Blue 519

[kirbyotronic]

I found this today at the Goodwill, these are the before pics. When I took them I had the bag in the washer and I hadn't cleaned it up yet. I'll have to polish it soon.

The only problem is it needs new bearings.

~Alex

 

[kirbyotronic]

Closer view...

 

[kirbyotronic]

With a clean bag and after a quick wipe down...

And this isn't a factory rebuild, it was done by a Vacuum Shop as it still has the original ID tag on the bottom.

 

[kirbyotronic]

Closer view after cleanup...

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Wow! A 519 in the Guise of a Tradition?

Alex, good find!

~Ben

 

[kenmore81]

Yes indeed

That is a good find,thats onlt like the 2nd or 3rd 500series ive seen in blue. I have never seen a blue one in person,im thinking its a rare color for that time period?

 

[ohio_tuec]

Not at all, I've seen quite a few of these blue 500 series machines on eBay, I have one without the Sani-Emtor as mine takes the Eureka style F&G bags. Kirbyotronic is probably right, this must have been done by local vac shops. I only wish mine still had the I.D. plate. It's definitely a 516-519, as it has the same belt lifter. You can see where the blue paint is rubbing off and the original red is starting to show through. I have a 1205 refurbished at a later time to look like an Olympia. Actually, I kinda like it better ;-)

 

[airway88]

Yes. This was a vac shop rebuild. A Kirby one would have been different I believe.

 

[xraytech]

In the restaurant I used to work at through school, we had a 500 series Kirby like yours all in blue, but the bag was a blue plaid, I believe ours was a 561, we had that along with a Hoover 65 to clean the dining room with, and that was 3 yrs ago we were using those, and I know they are still using the Kirby today

 

[kirbyvertibles]

I have one of these too.