Plano TX Kirby Service Center closing Nov 2019

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I concur with your selection. It certainly seems that the one you kept was more collectible. I'm sure your neighbor is pleased with their Kirby, too!

The smashed nozzle gasket is almost certainly the cause of the loose nozzle. With a new one, I think the play will disappear.

I'm always a fan of vacuum restoration "start-to-finish" stories.
 
texaskirbyguy

Rob,

The bag I see on your '79 Classic III at present - as you have mentioned - was taken from an older Classic III. If my eyes are trained well, I think the bag looks like the 1st one in the picture I attached (the 3rd one would be what the original '79 bag looked like).

~Ben

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Hey

Hey Rob
D80 attachments mainly long green tube. Any vacuum. If he has a 3c or 4c or 505. The other would be a classic. Those are about it.
Thanks alot I may call him shortly.
Les
 
Hey

I just called him. He has a 505 and 508 he is sending pics on a bundle would be $300 and I don't know about that price. I may just end up with a classic parts machine and d80 parts machine I don't have a classic 3 but I have had one and I'm not huge as I dislike red but I have a couple traditions. The 2 parts machines may be what I get more than likely. I'm stacked to the brim I could open a Kirby shop. He's friendly guy. He has Omega vacuum o all original all attachments including rug rake. He is asking$50. I have the classic all boxes and attachments so not looking for Omega vacuum. The complete d80 has grey fan. It sounds nice.
Les
 
Vacuum

Hey
I called him and rob or texaskirbyguy was there. I bought the 505 508 a 519 and a motor housing for classic. I already have d80s so it worked out. I thought he was high on price then he sent me pics. It has red and white top fill sanatronic style but white Kirby bags. The 505 has everything except cord brush roll and bottom plate. It has a grey original Kirby handle. The 508 has a grey belden replacement cord and a 509 belt lifter and there in really good shape. The handles the cord and black belt lifter make it worth it.
Rob email me asap. I have a question for you.
Les
[email protected]
 
Haul 2...

Haha – that was very coincidental when I walked into the shop today, I heard the owner on the phone talking about what sounded like what Les wanted. Sure enough, it was Les on the phone! I will email you in just a bit – I just came in from outside yard work and washing vacuum parts. For 300 you got a good deal. It might seem high, but consider all those hard-to-find parts. And consider the shipping and packing as well. Good thing you got that 505 as I might have walked out with it!

Ben, good to know about the bags, but now I will have a hard time sleeping tonight… :oP At least it is an original bag. I did not see the later Classic III bags on any of the machines at the shop. A good eye you have! Can you tell if the bag on the other Classic III is a Kirby replacement? It had no tag and has a metal zipper and a thick vinyl hand pocket.

Broomvac, there will eventually be another thread for my Classic III resto. However, it may sound much like the last 4 I have posted… However the colors will be different!

I was not have even supposed to have gone to the shop today, but yesterday I had forgot to get a cherry 6-blade metal fan for my 505. And when I was there, I got more stuff. And the more we rummaged around, I found more! I also got pictures of what he has in the front, too, so those will be coming soon. So today’s haul included:
-- 6-blade metal fan in excellent condition to go in my 505. Its 10 blade metal fan will more to the Tradition which has a plastic.
-- Two NOS nozzle bumpers for DS50, one for my mom and one for mine (that I have not started on yet). Included mounting hardware
-- Two new bearings for my Classic III. The originals seem okay, but while it is torn down, they get changed as I do not know the history of the machine. Cheap insurance!
-- Short fan shaft for my neighbor’s Classic III, is it has the long one for G series that damaged the lens.
-- NOS lens for my Classic III as it has been damaged also. I think this nozzle was from another machine, since the fan on it is metal.
-- Used emtor bottom and brush roll for my neighbor’s Classic III, as they had issues. No charge for these. I will clean them up for him.
-- A hose assembly for my 505 in excellent condition! Well, maybe not from a 505 because it is red, but my machine is red and looks perfect with it. Comes with blower attachment and the front attachment.
-- An attachment bundle for my Classic III. I told myself I did not need them but he gave me a great deal on them. Includes a hose, a floor nozzle, two massage cups, and portable handle all in excellent condition. Also a dusting brush and wide brush in usable but scratched-up condition. For the price I cannot complain!
-- And lastly, a light socket for my DS50 project! Well, it came attached to an old Classic motor unit! It runs, too and comes with a handle! So, for the price of a socket, I get more usable parts. Now if only I had room to store this stuff!!

So total damage report was about 75 clams, more than yesterday. However, I did get some very nice stuff, some for my projects and some for spare parts. The hose and fan for the 505 were today’s Holy grails.

Pictures below of before and after washing. I almost did not want the attachments because they looked so bad. It was amazing at what simple green, water, and some brushes can do!
I think the dirtiness is what turns most people off from buying used stuff. Most of the time, after a good cleaning, things look as good as new, and I love that transformation!

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les,

I was the one that got his nice Kirby refurbished 505 in the window and Model C.   


 


Rob, what was his asking price for the gold g5 and Heritage? $300 each?


 


kelton
 
Inventory pics from April 12 2019

As promised, and per the owner's request, here are some pictures I took when I was there. These are all from the storefront inventory, none are from the hoards in the back.
I did my best to exclude Les' machines from the pictures but I think one (5xx) is visible in the picture of the 7 G-series machines (which has been sold).
The owner is very negotiable in terms of package deals on the old stuff. The more you buy the home you save. New and NOS parts are not discounted yet, as he still needs to run the shop.
Oh - he did have some old fields and armatures on the shelf, too.

The brown Hoover is from 1969 but has bad bearing by the sound of it. The bakelite top has a hole in it.

My neighbor was envious when he saw the hose I came back with on Friday for my machine, so now he wants one too for his. I need a few more things so looks like I will make another trip out there this week.

Kelton, Both of the gold ones are/were 500 each. The G5 sold for that already but the HII remains (for now). I am quite tempted just for the coolness factor........

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Hey

I got 505 508 519 and a classic motor. He does have Omega through heritage vaccuums. He is willing to work with you too. I was tempted for the d80 but the deal the 505 508 were more appealing.
Les
 
I'll drop by there again next time I"m down there.....sure there'll be something ( parts most likely) that I"ll pick up. I"ve spent too much $ there already haha

wow, I can't believe someone would actually pay $500 for that gold g5....amazing.

Good for you Les, getting some machines you wanted!!!
 
Come on down, Ben, and bring a truck or trailer. He told me if he did get a reasonable offer for all, he would take it!
I will be back over there tomorrow for some more stuff...
 
Hey

He shipped mine today a large shipping sum. The actualtal services delivery charges never ceases to amaze me. I'm glad he made some money. I do wish he lived closer I'd have a hayday. The rebuilt Kirby's have.pre sanatronic rebuilds so pretty close to original. He took care of them. The 519 and d80 bearings sounded good. He said 519 had a bad fan but I have quite a few fans so no big deal. The 505 has no brush roll or cord but I have a cord. The handles are grey and there Kirby manufacturered parts. The grey was color of the vacuums around 1961 the vacuum didn't get sanatronic have job grey rare nice handles. The 508 replacement cord identical to the original. It is grey but identical to original. I do believe grey is original 508 handle trim. The rebuilt was done and good collectible parts put on machine. I got a 505 rebuilt had a 4 amp motor I have had to completely redo machine. I have to polish a little but it's first rennovation of my 505s. With this I have 3 505 s and 2 508s. I'm pretty sure I got # 505 hoses and attachments and same with 508.
Les
 
Ben or kelton

Or anyone reading this post. Does anyone have dual sanitronic 80 green extension tube the straight one. If you do and are willing to help me out with this let me know please.
Thanks
Les
 
Time to resurrect this thread, as time is running out.

I had visited the shop back in late August and the owner has been getting rid of more and more, marking the older stuff down even more. There are still lots of old parts units (Mostly Omega - Heritage) and he still has some running frankensteined units.
He has lots of Tradition headlight caps with the lock on them, as well as lock parts (but no electrical switches). Even most general items in the shop pictures I had posted earlier are for sale, down to the furniture.
I had gotten the two old units below for 40 bucks, as that was all the cash I had on me. The Kirby actually worked nicely, just needs a cord.

I will be revisiting the shop in early October (or maybe even this weekend also), so if anyone has any questions, I will try my best to ask when i go.
The really rare and valuable stuff he might take with him and auction off, so i do not expect any giveaways of that.

Ben, I will see if I can get some parts books for you, but getting those might be questionable until after the shop closes completely.

Only a month left - hard to believe.....

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Texas Kirby guy

I see the bag with Kirby on it. I have a 1961 blakemans appliance company magazine. It has almost 300 pages all vacuums. The Kirby rebuild was offered a few times. I think the Texas Kirby location in Texas opened up. It maybe my he has so many rebuilt Kirby's. The bag was either sanitronic 519 or Kirby on the bag. I know it's an authentic Kirby part but it's rare. The 519 I got had a bad fan. I switched out the fan. The vacuum was in mint condition. Bearings all good, carbon brushes good and vacuum was in great shape. If I lived closer I'd get more. He is a really nice guy.
If anyone wants a Kirby buy from this guy. My 505 508 and 519 are mint. I'd bet he serviced every vacuum he sells. Kirby's are best up and bearings are usually shot. You will have to polish but it's not playing bumper cars with walls or other vacuums.
Les
 
Les, so are telling me that the bag on that machine I got IS an original Kirby part? James told be it was not original. Perhaps not original to a factory-built machine and is a Kirby part for rebuilds? This old machine works, so i may clean it up and just leave it at that - no polishing. I cannot wash the bag as it is too fragile. Just touching the lettering causes it to flake off.

Ben, he told me he has a blue wand and he will hold it for me. I am thinking it might be part of a whole set, but I will find out when I go.

I have started a list of stuff to get/look for, so I will keep you in mind. If you need any other blue attachments, let me know as I have a couple mismatched sets that I could break up. I had to get three cheap sets to get a complete one long ago.
I may have to do the same with the red ones for my 'new' Classic III..
 

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