Exceptional Stark branded Royal find

[toastermike]

Last week I found another great vacuum at my local Goodwill outlet store, where I have found most of my collection. It's a Stark branded Royal, model 5000NA built in April of 1988, making it 28 years old today. Although I have a large Royal collection I haven't had any interest in Stark versions but this was too exceptional to pass up! Besides I live in Portland OR, home of Starks Vacuums (and museum) so I probably should have one. This one was near new out of the bins. Other than a couple of very minor scratches on the nozzle, it was so clean inside and out that it looks like it was barely used. The brush roll had some fibers wound at the ends and the inside of the nozzle had a couple of dust bunnies but otherwise was spotless! It has that new Royal mirror like shine. I gave it a light clean and polish anyway, a new belt, and a few drops of oil in the rear bearing. The gray bag, black trim, and especially the shiny wheel covers make it look sharp. It has a 6 amp motor and the height adjustment knob, both my preferences. At 99 cents/lb it was a great buy!

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

toastermike

Mike,

That is a cool find! I had a gray and black one just like this one that I recently sold for $25 along with another Stark Deluxe vacuum, a 1993 model 5700. The gray/black one was made in December 1987 and was 100% similar to yours.

However, I still have my 1985 Stark Deluxe 880.

~Ben

[this post was last edited: 4/1/2016-21:09]

 

[durango159]

Excellent!

Neat find. Regardless of how close you are lucky to live to Stark, it is still a great find. Condition looks great. I have little Royal upright experience but have only heard good things!

Enjoy your new piece!

 

[suckolux]

Very Handsome machine

 

[dartman]

Stark cannister

Bought a Stark/Royal 4650 off Craigslist last summer for 25 bucks. Had a open wire in the hose so the handle controls didn't work but worked fine on the override/blower mode. Got a 4600 hose on eBay and that fixed it.
I also got a bunch of Royal bags with it too. Replaced my Blue 413 that the hose was bad on and hard to find a new ones.
There are a lot of them for sale on Craig's list here, mostly the big uprights like you found, though usually never that cheap.
Did see a nice one for 25 bucks a while back and almost bit but have plenty of vacuums now and not a lot of toy money.

 

[rvarley]

Did you find that at the goodwill in Beaverton? I saw a very similar one to yours last time I was there. Near perfect, though it looked like someone ran it without the bag.

 

[toastermike]

I found it the Goodwill outlet store in Milwaukie. I have found most of my collection there, lots of Royal's, Kirby's, and some Compact/Tristar's and Filter Queens's. It's a great resource for parts and missing pieces too.

Mike