Electrolux Olympia One ... 2 Models?

[kevin]

I recently ran across two different Olympia Ones that are marked 'Model - 1401', and both have the 1980 Winter Olympics - Lake Placid, NY decal affixed on them. Until now, I thought that all Olympia Ones were Model 1401-Bs.

Here is the model identification exhibit '1401-B':

 

[kevin]

Here is the model identification exhibit '1401':

 

[vac-o-matic]

I sold the Olympia One when new, back in 1980. If my memory serves me, the original Oly had the Super J styling, meaning the handle, flat to the machine body side bumpers and the wheels were smaller than the later ones. I sold the newer version with the later syle handle, extended side bumpers, and they increased the size of the wheels, I'm assuming carpeting was getting thicker, and it would roll easier. I have both models in my collection, will have to look to see if there's a difference in the model numbers. That could be why there's a difference.

 

[tig21er]

When the

Silverado came out the handle set up was like the first Olympia and then changed mid way in the build to the handle setup of the last Olympia One.

 

[kevin]

Thanks for your responses, Rick (#2) and John (#3).

Rick - I've done some checking and noticed that the first version of the Olympia One had a similar handle to the Super J/1401, but not exactly; it did not go all the way to the vertical grip. Otherwise, the other changes you mentioned were accurate. I think your reason for the larger wheels in the later version is logical. I wonder if they have kept that same size wheel since then, or if they have gone back to the smaller wheels with the lesser use of shag carpeting. Anyway, I'm hoping that you'll be able to clear the confusion of the model ids with your machines. I wonder if the ones with the Olympics decals were the first versions, because they are the ones listed as '1401s'.

If I remember correctly, the Golden Js were considered model 1205 Js, but they are stamped as '1201's. Isn't it true that except for the color and other body differences they were the same as the last version of the 1205s? So the Olympia One scenario might be like you said about the first Olympia Ones being very similar to the Super Js, so they were still considered '1401's.

John - It's interesting that the first version of the Silverados had the first version horizontal handle and vertical grip as the first version of the Olympia Ones. One would have taken for granted that the vertical handle replacement in the second version of the Olympia Ones was made after research and the idea of improvement. Now I'm wondering if it was just change for the sake of change.

 

[kevin]

1980 Winter Olympics Decal affixed on Olympia One/1401-Bs that were manufactured around that time:

 

[kevin]

1980 Olympics/Electrolux medallion side 1:

 

[kevin]

1980 Olympics/Electrolux medallion side 2:

 

[bikerray]

Here's mine

Here's a picture of my Olympia One, this is the early model and is listed as a 1401 on the door.

 

[kevin]

There is a current listing of a brown Silverado with "Model 1505" on the plastic cover interior. Was this a case of the cover of an Olympia One being replaced with one from a Silverado and being repainted to match Olympia One's colors, or was there actually a brown Silverado manufactured at the factory? Also, I thought that the Olympia One's interior cover plates were all metal. Is that accurate?

 

[dysonman1]

I've never seen a Silverado with the straight handle set up. They've always had the later Oly style double handles. It wouldn't make sense for Electrolux to go backwards with regard to the tooling. If anyone has a Silverado with the Super J/first Oly set up, I'd sure like to see the pictures.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

A Sliverado with the earlier J style handle is very likely a bojack replacement. The earlier handle and top assembly can be used on later bodied metal canisters as it only uses the 2 screws at the blower and one just behind the latch, later top assemblies will not work on the early machines as the horizontal carry handle screws directly to the metal body and pre-1401 models do not have the necessary threaded nut.


 


All Olympia's and the first run on Silverado's have metal inner doors, plastic was introduced during the run of the Silverado before the introduction of the PN5. I work at an Aerus franchise and the owner has been selling Aerus/Electrolux since 1964 and that is his recollection. May or may not be 100% accurate as I've found some inconsistencies in his memory before...

 

[dustin]

My Olympia one is a 1401-B and has the two piece handle setup.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Oh yeah, forgot to say in my last post. One handle - 1401, two handles 1401-B the B designation is for the change in handle and body design.

 

[tig21er]

dysonman1,

you wish is my command. Start of Silverado and the change. From owner's manual.

 

[joevacman1]

Silverado handle

I worked at Electrolux on LI when the Silverado was introduced. The first model came with a two piece handle which looked similar to a Super J one piece handle . Because of it's unpopularity it was replaced early on with the more common two piece Olympia One Model. It was identical to the picture shown here. Evidently Lux had some left over and used them for the HPR Rebuilts. The Silverado's with this handle set-up is very rare and was changed very early in it's production run.

 

[tig21er]

better pictures

of Silverado.

 

[tig21er]

Silverado

next generation.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Well I'll be. Learn something new every single day on this forum. Have to file these pictures in my archives.

 

[tig21er]

Silverado

came out the same time as the Space Shuttle which was the theme for kickoff. A year later the P/N 5 was introduced and the change to handles. Then in October of 1984 The Diamond Jubilee came out.

 

[kevin]

Thanks for the comments, all.

No one really mentioned--and I couldn't tell by the grayscale photos--if the first Silverados were brown. To clarify, the photos in reply #9 are for a current eBay listing for a Silverado/1505. The lister says that it has never been repainted, so I'm wondering if this was one of a few early Silverados that was brown or if it was indeed a bojack machine?

As for the Silverado with a handle and hand grip like the Super J/1401 I used to own one. It had a PN-4A, so I'm guessing it was the first version. Someone who worked for Electrolux at the time mentioned that the first Silverados had the single handle and hand grip like the Super J/1401s and Olympia/1401s and the later versions had the horizontal and vertical handles like the Olympia One/1401-Bs. I'm not sure, either, why they would have gone back to the former handle style, but that was that person's recollection. It is in another Vacuumland thread somewhere. Also, the handle and grip Silverados appear from time to time on eBay.

Again, I'm wondering if there was ever a brown Silverado manufactured by Electrolux--even as a prototype?

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

As far as I can determine, from asking many old time Electrolux folks, including a few Engineers, there were never any brown Silverado's. They were always a bluish silver gray.


 


Also, the single handle design isn't really the same as the 1401. It has the later rear handle from the 1401-B and an integrated front handle/finger grip. As was mentioned earlier, there were very likely top assemblies from earlier machines and they used them up in those early Silverado's. Electrolux made some very interesting management decisions through the years, this is an example of one.


 

 

[kevin]

Thank you, Tom. That would have been my best guess as even the name SILVERado denotes gray or silver--not brown.

Short of calling the lister a liar (he seems very genuine--that it was his mom's for decades and was never repainted) I don't quite know how to respond to the fact that it clearly shows that it is a Model 1505. I guess I didn't ask him how he came to refer to it as a Silverado--whether his mom used the term or if his own research showed that a Model 1505 is a Silverado. In the grand scheme of things, of course, the name is immaterial. I guess the spread of misinformation--no matter how large or small--bugs me.

My thought is that it was purchased from a general vacuum cleaner store that had replaced and repainted its front cover and didn't mention it to the lister's mom. In reality, most individuals wouldn't care as long as the cleaner worked like it was supposed to, so I wouldn't blame a vacuum cleaner salesperson if that were the case.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Kevin,


 


I would have to assume that you have come to the right conclusion. Model 1505 is a Silverado, however it is much more likely that this was purchased at a general vacuum store and was put together from 2 or more machines and painted to match.. or it may be a 1505 that was originally Sliver and repainted to meet the request of the purchaser for an earth tone canister to match the decor... the only way to know for sure is to take it all apart and look at all the pieces and attempt to reconstruct it's history.


 


Tom

 

[tig21er]

There

never was a brown Silverado. The first Silverado was like the first illustration in reply 16. Having been in production at a factory I do know that some parts that are made for certain products do get mixed. The fronts made for the Olympia One could both be Plastic and Metal depending when the cleaner was made and if the parts came from a bin that was in the back and then brought out to the front of the bin. The part #'s are the same for the run.. It happens in all industries.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

hmmmm... so I found the listing and took a better look at the pictures. Something very interesting has come to mind... I wonder if Electrolux began the switchover to the new plastic inner door before the run of the Olympia was done and in fact this is an original Olympia with a factory produced plastic inner door at the very end of the run. Any chance we can get the seller to provide a picture of the label on the top of the machine and/or the serial #? The tools and PN4A are all in Olympia colors and the PN does not appear to be repainted.... could be another one of those interesting management decisions. Typically, retooling was done during a 3 week factory shutdown at the end of the year with new models released no later than the April sales drive. It is possible that there were many metal bodies already in inventory complete before the retooling and Olympia production was continued until those bodies were exhausted. There can't be very many of these at all if that was the case... could be a fairly rare example. Serial # would confirm it's production date.


 


The hose appears to be traced in Blue not Brown, which would make it a Silverado hose... this gets better and better.

 

[kevin]

John & Tom,

Thank you for your feedback--much appreciated. I have put in a request to the seller for the serial id and will post it here when I hear back.

I am now wondering if the last Olympia Ones were Model 1505s? The lister says that he has worked in the marine industry for years and knows that nothing on the cleaner has been repainted. I didn't think that the PN-4As (with the shorter "dog house" for cleaning under furniture) came out until the Silverados were manufactured, so that is another stumper.

 

[kevin]

From the lister of the brown Model 1505:

N35504T - is the serial number - and clue upon clues! there is a sticker that seems to read Olympia One 5 Yr Warranty....

 

[kevin]

Another comment by the eBay lister of the brown Model 1505:

"For my own curiosity, I just now went to the machine, opened the door and scratched with a screwdriver the part that bears the 1505 designation number. That plastic is brown all the way through. I also scratched a small area on one of the side metal plates, just brown and then metal underneath."