Mostly Factory Original Kirby 508

[KirbyCollector01]

I got this 1948 Kirby 508 recently for $40. What a steal! It’s almost entirely factory original. It has the six blade fan. The grip is original but the black rubber sleeve was replaced sometime between 1949 and 1953 with a grey sleeve. It had a grey bag with a unique lightning logo. The bag on it now is not factory original to this particular unit, but it is an original 508 bag. So I swapped the bags between this factory 508 and my other one that I “originalized” from being all tan. It has the original cord as well as a newer grey cord for when you use it as the original one is no longer suitable for use. The wheels are still the original black vulcanized ones in great shape. The belt lifter is (other than a few chips in the lettering) in immaculate shape. Finally, the nozzle and headlight bumpers are both original. The collector who had it last did an amazing job cleaning and polishing it! Here are a few photos of this beautiful Kirby. A couple before photos and an after photo that the seller took before selling it. Then pictures I just took after putting the original bag on it. Enjoy the photos!

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Whoops

The Honda Choke thing you see in the photos is just a lawnmower thing I was doing. I must’ve clicked that screenshot unintentionally.

 

[kloveland]

Good find!

The bag looks good on that model! A non collector or a non Kirby person couldn't tell the difference!

 

[hoover300]

Wow! Thats fantastic!
~K

 

[KirbyCollector01]

I am super stoked by this find!

 

[vac-o-matic]

Very nice!! I have one of those bojack lightening bags that I removed from one of my Kirbys. Must have been a popular replacement bag..I wondered about it's origin. That's a beautiful bag you put on. How did you get it to look so good?

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Here’s a video I made of it after installing original bag

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Thom,

The 508 is more or less just the 505 only in gray rather than black. The 509 that came after this one had more updates.

~Ben

 

[KirbyCollector01]

Ben,

Yeah exactly. That’s why I feel like I kind of have a 505 in a way. It’s so close to a 505 it basically is one, just in grey. I decided to take parts from my crusty and not so nice 510 and turn the originalized one into a cool almost original 510. Here it is with my nearly factory 508.