Electrolux B-8 Beautifier

[luxy1205]

ronni

Thanks again for more info!!! I too love to research and share info with others! I find myself doing that a lot on Ebay. Either sellers listing misinformation or not listing any info. I will check my wattage because now you got me curious! Ha ha! -Michelle

 

[ronni]

You're welcome for the additional information, Michelle. And, too funny ... I also send information and corrections to eBay listers!

As I looked through the manufacturer's tags on the photos of my previous response I thought I'd suggest that you copy down your serial ids for all your appliances to help with theft recovery--should it ever happen.

With Aerus/Electrolux USA all machines--at least since the Model XXXs and except for the commercial tanks, Model CBs (and possibly the CB2000s)--have serial ids that have a letter prefix, 5 digits, and a letter suffix. The CBs only have digits for some reason. Anyway, here are the stamped locations of the serial ids on the canisters since the Model XXXs (I do not know where the earlier ones were stamped):

Model XXXs: top of front trim

Model LXs: handle trim

Model LXIs: handle trim

Model Es: caster mount

Model AEs: caster mount

Model Ts: ??

Model Fs: looking at the machine's hose inlet ... on the right-hand side of the outer trim of the bag chamber (concealed when the cover is closed)

Model Ss: looking at the machine's hose inlet ... on the right-hand side of the outer trim of the bag chamber (concealed when the cover is closed)

Model Rs: looking at the machine's hose inlet ... on the right-hand side of the outer trim of the bag chamber (concealed when the cover is closed)

Model Gs: looking at the machine's hose inlet ... on the right-hand side of the outer trim of the bag chamber (concealed when the cover is closed)

Model Ls: looking at the machine's hose inlet ... on the right-hand side of the outer trim of the bag chamber (concealed when the cover is closed)

Model 1205s: 1st version - bottom of cord winder; Other versions - stabilizer


To my knowledge, all canisters since the 2nd version of the 1205s have been on the stabilizer, or by the front caster when the stabilizers were molded into the body rather than attached. Some also have stickers that were intended to be removed and placed on the sales contracts to ensure accuracy, but some sales personnel left them on the machines. Refurbished machines are given metal tags to indicate that along with new serial ids which have an "R" prefix--likely for "refurbished".

Interestingly, all the B-7s and B-8s through the brown units had the "A" prefix in their serial ids. From the gray B-8s to the current line (as far as I can tell) the serial id prefix has been "D". Just some more trivia for you!

The Electrolux uprights have stickers in various places, but again to my knowledge all have a secondary one that is affixed beneath the handle in case the other one wears off or is removed.

The accessories such as the power nozzles, turbo rug washers, and Sidekicks do not have serial ids, so it would be a good idea to put your own markings on them in inconspicuous places.

_________


By the way, you haven't mentioned your B-8s name. Please let us know when you choose one.

 

[luxy1205]

ronni

That's so funny that you should mention writing down serial ids because I've already started doing that so far with just my chainsaws! Between my husband and I, we have close to 130 chainsaws. Also, I collect Sunbeam Mixmasters (11) and (1) Dormeyer Mixwell, electric hand mixers (12), clock radios (23), vacuums obviously (13) plus the B8, and circular saws (5). You just gave me the idea to expand my serial ids! Thank you! Every vintage item I collect and just mentioned has a name! That's cute about the B8! I haven't thought of a name for him yet, some take longer than others. I just got an earlier Sunbeam Mixmaster model 9 and an early 1950's Zenith owl eye clock radio in the mail yesterday and they instantly got named! My "Owlie", is in sad shape and so is the 9 "Pinny", but I can still see their beauty and will restore them! I will post them on the household forum when I get a chance. I love talking with people who love talking about their collections! -Michelle

 

[ronni]

Michelle,

I guess it's true what they say about great minds--haha! Thanks for telling me about your other collections. Actually, I've read some of your other posts which is why I knew that you named your machines! I wonder if "Buffy" would be a suitable name in your mind? I have often thought that Electrolux USA--back in the '50s and '60s--had reasons for choosing the model letters of the machines, so I've always thought that the "B" stood for "Buffer" since the B-8 had buffing pads. I've never figured out what the 8 stands for, but that may have just been someone's favorite number--haha!

Speaking of your husband I'm wondering if he collects, too, or is a supporter of your hobby? In any event, you may want to open up your own machinery museum--or at least post a Youtube video of your collections!

I'm also wondering if you are in the process of obtaining the original owner's manuals of each of your machines? I'm guessing you don't have all of them anyway.

Sorry to hear about Owlie and Pinny, but I'm sure you'll have them back in shape at some point!

 

[super-sweeper]

Buffy the Fluff-Ball Hunter!

(Followed by a poorly photoshoped image of a Electrolux B-8 over Buffy the Vampire Slayer!)


 


I love it!


 


(P.S-I'm still voting for PHYLLIS!

)

 

[tig21er]

B for buffer

could be right, seems logical.

 

[luxy1205]

ronni

Wow, so cool that you've read my other posts! "Buffy" is cute and totally fitting with what I name stuff, but I have a friend named Buffi, for real! I would think of her and not the B8 unfortunately! I'm open for names! That's cool about B8 standing for buffer! Never crossed my mind!

My husband is who taught me all that I know! He's 20 years older than me and has restored just about everything since he was a little boy! He actually restores antique cars for a living and is an expert metal fabricator! He restores and makes custom motorcycles! He's an expert painter, (ranked by Valspar as top 5 painter), expert at airbrushing, and an excellent mechanic! He also makes his own tools for stuff that you can't buy them for! We have a lot of homemade clutch pullers for our chainsaws. I have a homemade wrench made for our modulators for our Chevy Chevette auto transmissions, plus other homemade stuff too! He built a rotisserie for his 1985 Chevy Chevette out of scrap metal and an old bedframe so he could rotate his car to rebuild the floor. It's truly endless of what he can do! He does tattoos, builds electric guitars out of blocks of wood all self taught plus more! I'm not bragging, but he's a rare breed!

When it comes to hobbies he collects chainsaws and loves Chevy Chevettes and is getting ready to start restoring both of them. He's very supportive of my hobbies! Anything I'm interested in he will teach me how to fix and restore it! He's the one that bought me almost all of what I collect! He just bought me "Pinny"! Pinny just needs a motor rebuild, nothing difficult, some new grease, parts oiled, a pretty paint job. I want him to be pinstriped like the old rat rods, which I forgot to mention that my husband "Sammy" can pinstripe too, so hence the name Pinny! Owlie's front grill is cracked, the speaker cloth needs to be replaced, and the clock doesn't work. I'm going to grind off the broken grill pieces, put new material on the speaker, make a custom backer for a pretty material to take the place of the missing grill. It won't be original, but it will be custom and look like it was suppose to be that way! He taught me how to restore tube and solid state radios! He showed me how to de-solder circuit boards out of old computer monitors and old TV's to get the capacitors, resistors, diodes, transistors, etc. He also has a degree in electronics and auto mechanics. He bought me a 1974 Triumph motorcycle when we were first dating and as of last winter are custom building it! I could write you a book on all we do! Ha ha! He taught me how to weld, how to do metal work the primitive way. I made a perfect bowl out of a flat piece of metal by using the tucking system. There's a lot of videoes on that on Youtube.

I have a lot of vintage manuals for my various hobbies, but I only have one manual for an Electrolux model g that came with my 1205 off of Ebay. I don't even own a model g yet! Ha ha!

Thanks for all the wonderful comments! I love talking with you! -Michelle

 

[luxy1205]

super-sweeper

Ha Ha! I'm actually watching a Sears H58 on Ebay, which is the logger version basically of my Sears D44's "Mr.Poppet". If I win it, I'll name it Phyllis! I told my husband Sammy about Phyllis and we laughed so hard about it that I said if I found another H58 or H47 that I would name it Phyllis! You're too funny! I'll send ya a pic of Phyllis if I win it! BTW, I love the photo shopped pic! You're awesome to talk with! -Michelle

 

[super-sweeper]

I'm glad you think so!

Here's to Mr.Poppet gaining a cousin Phyllis! I could see her now in a beautiful turquoise on white! 

 

[ronni]

Michelle,

Thanks--I enjoy corresponding with you, too.

I think it's great that you and your husband have so many things in common--including friendship--that age isn't a factor. You were fortunate to find each other! As for his skills and support I am impressed. What an honor to be ranked so high with Valspar! And how awesome to be able to use his ingenuity to make tools which can't be purchased from a company! You have every right to be proud of him! As for his chainsaw collecting hobby, maybe he should start "Chainsawland"! =] And both of you sound like you'd be excellent candidates for community education classes or do-it-yourself seminars.

Ok, so among your other collectibles get busy and find a Model G for that manual! haha Actually, I've done the same thing. For example, I'd gotten an Electrolux manual that seemed like it was just for general cleaning but came to discover that it was the manual for a Model XXX that I just purchased!

Love the way you choose names for your machines. If I think of another name for the B-8 (I don't blame you for not wanting to name it after your friend) I'll let you know.

Happy collecting and restoring!

 

[ronni]

John,

I am curious to know if you ever checked with Aerus about the compatibility of the Lux Floor Pro naplifters with the B-8s?

 

[super-sweeper]

The name game!

Beatrice, Matilda and Scarlet seem like good name candidates!


 


I second Chainsawland! There could be log cutting contests, wood-shop classes, repair classes (An art people have lazily forgotten over time-You could fix a Studebaker with a Wrench and a trusty can of WD-40, with all the "Fuel-Efficient" junk out there today, You need an engineering degree to open the hood!).


You could have different areas for all your Mixers, radios and VACUUMS! They could cut the Churros (That stick food stuff they have at theme parks such as Universal Studios) with vintage chainsaws! What a fun place it would be!


 


Of course, in dreams, I would be hosting KIRBYLAND!

 

 

[ronni]

John,

Thanks for posting the B-8 article--very interesting.


Alex,

Haha - sounds like you could be the curator of Chainsawland as well as being the head of Michelle's Naming Division!


Here is a photo of the "brush graphic used for O's" mentioned in reply #23 for the S105J and S105L.

 

[super-sweeper]

I'd love to!

Now, where to find chainsaw jugglers this time of year? We should have the jugglers on floating HOOVER Constellations!

 

[ronni]

LOL, Alex!!

I just discovered a correction in my information in reply #23 (based on the photograph in reply #41) ...

The S105J and S105L were called Floor Pro Encores.

To my knowledge the S105N, S165A, and S165B have simply been known as Lux Floor Pros.

 

[luxy1205]

ronni

Thanks for the kind words! Believe it or not we are both on a chainsaw forum called arboristsite! I've made some great friends all over the united states on there, learned a lot, and bought a lot of chainsaws from there! The same principle as for this forum! I've talked with a lot of different people, learned a lot about vacuums, but I haven't bought anything from anyone yet! I wouldn't mind owning a teal/aqua model g! When I was a teenager, my parents' landlord had a teal/aqua model g in the house we were renting. I only knew of the 1205 my mom had. I thought back then that my mom's vacuum was the only Electrolux. Oh how I learned differently now! Ha ha! Do you know what the 1205 owner's manual looks like? I've never seen one. All my in adamant object babies have to have a name! Ha ha! We don't have children, so our collections are our children. For example, my Sunbeam Mixmaster model 7b is named "Ernest" and I'll ask my husband Sammy if he's asked Ernest for a fruit cake lately. Gotta love that setting 3 says mixing fruit cakes! Gotta be silly sometimes! -Michelle

 

[luxy1205]

super-sweeper

Ha ha! Too funny! I actually do have my hobbies strewn about our house! I garbage pick as well! A while back I garbage picked a cool floor standing wooden shelf. All it needed was some wood glue and an extra screw added for stability! So, thanks to people who make it a throw away society I got a neat shelf that houses 11 of my vintage clock radios! I have chainsaws by vacuums and chainsaws by clock radios! My mixers are all in the kitchen by themselves though. That'll change most likely! I like the names! -Michelle

 

[super-sweeper]

Michelle-

I garbage pick as well! Of course, Many vacuums have found my way through the trash!
It doesn't take much to bring them back to their glory, I'm not afraid to get dirty!

 


The only benefit I see in today's throw-away society is the free and serviceable crap people place by the road! Most things I pick up are not even in need of service-Such as my beloved Fantom Thunder-All it needed was a cord (Thanks to Scrappers!). That was the first Fantom I've seen in a LONG time, and that was many years ago! since then I've acquired another, Nicer Thunder, 2 Furies and a broken Cyclone XT (Furry #2 Was also a trash find, clogged and cordless!). I've gotten 5 Mowers out of the trash, 2 of which were the best push mowers I've ever owned! Those 2 were a HONDA Self-Propelled model, I LOVED that thing, a kind neighbor friend even gave me the bag to use with it! Sadly, another sign of the times took it away from me-I had it sitting on the side of my house because I ran out of gas, and someone stole it right then and there! A bike once got stolen, too, but thankfully no more than that! Some houses didn't even come with LOCKS in the 1950s and 1960s, can you believe that?


Anyhow, that second mower was a Murray push mower. This guy was throwing away a BUNCH of older mowers, one of them was a Bolens or Craftsman, forget which-I was going to take that one but the man helping him move was trying to get it running. The thing barely ran, and was shooting smoke. He said "This thing runs better than my mower, you can have it!". So I did have it, it would run only for a few seconds then cut off. eventually the thing ran GREAT-It was my main mower for years. I even mowed the lawn of my abandoned dream house with it back in October! Just a few months ago it got hard to start, eventually not starting at all. I took the main spring-loaded starting cord assembly and put it on a Revived Troy-Bilt mower (Which I can't get started either!

)


 


I haven't found any Chainsaws, though! I have found some OLD handsaws, though. I would've been DIVING in the pile of leftover junk from a moving sale when I was younger (If they were having the sale today, I would've bought 95% of the place!). It was a huge metal barn with old TV's,Radios, and of course, Vacuums! The Uprights were $2 and the Canisters were $1! I remember they had old powertools, You would've been all over that if you were there that day! I came home with 5 vacuums or so, Including the Singer Golden PowerMaster I had been begging to buy from them for months!


 


<h1><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I even once trash-picked a Brand-New over-the-range exhaust hood, although the plasticy thing didn't last long!</span></h1>
 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I've been called "Sanford" for my routine "Sanfording" trips (Trash day is every Monday night!

)</span>Once again, Michelle, It's been fun talking to you!

 

[luxy1205]

super-sweeper

That's right up my alley! I garbage picked a cool 70's Snapper push mower last fall. It even still has it's original mulch bag! Sammy and I rebuilt the carb together and we gapped the coil. Someone had the coil adjusted way too close to the flywheel, to the point that it was scratching it and making it very hard to even turn the flywheel! Sammy did get it to fire this spring, but with all of our other hobbies, "Snappy" is just waiting for us to start working on him again! We did restore another push mower that I use as my main mower; his name is "Barnaby". I'm not sure of the brand. All it had on him was a rainbow like decal on his deck that said wheeler, plus his original paint was green. The mowers we have and used to have are all the old style Briggs and Stratton motors before they got boxy looking. I love garbage picking! I haven't found any vacuums besides newer throw away ones or any chainsaws yet! You're right, if we both were where you garbage picked, we would've loved it! Great talking with you! -Michelle

 

[super-sweeper]

Snappy!

I nearly got me a Snapper push mower! It was being thrown out down the street from me. I got out the car and examined it, deciding I'll walk down the street for it. It was gone! Scrapers likely for it, they're a pest and a friend in the dumpster diving life! One 'friendly' scraper I know lives in a house on the corner of the next street from mine,they save the vacuums they find for me. They remove the cords for the copper they contain, but it's kind enough for them to save the rest of the vacuum. I'm lucky they don't just bust them open for the motors the way they do the CRT televisions! 


 


Other scrappers can be menacing! Like the ones that bust open CRT televisions and leave the bits on the curb! I once had a vacuum and an air cleaner sitting by my garage, came back to find the cords gone!


Even worse, there was this BEAUTIFUL 1950s Hotpoint refrigerator in PINK! It had some rust, but it was still BEAUTIFUL! It was in the back of a truck, no doubt heading to the scrap yard (the Twerk who lives at the house where the fridge was at would have nothing better to do with it,I would've tried to buy it if him and I were on better terms! Scrap is only 5¢ a pound!).


 


 


I nearly forgot! That Murray I was talking about was named Terrance! He sits in the barn with his predecessor,an older Bolens Briggs and Stratton mower named Betsy!

 


Once again, it's been fun talking, Michelle!

 

[luxy1205]

super-sweeper

The scrappers are pests here too! I had to move our garbage cans to the back side of our house because they would cut open the bags digging around for cans. Also, we do on occasion have scrap and we put it by the road for them, but then they start abusing our hospitality by stopping by a lot wanting more! So now, we have the coolest landlord who Sammy has been friends with since the early 90's, plus he lives next door, but anyway we just give him our scraps now! That pink fridge would be awesome! I want to get an old refrigerator and restore it for our house! I would modify and convert it so it wouldn't burn down the house of course! Ha ha! Love the names Terrance and Betsy! -Michelle

 

[bikerray]

I use the nap lifters from an Epic Floor Pro with my B8 to dethatch my carpet every so often.

 

[bikerray]

You Wrote

"The scrappers are pests here too! I had to move our garbage cans to the back side of our house because they would cut open the bags digging around for cans."

The raccoons are carrying knives now? you must live in a rough neighborhood

 

[super-sweeper]

Raccoon bandits!

HAHAHAHA-That's hilarious, Ray! (Do you mind if I call you Ray?)-


 


Michelle-That sounds terrifying, I've never heard of scrappers going to such extent! I've seen people taking cans from trash cans (Mainly the Flea Market, one of my favorite weekend attractions!

), But NEVER cutting open residential bags in search of scrap! The hospitality abusing sounds dreadful, too-That's pushing it to far! I help out my scrapper friends by giving them metals and what-not I find on my adventures (Trash night is Monday, There's no better time for a bike cruise!

), But knocking on doors and asking for scrap is another story!


 


I think a modern fridge would blow fuses more than an older on! just about every electric device I own is older than I am! My Clock-Radio, My Typewriters and Rotary phones (I'm likely to be one of the last people in Jacksonville that trust in and use such things!), My Mixers, toasters & toaster ovens, Irons, blenders, the list goes on! I've NEVER had a problem with them. I've yet to own any vintage large appliances (Stoves, Fridges and Washer-Dryer sets), But I will someday! I'm itching to buy a 1950s GE push-button stove for my abandoned Dream house (I wanted to do the same with a KitchenAid KDS-17 Superbra and a Tapan wall oven, both in stainless steel!). The kitchen in my dream house is VERY small, though! the whole house is only 1,500 square ft!


 


Thinking back-I had ONE problem with my Smith-Corona Electra 110 typewriter, I accidentally shut the metal case on the cord WHILE RUNNING!(Talk about 

!). A fuse blew and all was well! I've heard stories of Fridges being in constant use for 40 years without problems, they require very little maintenance! The fridge in my Abandoned dream house, Get this, was Still Running despite being abandoned! Someone never had the power cut off,  the whole house is still live, and so was the fridge! I wouldn't be surprised if that Hotpoint I saw powered right on upon being plugged in, but I'd want to take the back panel off to observe for damage from animals or insects first if it has been sitting for some time!


 


I forgot to add to my last post-I do have a Snapper riding mower! It gave me nothing but heartache when it burned up the belt it came with (I ran over a RUG of all things, on a riding mower!

), And it ate belts like crazy! Belts would only last 1 mowing of our pasture and lawns, and when it did mow it mowed poorly and under-powered, with the belt slipping, too! Just the other day did we come to find we had the belt installed wrong the entire time! The lever that engages the blade drive would only go up so far-if you put it up all the way it would choke off the engine! Now it goes up all the way and stays up! We had a blade explode, too! 2 new blades and a properly installed belt and it runs like new! This mower doesn't have a name yet, though, I don't have names for all my things, but you're welcome to take a shot at it, Michelle!

 


Have you found any other vintage large appliances besides a Fridge? good luck in your search for one! and thanks for the conversation!


-Alex.

 

[luxy1205]

super-sweeper

Yeah the scrappers are pests for our neighbors as well. Sammy is quite intimidating to look at and talk with if he is being taken advantage of, so now the main scrappers leave us alone.

For modernizing fridges I just meant to clean them up and replace what would be bad on them. Like, if you couldn't get the old parts, than you would have to buy new and custom fit it basically.

Most of the appliances we use are old too! I have 12 vintage stand mixers, 12 vintage electric hand mixers, our stove is either 1957 or 1959 Sears Kenmore gas stove oven, my electric can opener is a 1961 pink Sears Kenmore, our fridge isn't that old maybe late 90's, and I just got an old probably 1960's Toastmaster toaster oven never been used at a garage sale for $5.00! Let's see, I have 5 vintage clock radios I trade off on waking me up. I have an early 1950's brown bakelite tube Bulova named "Lovi", a late 1960's faux woodgrain tube GE, a 1960's pink tube GE, a 1958 custom painted (by us) London grey tube Westinghouse, and a 1978 solid state red digital.

That's funny that 1500 sq. ft. to some people is small. I would love that! Our house used to be a cottage, we are 1 house away from the Kankakee river, and it's between 750 and 800 sq. ft. Our bathroom is the size of a closet literally, living room is awkward not bad size, kitchen is decent except how they laid it out, it could be way better utilized, the 2 bedrooms are identical and a standard 12' by 12'. It's difficult because we collect and have way too many hobbies to fit in here! Oh well, it could be worse.

I have an electric brown Smith Corona Coronet Super 12 typewriter! I absolutely love it! I'm not into technology and use the computer sparingly. I prefer typing stuff out than using a keyboard and saving documents. I would much rather have a freshly written piece of paper stored in a folder that I can look at anytime I want instead of relying on technology.

Sorry to hear about your Snapper riding mower! Sounds like a P.I.T.A! Ha ha!

I haven't found a fridge yet, would've loved to have that pink Hotpoint you had mentioned. Someday I will find one!" today on Ebay! Once I get her I will share pics with you! -Michelle
It's so fun and great to hear from you! BTW, I won "Phyllis

 

[super-sweeper]

Bring her home, Michelle!

I'm glad to hear to won PHYLLIS! I can't wait to see you work your magic on her! You should do a thread about it in the Household department, it would be so much fun! just don't forget to take before, during and after pictures!


 


That mower was a pain, I would be so nervous riding it around the yard, Expecting the belt to go any time! It's a powerful grass-mulching machine now, thankfully!


 


By "Tubes" I'm guessing you're referring to television sets? you could also mean radios, too, though! My oldest T.V is the one i use daily in my bedroom, a 1986 KTV set. I LOVE CRT televisions, I don't see the hype in digital and flat screens! they produce such a warm and rich picture, with the rich sound quality of 1 speaker, too! I bought it for around $6 or $8 at a garage sale some time ago, along with my turquoise 1950s GE iron! Oh wait, I nearly forgot! I DID buy an older TV from goodwill not too long ago! it's a 1970s JCPenney set! a tiny little thing, at the bargain of $4.99! I wouldn't have left the store without it!

. it and the KTV set are both the older 2-tuning knob style, with 2 knobs for power/volume and something else (The 2nd button on the KTV turns the television from true black-and-white to color upon pulling it out!). I use a RCA set from 1991 I trash picked YEARS ago. Still a superb picture after all this time! the only problem being some of the buttons are missing (The KTV has a broken On/Volume button, it's a little hard to pull out/on thanks to that, now!). i have a 1960s Zenith (Or what's left of it!) that I dragged out of the WOODS behind my house years ago,too! this one has a bad case of rusted-and-busted! the entire CRT is missing, but the tuner and ALL vacuum tubes were still intact! I have the tubes put up safely in a padded box, who knows when you might need one! 


 


I'm not the only person out there who uses old junk (at-least "junk" to some people!)! hooray!

 I do need to find me MORE vintage goodies, especially a tube TV!  Is your washer/dryer pair vintage as well? nothing on the market today can compare!


 


I too appreciate typewriting over "keyboarding"! It's always nice to sit down and write out a document on such a thing, Now all i need to do is find an old Duplicating machine or Mimeograph to make copies! I have some old ads of some examples, if you've seen my 1950s ads scanning thread in the household department then you know I've been scanning them like crazy! if only I could send an order form for such a machine today!

 


I just replaced my 1950s/60s GE clock-radio with a standard 1950s alarm clock. one of my Cats knocked it of the shelf and it froze time (Or at-least it's own time!). One day it will live again, though! I need to take it about and see what went "Boom"!


 


Thanks for the chat!

 

[luxy1205]

Alex

Thanks! I can't wait to get Phyllis! As of now, I have 11 Mr. Poppets and now Phyllis will make 2 Sears H58's! I'll show you the difference between a Poppet and a Phyllis once I get her. Ha ha!

No, by tubes I meant clock radios. I prefer tubes, but do have a few transistors (solid state). I agree with you, old TV's are way better than flat screens! Sammy's sisters a few X-mas ago bought us a brand new 40" flat screen TV and before we had for a year there's lines on the screen! Sammy can fix it, but shouldn't have to, it's new! Because it was a gift, purchased by someone else, and from a different state, to try and return it to get another one was such a nightmare and his poor sister spent a whole week going back and forth with the company via phone; we said screw it and now just deal with it! I saw an episode on American Restoration where they took an old Philco Predicta TV, took the tube out and custom fit a small flat screen TV into it! Before I saw that episode, I wanted to do that! I told Sammy that when this stupid new TV dies, I want to custom fit a Philco! I love the old TV'S they're awesome! Thank God, Sammy has been into computers and electronics because he has about 20+ monitors and old nonworking TV'S in the basement that I take out the circuit boards and use the capacitors, diodes, transistors, and etc. for rebuilding/bringing life back into my old clock radios! I'll have to share a pic of all the circuit boards I have, it's insane!

I love old junk! Sammy finished rebuilding a V6 engine, but when he was first tearing it apart, I noticed that the camshaft was damaged, therefore making it unusable. I asked him what you do with it and he said throw it out, I couldn't bare to see it thrown away, so I decided to make a lamp out of it! One tool we don' have is a lathe, but our landlord does! So, I told him what I wanted to do and he wanted to hone it our for us! Also, he put a cool 1930's light socket on it too! BTW, he's just like us too! Ha Ha! I went to a garage sale about a month ago and bought a little metal tool box for $1.00. It was heavily rusted and the paint was wearing off, I felt sorry for it and am now restoring it! I painted it a pretty green blue color. I just have a few more touch ups and then it can be cleared! I didn't take before pics though! Oh well, it's gonna actually hold my vacuum miscellaneous for me!

We used to have an old Maytag washer that was avocado green, probably from the 1970's. It was beyond repair though. That's the first thing since I've known my husband that he didn't want to rebuild. It would've cost way too much! But, not all was lost, I had him remove the pretty front piece that had all the push buttons and indicators and am turning it into a shelf so it can hold my laundry soap! It was too pretty to throw away! So, it technically is still helping me with laundry! Ha Ha! Our washer and dryer are still considered old enough to work on, but are not vintage. I would like to some day get an old pair!

Great to keep hearing form you!!! -Michelle

 

[super-sweeper]

I saw that episode too!

I wouldn't put the flat screen in it, though! That would just be ugly and digital! I loved analog!


 


It's funny you mention that Maytag, I had an old Maytag pair some time ago! The dryer blew, and a few years later went the washer.sad day! I couldn't keep the entire washer, so I kept the control board face part, just like you did! It's hanging on the washroom wall, with all the timers and controls attached!


 


I've never rebuilt an engine, but I will someday! I've fallen in love with a 1961 DeSoto that chills in a car lot on the other side of my woods. It hangs out with the other DeSotos there, but some of them are rusting into the ground! The previous owner put 383,000 miles on it in 18 years (the Montgomery Alabama license plate went out in 1979). I'm determined to buy that car! There's one below if you've never seen a '61 DeSoto! The '61 model was the last DeSoto ever made, 923 2-doors and about 2,200 4-doors).the one I love is a 4-door. It's turned a beautiful greenish and brownish color from weather, but is still a study, road-worthy car! They originally came in your choice of black or white. DeSoto was a branch of Chrysler. Nobody expected a 1961 model, it was only made to use 7 million dollars of leftover DeSoto parts! Do you drive a vintage car, Michelle?


 


Looking forward to your response

 

[luxy1205]

Alex

That's so cool that you used your Maytag head as a display too! I love it when people think a like! Doesn't happen that often for me.

I do drive a vintage car! Not as old as you're talking about. We both own 2 Chevy Chevettes! Sammy's is a 1985 2 door and mine is a 1980 4 door. Sammy used to have a 1976 Chevette as his first car. He restored it and showed it at World of Wheels in Chicago. Sadly it got stolen in 1992 and he never saw it again! So, ever since I met him he's been talking about Chevettes! He wanted to get another one, but he didn't realize how hard it was to find a 1976 and how much more money they're worth! Low and behold he has a friend a few towns over that has been trying to sell him a 1985 and he kept refusing it because it's the newer style (more like an Escort). Finally when we met, I told him to buy that 85' and make it look like the old one! I'm like, you rebuild and customize vintage cars for a living!!! He said he never thought of that before! Ha Ha! So, he ended up buying it for $300. It had been sitting in a horse barn, with horse pee, and limestone for 11 years!!! Needless to say the floors were rotted out of it and he built a rotisserie for his car so he could turn it anyway he wanted to rebuild the floor again! That's been done now for a few years, now focusing on painting it. My Chevette is named "Roxy"!!! I like the 4 doors better! Plus, I go grocery shopping and what not and it's way easier to put stuff in a 4 door! My car we found on Craigslist a few towns over for $500! It had front end damage from a car accident when we bought it, but Sammy knew how to fix it and now it's good to go! Also, I forgot to mention, that when Sammy bought his car named the "Beest", it also came with a 1985 4 door parts car! So, a friend towed the parts car home for us and Sammy pulled it into the garage and cut the whole car apart! We literally could throw the car out in boxes! Ha Ha! It was great to get a parts car that is the same as mine! It's funny we are the opposite when it comes to our Chevettes! Mine came out in 80', so it had the newer style body, but still had some older features that I didn't care for, so the parts car provided the newer updates that I was looking for! His car went thru a whole bunch of modification! He cut the entire back end off and made a box tube frame and re-welded it up, made new headlight bezels, and slit the back hatch to look more like the 76'! I even helped with welding the back end up, putting the shocks in, putting the springs in, and rebuilding the differential/putting in spider gears! We pulled my engine last summer and replaced the rear main seal, plus he painted my engine too! It's now a pretty blue and he painted the pulleys hot pink! I love old cars and am pretty knowledgeable on them as well! My favorite car is a 1958 Plymouth Fury like Christine!!! The 59's are cool, don't care for the spare tire bump out on the trunk lid though! The 60 totally changed body style! I want to say by 61' it was a totally different looking car! I grew up loving old cars and trucks! I used to help my dad work on his when I was a kid. He had a few old trucks from the late 40's - early 50's, had some kind of 30's car that smelt so bad that he would have to bribe me with ice cream to ride in it!!! I think it was because it had the original mole hair seats! He had a 1958 Edsel and he still has a 1964 Chevy Impala 4 door. Sammy and I go to a lot of car shows too! I love the Chryslers, Plymouths, and DeSotos!!! I wouldn't mind having a 1958 Dodge Coronet!!! I just love everything old, it's just better!!! -Michelle

 

[super-sweeper]

Chevettes,

I heard about that in another thread,I thought you were talking about Chevy CORVAIRS! Just googled Chevetes, cute little car! The '58 Fury seems cool, I didn't know they had Furries in 1958! There's 4 1/2 Fury III's in the same car lot of my DreamSoto (I call it that!). They're the later 1960s tank-of-a-car car!