Amazing Kirby 512 shop find !

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cb123

cb123

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2012
Messages
1,796
Location
Mobile, Al.
I found this little jewel today, early this morning at a local vacuum shop in town. Most astonishing it was in pretty good condition. The bag and the grey handgrip are both in very nice shape. It didn't take much cleaning - I had it broke down and cleaned in about two hours. It's great when something hasn't been exposed to water.

cb123++3-22-2013-03-32-2.jpg
 
What a find!!

My aunt had that same machine when I was a child. It brings back alot of fond memories when we went to see here in Maryland.
 
Thank you

I'm glad that you all like it, and that it brought to mind warm remembrances. That's the way I feel about them too, and we should all share them in some way - in stories, in knowledge, even with a simple photo if we lack the words. In a strange kind of way, it brings us all together with a common interest, and I like that. PS. James, your collection - how can I put it to words - It just simply staggers the mind!

cb123++3-23-2013-00-09-23.jpg
 
What is facinating to me is to compare that 60 year old machine with my newer G5. It is amazing just howmany things that the designers got right first time round. Most of the 'features' on my G5 are identical to that 512. I refer to the brush height selector, the way the cleaning head is attached to the fan casing, the belt lifter and the overall layout of the machine.

It is nice to have these vacuums around, even if just to show that nothing changes and really nothing is new.
 
Sorry, James

I don't know what kind of fantasy land this gentleman comes from, but where I'm from, please, forgive me for saying so - they're about as common as utters on a bull, pardon the colloquial.
 
James

I wasn't completely all that sure, so I guess I was chastising with humor. It's O.K., I understand. Now, about your vacuum philanthropy, I would be highly interested in buying any Kirby C's, or 505's that you may see fit to have no further use of. In conclusion, if you don't want to, I wouldn't blame you at all.
 
great Kirby

That 512 is in great shape and a real collectors item.
It brings back alot of memories of my Grandmothers 500.
As well as my brother (18 yrs older) and Sister in Laws
500. As well as several neighbors from my childhood.
Norm
 
dysondestijl

Thank goodness! I was worried for a second, because, James' collection is something akin to discovering the lost city of a Atlantis or Cortez's gold' and, please, don't apologize - I was just giving you a slight ribbing, no offence meant. Calem
 
James' , I have a vacuum question

James', have you ever seen this style bag on a vacuette elec. before? If you know anything about it, it would be most helpful. Thanks, Calem

cb123++3-26-2013-21-51-33.jpg
 
10-Blade Fan

@cb123,

I wonder if you could find a 10-blade impeller fan (#1189) for your 512, so that suction is better? The first Kirby to bear that new-style fan was the 515 (introduced 1955) which also marked the last time the old-style motor housing was used, for the model 516 that replaced it would feature a brand-new motor housing. The 516's motor housing design continued through the army green-trim Dual Sanitronic 80, introduced in the fall of 1967.

~Ben
 

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