Thread Number: 33957
/ Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Rob's Tradition restoration... |
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Post# 368291 , Reply# 3   3/12/2017 at 13:20 (2,595 days old) by jimjimmunster (Hammond, Ind.)   |   | |
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Post# 368293 , Reply# 4   3/12/2017 at 13:25 (2,595 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
That Tradition sure looked like it went through heck and back! The Style 1 disposable bag system, dare I say, wasn't very good. In the future, may I suggest you change the setup to a Style 3 type (Heritage II thru G5)? The parts you will need to convert your Tradition to Style 3 disposables: 190181 - bottom adapter 191481 - bottom adapter mounting screw (2 used) 192981 - bottom adapter gasket 190384 - fill tube 190484 - top adapter Yes, it is true that besides the introduction of the Amodel fan, Kirby also changed the fan case gasket on the G5. The two previous models, the Generation 3 and the G4, both still used the old-style O-ring (122068). ~Ben |
Post# 368299 , Reply# 6   3/12/2017 at 15:08 (2,595 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
I think you already know this, but Kirby did still market the shake-out bag as an option for the Tradition, Heritage, Heritage II (Legend) and Legend II. ~Ben This post was last edited 03/12/2017 at 16:09 |
Post# 368304 , Reply# 8   3/12/2017 at 16:12 (2,595 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
They did become less and less common the more advanced the disposable bag system got. When the Heritage II came out, its disposable bag system had been perfect enough to outsell the dump bags... and lasted all the way up to the G5. And yes, the 13" nozzle option was also not very common. It was desired by those individuals who had a lot of areas the normal 16" nozzle couldn't get to. A lot of people say its airflow was better than the 16" nozzle, too. It was also introduced at the same time as the COMVAC 1300, which was a commercial-duty model. That, and the larger COMVAC 1600, also shared the same belt and respective brush rolls as the Heritage series. While both the 1300 and 1600 were obviously commercial-duty machines with non-removable nozzles and three-wire cords, each one markedly stands out for different reasons: on the 1300, the motor assembly was essentially carry-over from the Sanitronic VII, employing the same side-mounted foot switch; but the 1600, whose nozzle and motor design looked like the current Heritage I, actually has a fingertip toggle switch mounted on the handle assembly itself. With only a three-year production and sales run, neither machine is common to find these days. ~Ben This post was last edited 03/12/2017 at 16:50 |
Post# 368306 , Reply# 10   3/12/2017 at 16:34 (2,595 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
At first, these disposable paper bags were white. It was in January 1988, during the Heritage II Legend run, that Kirby finally made them yellow. The yellow disposable bags were improved so there was not only better filtration but also less of a chance of pinholes. Then, Kirby came out with the "Micron Magic" bags for its new G4 in 1993, which were still yellow; a year later they were finally brown. Speaking of Traditions, though, there actually is one rare variation: the Golden Trophy. This limited edition was handed out as a sales award (so to speak) to the manager of whichever Kirby dealer per state had sold the most Kirby units a year; at least 50 were made, one given to each state's best-performing Kirby dealer. Less than about 200 of these were built. They used anodized gold plating for the exposed parts in place of aluminum, and also used the same rosewood trim as the Classic Omega. ~Ben This post was last edited 03/12/2017 at 20:56 |
Post# 368321 , Reply# 13   3/12/2017 at 18:53 (2,595 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
I'm pretty sure the disposable bags for the older machines didn't turn brown until around 2009. I know they still made both the Style 1 and Style 2 paper bags in yellow as late as 2008. It is nice over here in the good ol' Pacific Northwest! The Tradition's Crystalator is quite rare with the transparent blue body! I know the prior Classic III also could be had with either a transparent red or clear crystal body, and both versions were produced through 1979. There is a slide on the Crystalator, which is only used in the "open" position if you are to use the paradichlorobenzene crystals; for other uses it stays in the "closed" position. ~Ben |
Post# 368486 , Reply# 15   3/15/2017 at 17:32 (2,592 days old) by CharlesKirby66 (Manteca, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 369751 , Reply# 19   4/1/2017 at 19:10 (2,575 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 369797 , Reply# 21   4/2/2017 at 13:40 (2,574 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 369821 , Reply# 22   4/2/2017 at 15:46 (2,574 days old) by KirbyKleanKarpet (Florida )   |   | |
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The metal fan, upon inspection, appears to be alright. Of course, I'll know better after installation. It physically is not bent, and it only has two really noticeable chips on it.
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Post# 369825 , Reply# 23   4/2/2017 at 16:50 (2,574 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 369829 , Reply# 25   4/2/2017 at 17:36 (2,574 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
Well, what you had observed might have been the reason why, for the Heritage I (and roughly six months of Heritage II sales), Kirby had reverted back to the standard cardboard box for their basic tools, and might also have been the explanation why Kirby didn't sell the white version of it during the 1979-80 season of Tradition sales. It was in March 1985 that Kirby finally unleashed the "Kirby Kaddy," during Heritage II sales. Other changes for this model occurred at the same time: shaved nozzle, and replacement of belt-driven Turbo Brush with Zippbrush. ~Ben
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Post# 369845 , Reply# 27   4/2/2017 at 21:15 (2,574 days old) by KirbyKleanKarpet (Florida )   |   | |
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I forgot. My name's Tim, by the way. ~Tim |
Post# 369847 , Reply# 28   4/2/2017 at 21:28 (2,574 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Tim,
Again, it's possible they were clearing overstock of their parts supplies at the time your cleaner was built. ~Ben This post was last edited 04/02/2017 at 22:58 |
Post# 369854 , Reply# 30   4/2/2017 at 22:57 (2,574 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Rob,
Yes, indeed... that version was pictured in the 1st version of the Tradition instruction book which would cover the version of the headlight cap yours has. ~Ben
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