Kirby Tradition vacuum - curb find

[80sappliances]

Hello. Just found this Kirby tradition on the side of the road and I took it home with me. Don't know anything about it, so I would like to be enlightened about it. I do have experience with vintage vacuum cleaners (Royal Power Tank etc) but I haven't owned a vintage upright before.

 

[human]

Built like a tank...

That's a great find. Cool that it had some of its accessories with it as well. Kirbys are great machines. They're well built and designed to be repaired, not thrown away. They'll literally will last a lifetime. They're also pretty easy to work on, parts are readily available and—unlike a brand new Kirby—they won't break the bank. That machine will probably clean up very nicely. There are tons of threads on this site pertaining to Kirby repair and restoration. Give it some love and make it shine!

 

[kirbyvertibles]

1979-1981 first model to have paper bags (style 1) Great vacuum!!!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Looks like that cleaner saw a good time.

I have 2 of those to sell. Don't ask how they got here.
John

 

[sharkcar19998]

Gottahaveahoove

How much do you want for your traditions? I'll buy one of the price is right

 

[gottahaveahoove]

feel free to contact me and we can discuss it, plus the

shipping. there's also a full box of tools, if interested,
John

 

[80sappliances]

John I would be interested in those tools if the price was right (Assuming this vacuum works). I am about to go test it out. I've seen how to operate newer Kirbys and I attached the belt and know the basics of how to use it.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

It's not hard.

I've had to use them, (not these), but on other machines. YES. I had to run a Kirby...in an office and in a church.

 

[80sappliances]

I had to sand off some corrosion but sure enough, it fires right up. It was running very loud though, so I opened it up and the impeller is missing a blade. Will this work as a replacement?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kirby-Vacuu...588085?hash=item41abf13d75:g:WE4AAOSwofxUh6gp

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

80sappliances

Jack,

Was that broken fan a 10-blade metal fan? If so, it would have caused your cleaner to sound like this:


Yes, the item in the link you described will fit.

~Ben

 

[80sappliances]

It is the plastic fan. I have had a shop vac with plastic stuck in the impeller which caused it to get much louder too so I am thinking it's louder since it is off balance now. I'll order the new impeller.

 

[80sappliances]

A new addition..

I guess I've got Kirby fever because I just bought a Heritage II. I might wind up selling it in the future but for now I have 2 kirbys.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

80sappliances

Jack,

Just two days ago I got a 1984 Heritage 84!

~Ben

 

[human]

They do tend to accumulate. I presently have three Kirbys (I keep wanting to type 'Kirbies' as the plural) and nominally own a fourth that I probably won't ever see again.

 

[vac-o-matic]

That's what happens...

I just went in and counted mine, wasn't sure of how many. The oldest is a model C, the newest is an Ultimate G..grand total 21. That's too many! Older than the C is a Scott & Fetzer but has the earliest Kirby bag and the brushroll is moved by the wheels. There's a Super Vac but I count it as a Kirby because even though they deny they know anything about it, was made by them. I think I'm good on Kirbys! It's easy getting out of control..

 

[80sappliances]

I don't know if anybody has seen this (I am sure some of you have) but here's a video owners manual for the heritage II I am getting.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=z33PPzoGBzg