Thread Number: 25590
Nothing says 1968 like...
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Post# 287320   7/5/2014 at 11:24 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

a Kirby Dual Sanitronic 80!  I love this model!  I wish we'd had it when I was a kid, because we had avocado green carpet in our house.  


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Post# 287321 , Reply# 1   7/5/2014 at 11:26 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

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While everyone else was out boating and barbequing yesterday, I was busy restoring a bit of Americana!


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Post# 287322 , Reply# 2   7/5/2014 at 11:27 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

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I'm so glad the bag and some trim pieces are still available in green.  This vacuum would never look the same in black!


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Post# 287323 , Reply# 3   7/5/2014 at 11:29 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

One of the things I'm most pleased about is the handle label.  Most of these are missing today, so I'm really excited that this one is still completely intact! 


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Post# 287324 , Reply# 4   7/5/2014 at 11:30 (3,554 days old) by vintagevaclover (Athens, GA)        

vintagevaclover's profile picture
Very very nice vacuum.

Post# 287325 , Reply# 5   7/5/2014 at 11:32 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

The cord is almost perfect, and the fan was in great shape too.  However, the nozzle casting was pretty beat up.  It required a lot of sanding.  Unfortunately, there were a couple of gouges that would not come out. 


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Post# 287326 , Reply# 6   7/5/2014 at 11:35 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

And of course, the more upscale homes in 1968 would certainly have an Electorlux 1205 too!  When I rebuilt the 1205, the paint was hard to match.  So the color isn't exact.  My apologies to all the Electrolux fans!


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Post# 287329 , Reply# 7   7/5/2014 at 11:47 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

I think the other reason I love this model is that my favorite color is green!!!


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Post# 287338 , Reply# 8   7/5/2014 at 13:00 (3,554 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)        
One of my fav Kirbys . . .

I always enjoy seeing pix of the D80, that green color is really beautiful! Congrats on such a picture-perfect refurbishment.

Post# 287340 , Reply# 9   7/5/2014 at 13:49 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

This is one of of the reasons I love the shakeout bag system!  I hadve an odd fascination with the debris!  haha! foot-in-mouth  This came from a spin around my bedroom.  I vacuum in there just two days ago with my Kirby Classic.  The dogs shed a lot and track in a lot of grit! 


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Post# 287347 , Reply# 10   7/5/2014 at 16:02 (3,554 days old) by sukething ()        
Anyone seen my little clip of home movies?

I have a very short clip of me using our brand new D80 and it looks just like yours eurekastar...If you feel like watching the three min segment from our Channel 9 news, the short home movie clip is in there..







David


Post# 287349 , Reply# 11   7/5/2014 at 16:07 (3,554 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

That's very cool!  When did that run?


Post# 287353 , Reply# 12   7/5/2014 at 16:29 (3,554 days old) by sukething ()        
Christmas Eve...2012 I believe..

I was excited when one of our local TV stations was willing to come and interview me and Reggie. I know it is a tad corny, making it into a christmas poem, but ti worked. The anker man did that all himself..

Thank and I am glad you enjoyed it...


Post# 287355 , Reply# 13   7/5/2014 at 16:31 (3,554 days old) by Gr8DaneDad ()        

Enjoyed that immensely.


Post# 287357 , Reply# 14   7/5/2014 at 16:41 (3,554 days old) by sukething ()        
The silly thing is...

I have at least 4 of the D80's in my collection..LOL...My grandmother, my moms mom, had the D50, which I have a few of those as well and I thought the lense on top of head light cover was the coolest thing. As I am fond, not sure of the model, of the 30's or 40's Hoover that had the word Hoover lit up when you turned it on...LOL I like all vacuums, seriously, but I do love my Kirbys...

When I was a kid and using a vacuum, I liked to turn it on and stand back and admired the vacuum while running...especially Kirbys...LOL


Post# 287360 , Reply# 15   7/5/2014 at 17:42 (3,554 days old) by marks_here (_._)        
That was brilliant!!!

marks_here's profile picture
I love it!!! Those brought me back to when I was a kid. I'm so glad you posted that and it wasn't corny at all, very tastefully done! A trip back in time never hurts anyone, just makes me wish days were as simple as they were back then! Thank you David!!

Post# 287370 , Reply# 16   7/5/2014 at 19:50 (3,554 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.)        
Great collection!

cb123's profile picture
Great interview! Thanks for sharing it!

Post# 287373 , Reply# 17   7/5/2014 at 20:21 (3,554 days old) by fooseofhoove (Minnesota)        

fooseofhoove's profile picture
Very well done! I thought it was great! We need more stories like that in the news.

Post# 287382 , Reply# 18   7/5/2014 at 22:10 (3,554 days old) by kirbybag (topeka ks )        
great d80

kirbybag's profile picture
eurekastar great kirby d80 and yes kirby is america great vacuum.and sukething very nice segment on channel 9 when i was a kid i like to vacuum with my mother's kirby 517 and stand back and watch it.

Post# 287386 , Reply# 19   7/5/2014 at 23:15 (3,554 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        

portable's profile picture

David - Nice to see your face again. Congrats on landing a spot on the news.

 

Bill - Your D80 is gorgeous. I always liked that Eureka.

 

John L.

 


Post# 287393 , Reply# 20   7/6/2014 at 00:24 (3,553 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

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

Post# 287428 , Reply# 21   7/6/2014 at 07:13 (3,553 days old) by portapower (BRUNSWICK)        

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

Post# 287482 , Reply# 22   7/6/2014 at 14:48 (3,553 days old) by 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


Post# 287609 , Reply# 23   7/7/2014 at 10:24 (3,552 days old) by 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.


Post# 287614 , Reply# 24   7/7/2014 at 10:59 (3,552 days old) by portapower (BRUNSWICK)        
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.

Post# 287619 , Reply# 25   7/7/2014 at 11:21 (3,552 days old) by vac-o-matic (Saint Louis, Mo.)        

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

Post# 287623 , Reply# 26   7/7/2014 at 11:51 (3,552 days old) by kirbymodel2c (Nottingham, England)        
Hi,

kirbymodel2c's profile picture

Hi Bill, Yet another great job!! Keep erm coming!laughing

 

Jamessmile


Post# 287624 , Reply# 27   7/7/2014 at 11:53 (3,552 days old) by Gr8DaneDad ()        

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


Post# 287626 , Reply# 28   7/7/2014 at 12:09 (3,552 days old) by tig21er (Indiana)        
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."

Post# 287632 , Reply# 29   7/7/2014 at 13:04 (3,552 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

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

Post# 287675 , Reply# 30   7/7/2014 at 17:07 (3,552 days old) by beekeyknee (Columbia, MO)        

beekeyknee's profile picture
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.

Post# 287700 , Reply# 31   7/7/2014 at 21:24 (3,552 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

eurekastar's profile picture

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!!!


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Post# 287707 , Reply# 32   7/7/2014 at 21:45 (3,552 days old) by 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


Post# 287740 , Reply# 33   7/8/2014 at 03:56 (3,551 days old) by sharkwo7 (Edinburg Texas)        
Nice Kirby Vacuum Restoration

sharkwo7's profile picture
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.


Post# 287847 , Reply# 34   7/8/2014 at 22:18 (3,551 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Excellent Work Bill!

hygiene903's profile picture
You did a great job and the D-80 is absolutely beautiful!
Jeff



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