Another Kirby Haul!!!

[eurekastar]

Last summer while visiting my Mom, I came home with quite a haul from a vacuum store in the town where my Mom lives. I went into the same store today and came away with quite a few nice finds. At the top of the list are some NOS toggle switches for the early 500 series Kirby vacuums. He at least 2 dozen sitting in a box and I grabbed several. I also walked away with several NOS step-on switches for later 500 series Kirbys. I also walked away with two brand new nozzle castings. One is for a late 500 series Kirby. But the other is the small head nozzle casting for a Heritage model. I also found a brand new emtor casting for a late 500 series Kirby. But one of the coolest finds was the bronze bag top for a Kirby Sanitronic. I walked away with three of them. I also gathered up several NOS headlight trim pieces. One of the cool things I found was a Kirby Tradition that has a blue plastic cover over the safety switch, so I grabbed that up thinking that little feature must be pretty rare to find today. He had a couple of Traditions with the headlight safety switch but none of them were functioning or had been completely removed, so I didn't take any of those. I also loaded up on speed/safety switches. However, I could kick myself, because he had the parts for the early 500 safety switch sitting loose in a box, and I didn't grab any of that. But all in all, it was a good haul!!! I now have a nice supply of red bag guards too!!![this post was last edited: 11/26/2010-18:19]

 

[jfalberti]

Those Tradition Saftey switch covers

came out when Kirby converted the Tradition from the headlight cap switch to the Classic Omega/Classic III switch, and they were a pain in the backside. It was originally to keep dirt out of the switch, but they usually ended up jamming the switch on so the machine would run without anything mounted on the front. Even worse, they often jammed in high speed even when the rug nozzle was mounted on the machine. We ended up removing the covers.

 

[eurekastar]

@ Joe

The guy at the vacuum store was telling me about the cover on the safety switch, so we went through about a dozen Traditions in order to find one. I'd already picked out one Tradition but ended up taking the one with the safety switch cover too! LOL! I thought it was a novel thing that's not seen too often. He also told me that they hadn't been out for too long and Kirby sent out a service bulletin instructing service techs to remove the cover when a Tradition came in for service. One has to wonder if dirt (and moisture from the shampooer) was really that big of a problem with the 1CB/2CB switch. I guess Kirby thought so, because they went to the headlight switch and then came up with the cover when the 1CB/2CB switch was reintroduced. Then by the time the Heritage series was introduced, the switch was moved to the inside next to the motor.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Kirby Tradition Service Bulletin

If anyone has that Kirby service bulletin regarding Tradition safety switch replacement, please upload it here.

Thank you,



Ben (KirbyClassicIII)

 

[eurekastar]

Safety Switch Cover

Here's a photo of the plastic cover that was briefly used on the Tradition's safety switch. When I just looked at it carefully, I realized that it actually goes around the entire switch -- front and back.

 

[eurekastar]

Suction Relief Vent

In addition to walking away with two more Traditions, I also took a nozzle with a suction relief vent. If I had to guess, it was used on the early production Traditions while Kirby was phasing out the Classic III castings. I don't know that for sure, but the few Traditions that I've seen don't have it. This is the first one with the vent.

 

[eurekastar]

I was lucky enough to get these bag tops. The bronze color goes to the Kirby Sanitronic 562. The tan one goes to the Kirby Sanitronic 7 (circa 1963). The bag tops always seem to be missing on them, so I was glad to get these.

 

[eurekastar]

Various trim pieces. The red headlight trim goes to early 500 series Kirbys. I imagine the original red trim is just about non-existent, so I was really excited to get it!

 

[eurekastar]

a few of the miscellaneous parts I got, including 500 series switches, bearing plates, 500 series safety switches, and early two speed safety switches. All brand new!

 

[eurekastar]

Nozzle castings -- a late 500 series casting and the "small head" casting for the Heritage II. I don't like that big bumper on the Heritage nozzle. It seems out of scale, so I may spray out one of the small bumpers and install it. Luckily, I have a Heritage II that was given to me by a Kirby Distributor. I think I'll rebuild it and use this nozzle on it. Both of these castings are new, but they've sat so long and have been knocked around so much they are dirty and a little scratched.

 

[luxg]

Bill, what great finds. Your Kirby inventory is sure growing!

 

[a007kirbyman]

Bill & the "Kirby Haul..."

Hello Bill.

Nice, very nice!!!

You've hit some great acquisitions with regard to vintage Kirby parts especially. WOW!!!

I see brand new (NOS) Genuine 'original' (OEM) Kirby cloth bags in your future, at some undisclosed location!!! ~~lol~~

Congrats again.

Cheers & hagd all,

Bill

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Bill,

The blue Suction Relief Vent plate is as rare as the batch of Traditions that came with it; most of those were clear white plates.

~Ben

 

[umayo]

562 bag gaurd

Bill, I know the last post was seven years ago but do you have a 562 bag gaurd that you can part with?