Thread Number: 28061
/ Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Your biggest basket-case vacuum resto/rebuild turn arounds |
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Post# 313524   1/27/2015 at 12:16 (3,370 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)   |   | |
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Post a link if you already made a thread of the vacuum you worked on.
Like the Desmond Dekker song says: Rome was not built in a day Opposition will come your way But the hotter the battle you see Is the sweeter the victory now Diving in and scouring away ages of filth on a vacuum that also has a number of parts broken or missing..and ending up with a show piece is to me the top satisfaction in this sport. Unearthing an unused, or nearly pristine treasure, and liberating it from the abyss of forgotten things is also special but in a far more concentrated way. I have a couple vacs which will require rather heroic efforts to save, one, a Silver King canister lived on a sea going cabin cruiser and is extremely rusty; another, a Kirby Heritage II was just used to the hilt and given to me by someone leaving the country to start a life as a missionary! My first resto work, still in progress(!), is a rusty Concept I. I have and will continue to derust and paint that machine until it's just the way i want, not restored exactly, but rather remade. Saddly pics will have to wait until i get back to California. This post was last edited 01/27/2015 at 14:09 |
Post# 313733 , Reply# 2   1/29/2015 at 13:56 (3,368 days old) by anthony (leeds uk)   |   | |
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Post# 313734 , Reply# 3   1/29/2015 at 14:01 (3,368 days old) by anthony (leeds uk)   |   | |
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Post# 313735 , Reply# 4   1/29/2015 at 14:19 (3,368 days old) by Ultralux88 (Denver, Colorado)   |   | |
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My personal bet restoration that I did myself is this Panasonic Commercial. It was used commercially with the cloth bag for decades, and then when the bearings were all shot, and it sounded like a dull chainsaw on concrete, it went to the thrift store where I thankfully found it. I replaced both bearings in the motor which involved drilling rivets and snap riveting things back together (I might have used some small screw/bolt sets instead of rivets to hold the bearing plate to the main motor housing, I don't remember completely...), as well as replaced both bearings in the brush roll. It was also filthy and had to be cleaned completely, the belt cover was bent up badly too, which had to be straightened out, we had one in a box here at work so I could bend it back to the right shape. I also had to soak and scrub the cord with a scotchbrite pad to get all the filth and paint markings off of it so it would look new again, same happened to the bumper and the hose from the brush area to the bag connecter, as they were filthy and caked with minge as well. Here's a video showing what it is now.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO Ultralux88's LINK |
Post# 313743 , Reply# 5   1/29/2015 at 16:43 (3,368 days old) by stricklybojack (Southern California)   |   | |
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some great replies already. First, I now have 2 motorcycles down from my all time high of four just 2 or 3 years ago. I've often trolled craigslist looking for Rovers and I read about them often on this great website I recommend highly and will link to below.
Metal Hoover saved from oblivion, is there a better way to spend an afternoon in the shop? I don't think so. Lastly that Panasonic is drool worthy. I say that as the proud owner of the same model but in residential guise. The sound is truly "Jet" like and it inspired me to find many other similar machines. Bravo on doing the full job. I got my motor out but didn't go further as it was in good shape. Keep'em coming boys, I love what I am seeing so far.. CLICK HERE TO GO TO stricklybojack's LINK |
Post# 313744 , Reply# 6   1/29/2015 at 16:46 (3,368 days old) by vacuumkid47 (Sibley, IA)   |   | |
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Was a Kirby Classic III. I took it home to fix. The owner said they used it as a garage vac. So, I shined it up with polish, replaced the belt and the headlight. You know the Sani-emptor? I opened it, I KID YOU NOT, literally a MOUNTAIN of dirt and crap was built up in that machine. Now I understand why they used it as a garage vac. The fan was in poor, poor shape. Then, I found a complete set of attachments for it, so yeah.
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Post# 313829 , Reply# 7   1/30/2015 at 18:16 (3,367 days old) by compactc9guy (Bathurst NB)   |   | |
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The biggest turn around would have to be my electrolux discoveri II upright found in a yard sale for 20$ no bag no filter no hose , i rebuilt the whole thing and spa day put a fresh bag and filter got a genuine lux hose and attachement set now it runs like it should looks mint to .
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