Bizzare Electrolux Silverado carry handle

[bnsd60m9200]

got this beauty for $5 including the pn4a at a local estate sale with the help of sean curry. when i first layed eyes upon i was baffled. the carry handle was not the typical grey handle that sticks up from the canister like it's olympia brother, but some oddball. it's clearly a silverado, maybe an early production run change that didnt last? any ideas?

Will Hemb

 

[rugsucker]

Silverado handle

This is the early style handle of about April 82.Should also have the decal at rear of chrome and PN 4.This would have allowed a new look with existing parts and molds and grey color.I was told at the time that some upcoming changes were voted on by division mgs at their meetings with home office exects.

 

[briankirbyclass]

An Electrolux salesman told me once that THIS very machine was the LAST of the good ol, long lasting Electrolux's,,like the kind that hardly NEVER wear out, no matter how abused or old they get. Especially when owned by the proverbial little old lady that only used it once a week!

He said that ANY machine that has the red lettering inside the lid, above the bag cage that says "Use Only Genuine Electrolux Bags" is made after this first model of Silverado, and is also only going to last 10- 15 years,,maybe a few yrs longer under the right conditions, but NOT NEAR as long as this machine and the ones before it.
(if your Silverado does have the red letters,AND this style of handle,its had some work done and replacement parts installed at some point)

So, you did VERY well! Good Job!

 

[rugsucker]

Electrolux motors

Brian,He knew of what he spoke!The last Olympias and most Silverados had the best ever version of the 'real' Elux motor with 4 screws on fan housing to easily clean and service.Later Elux had advantage of less weight and after filter to catch normal carbon dust on plastic body styles but not the Silv motor.There were actualy 2 low points on Elux motors.All were good through 50s,G & 1205.Then with the Super J came a longer motor with more suction but also more vibration that could develop armature problems.The branch service depts did a great job of taking care of the customers and Elux increased the motor warranty from 2 to 5 years.Adding bars across the rear open space of motor was much of the solution.You will sometimes service a good Super J motor but see burned ares on motor cover where the previous armature bars broke away.This motor was then near perfect for the Olympia and first Silv.So they changed it!!The Diamond Jubilee and very last Silv had the new motor that was very troublesome.It was improved and finally had a repair kit with armature,rear bearing,carbons and cover that was a good repair.Newer Elux (and Aerus)have a good, powerful motor but as with many things are not like 'the good old days'.I use a tan G all day,every day to vacuum vacuums including a Kirby G-6 cloth bag today that was used without a paper bag.Maybe someone should invent a vac that can't be used without a bag!OH wait!Electrolux did.When?Starting in the 50s.

 

[briankirbyclass]

Sure did!! The Lux salesman who told me that had been selling since the days of the model XXX,,,and was also a part time minister. So, i assumed he knew of what he spoke,,and wasnt lying!
I know he was really disapointed in the quality of the motors after this Model of Silverado came out. He sold me a Marquis (the tan one) when they first came out, and it only lasted about 15 yrs. The motor just quit one day without warning.
I still have the PN from it, which is still going strong tho.

That old salesman retired from selling and the entire Electrolux business when they changed to Aerus. Said it was time to retire, and the quality just wasnt what it once was, and neither was the company.

I asked him one time what HIS favorite model was and what HE (or his wife) used at home.

He answered without hesitation, a Bronze MODEL G.

 

[rugsucker]

Kansas Electrolux salesman

Brian,Was he by any chance a Mr. Fry?If so he was known through Electrolux News company newsletters as a top salesman year after year.
I recall he was always pictured with a beard.

 

[briankirbyclass]

No, but i know the guy you are refering to,,Mr Fry was the # 1 and the guy im refering to i think was a close second,,at least in KS.

The Salesman im talking about was out of the Topeka, KS Electrolux office.
His name was Britton Wall.
I think he passed away a few yrs ago.

 

[bnsd60m9200]

thanks for the input jimmy and brian. i knew about the silverado being the last of the good luxes for a while, but never had seen this very early production run before. the owner who's estate i got it from loved the machine. it purrs great and gobs of airflow. the pn4a works amazingly as well, just needs a new belt. ill need to take beauty shots of it and with the golden j as well.

both luxes i have never had to service, because thier owners loved them and have had proper parts repaired (bearings/carbons) as they should have. also happen to be my cheapest machines. $5 total for the silverado, $5 for the tank. straight suction attachments for the golden j, $37 for the pn and sheath.

Will Hemb

 

[briankirbyclass]

Wow, that is AWSOME! 5 dollars for this Silverado!!
Whats more, you will most likely never ever have to buy another one if you dont want to!
This machine will most likely last the rest of your lifetime, with as much power as its always had.
Electrolux built them that way on purpose.
Congrats!

 

[suckolux]

I would love to know if my silverado has the better made motor or not, still going, but its not a daily use machine and I picked it up from a pawn shop in 94

 

[Davinator1977]

Silverado

here is an ad for the introduction of the silverado deluxe

 

[briankirbyclass]

Oh wow,,cool ad! Thanks for posting that!

Suckolux, stand the cleaner up and open the bag door of your Silverado. Pull out the bag.
If there is printed RED lettering at the top of the bag cage that says "Use Only Genuine Electrolux Bag",you have a later model Silverado, and short life motor.
Sorry to say.



IF there is NO red lettering, you have (what i call) a LIFETIME motor.

(There again, depending on how much abuse its had, but in general, with good care, it will last a lifetime,assuming it hasnt been thrown off a 20 story building, over a cliff,,or sat at the bottom of the ocean for the last 30 years.)



Also, this first run model of Silverado is the exact one in bnsd.'s picture, at the top of this post. Notice that this machine also does NOT have the front carry handle behind the ON/OFF switch, that all other later Silverado's have.

This is another indication of this early model Silverado.

Man, 5 dollars for a lifetime Silverado,,dosent get any better than that!

 

[briankirbyclass]

Forgot to say, as you can tell by the pic above in Davinator's post, this is the first time we meet the PN4. Which, i have to say, i was disapointed with.

Was pretty much the same as the PN3. And, just didnt seem all that powerful to me.

HOWEVER, when Electrolux came out with the new PN5, "Omni-Flo" Automatic,,,THAT was a HUGE improvement.
Much more agressive brush roll, has the cut out foot, and excellent edge cleaning.
Infact, thats exactly what i use for a daily driver( in rotation with other machines of course) is a first run model Silverado, with a mid 90s PN6 (1692) with headlight.

Bought the Silverado in 1997 at an estate auction,,was the proverbial little old lady deal.
She had a maid that brought her own vac, so the Silverado was like brand new and had been used very little.
Infact, Still had the original box it came in, and the usual 3 pack of free bags.

There was one in the machine half way full, and one left in the little box, so the machine had only been used enough to fill one and a half bags.
The Automatic Control was set at 3.
So, the fist bag had ejected fairly early too, evidently.

Now, in 2012, this machine still has the new "Electrolux smell".

I have to say, Next to the Golden J/Super J, the Silverado is my favorite Electrolux.

Like they say,,,"Super Cleaning, the Electrolux Way"!

"Your Home is the BEST place to see why we're better!"

 

[suckolux]

No red lettering!Twin to the post pictured just above, still looks new

 

[suckolux]

Good to know its not just me keeping it going strong this long. I think this pn works pretty well, but mine was sent back to Electrolux for new breaker and beater bar just after I got it.

 

[briankirbyclass]

Excellent!! You have an awsome machine there. DONT ever sell it and keep it forever,,these models of Silverado are rare, and hard to find (usually), because the original owner, (or someone in their family that the machine has been passed down to), is STILL using it, because its STILL going strong,,as always! Good job!

 

[suckolux]

Nice! Great to hear, thanks. Its always been my favorite, rather classy looking, enjoy more than the Miele to be honest.

 

[powermate1970]

Hey Brian!!!

I have to agree. The PN-3 and 4 were very dissappointing to me as well, but we have had this conversation before. You are as perticular about a power head as I am. At least in my opinion, for lux, I prefer the old PN-1. The PN 3&4 remind me of a filter queen powerhead as far as preformance goes. By the way, hows the blue kenmore doing for you?