Brought my old friend home

[briankirbyclass]

Funny story: Back in 1974, my father took a job across the country, which meant we had to move,(much to my displeasure) and also meant i had to leave all my family, friends, start in a new school,new area ect. Not easy for a 10yr old. This was also in the middle of the school year,,so doubly bad. That and the fact that i REALLY didnt want to go made it especially worse. My heart ached for years.
Anyway, as i was "Vacuum Crazy" as kid,,i got a call one day from my Grandmother back home that she had just bought a brand new Electrolux,,and it was GOLD colored and had a Power Nozzle!
Well, you can imagine my excitement. Not only being HORRIBLY home sick, but now that she had a NEW Electrolux,,HA! It was all i could do to sit still!
A few months later, it was summer vacation, and we were going to Grandma's,,so you know what i couldnt hardly wait to see and use!
Sure enough,,she had a brand new Electrolux Golden Jubilee,,with the 50th Anniversary stickers on the back of the machine, and on top of the PN. Be still my heart!
I used that thing at her house for years and years,,,it was MY BABY!
Well, Grandma passed in 1998,,and when we were cleaning out to sell the house, you know the first thing i took!
The Golden J has been in storage ever since, thinking ill get to it some day.
Well, this weekend was THE day. Finally brought my old friend home.
Haha,,i know its weird and strange, but that old Golden Jubilee represents my childhood,,it was something that meant alot to my Grandma,,(she came from a poor family so a NEW Electrolux was a true luxury),,and meant even more to me. And still does. Sure is nice to have my old friend home!

 

[crevicetool]

What a nice story Brian.....

And I know exactly what you mean! I saw the machine that started my interest in vacuums (Grandma's) last in 1968. I never saw another one like it until about two years ago. While they are not my Grandmother's (exact) machine, I now own three of them!

Whoopie!!!

Congratulations.

PS.....any chance for some pics?

 

[louvac]

Brian,

I share your sentiment and your story made me well up inside.

My mom had a Kirby 514 that she traded in one day while I was at school. You bought a new 1976 model Eureka model 2--- series, thought I can't recall the exact model number. It featured brown vertically opposing Libery Bells on the cream-colored vinyl bag. Though I was excited about this machine no doubt, I ached for my old friend, the Kirby model 514. To this day I often think about this machine and wonder what the hell that bastard who sold her the new Eureka ever actually did with that machine. Neither he (and we knew him fairly well at the time) nor my mom ever realized how happy they could have made a 12 year old boy by just giving him the old machine. I still fantasize about what that would have been like if it had been a reality. I would so love to find one in the condition ours was in at the time. While many others had bags that faded or wore, ours still maintained it's blue-gray color fairly evenly even though it did fade just a bit. I can still smell the handle grip which seemed to have a unique aroma from the petroleum based vinyl from which it was made. But ha ha on mom and Marty! I still have the original Miracle Head, some attachments, instruction book, Handi-Butler and a few other pieces that I managed to re-hide in the attic the day after Marty delivered my mother's new Eureka just in case that bastard decided to return and collect the remaining accessories.

 

[petek]

What a great story

Care to sell it?

I'm kidding, I'm kidding.. Rick put me up to that, honestly he did. You know what he's like.

Yes we need a picture or two.. that's why I coined the phrase recently.. A picture is worth a thousand words

 

[arh1953]

I still think of Electrolux as a luxury brand, pre-plastic models, and I still miss the Model L mom got rid of for the black Eureka Mighty Mite canister which I still have.

 

[briankirbyclass]

HA,jeee, fun memories! Sorry i dont have a camera to take pics,, the Golden J is in good condition,,still has good suction,,not like it did when brand new of course, but the Motor sounds good,,no whines up or down,,but does act a little tired. The trim, switch, and front door of the machine are all good,,a little tiny rust on the top chrome piece, not much. The "Check Bag" light still works, and the inside of the bag chamber looks good,,i did wipe it out. The little motor grill was a little dirty so i wiped it out too.
Should put a new motor in it,,but will probablly just keep it as is.
Was thinking when exactly the machine was bought,,im sure it would have been March or April of 1976. The salesman who sold the Golden J to Grandma left one of those post card with a pic and model of the machine, and matching Golden J Floor Polisher, and "Carpet Beautifier." I remember looking at that card alot. The model shown in that card was the exact model of machine it was,,same hose, PN and all. The PN had the blue neck in the middle of the PN.
(Ive seen some that had a white neck,,this one was definatly blue, and even had the blue rubber tab on the lock tab on top of the PN wand.)
She did not buy the floor polisher, or rug washer,,darn it.
In 1986 i bought Grandma a new hose for the Golden J,,which leaked like a sieve by 98, when the machine went into storage, so i tossed it. the PN motor was also jammed, and would only humm when plugged in,,so it got tossed too (wish i wouldnt have now, should have at least kept the wands),,but im sure i can find a replacement.
Ha man, i can remember thinking that was the MOST BEAUTIFUL machine id ever seen when it was new. The plastic on the machine has yellowed and tarnished with age,,but when it was brand new, and the chrome top was new,,that Golden J did look like pure gold!,,,at least to me anyway. haha

Good memories guys!