What is the most $$ you've spend buying or rebuilding an old vacuum?

[kirbylover]

I see a people on here get great deals on vintage vacuums, some people asking "how much is (insert model here) worth? and many people with great looking machines, some rare others not so rare in their collections. I'm sure there has got to be a number of us who take some piece of junk if given to us, and want to restore it. So my question is- whether you came across an old vac that you have wanted for a while, or restored some piece of "junk" back into original condition, what is the most you have spend on a single vacuum? Reason I ask if because I am slowly restoring my dad's Tradition, which was/is a bagless, handless, nozzle-less FrankenKirby that has a pile of random parts. The cheapest way to restore it would simply be to find a complete Tradition and swap most of the parts over, lol. But silly me am doing it bit by bit, and I don't want to keep track of how much will be going into it!

 

[henry200]

I think the most I've spent while restoring a vintage vacuum was about $200. 

 

[blackheart]

I've never spent too much on restorations i usually look for used parts if the shops have them. I think the most i think the most i've spent on a vintage machine was about $70 shipping included on my dual 80

 

[kirby519]

Wow! That one is a mix of parts.

 

[floor-a-matic]

$50 for Kirby Classic 1CR tools, Rug Renovator, fluffer (all in original box)
$100 for Filter Queen K31X (PN brush roller, belt, 10ft electrified hose)

 

[Real1]

The beauty....

of this hobby is that vacuums for the most part, are cheap to buy with some neglect, or just really dirty. If I had access to large city thrifts, I'd be a regular. Once satiated with working vacuums (yes, I believe there is that point for me!), I would be restoring motors & parts.

On average, I usually give about $30 for a vacuum...probably no more than that again for parts....except the friggin' new LUX hoses, which far exceed the value of the vacuum! I haven't gone for anything rare or exotic like the Hospital G etc. Maybe something like that will just turn up in my life...ya never know!

Kevin

 

[kirbylover]

Well I just picked up a G4 for $25 today (I think it should be fine, just needs a cleaning and polish) which I think is a really good deal, kinda balances out what money I spend on other vacs with this "hobby". I also got the $18 fan assembly into my $20 G3- I plan on selling both these vacs and hope to make a bit of money on them.

 

[ozoned]

I just looked on you know where in completed listings. Someone, this week, paid $1299.99 for a vintage vacuum cleaner.

That is INSANE!

 

[Real1]

Which ......

begs the question; WHY?? Was it some one-of-a-kind prototype....came with a jet pack....educate me?

Kevin

 

[brandon_w_t]

I have well over $350 invested into my Kirby dual sanitronic 80. That's part why I could never part with it.

I'd never get the money back out of it!


My two Hoover 150s cost me $100 but that's fifty a piece so not too bad.

The Hoover 800 I used to have cost me over $125.

 

[twocvbloke]

That abomination at the top there is going to take a lot of parts to get it looking like it was actually a Tradition, you'd be better off just buying a Trad, polishing it up and saying that you're all done "fixing" it up, cos that one looks like it was just made up of spares that were lying around.... :S

Anyway, I don't think I've paid a lot of money for parts when putting things back together when restoring, though, if I saved up my money I think that my G3 would turn out to be the most expensive given the amount of essential parts it needs (burshroll, fan, suppressor assembly on the base of the motor (220-250v models only), cable, motor shell trim, all 4 wheels, etc.), and the parts it "could do with replacing" would add more, so that could end up being quite costly, might just sell it off for spares, cos nothing's happening with it and I've lost interest in it too...

 

[kirbylover]

"I just looked on you know where in completed listings. Someone, this week, paid $1299.99 for a vintage vacuum cleaner. That is INSANE!"

I think spending $1299 on a new Sentria is insane too, considering you can buy them on ebay for less than half or buy a used one, or just get a g6 or something for a hundred or 2 which is almost the same thing anyways.


@twocvbloke if I could find another tradition and just swap the parts over, it would be easier and cheaper, but I can't find any! Not about to spend $150 or something for one on ebay either. I've got the cord and bag now, 'just' need the handle and nozzle (i've got a blue upper piece but need the fork). I did just pick up a Classic 3 nozzle, maybe I can swap a belt lifter onto it or something now sure if that would work.

 

[twocvbloke]

I suppose a CIII nozzle could be altered to look like a Tradition nozzle (swap the belt lifter and the bumper), they're basically the same, and you'd have the advantage of having the suction relief valve on the top of the nozzle under the headlight...

As for the handle fork, I'm sure if you ask, someone may have one to spare...

 

[kirbylover]

I wish we had a for sale/trade area on the forum. Feel like I'd be cluttering up the place posting wanted ads everywhere. I do have HII parts that I could trade.

 

[craig_1982]

Hello, Out of my collection the most expensive model was my G3 Kirby which cost me £155 + £30 shipping of eBay, thankfully it was in good condition all that needed was the bearings on the handle/pivot assembly freeing up.

the cheapest Kirby I got was for £25 + £10 shipping this was a Legend 2 listed as spares and repairs all it needed was a new fuse and a good polish/clean up.

The rest of my collection was between £50 and £80 to buy with two of the Heritage 2's needing new power cable's which were another £20

 

[djtaylor]

Mine is a Rainbow D3. It cost $65 at a local thrift store. Then I got an SE hose for around $25, D4 tool caddy and attachments for $35. Now I need to replace the power nozzle, don't know what that's gonna cost... maybe another $100 or more. So far it's $125. I'd like an SE or E2 power nozzle, but we will see.
Justin

 

[minivanmegafun]

I think I've sunk about $70 into my Lux Diamond J, but all I've really bought is a Sidekick and a new hose.