Tools Down...For a Moment

I always enjoyed scenes like this. A vacuum, during a pause in vacuuming, waiting, all connected up and good to go, to return to service. Why two sets of wands? Its much easier than disconnecting attachments, especially if I'm only doing a certain kind of vacuuming. Incidentally, that's the only place I need to plug the Style R machines in to do my entire top floor (yet another reason I like them).

Vintage Vacuuming Week

Recently, I had an urge to bust out a couple of older models to use, and settled on two of my all-time favourites: the 88 and 89. I also thought it'd be cool to break out the original attachments and hoses as well.

Incidentally, when I get out an older machine, I put it through its paces for real, honest-to-God cleaning. I've heard that some other collectors won't do this...i.e. they'll only run older machines to keep the bearings from drying out. To each their own, however. I like to use vintage machines as if they were the only vacuum I have, and the 80 series is definitely up to the challenge, decades after its introduction.

Everything seen here is all-original, down to the plugs. In fact, the only thing new is the bag (at present in the 88; I'm sharing the bag between the two, and that's why the 89's front cover is open). The hoses are actually in good shape, cosmetically and 'suctionally'. The 88 was made in 1963, the first year for the 2nd version of this model, and as such doesn't have a power nozzle connection. 

Close up. Note the difference in the plugs: there always seems to be a variety in the length of cord between the plug and the bulb stopper. The 89 plug is flush with the stopper, and the 88 has a short length of cord between the two. This seems to vary on models I've seen and used, so it seems that Electrolux Canada didn't have a standard for plugs. 

I've said it before in this blog, but the 80 series is amazingly quiet. My little niece grew afraid of the sound of vacuums after hearing a modern one switched on. I've often thought that my own lack of fear of vacuums is precisely because my first experience was with the whisper quiet 80 series, and indeed older vacuums in general. If the 88 and 89 were both running together, they wouldn't even come close to equaling the loudness of more modern machines. 

Two Ambassadors

Here are two of the few remaining vacuums I have left in my collection to present in this blog: the Ambassador and Ambassador II. Strictly speaking, the only thing that distinguishes these two machines is graphics; otherwise, they're exactly the same.

Ambassdor. This is, as far as I know, the very first Ambassador model, part of the lineup that includes the first Diplomat (which I have, dismantled), and the Genesis upright (which I'd like to have). This machine came in great shape, even that piece-of-shit original hose, but it didn't include the (baby?) crevice tool or accessory wands. It's now being used by my sister.

Ambassador II. This is the counterpart of the Diplomat LX and the Genesis LX (which I have). As can be seen, this one came with a bunch of 'optional extras'.

The plug is a replacement, and the Sidekick must have been added on as an option by the seller, as the basic models didn't include it. Also, the hose is clearly a later replacement. I'm pretty sure they hadn't switched to the vinyl hoses at the time of this model. The floor brush belongs to the top-of-the-line model, and, naturally, the attachment caddies and seat chest are clearly from some earlier Canadian model.

In action. Not surprisingly, the attachment clip on the top is cracked off. This machine is presently dismantled.

A Blaze of Christmas Cheer and a Great Childhood Memory

The ZB86, or Z86, or 86 2nd version has a special place in my 'vacuum heart', as its the first ever Electrolux I ever laid eyes on. I was a wee lad of 4 or 5, and every time I went to my grandparents' house, I would see the 86. Actually, they had two of them: one was the primary (upstairs) vacuum, and the other was used mainly downstairs, or in the shed by my grandfather as a shop-vac. I don't recall the year of manufacture of these models, but as my grandparents moved house in the year I was born (1972), and had owned both of these machines before that, they could have been made anywhere between 1963-7.

I only recall seeing one set of matching attachments for the 86s anywhere in my grandparents' house, in the cardboard handikit. I also recall two hoses, one with the metal end, and the other with the plastic handgrip. In 1972, my grandparents purchased a green electric hose, green telescopic wand, green PN IV, and green B-21 shampooer/polisher, all of which obviously matched the 89. The red hoses and attachments, after this, went by the wayside, I suppose, as I mainly remember the green add-ons. I have no idea if the two 86s already had power nozzle connections in the carrying handles, or if they were upgraded along with the add-ons.

I'm happy to have two 86s in my collection, although both are in pieces. The rubber ring around the motor housing has deteriorated in both, and both have no suction. I suppose I might find some replacement parts myself and get them put back together one of these days.

A picture of one of my 86s, the very day I got it from a fellow collector:

And now, particularly appropriate for the holidays, is the configuration I remember best from my early years:

A weird color combination, but very user-friendly.

Here is the 86 with his top-of-the-line older brother, the 88. The 86 looks a little bigger, because of its placement on the shelf and the angle, but its actually slightly smaller, because of the lack of the automatic bag shut-off machinery inside the front cover.

The Holiday Vacuum and A Couple of American Gems

What better Electrolux to end the old year and ring in the new with than the Renaissance?

Actually, he's the sole upstairs vacuum at the moment, and has been for the holidays. I just didn't have the energy to carry up an upright, I suppose.

Now, to present a couple of longstanding machines in my collection, the American Model E and Model G.

Model E:

I bought this (motor unit only) on eBay. Its not what you'd call all-original, as it does have a Lamb replacement motor, which makes it louder and more powerful than the original, and a replacement cord (but I do believe the original cord would have been black). Nevertheless, I'm quite satisfied to have it, although it is, beyond a doubt, the least used vacuum in my collection.

This was the first North American Electrolux to have a fully painted metal body. Prior models had metal bodies too, but were adorned with leatherette coverings and (usually) had plastic or Bakelite end caps, so the E is a step forward in terms of styling. As far as I know, it was the first Electrolux to ditch the metal skids or runners in favor of wheels.

What really distinguishes the Model E is the attachments (which I don't have, at least the original ones). It was the first Electrolux to feature the combination dusting/upholstery tool (which could be stored on the top clip, as seen above), and the combination 'flip-over' rug and floor tool. These advances, combined with the incredibly light weight of this machine (even with arthritic fingers, I can literally carry this machine with one finger), make the Model E an incredibly easy to use machine.

In action. Note that the hose, wands, and attachments are not original.

Next up is the blue (or whatever derivative of blue you choose to call it) Model G. This model, along with its younger brother brown version (which has already been featured in this blog) is my favorite American Electrolux. It's stylish, quiet, and powerful, and I'm quite pleased to have examples of both models in my collection*

A picture of the G on the day I got it. The motor unit, hose, power nozzle, and combination rug/floor tool are all original. The switch isn't; it should be in the same teal color as the bumper, and I'm not sure if the hose cord should have been light blue. I don't have the combination dusting/upholstery tool or crevice tool for this model.

As noted above, the G is a very quiet and powerful model. Its also a much more streamlined design than previous (American) models, having the cord winder inside the main body of the machine. I daresay the impetus for this came from the Canadian 80 series, which also integrated the cord winder into the body (at least when closed).

Connected up and ready to go. For the time**, of course, this model was deluxe, but today, the lack of an electric hose and separate wands for the power nozzle and other attachments would render the G user-unfriendly. Still, its not fair to judge vintage vacuums on what came after them.

*The Model G also came in another version known as the 'Hospital G'. This version featured a large filter on the blower end, and was mainly colored white (with blue and brown accents, respectively), but was otherwise the same as the regular Model G. I wouldn't object to having these versions in my collection.

**As far as I know, the blue Model G was produced from 1961 - 1967.