Electrolux 1401-B Olympia 1

[keither]

Well its 2017 and they are still running strong!

 

[s31463221]

I think it's been over 20 years......

Charlie hit the nail on the head!!

http://https//youtu.be/W8gQAsm7Zeg

 

[vacuumlad1650]

If you keep up on the bearings and brushes, It Will outlast is all!

 

[luxkid1980]

I had an Electrolux 1401-B, but it had a tag on the side that said Refurbished by Electrolux and it was not brown, but had a silverish-gray painted on color. Also, it lacked the silver hubcaps on the wheels like my Silverado Deluxe has.

 

[keither]

Reply to S31463221: Thanks for sharing the link !

Reply to vacuumlad1650 : I believe you ! I mean it pumps !

Replt to luxkid1980 : I have that machine and I L U V it The color is called hammertone . I will post it later !

Can you all tell me your names?

 

[luxkid1980]

Ah, good to know the color name It was a good vacuum, but the handle portion on the bottom was cracked when I got it and I never bothered to fix it. I got rid of it when I got the Epic 6500. I'm Jason.

 

[s31463221]

Keith

My name is Steve, and Electrolux vacuums are my primary collecting item. I will go for others if they strike my fancy, but I have several hundred vacuum cleaners and I'd say 80% are Electrolux. I LOVE the 1401-B Olympia One because that's what I grew up with. My mom had one from the earliest I can remember, it was the Special Olympics model with the rings on a sticker at the back of the machine. She used that machine for many many years, and finally gave it to me when I bought her a new UltraLux 2000. I have worked the vacuum over, and it still runs perfectly! Over the years, I have picked up many O 1's and Super J's, and Silverado's. Those three models are my main go-to vacuums. I LOVE your machines, and how pristine you keep them. Keep the photos coming! Here's a couple of ads for the Super J, Olympia One (and carpet beautifier), and the Silverado Deluxe.

 

[keither]

Steve like W O W !!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for the reply and sharing those pics! Thats awesome - I grew up in the 1205 , Super J Era, and Elctrolux is my number 1 machine!! I have quite a few fond memories of them! My aunt had a 1205 and the 1205 CB Unit. My mom had an L but went through other vacs until she purchased a Silverado Special. I really appreciate the compliment re my machines. I try to take care of them as best as possible I dont want you all to get burned out on my posts ! Thanks so much and it would be great to see some pics from your collection!

 

[keither]

Reply to luxkid1980 : Hi Jason Gottcha !

 

[luxkid1980]

I love seeing those advertisements! To me, Electrolux products really meant quality when they released the L, 1205, Super J and Silverado models. I grew up with the Silverado Deluxe my mom had. I always thought it was a classy looking machine and I love the hushed sound they make when you are vacuuming. So unlike anything made today.

 

[keither]

Jason I totally get ya. Those were the days man ! Its kind of a bummer to see the unfortunate changes with the business. The quality of the machines now are okay , but they lack that special quality from the manufacturing period from the 80s and prior. I feel that being a collector is of great value because we are able to maintain that quality of these vintage machines. I have run into a few former salesmen that are devout to the original Electrolux brands and are collectors themselves , or they share extensive knowledge on the history of the company and they offer the best maintenance and repair tips. [this post was last edited: 6/15/2017-20:33]

 

[electrolux-dude]

Great vacuums!

I have several Olympia and Silverado models. Check out my video on YouTube, I have several videos about my various Electrolux vacuums. One of the videos is Nathan's Mint Silverado. Enjoy!

 

[keither]

Hi Nathan ! Thanks for the feedback and info!

 

[electrolux-dude]

Anytime sir! I found a Silverado in the trash several years back and it's still working perfectly!

 

[rugsucker]

The official vacuum of the 1980 Winter Olympics

Very nice model of the 2nd and best Olympia.Along with the first Silverado they were the best of their era.The wands might have come from a later Ultralux or similar.The great thing with the 2 extra wands was both not having to remove Power Nozzle when switching to bare floor tool and being able to add standard wands to PN wands if cleaning at high ceilings.

 

[keither]

Thanks for the feedback Jimmy

 

[luxkid1980]

Yes, it is nice to find vacuum salesmen or saleswomen who are passionate about vacuums like collectors here are

 

[human]

I didn't grow up with an Electrolux in the house but my grandparents had an older model, I think it was an LX, that was in regular use until my grandmother passed away and my grandfather went into assisted living in the 1990s. I always liked the visual aesthetics of that machine and how quiet it was. That was the start of my appreciation of Electrolux as a high quality machine. We didn't get one in our house until I was in high school in the early '80s and Dad grabbed a 1205 with a complete non-electric accessory kit from the neighbors' trash pile. It was great on hard floors but lacking a power nozzle, it was not so good on carpet. I lost track of that machine when my parents moved about 20 years ago but I found it in their attic last summer when we were cleaning out the house for them to move into a retirement community. By then I'd had a 1205 of my own—with power nozzle—for more than a decade and had also picked up a Super J and a Discovery Plus upright along the way. Since then, I've added a Diamond J to the fleet but it was the experience of using a 1205 as pretty much my only vacuum cleaner for the better part of a decade (until I nabbed a Kirby Gsix from beside a dumpster) that made me a true Electrolux fan. They're just elegantly designed, well thought out machines.

 

[keither]

Hello Guys: These memories are just priceless!!! Thanks so much for sharing

My cub scout leader ( his name was Keith too ! Keith Ivy ) told me the story about their utility room getting flooded and the 1205 being damaged. So Mrs. Ivy replaced the 1205 with the Super J, but used their 1205 PN with the new vac. They placed the 1205 curbside for trash pick up , and a month later, the city's recyclable's team returned the vacuum to them " REBUILT " ! At no charge! That's unheard of , but that's how they treated some appliances back then. You just don't receive those types of services anymore. So yes they kept the Super J in the box , for in home use only and they used the 1205 for minor odd jobs and cleaning out the car. I mean the Super J was so quiet.