The 88 Retires from Active Service

For a vacuum lover and collector, its truly sad when a machine has reached the end of its usable and useful life, but, what the hell...it has to happen to everything and everyone. I turned on my 88 1st version the other day, and noticed that the motor sounded very whiny. In addition, it emitted a slight burning electrical smell. Oh well. I'm officially retiring the 88 1st version. It served me perfectly well for a number of years, and heaven knows who before that, since 1961, so I'd say that's a 'life well lived'. Of course, it'll remain in the collection, but retired from service.

It Needs Cream

I was looking at my early 88 yesterday, and realized that none or hardly any of the pictures I have of it have captured the cream-coloured trim. For whatever reason (ambient lighting, I suppose), it usually comes out white. To try to rectify this 'error', and also just for fun, I took a couple of snaps of the 88.

You can definitely see hints of the cream here, I think, although, as before, pictures simply don't do this wonderful vacuum justice. As a matter of fact, out of all the 80 series machines I own, and perhaps even out of all the other machines in my collection, this particular 88 is arguably in the best cosmetic shape. As can be seen in the pictures, there are a few blemishes, but the overall condition is amazing. This, by the way, includes the running condition. This 88 sounds softer and sweeter than any of my other 80 series machines, and runs exactly the way I can remember the various 80 series machines running when I was a kid, with the identical sound. Yes, I forget most other things about my childhood, but I can remember the way an Electrolux 80 series machine is supposed to sound.

Some Forgotten About Pictures

I was tooling through my 'Vacuums' picture folder on my external hard drive, and came across a few pictures that I thought looked nice, and a few oddities as well.

First, a blurry picture of the (later) 88. I like the perspective on this one.

The 89, with the PN III, cleaning the carpet. A very common sight during my younger days.

The Epic 8000 sits on the table. It isn't as elegant as the Renaissance C104A, but much more so than the C104H.

Yet another table picture, for the Guardian C154B.

This is the second of the vacuums I had when I was living in China, the Electrolux Ingenio. It was fairly powerful, had a variable speed motor, reusable cloth bag, and a telescopic wand. I regret not snagging this and bringing it back home.

The bronze Model G. Very elegant...in fact, the most elegant American Electrolux.

Another view of the bronze G:

The blue Model G, decked out with hose cord and power nozzle. I'm not sure if the original hose cord would have been in matching blue or not.

Black vacuums look better in the shade?

The first of the two vacuums I had when in China, the Electrolux 'Tabby'. This is the first, and to date only (thank heaven) machine that ever conked out on me. I was vacuuming with it one day, and it gave a dismal groan and blew up in a puff of smoke. Oh well. It did serve me well enough for a couple of years.

Semi-Vintage Vacuuming Week

A couple of spontaneous pics of the 88 1st version, currently in service as the upstairs (non-carpet) vacuum:

Its hard to believe this old boy is now 56 years old, and still going strong and looking great. Electrolux really didn't need to get much better than this (although the modern machines do have their strengths too).

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. 

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.

A 'Jamaica Bronze*' Jubilee

This fellow is 50 this year. As a birthday present, I busted out the Turtle Wax car wash, Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish, and Armor-All, to give him a nice cleaning.

I got this particular 88 in 2007, from a local seller who in turn got it from an older lady. Other than its beautiful and powerful self, all it came with was a green standard hose (to match the 89). I guess the older lady was rather set in her ways, as she apparently never upgraded the hose. Of course, I've since acquired most or all of the standard attachments to match this and the other 88s, and hope someday to find all the optional ones. If anyone out there has them, I wouldn't mind hearing from you.

Soon enough, I'll have had this 88 myself for 10 years, and I expect it'll still be working away, as quiet and powerful as ever.

*Apparently, the official color of this machine is 'Jamaica Bronze'. I could have sworn it was 'dark red', but what do I know? At any rate, happy 50th birthday to my all-time favorite vintage Electrolux.

P.S. I find it a little strange that the 88 is my favourite vintage machine. As a matter of fact, I didn't see that many of them when I was young. The only one that sticks out is one owned by my old friend (who incidentally owns the Lux Classic as featured in this blog). Maybe it's the very elusiveness of the 88 that charms me?

Some Time Traveling With My Favorite Vintage Electrolux

I needed to clean the lint trap of my dryer today, and the first vacuum I laid eyes on happened to be the 88 1st version. I figured I'd bust out the original hose and attachments, purely for fun, and this naturally led to a little photo shoot.

Assuming this was 1961, and you owned the top-of-the-line Electrolux model for that year, this is what you would have had:

The ensemble shown would have included everything you needed for daily cleaning. The vaporizer and sprayer, while original to the machine, would not (presumably) have been used for everyday cleaning, so I didn't picture them here. One 'false' note...the original dusting brush for this model would have had a bare metal top, with a red bumper, but I don't happen to have one of those.

Fast forward a couple of years to 1963, and this would have been your top-of-the-line Electrolux cleaning ensemble:

The major difference here is the telescopic wand, vastly more user-friendly than the two-piece set. The floor and rug tools also had a spring clip added, and the handikit became smaller. The motor unit also got a rubber bumper. Everything else was the same.

Note: I do have another 88, made in 1965, and it has the plug in the handle for the power nozzle. It was more or less around this time that the power nozzles, power hose handles, and power wands started to come out. I wouldn't mind having the above to make my 88 collection more complete.

Incidentally, both of these 88s run perfectly. The hose, attachments, and wand are in perfect condition, except for the dusting brush. It would have been amazing enough to have had one or the other of these when they were released, but here I am, 53 and 51 years later, with these beautiful ensembles in my collection, still looking as handsome as ever, and still offering their cleaning services.

112 Combined Years of Vintage Vacuum-ness!

Today, mostly for fun (and why do something that makes you sad, I say), and partly because I needed to clean, I broke out my two favorite vintage Electrolux models, the 88 2nd version and the 55 1st version, respectively.

As I've said before, for hard surface dusting and bare floors, a massive amount of suction isn't needed, and, even though these machines are not as powerful as modern Electrolux/Aerus models, they do the job just fine, with less power consumed, and with considerably less noise. These machines are really astoundingly quiet, the 88 being somewhat more so than the 55. I can only imagine how someone who is used to more modern vacuums would react after hearing one of these running. Of course, if you add on the power nozzle, it becomes moot, as Electrolux power nozzles have never really been quiet. In addition to this, I used the 55 to vacuum the 88 after filter, and the 88 to vacuum the 55 cloth bag and after filter.

Note: This particular 88 (I have three) has the "Electrolux" logo stamped on both sides of the plug, as opposed to all the other 80 series machines I have or have seen, which have the logo only on one side. Completely random? Who knows?

Incidentally, I think the 88 2nd version and the 55 1st version are positively gorgeous machines, quite close to the first Renaissance in the looks department. It's a great pity they aren't as useful as the latter, for, on the rare occasions I use a vintage Electrolux, I can't get past the short cord, lack of fingertip power controls, lack of variable speed suction, and lack of on board/lock fit attachments. Sad, but true. However, as I pointed out before, different eras mean different levels of technology and performance, so it's not completely fair to compare vacuums like this. All of my models have their pros and cons (yes, even the newer ones, which I love using!), and the 55 and 88 are fine vacuums which do exactly what they're supposed to, quietly and efficiently.

For the carpet, I used my go-to boy, the Lux 6000. What else is new?

A Beautiful Blaze of Red

Presenting the made in Canada by Electrolux Canada ZB88, or Z88, or 88, vacuum cleaner, made in two versions between 1957 - 1967. I'm happy to own examples of both versions...the one in the middle is the first version, from 1961, and the left and right are examples of the second version, from 1965 and 1963 respectively. This is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, my favorite vintage Electrolux, and is in a near tie with the first Renaissance as my favorite Electrolux of all time.

The first version was the first Canadian machine with:

• paper Style C bags
• bag-full automatic shutoff system, and
• fully integrated* automatic cord winder

The second version was the first to feature:

• the power nozzle. The first power nozzle was exactly like the American one...permanently connected to its own long plastic wand, with a cord on the outside of the hose. Later, the power nozzle got its own, detachable elbow and electric telescopic wand, but I'm not quite sure if this development happened with the 88, or the subsequent 89.
• rubber wraparound furniture bumper
• the telescopic wand. The 88 was certainly the first to feature the non-electric telescopic wand, but, as mentioned above, the electric version may have come after the 89 came out.
• the electric hose handle with trigger on-off switch. Again, this may be a "retrofit" after the introduction of the 89.

All three of these machines have their original cords, and two still have the original plug. I have a full set of standard attachments in their "Handikit", and original hoses and wands as well, although these don't get used. The only thing I don't have is the original power nozzle; they are somewhat rare, and I've never seen one in person.

Original plug, with stamped "Electrolux" logo and bulb stopper:

Some personal observations about this model:

• The 80 series (83, 86, 88, 86 Mk.II, 88 Mk.II, 87, 89) is arguably the quietest set of vacuum cleaners ever made, with the exception of a non-electric carpet sweeper. The sound of the motor gets drowned out by the cyclone rush of air through the hose, wands, and attachments. You could, as they say, run one of these in a sleeping baby's room while having a telephone conversation, and not notice.
• Despite the quiet sound, the 88 is very powerful, with plenty of suction and airflow, produced from a 5 amp motor. I'd say it could hold its own with any machine that says "12 amps of cleaning power".
• In the looks department, all I can say is that I think if it wasn't for the first Renaissance, this would still be the best looking Electrolux of all time. The dark red, cream, and silver combination is absolutely beautiful. Incidentally, I like the 2nd version better than the 1st...the addition of the wraparound bumper and the positioning of the "Electrolux" logo gives it an extra dash of style.

Some differences between the first and second versions:

1. front door: 2nd version on the left, 1st version on the right. The "88" clearly needed to be moved due to the addition of the wraparound bumper. The automatic shutoff control knob on the 1st version is the same as those used on the contemporary American models.

2. side bumper and logo:

1st:

2nd:

Attachments: Canadian models up until the 2100 always had a full set of dedicated attachments, stored in a kit (first of cardboard, as seen here, and then plastic). Incidentally, the 88 (and earlier Canadian models) featured an astounding array of optional attachments and accoutrements that I'd love to have. I do actually have a sprayer and vaporizer for the 88s, but these are not pictured here.

Filter: As noted above*, the cord winder is technically not fully integrated, as it can be opened to install an after filter. Depending on who you ask, the after filter for these models is no longer made. I have, in the past, cut a Style R after filter to the right size, and it works fine.

Bag chamber "basket". This configuration seems to produce quite a bit of airflow.

Purely for the fun of it, some shots of the 88 with his "brothers and cousins". Perhaps its silly to personalize vacuum cleaners, but people do it all the time with other objects.

The 88 and his younger brother, the 89:

The American cousin Model G comes for a visit.

The full lineup. If you have an 88 with an updated, airtight hose and updated attachments, you have an amazing cleaning system that can hold its own with many modern cleaners, including all the modern Electrolux and Aerus models, and that's saying something!