An Elusive Model Finally Shows Up

I'm not sure why this particular machine is 'elusive', but it is true that I very rarely saw it for sale or elsewhere. Today, however, the 'Guardian by Electrolux' Model C134E arrived, in great cosmetic and working shape. 

Full ensemble shot, including the unseen small attachments, which were the only accoutrements to come with the vacuum. The wands, combo nozzle and Sidekick are shared with other models, while the hose was received some time ago. The power nozzle is shared with the later Aerus by Electrolux Guardian C154B. 

Attachment door logo. They certainly wanted to emphasize the 'Guardian' with this one...the 'By Electrolux' is not very visible unless you look closely.

Side bumper. Identical to the C154B.

Ratings sticker.

Some comparison shots of the C134E's brother models. First, a side view of the C134E and C154B together. Identical save for the attachment door badge, the 'Made in USA' sticker (which I have seen on some C154Bs), and, in addition, the C154B has a different motor.

Attachment door badges. 'Guardian by Electrolux' and 'Aerus by Electrolux', and, of course, there is the later 'Lux Guardian by Aerus'. I miss the straight-up 'Electrolux Guardian' nomenclature, but, what can you do?

The C134C (Guardian Encore) and C134E together, looking almost identical.

There you have it. It should be noted that, despite my nitpicking the details out of the Guardian and Lux 9000 Style R models, that they are pretty much all exactly the same in terms of cleaning efficiency, power, and usage, except perhaps for the C154B and C154E, which have different motors. I haven't measured, of course, but I daresay the latter two are a little bit more powerful. 

My Style R collection is nearly complete. All I need now is the Guardian 75th Anniversary C134B and the Aerus Lux 9000 C154A, and I daresay they'll come along. I wouldn't mind, in addition, having a complete set of attachments and accoutrements for each of the machines, instead of having to share them. We shall see.

Polishing Off the Style R Collection

 First, the Aerus (by Electrolux) Guardian C154B, the first Style R machine I ever got, finally, after pretty much 9 years, gets a proper pale blue cord winder pedal. 

A new full ensemble shot. Looks better than ever now that he's back to 'original' status.

Next up, two 'new' PNs:

The left matches the Aerus Lux Guardian C154E, and the right the Electrolux Guardian Encore C134C.

134C:

C154E:

Guardian Encore with PN:

Lux Guardian with PN:

Finally, the matching set of the Guardian Encore and Lux 4000:

Next, the elusive* hose with the "Guardian" logo:

Logo closeup:

*I say 'elusive' only because the model this hose supposedly goes with, the 'Guardian by Electrolux' C134E, is almost never seen around. I'm always on the hunt for it. 

A Little More Set Completing

I happened to snag this on eBay:

This is a nearly complete set of attachments for the Electrolux Lux 4000 and Aerus Lux 6000*; the only missing item is the combo dusting brush and upholstery tool. I already had an electric hose, but I had been looking for the colour-matching Sidekick and baby crevice tool, so I'm happy to have these. The manual, bag order form, Clean Sweep Chips, and what I assume is the cardboard tube holder for the combo dusting brush and upholstery tool aren't too shabby in themselves. 

Except for a tiny bit of thread wrapped around the brush roll of the Sidekick, this set looks completely untouched by dirt of any kind. The electric hose I got to complement the Aerus Lux 6000 shortly after I bought it was the same. Did people ever use the attachments? After all, the electric hose and Sidekick were included with the vacuum, not separately purchased add-ons. I suppose because they weren't onboard, people tended to store them away in a closet most or all of the time. So much the better for me, I suppose.

Here are the Electrolux Lux 4000 and Aerus Lux 6000 together (again), with even more accoutrements than before. One can see the white crevice tool on the Lux 4000; the 6000 has the black one, along with its black HEPA filter. As pointed out here, black is technically a matching colour for these machines. 

As a 'by-the-way', this year (2020) is the 20th anniversary of the Lux 4000. As I said elsewhere, I wish they had kept making this style of machine, with the subsequent improvements in power they offered with their other uprights.

*I'm going to assume that the later models of the Aerus Lux 6000 (U140C, perhaps, and the U156A) eventually got an electric hose that didn't have the 'Electrolux' logo on the handle, the same, one assumes, as the cylinders that were coming out concurrently. 

Owner's Manuals and Miscellanies

I don't know why, but I never bothered to include pictures of my owner's manuals along with the various pictures of my vacuums. Oh well, what's done is done, but I'm rectifying this omission here and now. Here are some pictures of all of the owner's manuals in my possession, as well as some odd bits of paperwork.

First up, the ZB/Z88 1st version manual. I like the purple lettering...very elegant.

Note that the plug is different from the one subsequently used. I'm not sure if they even used this one on machines for sale, or if it was a prototype. I do have this machine, but sadly, it's out of service.

Back cover. The hose looks rather different than the one I'm used to (same on the inside pages).

Next, the first manual with the updated 88, in 1963. Since the 86 was the same as the 88 save for the 'mechanical brain', and had all the same parts, Electrolux merely included this insert in the 88 manual. By the way, the interior pictures all feature the 88 1st version! Of course, I have 2 2nd version 88s.

Front cover with the insert folded back. Note that the telescopic wand is not shown here (not yet available, perhaps?). I like this rug, and the 88 being used to vacuum it.

Back page. What a gorgeous machine the 88 is. The white lettering and trim is very prominent.

Second* 88 manual. The telescopic wand is now shown. As near as I can remember, I saw this very manual in the front hall closet of my grandparents' house (i.e. the ones who had the two 86s).

Back page. Why is the cord partially pulled out?

The ZB/Z89. I have two of these manuals, so I did one picture with both sides showing. There is a picture inside of the PNII power nozzle, which was optional at the time. Again, as the power nozzles changed and the electric hose became standard, I suppose the manuals reflected this, but I don't happen to have one of them. Note that the hose connector appears to be gold (!), and the plug on the B21 shampooer is different from the one I'm used to.

AP100, 2nd version. I believe the logo for the 1st version was on the side, and it included the PN V, telescopic wand, and trigger hose handle. I have one exactly like the one pictured here. The only thing that seems 'off' to me is the plug on the power nozzle cord, but who knows? This is a 2 sided book, the other side being the same in French. 

AP200. The manuals are getting less elaborate, aren't they? At least this is still better than what was to come later. I have the very one shown here.

And now, we've come to the line drawing manuals. Cheaper to produce, I'm sure, but not such works of art as the ones above. Here are the manuals for the Epic 6500, Diplomat, and Ambassador II. All three came with the machines when I got them. I'm not sure if all the Epic 6500 models used this same manual...i.e. blue, grey, and white. The Diplomat in question is the '2nd version', I believe. There is a picture of it, with an updated hose, obviously, here. This was our household vacuum for many years.

Electrolux Lux 4000:

Little Lux II? I don't even have one, and I have no idea where this manual came from (?). Nevertheless, here it is, along with an insert explaining how to store the combo tool in the upright accessory kit. Again, I have no idea where this came from (?).

A Chinese manual, for the Electrolux 'Tabby' I bought when I was over there. I have no idea where this vacuum is now.

Two American manuals, for the blue Model G and the Super J. I do have a G, but not a Super J. The hose for the Model G not only looks too short, but different than the one I'm used to. Also, an aunt had the very Super J pictured on the cover, which I wouldn't mind having myself.

Some miscellaneous Electrolux bag order paperwork. Not sure where these came from.

This came with the GE polisher I bought:

*There appear to be four manuals for the 88. One of the later ones shows the newer plastic pistol grip hose handle, and one shows the new style B20 shampooer/polisher. I would assume some of the later manuals show the updated wands and the PNI power nozzle, but who knows? 

Piecing Together a Classic, Part Two

I picked this up recently:

Now, the Renaissance C104A is a little bit more complete. In fact, the only unoriginal part on it is the replacement plug*.

A glamour shot (and this is indeed the most glamorous Electrolux ever, as far as I'm concerned):

Another shot, with the Sidekick II connected up:

*As I believe I mentioned elsewhere, I'm unsure if the floor brush that would have come with this machine had the openings in the front row of bristles or not. The original (and, one assumes, non-PDF manual) should have the answer, but I don't happen to have that. The brush pictured here has a solid row of bristles, and, given the fact that every machine I own that's newer than the Renaissance C104A has a floor brush with openings in the bristles, I'll tentatively assume that this brush is indeed original. As a matter of interest, this particular floor brush came with the battleship grey Epic 6500 I bought, so, who knows what's right or wrong.

The 20th Anniversary of the 75th Anniversary

Yes, it's been 20 years since the Electrolux Guardian 75th Anniversary Model C134A was released, and I've now had my specimen for six years. Still looks great, and still works fine, with all the original gear intact. Luckily, I'm using the 75th as my upstairs non-carpet vacuum for a while, so I figured an anniversary photo shoot was in order.

The only things I don't have are the owner's manual and the combination rug/floor tool with matching grey bumper. Otherwise, I'm quite pleased with my set. This is a significant vacuum in Electrolux/Aerus history, being the first with the name 'Guardian', and the first with a HEPA filter.

Also, just because this is an even more significant vacuum, here is the original, '1st gen' Renaissance, the Guardian 75th's 'father', if you like, in action. As mentioned here, the Renaissance turned into a vintage (25 year old) vacuum just last year. Absolutely gorgeous.

Out of the Workroom and Into Service

Further to my Aerus Lux 9000 Makeover post, here he is back in service. I did the living room and bare floors to give him a good workout.

The full ensemble shot. Assuming the Aerus Lux 9000 was introduced in 2003, that makes him 15 years old. Not too shabby looking for a 'teenage' vacuum, I have to say.

Just for the hell of it, here are the Aerus Luxes (?) 9000 (top of the line cylinder) and 6000 (top of the line upright) posing together. As mentioned elsewhere, the companions for these two machines were the Lux 7000, Lux 5000 or 5500, can't remember which, and Lux 3000.

Matching graphics, colors, and logos. Pity about the scar on the Lux 9000, but what can you do?

Piecing Together a Classic

The Renaissance C104A now has an original set of dark grey wands.

They work fine, and are in good shape. Naturally, I washed and Armor All-ed them before putting them into service.

In service. This classic* machine is now a little bit more complete. I still need to get an original Sidekick II and a new cord winder with light grey cord and plug.

One of the 'problems' of actually using the machines I collect is that things tend to wear over time, so bits and bobs do occasionally need to be replaced. Then, the problem is that the originality of the machine might be impaired, if one can't find original matching parts. It's a tradeoff between keeping a mostly useful machine going, and 'ruining' it's collectable value. I'm not sure where to go on this one.

In addition, it's a great pity that the hose, which is completely original, barely matches any colour on the machine. Pretty much every picture I've seen of a Renaissance C104A shows a very light, almost beige-ish hose. Perhaps when this model first came out, the hose was actually a closer-looking grey to the trim? Who knows? It's also true that many Electrolux/Aerus hoses are not a close colour match to the machine. Either way, the Renaissance C104A is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the nicest looking Electrolux/Aerus model ever made.

*The Renaissance first came out in 1993, which makes it 25 years old, which makes it, according to all the conventional definitions I've seen, a classic, or, if you prefer, vintage machine.

Aerus Lux 9000 Makeover

Its great to tear apart a vacuum again, after not having done it for a long time. The Aerus Lux 9000 desperately needed a new motor housing, as the original one had literally cracked into pieces (not sure how this could happen, but it did). The housing also smelled a bit, as did the motor and fan unit, so, I decided to pop a new motor in there. Luckily, I happened upon this:

Yes, the rubber seal at the back of the bag chamber is a little dirty, but of course it'll be wiped off before installation. Otherwise, this is a complete unit, consisting of motor and fan unit, motor housing, wiring, circuit boards, hose inlet, and auto-shutoff system hoses. The only thing I'm retaining from the original mechanics is the cord winder. I might mention that I also need to put on a new cord winder pedal and front door latch, and these are on the way.

Naturally, after I 'tore the guts' out of the machine, I washed it as thoroughly as I could, and let it air dry. As a matter of fact, I scrubbed it with soap and water, and then water and vinegar.

The base of these Style R machines is riddled with ribs and narrow crevices, so I gave up on getting all the dirt out, but its definitely cleaner. The wiring harness seen is the old one, and will be replaced.

Here is the machine partially dismantled, with the cracked motor housing. Oddly enough, I can't remember where the motor and fan unit is. I did take it out a while ago, so it must be hidden in a box in my storage room somewhere.

I'll definitely add to this post when the new motor and harness goes in, and, of course, after everything is installed and the machine is running.

My patio could use a paint job, for sure.

UPDATE 2018-09-15: Things are getting closer to completion. The motor is in and fully connected up; now, I just have to wait on my front door latch, connect up the auto shutoff system hoses, 'nail' everything down, and it'll be good to go. The cord winder pedal is brand new.

UPDATE 2018-10-08: I finally got around to finishing off this project. Here is a test of the new motor:

Note that things are not completely 'nailed down' yet. I just stuck the top cover on and put in a bag to test things out. I'm happy to say that the motor sounds and sucks strong. Yay! I tested it first with a crappy old hose that I wouldn't miss if it blew out, and then, when all was good, I tried my good hose. Everything worked like a charm.

Finally, here is the completed machine. Everything is installed...the cord winder and rewind pedal are in place, the motor fully connected and screwed down, bag chamber snapped in place, wire harness and auto shutoff hoses connected, front cover, with mechanics and latch, fully connected, two halves screwed together, and bag, carbon filter, and HEPA filter installed. The Aerus Lux 9000 is back in business as a working machine. Perfect. Note that the Sidekick is there merely to test if the electric accessories worked properly, which they did, and also note that my patio, which needed a serious paint job in the prior pictures, has received one.

On a purely personal note, this is the first time I've ever seriously worked on one of the Style R machines, and I'm quite happy with the result.