My New Kirby Model C4

[eurekastar]

Right now I'm on vacation with my family and we're visiting my Mom in another part of Texas. This morning, I went into a local vacuum store to get some things for my Mom's Kirby Diamond G. I asked the store owner if he ever got older Kirby vacuums in for service or trade. He showed me the usual suspects -- a Heritage, a Classic III. Then he said, "I have this really old one in back that I used to keep on display. I wonder if you can identify it?" I followed him to the back and low and behold it is a Kirby C4!!!!!!!!! I said, "I'd like to buy it if you're willing to part with it." He said, "I'll take $25 for it." So while I was there, I called a friend about my find. The guy at the vacuum store was so glad that I was excited about getting the vacuum that he ended up just giving it to me! I forgot to bring my camera with me and my Mom doesn't have one, but I'll post a photo when I get back home. It has the original bag that only has one small fray on the back at the top. That's easily fixed. It appears to have the original cord that's in good shape too. And when we fired it up in the store, it had just a hint of bearing noise but that went away very quickly! I'm very excited because I never thought I would come across a find like this. The only major issue is the handle grip. The rubber is is worn and tearing on it. But I am THRILLED!

 

[eurekastar]

Correction

It is correctly called a "Model 4C". Also, I forgot to mention that this model has no belt lifter, just a black cap with the red "Kirby" logo. And the Em-tor tray appears to be chrome.

 

[electrolux~137]

WOWWW, what a find!!!!!

Can't wait to see photos of it.

 

[electrolux~137]

P.S. You're darn lucky the Kirby dealer didn't increase the price by ten-fold when he saw how excited you were. That has happened to me more than a few times.

I'd go into a vac shop, ask if they have any old machines. The proprietor would often say, "Well, I have a pile of crappy old machines in the shed out back, they're not worth a red cent and I really need to get around to having them hauled away."

I'd ask to have a look.

"Well, go ahead. If there's anything you want in there we can make a deal but I really ought to pay you to haul the stuff away."

He opens the door to the shed and there's some real gems in there -- say, maybe a 1930s all-original Kirby. I make the huuuuuuge mistake of gasping in shock and unabashedly showing my great glee. "OH WOWWWWWWW! What a wonderful old Kirby! I've been looking for one of these for yeeeeeears!!! What do you want for it?"

The man casually crosses an arm across his chest, holding his other arm up as he rests his chin into his hand. He looks skyward and says after a long minute, "Well, I've been holding on to that particular one for a long time. I kinda hate to part with it but I'd let it go for ... hmm ... two thousand dollars, sales tax included."

I stand there for a long minute, my blood beginning to boil. I say, "A minute ago, all the stuff out here was junk and crap that you said you should pay me to haul away. Now they're worth thousands of dollars?"

He'd say, "That's right. I had forgotten about all these rare old treasures I've got out here."

One time I got so mad with one of those opportunistic creeps that I said to him in a low, soft, trembling voice, "You know what? When you die and your relatives come in here to clear this store out, or when you go broke and have to close your business, those old machines are going to get thrown into a dumpster, and you won't make a f@#$%&* nickel on them. To hell with you, you greedy crook."

And off I went, and never darkened his doors again.

A couple years later I happened to be in that area and found myself driving past the store. It was now a tax preparer's office. I could just see that shed full of old vacuum cleaners getting dragged away by a scrap metal dealer.

The moral is, we collectors really do need to keep a poker face when going into a vac shop and find some really old machines. Otherwise, 9 times out of 10 that "old crap out back" is suddenly going to become a goldmine to the shopkeeper.

 

[a007kirbyman]

Kirby 4C...

Hi Bill.

As I said when we talked earlier, nice acquisition. Congratulations on the 'improved' deal you got.

If you want to improve your cash outlay on the deal, I will still do the same deal as I said when we spoke, (even though you now got it for free ~~LOL~~).

Seriously though, wtg on the deal. L@@K forward to seeing it both b4 & after you've 'restored' it to it's grandeur!!!

Cheers & hagd all,

Bill

 

[joe22]

CONGRATZ on the awesome find

 

[eurekastar]

Well, I went and borrowed my brother's camera, so here are a few photos. The store owner was a super nice guy. I couldn't believe he just GAVE it to me. But he was listening to my conversation on the phone with Bill (a007Kirbyman) and heard my enthusiasm for the vacuum. He said he was just glad it's going to someone who appreciates it. He used to keep it on display but rearranged his floor and didn't have room for it. So it's sat in the back for a few years just collecting dust.

 

[eurekastar]

Plugs

The cord is in fairly good shape. I don't know if this is original. It doesn't have "Kirby" stamped on the male end.

 

[eurekastar]

The rubber on the headlight is in fairly good shape too. The trim attaches in a very different way than later models, so I don't quite know how I'm going to work approach that part of the cleanup. It's hard to tell from this photo, but the insulation on the headlight wires is starting to deteriorate. I wonder what the insulation on the wires themselves looks like.

 

[eurekastar]

Switch Side View

It has the old toggle style switch. I noticed a screw missing from the housing.

 

[eurekastar]

Em-tor Side View

It's actually in very good shape. It's just dirty. I'll CAREFULLY hand wash the bag. Did these models originally have a bag guard?

 

[eurekastar]

Rear View

You can see where a safety pin is used to close the top of the bag that's frayed. A needle and black thread should fix that.

 

[eurekastar]

Model Plate

You can barely read where it says "No. 4C" then the serial number -- 690510. I'm guessing this was made somewhere around 1940 or 1941. That's purely a guess on my part.

 

[sanimatic]

Nice

and from a Kirby history expert, what year / time frame was this from? No belt lifter, but I see the latch to remove the brush nozzle. Did these have attachments?

 

[eurekastar]

The handle

I don't know what I'll do with the handle grip -- keep this one or paint out a new to match the original color scheme. I can't date these exactly. I remember reading somewhere the "Model C" was manufactured from 1935 to 1937. So following the models in sequence (and this is a total guess on my part): Model 2C 1938, Model 3C 1939, Model 4C 1940? Bill (a007Kirbyman) is going to check with his contact at Kirby to date it through the serial number.

 

[a007kirbyman]

Year(s) & attachments...

Hey Chris.

Bill is definitely in the ballpark with his guess.

They were produced &/or sold between 11/1940 & 03/1945. Production vs. sales is a little more sketchy as this time overlapped into & with WWII.

I hope this is of help Chris.



Bill...

...on your acquisition:


[size=+3] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WOW !!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [/size]


And, on how...

I am impressed with the story of how you got this Kirby 4C. And, I am impressed & proud when others are able to see that their ARE other GOOD Kirby guys out there. Unfortunately when there are instances of problems, it gets 'glamorized' by the media.

Talk soon.

Cheers & hagn all,

Bill

 

[joe22]

awesome

 

[eluxca]

It looks to be 100% original. Holy cow, nice machine!

John

 

[electrolux~137]

Ohhhhhh that is just absolutely stunning!! I will say, if it were me, I would not dare wash the bag, not even hand wash. Because it's very likely if you do, the silkscreened lettering will flake off. And wouldn't THAT be a tragegy. What I would do is gently, and I mean *gently* rub the bag with a dampened, soft cloth, just to remove the surface dust, and I wouldn't rub any one area very much. Better for the bag not to be perfectly clean than to ruin it.

Note that the front wheels are wider, and the rear wheels are narrower, than the wheels used on the 505 and thereafter. I think the 4C might have been the first (and only?) model to use these wheels: I have a 2C and all four wheels are the same width, although slightly narrower than the 505 wheels. Either that, or someone changed the front wheels for some reason.