I did not set out to rescue a free curbside vacuum today...

[aeoliandave]

In fact it was to be a shopping for Cat & Davy Food & Litter day, a nice stroll around the Lake which is 3 feet below level, to see the male swan Mike, who escaped from the Winter Pen during the big wind storm a few days ago. The 12 mating pairs of white Stratford Swans with clipped wings are traditionally marched down to the Lake from their Pen to Bagpipe Parade on April 5th. But Mike caught air, glided over the 6 foot fence and has taken up residence on the Lake with the ducks.

Oh yeah, the vacuum.

Well, I was taking a back street over to the mall Pet Store comparing litter & Food prices and screeched to a halt when I saw this on the curb with a FREE Does not Work sign taped to the handle.

Quite complete with the video manual and a Zip Brush and a lot of mud splatter. I'll give 'er the once over Spa tonight and get more pictures. The house's boys were outside playing road hockey and said their Mom threw it out this morning, cursing that it did not work anymore. The outer bag is in perfect shape but the inner bag is fully hard-packed to the brim. One more housewife that doesn't get it that the paper bag is not a Total Destruct Vaporization Chamber...one bagectomy later and it runs like silk. Mwa-ha-ha! I already have a purple G5 with a missing headlight lense and a broken cord hook...and now I have the Accesory Set with hose and it's in much nicer cosmetic shape under the mud, from being plopped - if not slammed angrily - into a mud pit at the curb.

Dave, decanting 'best unit price' boxes of clumping litter into large plastic jugs because Felix likes to claw the boxes open and boy, what a mess that makes. can't be mopped up so it has to be vacuumed and the clay dust clogs very quickly. No way to start the morning. LOL

 

[aeoliandave]

a quick look and a test run

As is usually the case with a 'not working' Kirby there is absolutely nothing wrong other than a brushroll upholstered in carpet fibers and a jammed full bag right down the tube to the emptor, so naturally it's 'not working' because it's not sucking up dirt.

The brushroll spins freely, bumper rubber guard looks new, there are no deep scratches or dreaded waterspots, no cracked plastic and the headlight still lights. Transmission shifts smoothly between neutral and the motor hums pleasingly. Fan has minor blade surface abrasions, nothing to be concerned about.

This one won't need a full buff job, a simple metal polish wipe will do it.

SCORE!!! I had a brief moment of altruistic madness that I should return the vacuum but clearly this is an abusive stoopid household that wouldn't appreciate what they have lost. I wonder if she was the Lady I saw later at Zellers picking out a cheap new plastic upright vacuum????

Going to watch the Video manual now...

 

[arh1953]

Dave the prize magnet

What a find! Great you got to that before the metal salvage people. That looks like one I found in the Dogs And Cats Forever Thrift Store when they were in their former location. No, you don't want to give it back to that woman, too much machine for a K-Mart mentality. I'm kind of annoyed because one of our Goodwills has a lime green Hoover Convertible that I believe is a ringer for one I unwillingly gave up years before I started collecting. It was marked Store Use Only, behind the counter with five or more pounds of dirt in the bag. Now it's in the appliance section with the same note on it! I'm going back tomorrow to see if they break down and release it.

 

[kirbyvacuum]

G5 Rules

Hi Dave What a wonderful find. i would not give it back to the lady. For sure she could care less. Clean and enjoy it.I love the G5 and g6 wonderful colors. Take care Doug

 

[animasinsulin]

Kirby G5

Hi, Dave. I found that exact same Kirby last week for $19.99. I cleaned it up and gave it to my friend Linda. After a week of using it she pulled out her Diesoon (dyson) and vacuumed with it after the Kirby and the Dyson had ZERO dirt in its bin......Bill in Az.....

 

[crevicetool]

Dave.

Incredible, just incredible! There must something in your timing, the way you live - something. I am in awe. Couldn't happen to nicer guy though. Congratulations! I've never seen Mwa-ha-ha spelled out. I don't have to imagine the sound. Perfect. I gotta get up there someday!

One thing that concerns me...Cat & Davy food & litter day.

I gave up using litter years ago, it always sticks to my toes.

Rick

 

[petek]

A curby Kirby

Kurby Kirby to the UK boys out there.. LOL

Dave how many stars or whatever were in your horrorscope today btw with finding that?
It's like magic, micron magic

 

[camelotshadow]

You should change yout name to Lucky~

Wouldn't mind finding that myself

 

[kirbyotronic]

Well now...

You've just made me jealous! I got my G5 already in mint condition with all of the attachments and shampooer for $20 from my brother, and I had to trade him a Eureka 7450A (which he later gave back to me lol!!!).

I saw a nice looking Hoover Convertible in some guys garage when I was walking home from school, it was mustard yellow with no headlight, but it had a metal base and was all original. Waiting for him to throw it out on the curb!

~Alex

 

[animasinsulin]

People

People just make me sick at what they throw away. But me and my ex figured out the other night that at full price all my vacuums would have cost at least $15.000 bucks. Im a cheap date as I would rather vacuum than go to a movie.....Bill in Az.....

 

[kirbykid63]

A Great find !!!!

This is one of my favorite Kirby's to work on,I get many of those machines in Tucson for between $7.50 and $20.00 The motors are very easy to service and with a little cleaning up they run like new.I will be working on a G4 this week for my collection.

 

[luxg]

Dave, what can I say, There is a full moon right now and I think things must be lined up right for you. Maybe a good day to go buy a lottery ticket!!! Seriously, that is a wonderful machine and I know that you are going to enjoy using it!!! It is amazing what people will just throw out!!

 

[aeoliandave]

It's the clumping clay litter Rick, and all the Tims Cof

Very useful on a busy sunny Saturday when yer zipping between chores and it beats the rubberband and plastic bag around the man partz. Ok, just kidding.

But there have been some days when I forget to drain the spout before heading home from work, stopping at some store or other for this n that. In the sub cold weather it's a real bastard and a contortionist's dance to hold it all in while dropping the door keys in the snow carrying groceries and so on...One time in January I said to hell with it, stood in the yard and blissfully pissed my 501s - I figured I could hop in the shower and start a laundry right away.

The 1996 video manual is a hoot - 65 minutes of my life I won't get back. It's a reshoot of the G3 video manual with added opening sequences.

Begins with 2 Independent Reports from Dr Joseph A Belland, MD, Georgetown University School of Medicine showing scary photo blowups of bugs & germs & spores and how gramma's old vacuum simply spewed it all back into the air. Then Susan Goldsmith, Director of Technical Services Interbasic Resources, Inc demonstrates an upside down G5 in a sealed chamber ingesting test dirt and spewing NOTHING out the backside according to very important looking instruments. No arguments from me.

next, Jim Salk, Senior VP of Marketing introduces Gene Windfeldt, President/CEO of The Kirby Company. Jim returns at the end of the video to chat about opportunities to earn hundreds of $ per month demonstrating Kirbys door to door - just call your local Kirby Distributor.

The User Manual supplements the book Manual and covers every detail such as how to clean your Zip Brush and turn the bearing plates for the brushroll as the bristles wear. The uncredited spokesmodel is very Vanna White-like in her determined smiling ability to keep taking the vacuum apart over and over as she points out the item in question with one double-tapping index fingernail.

Speaking of clumping Kitty Litter, just guess what half the bag load was?

 

[aeoliandave]

That's Seven Kirbys for Seven Cowboys, a vague allusion

First, the brushroll - at what point do you notice or care a rat's ass that your vacuum cleaner is tearing your cheap carpet's weft & woof asunder?

The cut cylinder was around the center where the belt rides.

Bearings in like new free-wheeling condition.

 

[aeoliandave]

The Inside Story.

Here's the kicker.

As I said, the emptor was stuffed...with 5 bent hairpins trapping everything else. Wouldn't have mattered anyway since the up tube was full as well. Shows how good the outer bag is that it didn't leak a cloud of schmutz on startup with all that crap in there.

That is not a G series bag with the lock slots, may be generic for the earlier models but there is no 'Kirby' stamped on it anywhere. After filling the bag with junk & Kitty Litter powder the back pressure blew the bag off and the outer bag got filled up too. Thanks the vacuum Gods she was done with the Kitty Litter disaster and just vacuuming up carpet remnants and Christmas Tinsel and hairstyle affixin' devices and some bra straps and rocks and stones and beer bottle caps and pull tabs...Smite Her, Jesus, Please.

She just kept vacuuming 'til it sucked no more. Must be broken. LOL

Contrarily, it doesn't look like she rammed it into baseboards, walls or furniture.

Proper bag and now humming along like brand new. Yeah, I got a platinum horseshoe up my butt - maybe that's why I have to pee so much.

Dave

 

[methodistbill]

Looks Toxic!

I think you have a Toxic Waste Dump on your hands! Better call out the Canadian version of the Environmental Protection Agency!

 

[animasinsulin]

That is....

Dave, That is just too damn gross for words and for my pottie mouth especially. Some people have NO reason to be alive!!!!.....Bill in Az.....

 

[crevicetool]

I am just amazed. I guess people just don't understand how a vacuum cleaner works. I mean all that crap has to go somewhere! No doubt the cheap plastic replacement will go on for ever. It's probably bag-less! Stupid Kirby!

Rick

 

[xraytech]

Well, it looks to me that the prior owner of this Kirby just forgot how it operated, since they apparently have had it for some time since it is by no means a current model. They must have known what to do before and then became stupid and forgot how a vacuum operates or it would have been at the curbside years ago.

Just remember everyone, Stupidity is contagious

 

[normvac]

Just a reminder from my service days experience. That some homes do have childern, relatives and other D--- B--- people
that have been part of the household at one point or another that don't know or care how the machine works. For that matter, I just recently had a friend tell me they could not get bags for the recent Kirby Diamond and they were picking out the dust and debree. Trying to keep the vacuum going in the middle of an upcoming move! So when I arrived to visit and brought a new package of bags. I went ahead to change it, to be sure there were no cloggs in the bag hose/neck. Here was an orginal Kirby filer bag full, with the 1 800 number all over it ! I pointed out on the new bags that the number was on there and be sure to phone cleveland and order. I pointed out that I have received orders on the second day.
Norm

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Awesome find, Dave. That lady didn't deserve the Kirby... you are right! I know that it will have a happy home with you. The G5 is my favorite Kirby and I just used mine a couple days ago. The one I found at the Good Will that was TRASHED came with a video as well, and I was curious about how good the video is. I didn't buy it, which is a good thing since I don't have a VCR anyway.

Congrats! I paid 200 dollars for my G5 3 years ago!

Seeing your pics makes me realize that I need a new brushroll for my G5.

 

[jdinstl]

Dave, you are the

...Guardian Angel of the Vacuum Gods. Bless you for the good work you do!

Beer can tabs, hairpins...nothing like a hillbilly with a Kirby!

"Right down to the emptor" reminded me of my Ultimate G. The lady I bought it from absolutely hated it. BEFORE taking my money, she launched into the tirade of everything she hated about it, including "it has totally lost suction."

I nodded, thoughfully (and cast a wink at the 4 short hair shedding like mo-fo's dogs scampering about my feet).

Got it home, pulled off the disposable bag -- so full it was practically solid -- then popped off the emptor. Dug out more dog hair and gook. With the emptor off, I fired up the vac...

...a *thump* and out shoots a hyooooge clump of gook, missing my head by a fraction of an inch. With a thud, it hit the ceiling, raining dust and dog hair everywhere. 4th Of July, Kirby-style!

(and that double-tapping fingernail drove me nuts!)

 

[thunderhexed]

Kirby G5

Every G Model Kirby I buy for myself, I end up gifting to someone in my family cuz they all love the way they are designed. My brother got the G4 when his new home was built, dad got a g3 cuz he hates moms dyson, and granny got the other g3. My family has always used Kirbys and probably always will. After graduation, I decided that I wanted to buy what I have always wanted - a G5. I found one on ebay, rebuilt with basic attachment set for $100.00. I absolutely love it. The color scheme, the way it grooms the carpet, the way it doesn't have a layer of dust all over it after use like my Sanitronics and Classics do. It's just an amazing all around vacuum. I will be getting many years of use out of it. I think it would be fun to find a curbside find like that some day though. I have yet to find a diamond in the rough like that. Congrats!

 

[aeoliandave]

Another free curbside vacuum shaped object...

Well, it was free and I did load it into the car at curbside after work...

A gal at work told me she had a vacuum in her trunk that if I wanted it it was mine, or she would drop it off at Sally Ann. Said it was a Fantom something or other with an extra dirt jug that she bought gnu years ago for her allergic son. This weekend she bought the white Miele S7 at CanTire.

Good for her!!! See, they can be edjumacated!

 

[aeoliandave]

I gotta say, not a bad vacuum cleaner for a bagless. It's fairly quiet, motor spins down like a turboprop, headlights are fantasticly illuminative, it pulls 95" plus with the hose/wand extended, which seals tight when docked as an upright handle.

It has all the tools in the bin and really is quite clean throughout.

So now I don't have to get a modern Dyson?

 

[petek]

Wow,, that is birthmother of the Dyson, the vacuum of which all soon after to be manufactured Dysons were fashioned after. I'll just bet it gotta be worth a kajillion smackeroo's

Why is there a waffle iron lurking in your trunk?

 

[jdinstl]

It's good luck...

to travel with a vintage appliance.

I've an old beat up Electrolux shell in the back of my Jimmy.

 

[aeoliandave]

Fantom Cyclone XT

Quite a sexy shape, really.

Barely any scuffs, no cracks or scratches. She said she preferred it or any upright over the central vac and figured it was time for a newer model. When she saw, played with in-store and researched the Miele S7 she was sold. BECAUSE OF THE BAGS!!!

I can't find any maker's plate on it, yet. What year did these hit the market? I do remember the TV commercials.

1999? 2000?

Dave

Oh, the hose to intake coupling on the Kirby G5 has the switch depressing prong broken off, not the arm, just the prong. Another reason it 'didn't work'. LOL Easy enough to screw on a 1/2" shaped scrap of something to press those switches - I want to get a gauge reading.

(The hose coupler from my G has a slightly thicker gasket rim and will not swing up enough to close, by about 1/2".}

 

[petek]

Those Fantoms came out in the early 80's didn't they. They were made by Fantom Industries here in Canada, Fanton Ind. used to be Iona Appliances iirc