Newbie KIrby 508 questions

andyjon100 · Mar 31, 2011

Hello all! My name is Andy, lover of all things old. I am an electrician by trade, and love old mechanical and electrical things.. Years ago, I pulled this Kirby 508 and box of attachments out of a partially collapsed garage.I cleaned it up, and used it until I got divorced, and it was put into storage. Now, I am interested in the possibility of refurbishing it, like some of the beauties I have seen on this site. My new wife wants me to get rid of it, because she loves her Riccar, but I like the Kirby better.I feel it is more powerful and quieter. She doesn't want to deal with the attachments, as she is used to just pulling off the hose and going to town...I have done some research online, and found a bit of information, but I still have some questions. I know the light hood trim is wrong, as is the cord. Is the bag correct? How about the front trim? The hose isn't pictured, as I haven't run across it in the storage unit yet, but it is gray cloth with red stripes... Is that correct?
Can the correct parts be had for this? Somewhere, I also have the polisher and spray gun for this, along with a grinder that doesn't fit it...
I know it is from 1948... what was the selling price for this, along with the attachments back then?
Any assistance anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated!

eurekastar · Mar 31, 2011

As you already know, the 508 was built in 1948. Looking at yours, it does have the correct belt lifter. The 509 belt lifter took on a slightly different look. The handle grip would have been a gray rubber, along with the other trim pieces and nozzle bumper. The cord also would have been gray. I'm not positive, but I think your bag probably is original. Here are a few photos of mine with a replacement bag.

eurekastar · Mar 31, 2011

The rubber handle grips are no longer available. In fact, I think Kirby switched to a gray plastic grip with the 509. Kirby still makes replacement grips and plastic trim, but it's all in tan. So I spray mine out using a vinyl/plastic automotive paint.

eurekastar · Mar 31, 2011

Here's a look at the belt lifters for the 508 on left and the 509 on right. Notice that there is a very slight difference. The 509 (on right) has its original bumper. The 508 has a sprayed out bumper. I was lucky to find a gray paint that matches very closely.

eurekastar · Mar 31, 2011

The Em-Tor tray would have been a gray plastic. Mine has a replacement cord on it too. The original cord would have had a round machine end.

eurekastar · Mar 31, 2011

This is my 508 before I rebuilt it. It was actually in pretty good shape. The bag guard is not original to the 508, so I removed it when I rebuilt it. I don't think those were introduced until the 516 (but I don't know that for sure).

henry200 · Mar 31, 2011

Welcome!

Hi Andy, I'm relatively new here myself but am quickly getting acclimated. This is a unique and fun group of people!

That's a great old Kirby you have there. I have a model 515, ca. 1955. These older ones won't match the carpet cleaning ability of a Riccar, but that doesn't stop us from loving them and wanting to use 'em!

Your vacuum has had a few replacement parts over the years that I can see. The cord, hand grip and trim on the light hood would have matched the grey bumper. The old cords were much shorter too. The one on your machine is from a 60's model. Your bag is a replacement too. Original bags for these models are extremely rare, but there are people here who have found seemingly extinct parts.

I was lucky that my 515 came with all it's orginal parts, but the bag is worn and fragile. I put a bag from a newer model on so I can use the vacuum occasionally. (I have several vacs I use in rotation, just for fun)

I don't know about 1948, but I think I remember seeing that in '51 or '52 the price was around $125 or so. Don't quote me on that! Neil

henry200 · Apr 1, 2011

Welcome Andy! Eurekastar, your restoration looks wonderful, congratulations. You have a replacement bag on yours, Andy. The insignia would have been a "script" style, like on your attachments box I'm pretty sure. I have the orginal bag for my model 515, but it's too fragile so I use a bag that's from a year or two later model. Even a new plain black bag as on Eurekastar's 509 would look fine on your machine, I think. Who knows, every so often someone here manages to find something which was thought to be extinct.

eurekastar · Apr 1, 2011

Neil is right! I don't know why I didn't pick up on that. Kirby gradually began introducing the block lettering on the 513. At first, they used it only on the builder's plate for the 4 amp model. Then it was phased in on the bags on later models. The block script didn't show up on the belt lifters until the 516. So you're bag is definitely from a later model, but I don't know enough to tell you exactly which one. But as Neil said, the black replacement bag looks really nice. That's the current bag that Kirby is selling.