Nothing says 1968 like...

[portable]

<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">David - Nice to see your face again. Congrats on landing a spot on the news.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bill - Your D80 is gorgeous. I always liked that Eureka.</span>


 


<span style="font-family: tahoma, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">John L.</span>


 

 

[DesertTortoise]

Geez that's a gorgeous vacuum! Bravo on the loving restoration. Wow. Just wow.

 

[portapower]

Loved the video. Not only was is fun but respectful of you and your interests.

 

[sukething]

I know the feeling..

Hey, if I did not say it eurekastar yes that is wonderful restoration on your Kirby D80. I am very impressed. Kirbybag, you are so right I know the feeling, I do love the older Kirbys, my Aunt Mary had a 1949, yes a 509 that I used at her home. That was fun, the old black handle was coming off and my Uncle Laurie, Aunt Marys hubby, yes he was man, replaced the plug. But it still ran like a dream.

My neighbor on the farm who lived north of us about a half of a mile, had a 560 that I would use, when she bbsat me as kid. With that 560 I liked taking the head off and using the hose and she would let me read her book that she had with it and I would actually do some of the things like the book told you to like make the Kirby into a tank, it was fun, except I could not always put the head back on correctly so she would have to help me. Everyone I knew who had Kirbys never bought anything extras with their machines, except the floor brush head.

In our little farming community most the neighbors I knew had Kirbys. When my folks bought the D80, three other neighbors bought one as well. A couple of them moved on and bought new Kribys but missed their old green one. So I got them each one to use when I was in college and they were so thrilled.

David

 

[DesertTortoise]

The whole Kirby thing is kinda weird to me. Some guy knocks on your door, demos a vacuum that costs more than a thousand bucks (upwards of $1800 last I heard but I could be wrong), convinces you to buy it, gets you on a payment plan (how many people have four figures laying around for a vacuum?) and gets paid a commission for the sale. I believe the sales people are consigned a pair of vacs. Your neighbor might get a different price for the exact same vacuum, it just depends on upon your negotiating skills. And there is no other way to buy a new Kirby except in your home.

There is a whiff of the cult in Kirby ownership. Forget buying bags, brushes or filters anyplace you might normally buy those for any other brand, you have to buy these directly from Kirby (again, correct me if I'm wrong but that is my understanding). I have certainly never seen such parts for Kirbys anyplace I have shopped. And when you fork out that kind of dough for a vacuum owners defend them against all comers. It is more than a little like Harley Davidson ownership in that they have aspects that transcend the actual functionality of the product and the product becomes a part of the owners image and self worth. Like I said, weird, at least to me.

 

[portapower]

Kirby Parts,

There are tons of dealers on the internet including E-bay that sells any parts that you need including all types of Kirby original brands of belts and bags. So supplies are very easy to come by.

 

[vac-o-matic]

Every independently owned vacuum shop in my area carry all Kirby bags, belts, shampoo, etc. They'd be foolish not too!

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Hi,

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">Hi Bill, Yet another great job!! Keep erm coming!

</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Kirby bags, belts and lights are everywhere here, even Wal-Mart and Lowe's have bags and belts.

 

[tig21er]

Where I live

Kirby comes in and I get a slew of calls asking me if I have bags for Kirby. It seems that the Kirby Rep told them I was the come to guy for supplies. I would tell them yes but I don't do warranty work and not an Authorized Dealer but got genuine product. It seems every time Kirby gets a change in product here comes a salesman knocking a the door of a customer that just bought one in the last 2-5 years wanting to sell a new one. Knock on a door to sell a vacuum in my area you get ," If your selling Kirby just keep on walking."

 

[DesertTortoise]

I feel dirty after walking into a Wallyworld. Just saying .................

 

[beekeyknee]

I saw that Sanitronic setting in a store window in the late '70's or early '80's. It made me stop in my tracks.

 

[eurekastar]

This is what the poor girl looked like when I first got her.  With a little bit of TLC, she is as good as new.  A good scrubbing in degreaser, some sanding and buffing, new bearings and carbon brushes, new bag and trim, and a new fan case gasket and she became a head turner once again!!!

 

[sukething]

Wow what an improvement...

A Blessing..

Bill you and I both worked hard on our vacuums, with all of the TLC we give them, and it shows.

If anyone is interested on my facebook page are few pics of my vacuums and repairs. Some of the pics were taken while was in the nursing home. I am David C. Watters on facebook

 

[sharkwo7]

Nice Kirby Vacuum Restoration

Nice Kirby restoration, Bill! When I was a kid, my parents trade their, model 1030 convertible to a 1976 classic III Kirby. I named it Big Red, I had him from 1980, to 1992, when my dad trade him for a 1992 rainbow. I was so upset that my dad trade him with out my knowing. He knew how much this Kirby means to me. I always shined and polish him, and clean his bag. I treated the Kirby like a pet than like a regular vacuum.

 

[hygiene903]

Excellent Work Bill!

You did a great job and the D-80 is absolutely beautiful!
Jeff