1988 Electrolux Z1020

[turbo500]

Hi folks, I acquired this from Joe (ultimatevacman) a few weeks ago and I've been using it as a daily driver pretty much ever since, so I thought I'd make a thread on it. This style of Electrolux had been in production in various styles since 1971, but this was the first of the very last style (in soldiered on in a more basic form until 1995). At the time, there were 2 Twin Turbo cleaners - the z1010 and the z1020. The 1010 was maroon, single speed 550w and a piston bag indicator. The z1020 was 560w variable speed and had an electronic bag full light. The 1010 retailed for £99.99 and the 1020 was £109.99, even though the performance difference between the 2 was minimal. The large 600 series ran above it as Electrolux's top of the line with on board tools.

I absolutely love the 500, Twin Turbo and Turbo2 uprights. I'd go so far as to say they're my favourite uprights of all time. To say they were launched in 1971, they were incredibly ahead of their time - clean air, easy conversion from upright to tools mode, stronger hose suction than a lot of the dirty fan cleaners at the time and fantastic carpet pick up. Ok, so they weren't as good at lifting the carpet as a Hoover of that era, but the compromise with the Hoover was the crappy hose suction. I've always found the Electrolux uprights to have the right balance and compromise between upright cleaning and above floor cleaning, saving the vacuum buying public of the era the need to buy 2 cleaners.

This particular model is missing it's wheel caps and the body is scratched in places, so I don't mind using this one as a daily machine. I have a few other's of this style in my collection that are in better condition, but I'd like to keep them that way.

 

[turbo500]

Here is the brochure from the 1988 range showing the 2 Twin Turbo models. Electrolux actually had 3 ranges of uprights on the go at the time - the "Lite" range, which were slightly updated styles of the 400 series, the Twin Turbo range and the 600 series range, so the z1020 is the top of the range of Electrolux's mid-range of cleaners, putting it in competition with the standard Hoover Turbopower cleaners, Goblin Commander and Hitachi Powerhouse cleaners of the era.

 

[turbo500]

And here's a little demo video I made. Apologies for the bad lighting, the double patio doors at either end of our living room don't do it any favours



http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZIm19yJ1fk

 

[vacuumlover]

Very nice.