The Homely Lux Model T

[compactelectra]

Well, I just got another piece of the collection and a rather rare one. This one won't be used to vacuum, since she is so homely and sparse. I have the R,S and now the T!! Charles Richard can fill in the blanks, but it is fun to fill in a hole in the collection. I plugged it in and ran it. Pretty good suction. Sounds like the bearings are going. Cloth bag and little switch. Check out the pictures.

 

[compactelectra]

Front Shot

I know we had this conversation about which is the front and which is the back. I subscribe to the theory that where the dirt goes in is the front. Not cleaned up yet.

 

[compactelectra]

Back Shot

Check out the switch on the lower left hand side. I had to hunt for it. Rather substantial cord though. And a replacement plug. Looks like it was used, but fairly well taken care of.

 

[vacjwt]

grate find

do you have the hose?

 

[compactelectra]

The Hose

The hose that came with it is from a Model AF. I am not sure if that is correct. Charles Richard states that this machine came with all sorts of different parts. It may be original, I am not sure.

 

[vacjwt]

it is rare

whare did you find it

 

[charles~richard]

the LOVELY Thrift Model!

Well, as I told Fred when he told me he had found one of these, "It's a vacuum cleaner that only a mother could love."

Okay clean it up kids. I said MOTHER, not MUTHA...! hahaha

It really is a Plain Jane isn't it. The first time I saw one, I thought it had been cobbled together by someone in the Electrolux shop as a joke or something. Surely something this devoid of style or aesthetics could not have come from Electrolux who from their very first model had invested great attention into the aesthetics of their machines.

But real it was, as I eventually found out.

You can see photos of my Model T and read more about its rise and very premature fall at the link below.

I must say, homely that it is, I think it's always VERY exciting when someone finds one of these rare birds. They're what make a person's collection really special and unique. Congratulations, Fred!

p.s. Fred, your switch should have a little rubber tip on it. It's the same rubber tip as on the E, S, R and first L. So finding one shouldn't be impossibly difficult.

p.p.s. Fred, I think someone turned your rear cover upside down for some reason. On mine, and on the other one I found a few years ago in pretty crummy condition, the switch is at the top instead of the bottom which would make more sense. It would be very easy to change it back - the rear cover is just held in place by three screws. Unscrew them, remove the cover, being mindful of the thin rubber gasket, turn it around, and put it back into place. The screws will line up no matter which way you position it.



http://www.137.com/thrift/

 

[laspirateur]

Switches

I have SEVERAL of those old switch tips, not in mint condition, but if you want me to send you one, send me your address and I'll only charge you for postage.

 

[petek]

Well that certainly makes sense. If you look through old department store catalogues they pretty much always carried a "thrift" or "economy" version of major appliances as well. Again devoid of any features other than an on/off switch. Washers and dryers, stoves, fridges, even later on with tv's and air conditioners and dishwashers. Of course no one wanted their folks to actually buy them LOL

 

[charles~richard]

"thrift" or "economy" version

Yes, it's highly possible that the sole intended function for the Model T was as BAIT - to entice wary customers with a "duget priced" GENUINE ELECTROLUX. The fact that so few of them appear to have survived would seem to indicate that not many people fell for the bait!

 

[danemodsandy]

Well, There's Bait and There's Bait...

"The fact that so few of them appear to have survived would seem to indicate that not many people fell for the bait!"

Charlie:

My memories of the Electrolux agency that used to be on Piedmont Avenue here in Atlanta make me think that a lot of people probably DID fall for the bait. I think the T was intended more to get people in front of a Lux salesperson than it was anything else. My suspicion is that anyone who went in looking for the T they saw in a newspaper ad left with something a lot nicer, for "just a few dollars more".

I remember very well that anyone going into the Lux store on Piedmont left with a vacuum cleaner; those salesmen were absolute experts at converting tire-kickers into Lux owners. If you resisted the 1205, they had L's. If you couldn't afford a new machine, they had reconditioned ones. If you were flat busted broke, they'd give you a bank, get your contact info, and begin sending you postcards and calling you to see how the bank was filling, reminding you that a full bank was enough for a down payment.

And it worked the other way- if you went in for an L, you'd leave with a 1205 (even if they had to sell you the PN later- "we can just add it to your account once it's paid down a bit").

There are not salespeople like that any more. They knew every detail of every product they sold, they were indefatigable in their pursuit of prospects, creative when it came to finding ways to help people acquire the product, and they took responsibility if anything went wrong, making sure the service department took care of you.

 

[charles~richard]

Well, that's what I meant!

That the T was "bait" TO get them in front of an Electrolux Salesman, who then tactfully poo-pooed the T in favor of the more deluxe AE!

There aren't many Model Ts running around because not many people bought them -- they got the fancier Model AE instead! And some of them surely stocked up with "the works" -- polisher, cord winder, sprayer, vaporizer, garment-aire bag, white dusting and wall brushes, floor wax, furniture wax, moth crystals, nuvo shampoo, a year's supply of bags and filters .......! "O Happy Day" sang the happy salesman as he skipped merrily out to his car!

You ARE right about the tireless tenacity of the old-school Electrolux salesmen - and other brands as well; but my only experience as a kid was seeing the Electrolux Man at work, "Digging More Dirt."

 

[danemodsandy]

"Digging More Dirt"

That was another talent of those old-time salesmen- they knew the competition as well as they knew their own machines, and they used that knowledge.

They ALWAYS asked what you owned or what you'd been looking at, and they went over the myriad reasons why Lux beat it all hollow, WHATEVER it was. Compact? Well, you know they don't have nearly as many service stations as we do. Kenmore? Why would you pay that much for a plastic machine if we can sell you a metal one at that price? Rainbow? Do you really want to fool with that nasty water, when you can just pop our self-sealing bags out and throw them away? Kirby? Very well-built machine, Ma'am, I can't deny that- but Lord! them things is heavy! And ain't your house two floors?

I chuckle when I think about it- they had an answer for everything.

 

[buffalo-joe]

I'm in the "T" Club

I've got a Model T, although its not in as good of shape as the one above. It came with the cloth LX hose which was kinda rough and frayed. I still have the hose, but its not displayed with the vacuum. It could have been the original. I found this T at a flea market and the guy selling it used it in his garage until he got a shop vac. Its safe with me now. Sorry for the fuzzy pic, I've been busy and have not had time to take pictures. This T was at the North Canton Vac-In last March.

Great catch, Fred. Always nice to see another T turn up.
Joe

 

[myhooverco]

Joe,

Your model "T" was a very nice machine. I thought it was still a quality item. It did have a lot of suction too. Really the machine is in much better condition than the photo shows. I can see how these might be abused. What I thought was odd was that little switch on the rear to turn it on and off...very basic indeed!

--Tom

 

[danemodsandy]

Are We Maybe a Little Spoiled?

You know, the more I look at the T, the more I think I've been unfair in my judgment of it as a "Plain Jane".

Those here who own them have vouched for their suction. The other features of the machine are not nearly as "styled" as other Luxes, but the features are definitely there:

- The machine has wheels, as did the senior Luxes, not runners- this would have been a great place for Lux to cheap out.
- The hammertone finish is the same as senior Luxes, not an ugly finish designed to turn customers off and make them look at the more expensive machines.
- The handle is colour-matched to the paint.
- There is a brush clip for the dusting brush.
- A handsome hose that coordinated with the paint was included.
- The tools that were included were the same as those found on other Luxes.

Think about it- there was a lot that could have been done to make this machine CHEAP instead of basic. As it was, you did get Lux quality and features, even if the T wasn't exactly beautiful.

 

[petek]

Utilitarian might be more apt than cheap.

 

[williamr1248]

homely model t

Charlie,
When I was selling Electrolux in summer of 1969 we were trained to ALWAYS carry the new 1205 to the door. Never,Never take out the L unless the customer refused the cost of the 1205. They much preferred us to sell a 1205 without the power nozzle than sell a modle L with power nozzel which would bring the total sale to about the same amount. Don't you imagine that the model T was the same idea. The more I looked at the picture of the machine,the more I like it! The same idea as the Hoover Special.

 

[danemodsandy]

I Imagine So!

"They much preferred us to sell a 1205 without the power nozzle than sell a model L with power nozzle which would bring the total sale to about the same amount."

Yeah, I can see that. The difference in manufacturing cost of the two models wouldn't have been nearly as great as the difference in retail price. Every time they sold an L with a PN instead of a 1205 without one, they were basically giving a PN away, the way they would have seen it. Lux salesmen were always very swift to tell customers that they could add the PN to the 1205 later: "Once you've proved good faith on your account for a few months, we'll be glad to add it on to what you owe."

The 1205 was certainly a great money-maker for Lux there; they hadn't had such a modern-looking machine for a while. Back in the early 1970s, I used to work a few doors down from a Lux agency, and the 1205 was ALWAYS in the window, centre stage and spotlighted. I also remember that the salesmen were frequently to be seen with rags and polish, making sure that not one speck of dust was anywhere in that showroom. That would have been bad for the old image, eh? Anyway, the 1205 and the B-8 Carpet Beautifier damn near glowed in the dark after all that polishing!

Since my boss and some of the Lux people were friends, I was often in there, and saw them sell to many, many people. You're absolutely right- it was start with the 1205, then work your way down if you had to (with me, they had to, LOL).