Thread Number: 34598  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Electrolux 1401-B Olympia 1
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Post# 373915   6/15/2017 at 00:52 (2,478 days old) by keither (California )        

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Well its 2017 and they are still running strong!

  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 4         View Full Size
Post# 373922 , Reply# 1   6/15/2017 at 06:07 (2,478 days old) by S31463221 (Frenchburg, KY)        
I think it's been over 20 years......

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Charlie hit the nail on the head!!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO S31463221's LINK


Post# 373934 , Reply# 2   6/15/2017 at 08:53 (2,478 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL)        

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If you keep up on the bearings and brushes, It Will outlast is all!

Post# 373940 , Reply# 3   6/15/2017 at 10:22 (2,478 days old) by luxkid1980 (Richmond, Virginia)        

I had an Electrolux 1401-B, but it had a tag on the side that said Refurbished by Electrolux and it was not brown, but had a silverish-gray painted on color. Also, it lacked the silver hubcaps on the wheels like my Silverado Deluxe has.

Post# 373943 , Reply# 4   6/15/2017 at 11:17 (2,478 days old) by keither (California )        

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Reply to S31463221: Thanks for sharing the link !

Reply to vacuumlad1650 : I believe you ! I mean it pumps !

Replt to luxkid1980 : I have that machine and I L U V it :-) The color is called hammertone . I will post it later !

Can you all tell me your names?


Post# 373947 , Reply# 5   6/15/2017 at 11:51 (2,478 days old) by luxkid1980 (Richmond, Virginia)        

Ah, good to know the color name :) It was a good vacuum, but the handle portion on the bottom was cracked when I got it and I never bothered to fix it. I got rid of it when I got the Epic 6500. I'm Jason.

Post# 373951 , Reply# 6   6/15/2017 at 12:18 (2,478 days old) by s31463221 (Frenchburg, KY)        
Keith

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My name is Steve, and Electrolux vacuums are my primary collecting item. I will go for others if they strike my fancy, but I have several hundred vacuum cleaners and I'd say 80% are Electrolux. I LOVE the 1401-B Olympia One because that's what I grew up with. My mom had one from the earliest I can remember, it was the Special Olympics model with the rings on a sticker at the back of the machine. She used that machine for many many years, and finally gave it to me when I bought her a new UltraLux 2000. I have worked the vacuum over, and it still runs perfectly! Over the years, I have picked up many O 1's and Super J's, and Silverado's. Those three models are my main go-to vacuums. I LOVE your machines, and how pristine you keep them. Keep the photos coming! Here's a couple of ads for the Super J, Olympia One (and carpet beautifier), and the Silverado Deluxe.

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Post# 373956 , Reply# 7   6/15/2017 at 14:14 (2,478 days old) by keither (California )        

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Steve like W O W !!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for the reply and sharing those pics! Thats awesome - I grew up in the 1205 , Super J Era, and Elctrolux is my number 1 machine!! I have quite a few fond memories of them! My aunt had a 1205 and the 1205 CB Unit. My mom had an L but went through other vacs until she purchased a Silverado Special. I really appreciate the compliment re my machines. I try to take care of them as best as possible :-) I dont want you all to get burned out on my posts ! Thanks so much and it would be great to see some pics from your collection!

Post# 373957 , Reply# 8   6/15/2017 at 14:19 (2,478 days old) by keither (California )        

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Reply to luxkid1980 : Hi Jason :-) Gottcha !

Post# 373960 , Reply# 9   6/15/2017 at 14:36 (2,478 days old) by luxkid1980 (Richmond, Virginia)        

I love seeing those advertisements! To me, Electrolux products really meant quality when they released the L, 1205, Super J and Silverado models. I grew up with the Silverado Deluxe my mom had. I always thought it was a classy looking machine and I love the hushed sound they make when you are vacuuming. So unlike anything made today.

Post# 373962 , Reply# 10   6/15/2017 at 15:35 (2,478 days old) by keither (California )        

keither's profile picture
Jason I totally get ya. Those were the days man ! Its kind of a bummer to see the unfortunate changes with the business. The quality of the machines now are okay , but they lack that special quality from the manufacturing period from the 80s and prior. I feel that being a collector is of great value because we are able to maintain that quality of these vintage machines. I have run into a few former salesmen that are devout to the original Electrolux brands and are collectors themselves , or they share extensive knowledge on the history of the company and they offer the best maintenance and repair tips.



This post was last edited 06/15/2017 at 20:33
Post# 373964 , Reply# 11   6/15/2017 at 15:45 (2,478 days old) by Electrolux-dude (Canyon, TX)        
Great vacuums!

I have several Olympia and Silverado models. Check out my video on YouTube, I have several videos about my various Electrolux vacuums. One of the videos is Nathan's Mint Silverado. Enjoy!

Post# 373965 , Reply# 12   6/15/2017 at 15:49 (2,478 days old) by keither (California )        

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Hi Nathan ! Thanks for the feedback and info!

Post# 373969 , Reply# 13   6/15/2017 at 16:47 (2,478 days old) by Electrolux-dude (Canyon, TX)        

Anytime sir! I found a Silverado in the trash several years back and it's still working perfectly!

Post# 373977 , Reply# 14   6/15/2017 at 17:45 (2,478 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
The official vacuum of the 1980 Winter Olympics

Very nice model of the 2nd and best Olympia.Along with the first Silverado they were the best of their era.The wands might have come from a later Ultralux or similar.The great thing with the 2 extra wands was both not having to remove Power Nozzle when switching to bare floor tool and being able to add standard wands to PN wands if cleaning at high ceilings.

Post# 373989 , Reply# 15   6/15/2017 at 20:37 (2,477 days old) by keither (California )        

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Thanks for the feedback Jimmy :-)

Post# 373995 , Reply# 16   6/15/2017 at 22:36 (2,477 days old) by Luxkid1980 (Richmond, Virginia)        

Yes, it is nice to find vacuum salesmen or saleswomen who are passionate about vacuums like collectors here are :)

Post# 374020 , Reply# 17   6/16/2017 at 09:20 (2,477 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

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I didn't grow up with an Electrolux in the house but my grandparents had an older model, I think it was an LX, that was in regular use until my grandmother passed away and my grandfather went into assisted living in the 1990s. I always liked the visual aesthetics of that machine and how quiet it was. That was the start of my appreciation of Electrolux as a high quality machine. We didn't get one in our house until I was in high school in the early '80s and Dad grabbed a 1205 with a complete non-electric accessory kit from the neighbors' trash pile. It was great on hard floors but lacking a power nozzle, it was not so good on carpet. I lost track of that machine when my parents moved about 20 years ago but I found it in their attic last summer when we were cleaning out the house for them to move into a retirement community. By then I'd had a 1205 of my own—with power nozzle—for more than a decade and had also picked up a Super J and a Discovery Plus upright along the way. Since then, I've added a Diamond J to the fleet but it was the experience of using a 1205 as pretty much my only vacuum cleaner for the better part of a decade (until I nabbed a Kirby Gsix from beside a dumpster) that made me a true Electrolux fan. They're just elegantly designed, well thought out machines.

Post# 374024 , Reply# 18   6/16/2017 at 09:52 (2,477 days old) by keither (California )        

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Hello Guys: These memories are just priceless!!! Thanks so much for sharing :-)

My cub scout leader ( his name was Keith too ! Keith Ivy ) told me the story about their utility room getting flooded and the 1205 being damaged. So Mrs. Ivy replaced the 1205 with the Super J, but used their 1205 PN with the new vac. They placed the 1205 curbside for trash pick up , and a month later, the city's recyclable's team returned the vacuum to them " REBUILT " ! At no charge! That's unheard of , but that's how they treated some appliances back then. You just don't receive those types of services anymore. So yes they kept the Super J in the box , for in home use only and they used the 1205 for minor odd jobs and cleaning out the car. I mean the Super J was so quiet.


Post# 374034 , Reply# 19   6/16/2017 at 15:27 (2,477 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        
REBUILT?!?

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They rebuilt the machine and returned it?!? That's what I call freakin' incredible service!!! I'm talking WAY above and beyond the call of duty. I'm assuming they scavenged parts from other less rebuildable machines, but still, we're looking at a significant amount of man hours. It's hard for me to fathom a city authorizing the payroll to do that. It would be interesting to know the story behind the story on that one.

Post# 374041 , Reply# 20   6/16/2017 at 15:56 (2,477 days old) by keither (California )        

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reply to Human Re Rebuilt: Yes Rebuilt . That was the story that was shared with me when I was a kid , and I remember it as clear as day. Keith told me the story a few times when he would vacuum with the Super J , because I would ask him why he was not using the 1205! This is what spurred the history behind them having the two machines. Please keep in mind that this was between 1977-79 in South Florida.

Post# 374057 , Reply# 21   6/16/2017 at 21:30 (2,476 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

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Keith, I'm not disputing you all; I'm just totally amazed! All I'm wondering--and we'll likely never know--is whether this was a standard operating procedure at the recycling center or whether somebody there was just doing a random act of kindness. I'd have an easier time believing the latter, but either way, it's a totally cool story.

Post# 374060 , Reply# 22   6/16/2017 at 22:35 (2,476 days old) by Keither (California )        

keither's profile picture
Heyy there :-) Well like you I was totally amazed by the story myself ! It was certainly a very kind gesture , because they saved the Ivy''s a repair charge and they got their original machine back!

Post# 374061 , Reply# 23   6/16/2017 at 22:50 (2,476 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY)        
s31463221...

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I really like Electrolux too!. If you come into the Lexington Aerus Dealer, you may catch me there! I would like to see more of your collection. Do you have the Electrolux XX?


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