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There are also hoses meant for Riccar and Panasonic uprights that plug into the back of them. It just so happens that the plug-in cuff for these fits pretty neatly over the Kirby hose end. I've used this with an old Heritage II before.

I'd opt for the slightly more skookum motor. Either one should be fine on a 15A circuit. If the cord gets warm, replace the cord with one using heavier-gauge wire (14ga should suffice, the existing cord is probably 16ga, but if the existing one is 14ga, then use a 12ga replacement.) The...

Apparently it's also possible to MacGyver this with certain Shop-Vac filters. And you should be able to use a Simplicity Brio HEPA bag in there too which should improve filtration and airflow retention a bit.

I'd concur. The Johnson is a little underpowered IMO, and the PN on the newer Tristars is merely OK, so getting a bit more airflow will do some good.

Does anyone make third-party Royal Type J synthetic HEPA bags? It's the one machine I have where I haven't been able to find any sort of synthetic bag.

Every Heritage II I've seen lacks the wings - I'm surprised this one has them. IIRC, the BPI came in at the same time as the wings went - I've never seen one with wings and a BPI or no wings and no BPI, though I won't swear they don't exist. Someone who knows Kirby production history better can...

VacuFlo says that model uses max 13.2 amps, so as long as the PN isn't too beastly, that shouldn't draw more than 15A normally! Still, I'd wanna plug it into a 20A circuit and use a 14ga cord just to be sure, but hey! Heck of a mod, either way.

It's possible to optimize a motor for sealed suction over airflow and vice versa - compare one of those new LG stick vacs with almost 100" of sealed suction but weak airflow, or something like one of these direct-air uprights with high airflow but very low sealed suction. Indeed, if your vacuum...

They might be able to come up with a more convenient attachment system and/or a long-life belt. And maybe they could come up with a variant fan that generates a bit more working vacuum, like some of the later Royals, or a more aggressive brush roll, but that would just be tinkering around the...

My vote also goes to 1980s. I would have guessed later than '83, but that serial number has me wondering. The ones that Owen described above, with the different housing design - were those the ones that didn't have a carpet height adjustment, or were there three? (That description sounds more...

I spied a bunch just yesterday: A Simplicity Jill, a Cirrus (not sure which model), a Riccar Supraquick, a Kenmore Progressive with a power nozzle (not sure exactly which model, but it looks like one of the last of the Panasonics), a Eureka Imperial upright, a Kenmore bagged clean-air upright...

The machine end fitting for a Compact hose is the same as for a Silver King, though I think those might be even harder to find and they use the other attachment style (that slips inside the hose end like Royal or Filter Queen).

For me it's the fact that HEPA bags lose airflow slower than paper bags. Disposable bags of either kind win out over shake-out because when you swap 'em, you get (nearly) all your lost airflow back - laundering shakeout bags when they get too dusty is a pain in the rear end. The superior...

I don't want some bagless plastic fantastic, for sure - if I want that, I know where to find it. But I wouldn't mind a somewhat lighter design and/or a less clunky attachment system if there's a way to do it without compromising airflow.

Huh. That looks almost like a Wessel-Werk EBK340 but with a few modifications. If so, that'll do a pretty good job, I think.

Yep, you can definitely use those. Royal Type A bags will also work (they're the same thing as Eureka F&G). If you want to use modern Kirby bags, order a Kirby Generation-series fill tube (on eBay, for example), then attach it to the spout in the bag using a steel hose clamp, and now you can...

Honestly, I mostly agree with the "if it ain't broke..." assessment. Adding more whiz-bang bells and whistles is mostly pointless. For a high-cost vac like an Aerus, what I want is performance and durability. Give me high airflow, good agitation, sealed filtration, first off. After that, make it...

Ah, ok. Your location flair says "USA", hence why I was confused.

That looks rather like a rebadged Sanitaire, or rather, it would be if it weren't half-dead, ack!

That is rich... I'd balk at even a Legend II being called "vintage"! (It's just about 30 years old, but to me it's more like on the old side of modern.)