Thread Number: 46034  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Electrolux Olympia Olympics Label Question.. 		[Down to Last]
Post# 475114   1/13/2025 at 22:44 by FoxtrotMike (Colorado, USA)        

Hey all - kind of new here (have lurked FOREVER, finally created an account..), and have been trying to figure something out for the longest time.

The Olympia, at one point, was released with the Olympics sticker on it, on the motor end of the canister, as is common knowledge.
Which canister model (Super J, or Silverado) had these decals? I see a lot of folks mentioning here (and other sites) that it was the Super J. However, a family member has one with the decal but it's a Silverado-style.

Were both produced at the time these labels came out? Or did something else potentially occur here? My relative DOES insist that theirs came like this, heh.

--Mike

Post# 475116 , Reply# 1   1/14/2025 at 08:27 by bikerray (Middle Earth)        

bikerray's profile picture
The Olympia was offered from 1978 thru 1982
The early Olympia had a single handle like the Super J
The later Olympia had the two part handle like the Silverado
They both had the Olympic sticker

Post# 475118 , Reply# 2   1/14/2025 at 11:50 by Paul (USA)        

Welcome to Vacuumland as a contributor.

Some of each Olympia One model sported the decals. You can easily see this on an online image search.

The Olympia One was actually mass released in April 1979 according to longtime Electrolux salesman John Anderson and the manual 1979 copyrights; although as is the case with some models, company timelines indicate pre-mass marketing years such as '1978'.

The first version was indeed a Model 1401 (Super J style painted bronze). The second version, presumably first issued in October 1979 was the Model 1401-B with the new vertical carrying handle instead of the finger grip and shorter horizontal handle, bumper fins and wider wheels for shag carpeting. The decals appear to have been used only for a limited time from late 1979 to early 1980, as there are quite a few Model 1401-Bs without them. Others may know if the decals were affixed at a factory or branch offices. At the end of production in 1982 there was even an Olympia One Model 1505 (which would later become the Silverado Deluxe) that came with the uncommon bronze-painted Model PN-4A; although this alone is not a determining factor as one may have initially purchased a 1401-B without the pn and a PN-4A later or branch offices mixed and matched.


Photos (from eBay unless otherwise noted):

1. First 1979 owner's manual cover (posted by Kevin)

2-3. Second 1979 owner's manual cover - front & back (with copyright, OfferUp)

4. 1980 or later owner's manual cover

5-6. Model 1401 sans and with decal (posted by Bikerray)

7-8. Model 1401-B sans and with (postcard) decal

9. 1980 magazine ad

10. 1981 Electrolux Corp. postcard

11. Model 1401 specs (posted by Kevin)

12. Model 1401-B specs (" " ")

13. Model 1505 spes (" " ")

14. Rug Saver Power Nozzle Model PN-4

15. Rug Saver Power Nozzle Model PN-4A

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Post# 475119 , Reply# 3   1/14/2025 at 12:09 by Human (Pines of Carolina)        

human's profile picture
My understanding is the Olympics sticker only appeared on the Olympia One, which was in production during the time of the 1980 Winter- and Summer Olympics, the latter of which the United States did not participate in. Electrolux was a corporate sponsor of the winter games in Lake Placid, N.Y., and I believe the Olympia model name was connected to that sponsorship deal. I'm not sure whether those Olympics stickers appeared on machines manufactured throughout the Olympia's five-year model run, or just during the Olympics year of 1980.

I've only ever seen one of those machines in the flesh, and I sometimes wish I had bought it, even though the price was a little high for what was included.

Post# 475129 , Reply# 4   1/14/2025 at 21:22 by FoxtrotMike (Colorado, USA)        

Thanks guys, appreciate it!
So since those Olympics stickers are seen on both models (1401, 1401-B) am I correct in assuming that the transition must have occurred during time the stickers were put on. I agree that I don't think they were put on for the entire Olympia run, as having looked at some pics myself, I've seen some -Bs without the sticker (and no residue/remains of where one may be).
A 1505 in Olympia One colors.. I could be happy with one of those. :D

I grew up with a 1401 (not -B) in my house, with the decal, and a PN-4 nozzle.

Post# 475138 , Reply# 5   1/15/2025 at 13:23 by Paul (USA)        

You're welcome, Mike.

All I can go by is what I'm able to locate online and from what others have posted through experience and conversations.

I did want to add that the alphanumeric characters on the stabilizers are the 2-letter series and production number. Those can sometimes give a clue to production years but are otherwise not embedded with precise years (although other countries' Electrolux companies did so at least from the Sixties forward). Hopefully, someone will one day post a shipping record of them as others have done for Hoover and Eureka.

I see on the Super Market forum that you are hoping to get an Olympia One. I wish you success and look forward to VL posts/photos of it when that happens.



Post# 475144 , Reply# 6   1/15/2025 at 20:23 by FoxtrotMike (Colorado, USA)        

Interesting, so Electrolux never used date codes anywhere? (I come from an arcade background, and manufacturers each had their own type of date-code stamped, printed somewhere on the machine. I honestly thought this was common general practice!)

Post# 475165 , Reply# 7   1/17/2025 at 16:07 by Paul (USA)        

The only ones anyone has ever mentioned on this site regarding Electrolux Corp. cleaners are the month/year stamps on the Model XXX switch casings. Both Canadian and European Electrolux companies (and possibly other countries) did have production times indicated in their serial numbers.

Btw, some of us have contacted Aerus L.L.C. (formerly Electrolux Corp.) for exact production years of our cleaners. The information available in the company's computer database includes only models made since around the time of its Diamond Jubilee in 1984 and provides the original sales of cleaners by their serial numbers which may or may not be the same as the production years.


Post# 475458 , Reply# 8   2/6/2025 at 15:21 by foxmichaels (Colorado, USA)        

That's good to know about the serial numbers and them keeping a record. Kind of saddened they don't have those for the Olympia One era machines, heh!

(This is FoxtrotMike - long story short, contract ended, and unbeknownst to me, they deactivated my email and password manager. D'oh!)


Post# 475790 , Reply# 9   3/1/2025 at 20:27 by bikerray (Middle Earth)        
Just as a point of interest

 bikerray's profile picture
The Single handle serial numbers ran from N-00001-D to N-63036-F
The Two handle serial numbers ran N-63037-F and above

Both service manuals have a copyright date of 1980

Post# 475827 , Reply# 10   3/3/2025 at 23:12 by Paul (USA)        

Thanks for the info, Ray.

I grabbed some photos of the 1979 owners manual from a recently sold eBay listing (the copyright year is on page 1):



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