The Model XXXs were manufactured in similar colors and materials from 1937-1941 and 1947-1954 (production interrupted due to WWII).* Cleaners were sold during the war by prepay, and customers were put on waiting lists until production was resumed. Replacement and overstocked parts/materials were used to assemble new cleaners from 1945-1946; so for all intents and purposes regular production resumed in 1947. Production of the Model XXX ceased in October 1954 with the introduction of the new "economy" model, the Model E; although sales continued into 1955. Refurbished cleaners were still available into at least the 1960s--if not the 1970s.
*Side Note: The Model XX, which was first produced in November 1941--prior to the U. S. A.'s involvement in WWII in December--was sold until the spring of 1942.
Besides the "saloon door" style exhaust louvers introduced in 1949 another change that occurred was the specs of the motors: prior to 1949 motors had 475 watts, 4.1 amps, and 115 volts. The later motors had 535 watts, 4.7 amps, and 115 volts. However, consideration should be given to the fact that motors could have been replaced over the years.
Moreover, production years of most Model XXXs with original power switches can be identified by their month/year stamp on the power switch wire cover which may be seen by removing the end cap. Once again, a caveat is that a switch may have been swapped out with one from another cleaner or replaced with a brand new one at some point.
From what I have been able to piece together by observing different versions of the late Model XXXs, the timeline below indicates the main colors and materials according to production year (with the understanding that there were also some rare variations as old stock of various supplies was depleted and new or different stock was introduced).
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Timeline of Major Characteristics of 1950s Electrolux Corporation's Model XXXs
1950-
1951: gray-colored bottom, chrome cover and end cap; classic gray leatherette top /
floor brush and carpet tool - unpainted metal w/black bumpers; dusting brush - unpainted metal
with black bumper; upholstery tool - unpainted metal; narrow space cleaner - black composite;
fiberglass Companion
1952: teal-colored bottom, chrome cover and end cap; classic gray leatherette top /
floor brush - unpainted metal w/teal bakelite and blue-gray bumper; carpet tool - unpainted
metal with blue-gray bumper; dusting brush - blue-gray bakelite and bumper; upholstery tool -
blue-gray bakelite; narrow space cleaner - blue-gray composite; hammertone gray Companion
1953: teal-colored bottom, hammertone teal cover and end cap; classic gray leatherette top /
floor brush - hammertone teal metal w/teal bakelite and blue-gray bumper; carpet tool -
hammertone teal metal with blue-gray bumper; dusting brush - hammertone teal-painted w/blue
gray bumper; upholstery tool - hammertone teal-painted; narrow space cleaner - blue-gray
composite; hammertone teal Companion
1954: metallic blue bottom, chrome cover and end cap; LX leatherette top /
floor brush - unpainted metal w/teal bakelite and blue-gray bumper; carpet tool - unpainted
metal with blue-gray bumper; dusting brush - unpainted metal w/blue-gray bumper; upholstery
tool - unpainted metal; narrow space cleaner - blue-gray composite; hammertone teal Companion
*At the end of the production some cleaners were sold with the new combination tools that were
introduced with the Model E.
(Option) Disposable bag adapter (hammertone teal)
To my knowledge the hoses of all the Model XXXs after 1939 were the same "snakeskin" tracer pattern in black and yellow with a tan background (those prior had a gray background with the "snakeskin" tracer pattern). Additionally, power cords were all black with flat, rectangular plugs with the Electrolux name embossed on each side; however, the diameter was larger on those used for pre-war models than on those of post-war production which had become an industry standard that we still have today.
See Charlie Lester's website for more detailed information: 1377731.com/lux
Another side note: For those like me who appreciate having the attachments with the characteristics of the original ones of cleaners a long-time service tech pointed out to me that there are some slight variations of the logo stamp of the upholstery tools over the years, and I would speculate that the logo stamps on the other attachments also were revised periodically. The pre-war upholstery tools (including those of the models XXII, XXIIA, XXX, and XX), for example, bore the original cursive Electrolux word mark on the insides of their suction ends along with the 1930s block letters w/a circle and rays on the outer part; the cursive word mark was not included in the post-war updates.
