[This posting is especially for Alex Taber--]
There's an Electrolux Model LX on eBay (see listing link below) that appears to be in really nice condition. Seeing it with its replacement pistol-grip hose reminds me of a story.
Back around 1977 or so when I was living in Annapolis, I went over to a friend's house for dinner one day. Afterward, I was sitting in the kitchen chatting with his mother as she washed the dishes and, wow, gee, somehow the subject of vacuum cleaners came up!
She mentioned that her husband had bought her a new Electrolux in 1953 when they were married. She still had it but it didn't seem to work very well any longer and, besides, she had gotten two more since then. But she said she felt kinda disappointed about that because she had always preferred the older one. It was more "classic and elegant," she said.
Well of COURSE I asked to see her old Electrolux! She led me into the garage and opened a cupboard door, and inside was a Model LX, with the yellow and red logos and chrome plated cord winder and Companion! It was in good physical condition but needed a "spa treatment." I could see by examining the original hose that it was shot. I told her that was the main culprit right there, as to why the machine wasn't operating properly.
I mentioned that I know how to work on vacuum cleaners and offered to have a look at it for her. She lit up like a Christmas tree and said, "If you can get my old machine running properly again, I'll GIVE you my two newer ones!"
We went back inside and she went into the laundry room. She showed me a really beautiful later-version Model F (no power nozzle, alas!) and then went into the living room and opened the closet by the front door and there was an earlier Model F, also in perfect condition!
Wow!! Who could turn down an offer like that?!
So I took her LX home with me, including all the attachments (with the polisher, practically new in the box because she had hardly ever used it and was happy to give it to me!!).
I took the motor unit all apart and cleaned and waxed the leatherette. I polished all the aluminum trim on my polishing wheel. I used the blower from my Electrolux E-A to dislodge what little "schmutz" there was in the fans and that was all I had to do with the motor because it ran perfectly. She had always used genuine Electrolux bags so the inside of the machine was perfectly clean.
I lightly dusted the cord with talcum powder (which Electrolux used to recommend that owners do from time to time to keep the cord winder in good order).
I also buffed out all the attachments until they gleamed like chrome.
I went to the local Electrolux branch office and got her a new hose, the same pistol-grip hose as in the eBay listing. The turquoise hose actually looks pretty nice with the LX. (Oh and btw she did give me the original hose. I kept it for a long time even though it was very leaky.) I also got her a new combo dusting brush as the original dusting brush was practically worn down bald! And I got her a new 24-pack of bags.
When it was all done, I put it in a 1205 box and took it over to her. She, her son (my friend) and her husband all gathered around in the living room. I opened the box lid and took the attachments out first. When I pulled the machine out, she gasped and her hands flew up to her mouth. She exclaimed, "Oh MY, look at that! It's beeeeeeeeautiful! It looks like brand new!!" And indeed it did.
I told her, "Go ahead and try it out!" She attached the hose to the machine, connected the wands, added the rug tool, then pulled out the cord and plugged it in. She picked up the hose handle and stood there for a dramatic moment. She pressed the power switch with her dainty toe and it purred into action, the air rushing into the rug tool. She squealed with delight and went around the living room cleaning her rug, beaming with great delight.
She finally switched it off, and she told me, "Charles, you've made this old lady very happy! And as I told you, you can have my two newer Electroluxes. Thank you so very, very much!" My friend helped me carry them out to the car and he gave me a big hug saying, "Thanks for making my mom so happy."
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310800848559
There's an Electrolux Model LX on eBay (see listing link below) that appears to be in really nice condition. Seeing it with its replacement pistol-grip hose reminds me of a story.
Back around 1977 or so when I was living in Annapolis, I went over to a friend's house for dinner one day. Afterward, I was sitting in the kitchen chatting with his mother as she washed the dishes and, wow, gee, somehow the subject of vacuum cleaners came up!
She mentioned that her husband had bought her a new Electrolux in 1953 when they were married. She still had it but it didn't seem to work very well any longer and, besides, she had gotten two more since then. But she said she felt kinda disappointed about that because she had always preferred the older one. It was more "classic and elegant," she said.
Well of COURSE I asked to see her old Electrolux! She led me into the garage and opened a cupboard door, and inside was a Model LX, with the yellow and red logos and chrome plated cord winder and Companion! It was in good physical condition but needed a "spa treatment." I could see by examining the original hose that it was shot. I told her that was the main culprit right there, as to why the machine wasn't operating properly.
I mentioned that I know how to work on vacuum cleaners and offered to have a look at it for her. She lit up like a Christmas tree and said, "If you can get my old machine running properly again, I'll GIVE you my two newer ones!"
We went back inside and she went into the laundry room. She showed me a really beautiful later-version Model F (no power nozzle, alas!) and then went into the living room and opened the closet by the front door and there was an earlier Model F, also in perfect condition!
Wow!! Who could turn down an offer like that?!
So I took her LX home with me, including all the attachments (with the polisher, practically new in the box because she had hardly ever used it and was happy to give it to me!!).
I took the motor unit all apart and cleaned and waxed the leatherette. I polished all the aluminum trim on my polishing wheel. I used the blower from my Electrolux E-A to dislodge what little "schmutz" there was in the fans and that was all I had to do with the motor because it ran perfectly. She had always used genuine Electrolux bags so the inside of the machine was perfectly clean.
I lightly dusted the cord with talcum powder (which Electrolux used to recommend that owners do from time to time to keep the cord winder in good order).
I also buffed out all the attachments until they gleamed like chrome.
I went to the local Electrolux branch office and got her a new hose, the same pistol-grip hose as in the eBay listing. The turquoise hose actually looks pretty nice with the LX. (Oh and btw she did give me the original hose. I kept it for a long time even though it was very leaky.) I also got her a new combo dusting brush as the original dusting brush was practically worn down bald! And I got her a new 24-pack of bags.
When it was all done, I put it in a 1205 box and took it over to her. She, her son (my friend) and her husband all gathered around in the living room. I opened the box lid and took the attachments out first. When I pulled the machine out, she gasped and her hands flew up to her mouth. She exclaimed, "Oh MY, look at that! It's beeeeeeeeautiful! It looks like brand new!!" And indeed it did.
I told her, "Go ahead and try it out!" She attached the hose to the machine, connected the wands, added the rug tool, then pulled out the cord and plugged it in. She picked up the hose handle and stood there for a dramatic moment. She pressed the power switch with her dainty toe and it purred into action, the air rushing into the rug tool. She squealed with delight and went around the living room cleaning her rug, beaming with great delight.
She finally switched it off, and she told me, "Charles, you've made this old lady very happy! And as I told you, you can have my two newer Electroluxes. Thank you so very, very much!" My friend helped me carry them out to the car and he gave me a big hug saying, "Thanks for making my mom so happy."
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310800848559
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