Electrolux Silverado Special Edition...The Transformation

[eurekastar]

Someone gave this vacuum to me a while ago. It looked like it had been in a Jalopy Race! It was quite dented and the body was very rusty. So I stripped it completely down and gave it a thorough sanding. Then I got after the dents and smoothed out most of them. I then primed it with an automotive primer and finally gave it a couple of coats of enamel paint. The transformation is pretty amazing!

 

[eurekastar]

I also stripped the motor completely down and gave it a thorough cleaning and a new fan bearing. It now runs like a top!

 

[eurekastar]

When it was given to me, I was told that it didn't have much suction. When I took it apart, I discovered why. The gasket between the bag chamber and motor was missing. Someone had taken foam and shoved it in between to the bag chamber and the motor. It may have worked for a while but by the time I got it, the foam had rotted.

 

[eurekastar]

Just curious, does anyone know which Power Nozzle went with this version of the 1453? Thanks!

 

[eurekastar]

I was just reading an old thread on this model. Apparently, there was no rubber gasket between the bag chamber and the motor as on other models. The foam that I found was used to create a seal. Perhaps that was a cost savings move? But the foam was badly degraded and falling apart. Luckily, I had an old rubber gasket from a parts machine, and it works like a charm!

 

[human]

Silverado Power Nozzles

I don't know for sure about the Silverado Special Edition, but I assume it would have shipped with the same PN4A as the regular Silverado, painted gray to match the vacuum cleaner. The only difference between the PN4 and PN4A is the width of the motor hump on the aluminum upper shell. The PN4's hump extended the full width of the shell, while the PN4A's hump only went about two thirds of the way across, just wide enough to accommodate the motor. The PN4 came in a polished aluminum finish with the Super J. The Olympia One got it either polished or painted chocolate brown. The PN4A came in chocolate brown with later Olympia Ones or gray with the Silverado. Somehow I'm thinking the Silverado may also have shipped with the PN5 toward the end of its run. I know its successor, the Diamond Jubilee, shipped only with the PN5. Initially, the PN5 had a dark jadestone cover, which is what I believe would have also shipped with the Silverado. Later PN5s had a putty gray cover to match the Diamond Jubilee.

 

[paul]

Looks awesome, Bill! That was a lot of work, and it turned out great.

Request ... please post a pic of the inside showing the gasket. I have a couple 1453s, which work fine now but may need gaskets at some point in the future.

A correction on the label. It was called "Deluxe Special Model". To my knowledge, the company never referred to it as the Silverado Special (the manuals I've seen state "Deluxe Special Model").

"Special Edition" was the label for the later plastic models (1623 & 2100). As you know, I have the 1623. "Deluxe" means that it was equipped with a power nozzle.

Regarding the factory-paired power nozzle, Edgar's correct that it would have been the same as the Silverado Deluxe—either the gray PN-4A ('82-'83) or the black PN5 ('83-'84).

_______

Edgar,

The Olympia One was never factory-paired with a polished aluminum PN-4—only the chocolate ones. It came in three successive models: 1401—with brown PN-4, standard 1205-type wheels, finger grip and 1 handle, etc. like the Super J, except brown; 1401-B—with brown PN-4, wider wheels for shag carpeting, bumper "fins", 2 carrying handles (1 replaced the finger grip); and 1505—same as 1401-B but with the brown PN-4A power nozzle.

Also, around 1980—according to the owners guides—the hose was equipped with a rubber "cuff" (similar to the CB hose's) where the hose grip attached for protection against kinking. There may have been other differences among the models, but those are the ones I've read about and know about through observation.

Note: the PN-4A's amp rating is 1.4, and the PN5's is 1.8; so the total amps of the 1401 & 1401-B were 9.7, and the total of the 1505 was 10.

 

[eurekastar]

Gasket

This is the gasket. I took it off a Super J. Works like a charm!

 

[eurekastar]

I have a gray PN4 sitting around. I couldn't remember where I got it, so maybe it came with the 1453. I guess I'll have to service it now.

 

[paul]

Thanks for the pic. I wasn't sure what you were talking about, so that helped.

I find it odd that the 1453 wasn't originally equipped with the gasket. Even my Special Edition has one (see diagram from speechfoodie.com below).

In your photo I noticed that one of the updates on the Special Edition is that it doesn't have a separate metal screen attached to the gasket but plastic concentric circles molded into the fan opening.

Btw, if I remember correctly, the first iteration of the 1205 lacked the screen; so the fans were unprotected from potential debris.

 

[paul]

Fyi ... here's the 1980 manual cover of the 1453's owners manual (originally posted on Vacuumland by hoover 1060).

 

[eurekastar]

I guess the Deluxe Special replaced the Model L and received the color of the current premium model. While it doesn't have the Automatic Control, it does have a thermal cutoff to prevent overheating. It is simply taped to the bell housing frame. I am waiting for the paint to cure thoroughly before I give it a complete test drive.

 

[paul]

I'm sure you're eager to take it on a test drive. Smart, though, to wait for the paint to cure first.

Yep, the 1453 succeeded the L from 1979-87, along with and followed by the L-E (1985-88), Model 90 (1988-89), Ambassador series (1989-2003), & Lux Classic (2004-present). All the plastic models were actually relabels of the original E-Special, which was introduced in Canada in 1982. Physical differences often included colors & motors. There were other labels, too, that were mainly sold in department stores, warehouse clubs, catalogs & exhibits; or on QVC.

Electrolux Corporation's other budget models that preceded the Model L included the XIIA (1937-41), XX (or top of the line ?, 1941-42), E (1954-56), T (1956-57), S (1957-60), & R (1960-63).