NIB Kirby Traditions (Summer 1979 Production)

[kirbyclassiciii]

Fascinated by the number of NIB Kirby Heritage II systems (these appear to be circa 1986 builds) that I have recently discovered on eBay, focusing on a different Kirby altogether, how many NIB Traditions have you come across (those with the headlight safety switch and the metal fan; these were the first issues that came out in the summer of 1979)?

~Ben

 

[dysonman1]

Ben, it's not true that Traditions ever had metal fans. I unloaded the very first shipment of Traditions we got in St. Louis. The headlight safety switch, disposable bag adapter, and lexan fan were the changes. The first ones still had cardboard attachment boxes. We had to install the disposable bag adapter into the sani-emptor as it was packed separately. Had to heat them up in boiling water to make them pliable enough to fit into the emptor's ledge.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Tom G.,

Then I would like to wonder how the metal fan found its way into these? I'm wondering if certain customers liked the metal fan better than the Lexan one at the time when their Traditions came in to be rebuilt?


(#F293137 - this is an export model)


(note on this example the headlight lock provision is there but the button is missing)

And if the story of the Lexan fan being there from the beginning is true, then, I see why in the instruction book, the Crystalator's main function was lost (paradichlorobenzene attacks plastic) and that Kirby renamed it as "air intake nozzle."

~Ben

 

[dysonman1]

The Lexan fan broke too, just not as fast as the aluminum ones. When a Tradition would come in for a fan repair, many repair guys put the metal fan in it - so it would break FASTER than the plastic one. Repair men look at fan breakage as a huge source of profit. The metal fan used to cost us about $6 and we sold it for $50 (installed).

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Tom,

Again I thank you for giving me the heads-up about those.

~Ben

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Umm

Hi all. I don't wish to disagree but over here in the UK some of the early Traditions did come fitted with metal fans according to my friend Ken who was a Kirby distributor at the time. He use to moan the fans could be harder to get off when they broke compared to the grey lexan fan.

Just my 2 cents worth)

James)

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

James,

In your case, that may also be since the motor setup on machines in your market are different (240V for you as opposed to 120V for us). #F293137, the video of that which I posted here for Tom, is one of those examples.

~Ben

 

[dysonman1]

Seriously Ben...

I was in high school. The Kirby distributor waited for me to get out of school to unbox the brand new Tradition's. We knew about the paper bag in advance but did not know the adapter and fill tube would be separate in the box from the sani-emptor. We struggled for quite a while before someone got the idea to soak them in boiling water to make them pliable enough to go into the emptor. That grey Lexan fan made the machine run quieter and we were extremely happy to see a fan that was designed not to break with the first quarter it inhaled. I remember remarking that the headlight safety switch would be a problem because the headlight locked in the UP position and I was used to just closing it. That's why most of the pins wound up breaking. Upon first use, I remember being surprised by the lack of edge cleaning ability as compared to the Classic III. Winds up history has taught us the bag fill tube was too small. Reduced the airflow dramatically.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Tom,

I must again thank you. I ask because I feel for those who want to faithfully restore models like this.

~Ben

 

[vacman1961]

Tom, I disagree with you, I was a Kirby Area Distributor in 1979 and when the Tradition first came out it did have a metal fan, and the use and care book showed how the Crystalator could be used with moth flakes, the second Traditions had the Lexan fans and the book only showed the Crystalator as an "air intake tool" to use the machine as a blower.

 

[Miss Mercy]

Tom,


 


I have to say that I too disagree with you. My grandmother purchased her brand new Kirby Tradition on May 1, 1980 for $350, to be exact. It not only had a metal fan, but an Omega style safety switch. She said when she would vacuum with it, she could hear a loud "ping" when dirt and debris made contact with the fan. She owned this vacuum for several years. The motor finally quit working because unbeknownst to her, the safety switch was broken and it was stuck on high speed all of the time. This caused her machine to eat belts constantly and wear out faster, not to mention made the Kirby harder to push and louder. She also mentioned that up towards the end, the handle spring broke and the handle would no longer stay in the upright position. She had the white cardboard attachment box with hers as well as the Shag King and Miracle Head. 


 


- Adam Mercer

 

[vacman1961]

Adam, it sounds like your Grandmothers Tradition had a soft blue plastic covering over the safety switch , which was originally designed to keep moisture out when the Rug Renovator was used, actually that was the reason for the speed switch up in the headlight, to keep moisture from dripping into the speed switch, however, the blue rubbery coating on the safety switch proved disastrous as it often made the speed switch get stuck in the higher speed causing premature carbon brush failure, premature belt wear and of course caused the machine to be tough to push. The Tradition had many versions, a lot of trial and error with everything from the Kirby Kaddy for the attachments, to the speed switch, the choice of shake out and disposable bags, it was probably my most least favorite Kirby every built, with the exception for the color. We had a gold colored Tradition in my office for some time to keep on display, I don't remember what happened to it.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

I asked about this on Kirby's official Facebook page and they told me all Traditions built through calendar year 1979 did, indeed, have the metal fan (along with the prior Classic III which finished out production the first six months of said year).

~Ben