Model 519 modification

[rvb49646]

I recently was given a 1959 Kirby Vacuum cleaner that I am trying to find out what modifications had been done. The lady that owned the Vacuum had it from new and purchased the life time refurbish plan. She said that it was sent to the factory 4 times and the last time seems to be in 2015. My question is the bag connection to the vac. It does not have an emptor and instead goes directly to the bag. The outer bag has a zipper from top to bottom and has an inner paper bag. It does not look like a Hepa filter bag. So is there a Hepa filter bag to the vacuum? How did this modification come about. See attached photo. Rich

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

rvb49646

Rich,

Welcome to VacuumLand! Her machine was produced in 1959.

Well, I believe she wanted to do away with the shake-out bag (which was gray in color with speckles and had the big circle Kirby logo on the front). That disposable bag system (which takes Eureka Type F/G or Royal Type A disposable bags) was installed in the 1990s by a local vac shop near her.

Since the rest of the trim (which was originally gray or red depending on the exact parts) was replaced with tan trim, then the replacement shake out bag would have matched with the newer trim.

~Ben

 

[rvb49646]

Ben, are any of these bags Hepa Filter type bags. My wife has dust allergies and was hoping to eliminate as much dust as possible..

 

[dysonman1]

Yes, they do make HEPA type F & G bags. The part number is V.A.C. 14 There are 9 in a package.

 

[lesinutah]

Eureka

Or sanitaire has an f&G hepa bag.

 

[kirbylux77]

Rich

Just to warn you, yes you could use a Eureka F&G HEPA Cloth bag in your Kirby, it would work. BUT, unfortunately, these F&G paper bag conversions that vac shops used to do will SEVERELY cut your Kirby's airflow and cleaning performance!

You may not notice it now when you vacuum with it....but go ahead and put a Heritage II Mini Em-tor, Heritage II outer bag, fill tube and Kirby HEPA Cloth bag on it, and just watch how much better the airflow is and it's cleaning. I would strongly suggest doing that over finding Eureka F&G HEPA Cloth bags for the bag conversion.

Also, just so you know, I think that lady was feeding you a line when she said it was sent into Kirby for rebuilding 4 times. Look at the underside, the label will betray the truth - if the vacuum has been rebuilt, the original makers plate will be removed & replaced with a newer one that looks much different. Also, Kirby would have never supplied a Eureka F&G bag conversion, what they would have done is put a new black shakeout bag on it and put black trim on it. Since it has Dual Sanitronic 50 brown trim on it, chances are good that it's either: 1. A Dual Sanitronic 50 with a Eureka F&G bag conversion, or 2. The lady brought her Kirby 519 into and had a vac shop replace the trim and bag with the bag conversion. And that's assuming you believe that she did indeed buy new - she could have very well bought this Kirby rebuilt like this to sell from a local vac shop. So unless this lady that gave you the Kirby can produce some documentation that says otherwise, I would seriously be doubting her story about it being sent to the Kirby factory and being rebuilt 4 times.

 

[rvb49646]

I've known her for a long time and have little reason to doubt her. The tag under the Vacuum is not original. It has a Factory Rebuilt tag model 519 listed and a serial number 454613 and date rebuilt 9/15. I'm new at all of this and trying to educate myself and trying to get the best dust control while using it. If you have a part number list for the Heritage II I have no problem changing the vacuum for better air flow. Rich

 

[lesinutah]

The

F&G setup doesn't bog down the performance of the 4 amp kirbys. It does effect it and the heritage setup would help it run much better.
The vacuum might have been rebuilt in 2015 hence the decked in tan colors. The bag setup would not be put on by anyone associated with kirby.
The vacuum looks like it's in excellent shape.

 

[paul]

Welcome to Vacuumland, Rich, and congrats on obtaining a well-kept Kirby 519!

In case you're without the owner's manual here's a link to The Kirby Company's archived manuals:

https://www.kirby.com/kirby-owner-support/kirby-owner-manuals/kirby-owner-manual-archive/

 

[repairman]

It does have Torx screws holding in the wheels which isn't original. They were originally flatblade screws.

There's also no black trim that I'm aware of on 500 series units except for emptor trays, cords, and bag guards. I believe it's still the Sirocco Tan color.

Like KirbyLux77 said, if you look on the bottom of the unit, there will be a sticker saying "Factory Rebuilt". Kirby doesn't sell a lifetime rebuild program. The rebuild is offered to anyone and is if you are the original owner with proof of purchase, then the rebuild is significantly discounted.

Post a picture of the underside and we can see when the machine was rebuilt.

 

[rwoolver]

I inherited a 519 from my mom. Bought around 1959-60. Have fond memories of pushing that vacuum around the house. Stopped using it around 2000. Wanted a low profile vacuum or a cannister with a power head for under the beds. Purchased a used Hoover Spirit cannister with a power head in 2000. Still using it today. Decided to get the 519 out of the closet and give it a test run. It does not have an Emptor and don't remember it ever having one. It has a cloth bag that attaches directly to the fan exhaust port via a metal ring that fits over the three pin opening. The cloth bag has wear holes in the bottom and the internal plastic tube that goes from the metal ring to the part the paper bag slides over, secured by a round spring, has holes in it that have been patched with a glue gun by me years ago. Kenmore paper bags, part number 20 5002 are used. I couldn't find them right away so went to a shop that sold me Eureka Uprights Style F&G bags that work but are really too big and have to be folded to fit. Then I found two Kenmore bags in the garage in a bin that has all the attachments. Yeah!


Ideally I want to replace the cloth bag with a new or newer one. If I can't find one I will have to get creative.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

rvb49646

Rich,

Rebuilt by Kirby in September 2015. Therefore, this 519 would have come back with a black shake-out bag, if she hadn't already substituted the F&G setup for the original.

Again, I believe the F&G disposable bag system was her choice because she does not like shake-out bags.

~Ben