different hose, wands & tools. The hose handle looks like that from the 345, so I suppose the tools would be the same. I have never seen either version of the flip over tool of thsi vintage in anything but white, although later versions (such as the basic one used on 303) were also in black, I think I have also seen it in really dark chocolate brown, but never in this colour. I may have a spare crevice tool in brown

Al


Post# 164930 , Reply# 45   1/6/2012 at 16:56 (4,464 days old) by tazcatsdad (Buffalo, NY)        
@vacbear58 ...

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Hi Al,

 

Happy New Year to you also!  Sorry but I don't have the tool kit for either of my machines.  I'm willing to bet that the machine you and I were discussing before was that very Viking cylinder!


Post# 164937 , Reply# 46   1/6/2012 at 18:19 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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Hi Al:

Actually its a different colour than the 345. This set is kind of a mustard colour. It matches the bumper on the machine perfectly. I have the sales brochure for this one somewher - I'll scan it when I find it.
Doug


Post# 164950 , Reply# 47   1/6/2012 at 18:58 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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Ok - I've been doing a bunch of scanning so here goes:

First the Dometic 503 - Front


Post# 164952 , Reply# 48   1/6/2012 at 19:02 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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503 - Back

Post# 164953 , Reply# 49   1/6/2012 at 19:04 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
505 - Front

Post# 164954 , Reply# 50   1/6/2012 at 19:07 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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505 - Back

Post# 164955 , Reply# 51   1/6/2012 at 19:11 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
In the Early 80's my aunt and uncle in England sent me some misc catalogue pages of vacuums. I thought you might find them interesting too.



Post# 164956 , Reply# 52   1/6/2012 at 19:14 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
For some reason the scans are showing up on the preview but not on the final upload and it wont let me edit so I guess I have to quit for now.

Doug


Post# 164963 , Reply# 53   1/6/2012 at 20:48 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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Since they seem to be coming up now I'll continue. I'd love to find the Goblin 666 - #4 on this page as my Aunt used to have one.

Post# 164964 , Reply# 54   1/6/2012 at 20:50 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
and another

Post# 164966 , Reply# 55   1/6/2012 at 20:56 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
and another :) I'd also love to have both 355 and 303 Electrolux Cannisters. The Red and Black colour scheme is really sharp.

Post# 164967 , Reply# 56   1/6/2012 at 21:01 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
and yet another

Post# 164969 , Reply# 57   1/6/2012 at 21:11 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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last one. The 380 and 390 are really neat tank type machines too.

Post# 164987 , Reply# 58   1/7/2012 at 05:58 (4,464 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Goblin 666

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Doug

Thanks for taking the time for scanning and posting the instructions and catalogue pages - very interesting indeed.

We would all like to see an example of the 666 - persoanlly I did not even know of the model's existance until I picked up a Goblin brochure a few years back. I am attaching a scan of that page

I have never seen one of these come up on ebay, although i have just bought something a bit similar, pictures hopefully coming soon.

The hose appears to be simular to the Hoover stretch hose (Hooverflex) that was used here for many years after it was dropped in N America. Some interesting snippets of info in your scans though. Interesting to see the 303 with that version of nozzle - I only associated it with the one shown with the 96 but in black.

Only ever saw an 87 with braided hose not that plastic one, which appears similar to that shown on the 170. By the way the 87/96 are the direct descendents of the Lux 48 as teh BOL model that you wanted copy of the manual cover.

The Lux 380/390 would have been their answer to the Hoover Sensortronic range although never with the PN that some of the Hoovers had. From some other information i have it appears that the bodies are not quite the same colour although they appear the same in teh scans.

Al


Post# 164998 , Reply# 59   1/7/2012 at 08:48 (4,464 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Hi Al:

Thanks for posting that. I didnt realize that the 666 was the mid range machine. I've seen a picture of the 702 before and wondered where it fit in. Now I know. Any idea what year that was. The catalogue pages I have have no clues as to year.

Doug


Post# 165001 , Reply# 60   1/7/2012 at 09:02 (4,464 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Goblin brochure

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I have it recorded as 1977.

The 602 had been around for a long time, at least 10 years - indeed I was surprised that they were still listing it in 1977. The body of the machine is all plastic, unusual at the time, even the most basic Goblins were made of metal.

Here is the rest of the brochure - front cover. The suction control on top of teh cleaner is an air release valve


Post# 165002 , Reply# 61   1/7/2012 at 09:03 (4,464 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Inside

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..

Post# 165003 , Reply# 62   1/7/2012 at 09:07 (4,464 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
A real glamour shot

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It looks like they were targeting the softbag housemaid at a specific market :)

Well fair play to Goblin on this one - for years and years their uprights were very clearly based on the Hoover Junior, as close as they could be, but this was their own, new design

And, although not particularly well rated at the time its not a bad cleaner at all


Post# 165004 , Reply# 63   1/7/2012 at 09:40 (4,464 days old) by 74simon ()        

Doug, thank you for scanning those, I appreciate what a faff that can be, seeing period literature is always a treat!

Alistair, I literally LOL'd at the GL777 page, I could do with a pair of baffies like those, with a quilted nylon housecoat to match, hehehe!

I've always looked at Goblin vacuums as being a bit basic and not terribly well thought out compared to Hoover or Electrolux, or even their Teasmades, with details like the lack of upholstery nozzles or dusting brushes on many of the cylinders, and the lack of standard paper bag fittings on the 102 etc letting them down. Having said that, I have never been properly acquainted with a Goblin (no comments please...)

Having said that, I've always thought the Housemaids were quite striking cleaners, those along with the HP Swallow made Hoover's uprights look terribly old fashioned. Looking at the GL888 in particular, it looks like Hoover totally ripped off the dust collection arrangement on the Turbopower/Turbomaster Freedom Permabag, 20 years after the Goblin design!


Post# 165020 , Reply# 64   1/7/2012 at 12:22 (4,464 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
umm

kirbymodel2c's profile picture
Umm I've just had to rewrite this post out twice as the 1st one vanished lol...

There are quiet a few vacs on the that I love.
Thanks for posting the catalogue pics. Does any one have any more classic UK catalogue pages from the same kind of era??

James:o)


Post# 165047 , Reply# 65   1/7/2012 at 16:43 (4,463 days old) by SeamusUK (Dover Kent UK)        
Electrolux Z303

Doug....

I have a nice example that Im going to be listing on Ebay in the next few weeks- Im downsizing somewhat and have decided to concentrate on Hoover machines. Thats going to be followed by a boxed Automatic Z330, Z55 and possibly a nice Z345 :).

Seamus


Post# 165095 , Reply# 66   1/8/2012 at 02:53 (4,463 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
It was very interesting seeing all those advertisements, and to see how expensive my 502S was when she was new! When you have a vintage cleaner you forget that it must have been very high tech in its day, and thus, cost a lot.

And going back to my question I asked a couple of days ago, I think my 502S did originally come with a plastic hose, as in that advert, it looks like the tool set had a plastic hose included, not woven ?


Post# 165100 , Reply# 67   1/8/2012 at 03:13 (4,463 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Price

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Jamie

You need to remember that the scans above are from Home Shopping Catalagoues ("Club Books") and that the prices quoted there were ALWAYS much higher than you would have paid in the shops - the payment plans are not interest free, the just quite a higher price to begin with to cover interest. Argos and Which are the only reliable written media for prices.

Al


Post# 165115 , Reply# 68   1/8/2012 at 07:17 (4,463 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Yes I know about the higher prices for catalogues, but it still gives you a rough idea.

Post# 165117 , Reply# 69   1/8/2012 at 07:35 (4,463 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        
Yes I know about the higher prices for catalogues, but it st

turbomaster1984's profile picture
No nowhere near a rough idea.

Which listed best prices for the Lux 502 at being around £49 with free tools thrown in at the cow shed retailers and yet above in the catalogue its about 40% more expensive.

Even the Hoover Junior in Trident was around £39 yet the Goblin which was a cheaper brand is advertised at £39 in the catalogue.

The Lux 610 Was quite expensive here for £114 as Argos retailed the Twin Turbo around £79 in the late 80s. The Lux 610 was about £100 and the 612 about £115.


Catalogues were very expensive, a basic 800 spin hotpoint washer cost around £250 best prices in the likes of Currys yet these catalogues it was around £320. A low earners weeks wage was around £150 so the difference of £70 made a huge difference.




Post# 165129 , Reply# 70   1/8/2012 at 09:45 (4,463 days old) by collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Thats very interesting as here, the catalogue prices were usually the same as what the in store prices were.

Post# 165137 , Reply# 71   1/8/2012 at 10:38 (4,463 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
Sorry I re read and realised my maths error. The lux 520 was about 80% more expensive.

Bright House do pretty much the same these days. Currys have a £220 Beko cash price (dont see that term used much these days) where total repayable at BrightHouse the same machine comes out at over £500 paying £4 a week for 3 or so years however it works out. The catalogues used this practise back in the day.


Post# 165152 , Reply# 72   1/8/2012 at 14:19 (4,463 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

gb

Post# 165154 , Reply# 73   1/8/2012 at 14:39 (4,463 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

Sorry about that last message - new to the forum! What an amazing and interesting thread this is. If i can add a few points...

The wattage of the 502 was 425, the 504 was 450. The replacement cleaners for these were models 506 and 502s, with wattages of 550 and 500 respectively. The 506 was out a little bit before the 502s. Newer versions of the 502 had the long plastic strip down the front but I have no idea why they didn't all have this. When the 550 was launched, the 506 became a 560, with a 560 watt motor. It was suggested here that a 505 was avaliable in UK, but I have never seen it. All I have seen is a picture of such a machine, same as the 504, but made for another country. The mustard coloured hose and dusting brush in the pictures in this thread were sold here in the UK but only on the earliest machines, where a deluxe tool kit was made for the 504. As no other Electrolux cleaner had these colours, I suppose it was easier and cheaper to use brown or white, as indeed they later did. Not forgetting that not all cleaners had the tools supplied with the cleaner, therefore it is quite common to see a cleaner with what you might call the wrong tools...tools which were earlier or later than the cleaner they are seen with, depending on when they were bought and what kits the shop had it stock at that time.

According to Electrolux, the 506 was originaly supplied with a woven hose and it would have been the last to have this. The 502s had the most basic of all hoses, with no handgripping or suction control. It used a thin white concetina hose, thinner than on cylinders, but was still metal when it came to tubes. This was the first tool kit to dispence with a floor tool. Later on the tool kits changed to white plastic, when the 550 and 550 came to be. These kits were used on the 550 and the 560 until there was a switch to brown, round about the time that the 502s was finally taken out of production. Again I believe the colour change of the tools to be down to ease, as some of the Electricity Board cylinder models were using the same brown tool kits whereas no other had white.

The 500 series was subject to countless minor tweeks over the years, with additional mouldings being added to the design to improve strength on the weak points. The very last 502S, 550 and 560 were the most solid of all as they contained all the modifications which Electrolux had added since the start of the 1970s.


Post# 165196 , Reply# 74   1/8/2012 at 17:09 (4,462 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Thanks again

vacbear58's profile picture
Benny for your insight. There are so many variations in all these machines (especially the long running series) that it is difficult to keep up with them all. The knowledge you bring to the table is very welcome

Al


Post# 165200 , Reply# 75   1/8/2012 at 17:33 (4,462 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

Thank you, you are most welcome. I like the 500 range very much as I was able to rebuild them and sell as reconditioned. Add a 6 month guarentee and a free drive belt, and I was home and dry. No one expected them to last long for what they paid (about £60 in the early 1990s as a guide price) and yet I rarely got any sent back for repair in the 6 months. Very good cleaner and one which could be put back to almost new. Though it was financially sound to do so back then. It wouldn't be so now.

Post# 165218 , Reply# 76   1/8/2012 at 21:20 (4,462 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

eurekaprince's profile picture
Wow.....that white carpet nozzle shown with the Goblin canister looks almost identical to the classic Eureka carpet nozzle of the 1950's and 1960's! The only difference seems to be that it has an attached neck like the very first ones did on the Golden Crown Roto-Matic.

Am I seeing things? Did Eureka supply attachments to Goblin?


Post# 165250 , Reply# 77   1/9/2012 at 00:38 (4,462 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Eureka?

vacbear58's profile picture
Brian

I doubt it very much, as by this time Goblin was operating towards the bottom end of the market, so cost woudl have been all.

The only "genuine" Eureka tools i have ever seen here was on the Parnall Vibrabeat later 10/10, or the even rarer Singer variants around the early 1960s all of which were an exact copies of the Eureka. Co-incidentally later 1960s Singers were manufactured by Goblin, but were direct copies of Goblin cleaners.

Al


Post# 165271 , Reply# 78   1/9/2012 at 06:35 (4,462 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill (Birthplace of the Railway),England, UK.)        
Electrolux Z500

chestermikeuk's profile picture
these where a great vac and ahead of the field for its day, very quiet in action, the brushes & beater bars very effective in removing grit & dirt, and the bonus of clean air suction and plug in tools etc with the same suction level.

I always thought that Electrolux (known mainly for cylinders) put a lot of design & aesthetic thought into the first of their upright cleaners, whereas Hoover ( known for uprights) only managed to produce a large clunky first cylinder cleaner!!!


Post# 165276 , Reply# 79   1/9/2012 at 08:03 (4,462 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

eurekaprince's profile picture
I was thinking that Goblin might have acquired that carpet nozzle from the Parnall people!!!! :-)

When using one of these Electrolux 500's in tool-mode, was the revolving brush sufficiently raised off the floor to prevent damage?

This has always been my complaint about many uprights that offer above-the-floor tools: if the carpet brush or agitator can't be turned off or covered somehow, it becomes a rather dangerous device that can harm floors, carpets, fingers and toes! An exposed revolving brush can also easily get jammed by socks and plastic bags as it is dragged over a bare floor. :-(


Post# 165277 , Reply# 80   1/9/2012 at 08:48 (4,462 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield & London)        
Parnall

vacbear58's profile picture
sadly was long gone before this cleaner was ever thought of. The Parnall version of the Eureka must have been withdrawn in around 1964/65 and there were no further vacuums (that I am aware of) from them.

To the best of my knowledge, and its a while since I used one, when the tangle is returned to the upright position the brushrool sid eof teh cleaner is raised slightly, whether the tools are connected or not.

Al


Post# 165282 , Reply# 81   1/9/2012 at 09:41 (4,462 days old) by eurekaprince (Montreal, Canada)        

eurekaprince's profile picture
Al - I hope to be able to acquire a Parnall/Eureka vintage vac one day as I hope to be moving overseas in a few years time....would love to have a 220volt Eureka to clean with! :-D

Post# 165284 , Reply# 82   1/9/2012 at 09:48 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        
Top Middle or Bottom? lol

turbomaster1984's profile picture
More First Middle and Last but anyway....

Post# 165286 , Reply# 83   1/9/2012 at 09:53 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        
wall of

turbomaster1984's profile picture
Lux



Post# 165287 , Reply# 84   1/9/2012 at 09:55 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
bit of a nosey for you

Post# 165289 , Reply# 85   1/9/2012 at 09:57 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
Back to the 500

Post# 165290 , Reply# 86   1/9/2012 at 09:59 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
I must admit i love the combo of yellow and blue.

Post# 165291 , Reply# 87   1/9/2012 at 10:01 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
Action!

Post# 165294 , Reply# 88   1/9/2012 at 10:17 (4,462 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Wow, nice collection, and nice house too!

Tell me, how do you get the background with the HOOVER logo ? All I can find is the "HOOVER, Beats as it sweeps as it cleans" logo.


Post# 165297 , Reply# 89   1/9/2012 at 10:28 (4,462 days old) by turbomaster1984 (Ripley, Derbyshire)        

turbomaster1984's profile picture
I dunno it was available when I set my account up. Maybe email HooverClebrity aka Fred to see if he can add it for you.

Post# 165298 , Reply# 90   1/9/2012 at 10:52 (4,462 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
I was just wondering, are your collection all in use, or do they just sit there ?

If I had that many Turbopowers I'd have to use them! Ha ha.


Post# 240177 , Reply# 91   7/15/2013 at 19:50 (3,908 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK)        

alexhoovers94's profile picture
How come the electrolux 550 in reply 82 doesn't have the rotary dial, bag wissle thingy?

Alex.


Post# 240195 , Reply# 92   7/16/2013 at 02:46 (3,908 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        
Missing whistle

The very last 550 and 502S cleaners did not have a whistle, presumably to reduce production costs and / or to present the consumer with a lesser-featured machine. These cleaners were in production after the Twin Turbo had come to be, and possibly were exclusives to certain stores in the very end. Because of that, a line would need to be drawn between these models and others, and also there would be a need to reduce costs.

Post# 240223 , Reply# 93   7/16/2013 at 10:43 (3,908 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
A bit like the later Turbopower 2s not having a bag full indicator?

Post# 240227 , Reply# 94   7/16/2013 at 11:11 (3,908 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
OH god, here we go again....

Post# 240247 , Reply# 95   7/16/2013 at 13:54 (3,908 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        
Hoover Turbopower 2

In principal yes, removing the bag full whistle made for a cleaner which was cheaper to make due to lower assembly costs, and was a cheaper model for the consumer all-round. However, I seem to recall that certain Hoover Turbopower models always did come without a bag full lamp fitted, and in these instances the front moulding on the cleaner was made without a hole for the lamp. This of course is in stark contrast to the 550 and 502S Electrolux, where it was always the intention to fit a whistle as standard. I would not be at all surprised if stocks of the whistle had long been exhausted before production has ended and that a plastic cap was instead moulded and fitted instead. There would have been considerably less assembly involved in fitting a cap as apposed to the whistle.

Post# 240295 , Reply# 96   7/16/2013 at 16:11 (3,908 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK)        

alexhoovers94's profile picture
Just whistle while you work, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm, hm!
Haha.


Post# 240313 , Reply# 97   7/16/2013 at 17:15 (3,907 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
You make very good point Benny, which is probably correct!

I have to say the lack of whistle would not be a great hardship, as I find it either whistles prematurely or too late - much like any other bag full indicator come to think of it!

Luckily there was an option to turn it off, by setting it to 0.

They did however - as with all bag full indicators - serve as a feature to alert the user of a blockage, which was what they became far more useful for.


Post# 240318 , Reply# 98   7/16/2013 at 17:19 (3,907 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Wasn't the Electrolux the first model to have a clean air hard box system?

Post# 240320 , Reply# 99   7/16/2013 at 17:22 (3,907 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
Wasn't that the Hoover Convertible?

Post# 240322 , Reply# 100   7/16/2013 at 17:23 (3,907 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
In the UK I meant.

Post# 240326 , Reply# 101   7/16/2013 at 17:26 (3,907 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        
Blockage

That is not correct with the whistle indicators. They did not indicate blockages and indeed if the whistle was going off I am sure that restricting the airflow in the hose altogether would silence the whistle. It is very late in the evening and I cannot recall how they worked, but I will scratch my brains tomorrow. I think it is to do with the fact that the whistle relied on a through-flow of air, where as piston or illuminated indicators require only pressure to hold back the valves.

Post# 240329 , Reply# 102   7/16/2013 at 17:28 (3,907 days old) by AlexHoovers94 (Manchester UK)        
Sebo_fan

alexhoovers94's profile picture
I think the Hoover convertable came out in the late 60's...Long before the lux 500 series.
If I am correct here, at least that is something Hoover didn't copy another brand on...


Post# 240331 , Reply# 103   7/16/2013 at 17:30 (3,907 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

jmurray01's profile picture
"In the UK I meant." So did I?

Yes Benny I think you may be right there, but then again part of me also thought the whistles acted as a make-shift suction release valve too? Hopefully you can clear it up tomorrow.

Goodnight and take care.

~Jamie.


Post# 240332 , Reply# 104   7/16/2013 at 17:30 (3,907 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

The Convertible was the first clean fan cleaner in the UK, dating back to about 1967. The Electrolux 500 was the first UK built cleaner to have a clean fan system, followed shortly by the Hotpoint Swallow. Like Hoover, Hotpoint gave up on the idea and reverted to a dirty fan system, although in this instance they didn't build their own cleaners, they bought them off Bosch. I will always be at a loss as to why clean fan cleaning did not lead the way until it did so in the 1990's.

Post# 240336 , Reply# 105   7/16/2013 at 17:39 (3,907 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Did the Convertible have an additional filter system other than the bag? The Z500 of course had the filter at the bottom. Possibly the manufacture at that time of vacuum cleaner filters was harder than it is now/1990 where the manufacture of filters were more commonplace.

Looking back at my own Z500, the genuine original bags had the open style clip closure at the bottom - so at that time, with open bags being the norm as well as Hoover themselves, with sealed bags finally coming onto the market - it is easy to see how slow things really were in order to improve dust capture.


Post# 240342 , Reply# 106   7/16/2013 at 17:51 (3,907 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

The convertible had a hard filter in the base but it was more to stop solid debris from a broken dust bag getting into the motor, rather than to filter the air. Electrolux was the first to offer filtered air, in fact it was the first and probably last to do so on a dirty-fan machine (152/160/170). The hard filter in the 500 cleaner was never mentioned in the instruction book, nor was the soft filter in the 330 and 345 cylinder. Again, I believe this was an attempt to give the cleaner a ;limited lifespan, by gradually reducing suction power as time progressed.

Post# 240346 , Reply# 107   7/16/2013 at 18:01 (3,907 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
And yet, the filters were available to buy in the 1980s to the 1990s for the Z500? I had two original packs, one in orange branded packs and another Electrolux pack in white. Orange pack was dated 1978

Post# 240352 , Reply# 108   7/16/2013 at 18:13 (3,907 days old) by vintagerepairer (England)        

The filters for both 500 series and 330/345 were always readily available to buy. It is a question of knowing they were there in the first place. As no mention was made in the instructions, few owners would know the reason why their cleaners were losing suction as time progressed.

Post# 240786 , Reply# 109   7/18/2013 at 13:56 (3,906 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
And yet, the additional info about triple filtration is mentioned in that first photo scan on here showing a brochure for the Z500. (reply 14).

Post# 240792 , Reply# 110   7/18/2013 at 14:19 (3,906 days old) by Turbo500 (West Yorkshire, UK)        
I think the Hoover convertable came out in the late 60's

turbo500's profile picture
the convertible came out 1967. The Lux 500 came out in 71. Not that much of a gap.

Personally, I've always found the Lux 500's to be a considerable improvement on the Juniors and Turbopowers, but that's just me.


Post# 240794 , Reply# 111   7/18/2013 at 14:40 (3,906 days old) by sebo_fan (Scotland, UK, member AKA ukvacfan, & Nar2)        

sebo_fan's profile picture
Speaking as a fan of the Junior and Senior models, I used to wonder why buyers bought the Electrolux Z500s until I owned one. I found it remarkably light to push, very easy to use, far more compact and "nimble," ironic given Electrolux's far later decision to market such an upright vacuum using that name - and compared to Hoover's models, the plastic on the Electrolux seemed to withstand scrapes and cuts far better, but then that may be down to my usage, later in life.

Even when I got to try the electronic one with the suction control dial, I found it a very effective vacuum cleaner and far quieter than any of Hoover's models. The electronic models also had a far better way of filling the bag compared to the lowly model I originally had (special/catalogue exclusive base Z517 I think.) What I didn't like was the screw fit filter at the bottom of the bin underneath the bag on that model.


Post# 240837 , Reply# 112   7/18/2013 at 20:13 (3,905 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Since we are back on this thread I might as well update the information about the coloured accessory kits for the 500 series. Through some digging (and a lot of help - thanks Al, James) we have found that the early kit for the Dometic 505 (Electrolux 504) had the mustard handgrip and dusting brush but the rug/floor nozzle and crevice tool were white as pictured below. As well the early kit for the 502 had the same arrangement with the dusting brush being a greeish grey like the machine.

Post# 307585 , Reply# 113   11/29/2014 at 15:20 (3,407 days old) by murdock ()        
gobblin 666

i have one to sell .... anyone interested


Post# 307594 , Reply# 114   11/29/2014 at 17:49 (3,406 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
Hi,

kirbymodel2c's profile picture

Hi, I'm sure their are collectors who would be interested in your Goblin. I've always thought about getting one if one came up in decent condition. You might be best listing it on ebay with pictures so we can see what we are looking at and how original it is etc.

 

Jamessmile


Post# 452370 , Reply# 115   5/6/2022 at 17:09 (691 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
So I found this thread while doing some research and thought I would share some South African 500 series machines. we did get the first 500 in grey but I have yet to find one, here are some brochures from Electrocol, the agents for Electrolux before it became Electrolux owned again in 1996

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Post# 452371 , Reply# 116   5/6/2022 at 17:10 (691 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
The 502 in green, we also got this in brown which I had many years ago

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Post# 452372 , Reply# 117   5/6/2022 at 17:15 (691 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
506. I loved this machine when was a kid, They were hugely popular here and basically dethroned Hoover as the NO1 upright vacuum in our market

  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 2         View Full Size
Post# 452373 , Reply# 118   5/6/2022 at 17:18 (691 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
My moms friend had one of these, It stood at the top of a huge staircase on the landing, She was awesome and always let me vacuum when we went to visit
This is also one of the odd all machines while all he otherswere manufactured right here in Cape Town, This model was imported


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 2         View Full Size
Post# 452374 , Reply# 119   5/6/2022 at 17:21 (691 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

gsheen's profile picture
I remember these in the shop I thought they were awesome, My mom however chose a Turbomaster Hoover

  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 2         View Full Size

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