Thread Number: 4637
Sometimes the CraigsList Fairies smile on me.....
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Post# 52003   9/21/2008 at 17:59 (5,667 days old) by ttuee2006 ()        

Well today was fun. I need to go to Austin to visit a friend who was in town, and something told me to visit the Austin area CraigsList before I went. SO glad I did! Picked up 3 machines, one of which I know nothing about.

So here's pictures from today's haul....

First up: Plastic based Hoover Convertible U4123. I don't know how vintage this is, but it was $5.......Figured it was a good candidate to replace our horrendous bagless monstrosity at work. It's a Type-C bag too......I thought the plastic ones all pretty much took the Type-A bag?


Now to continue more on topic for the "Vintage" forum post. I also picked up this Royal tank cleaner while I was in town. I know NOTHING about these, but this one looks to be fairly old. It is a model 401 and has it's original wands, cloth bag, tools (except the crevice tool), and the woman says the hose is original, but it appears to have been re-glued at some point. At any rate, an interesting machine! Needs some bearing grease though.....


Here is a closer shot of the Royal tank. It's so cute! The writing originally had some sort of silver leaf type stuff on it, but it was all flaking off, so I just wiped it and everything came off.....now the logo is white!


And finally for the one that made the trip worth it.....a Classic III WITH boxed tools, WITH the original bag, from the ORIGINAL owner!! I need to find a crevice tool and a dusting brush for it and that's IT! The motor is in flawless condition, the brushroll is in excellent condition, and the bearings are in like-new condition. You just don't find machines that well cared-for every day...


Post# 52006 , Reply# 1   9/21/2008 at 18:09 (5,667 days old) by electroluxkirby ()        
WOW!

I really like that Kirby Classic III, especially the color!

This may sound like a dumb question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Are the Royal vacuums and Royal typewriters the same company?


James


Post# 52007 , Reply# 2   9/21/2008 at 18:13 (5,667 days old) by truckerx (Palm Springs, CA)        
Nice finds Eric!

truckerx's profile picture
About the Royal...I believe those tanks are fairly collectible. Michael LaBue (Malabue) knows a bit about them.

Post# 52058 , Reply# 3   9/22/2008 at 00:49 (5,667 days old) by ttuee2006 ()        
The Royal All Cleaned Up....

I couldn't resist the Royal's tempting......it was just BEGGING to be overhauled.....so I did it! Why resist the urge right?!

Below are photos after a good polishing and a bearing repacking. At the very end is a link to it in action! Runs soooooooo smooth...... Pictures just don't do it justice at all.....the flash brings out every single little imperfection...it looks amazing in person!






And of course the video link:


CLICK HERE TO GO TO ttuee2006's LINK


Post# 52095 , Reply# 4   9/22/2008 at 08:51 (5,666 days old) by luxg ()        

Eric, you have done a great job on this machine! I loved the video, thanks so much for taking the time to do this. I always enjoy vacuuming with those beautiful S shaped wands.

Post# 52100 , Reply# 5   9/22/2008 at 09:06 (5,666 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

Nice finds and the green Royal is sort of the find du jour

Post# 52105 , Reply# 6   9/22/2008 at 11:07 (5,666 days old) by louvac (A)        

Eric,

I have that same model Royal tank in comparable condition. I'll try to take a picture of it later and post it here.

The color is sharp!I have only the rug nozzle and wands and I believe one or two attachments. And, I don't have the cord. These cords were detachable because I believe from what I have been told, that one would have used the cord from the upright? Doesn't make too much sense to me. Anyway....

Go to Wallyworld. They sell what they now call an "appliance" cord. It used to be called a vacuum cleaner extension cord. It's gray, 20ft long, fits perfectly, and looks great! Here in CT they cost $9.13.

Louis


Post# 52107 , Reply# 7   9/22/2008 at 12:35 (5,666 days old) by truckerx (Palm Springs, CA)        
Very nice find Eric.....

truckerx's profile picture
...and a great job cleaning, preening, and overhauling the lovely green Royal tank. It sounds good. I like the way it slowly winds down on well-lubed bearings. The metal attachments are nice. They appear to be high quality, and surprisingly, not that dissimilar to Air-Way's.

I have a blue Royal tank that I could drag out and photograph if anyone would be interested in seeing it. Heck, maybe I'll do it anyway. D


Post# 52109 , Reply# 8   9/22/2008 at 13:35 (5,666 days old) by truckerx (Palm Springs, CA)        
Blue Royal Tank...

truckerx's profile picture
....Model 4250. You can easily see, with this more recent model, how the Royal tank has retained its basic original design.

Post# 52110 , Reply# 9   9/22/2008 at 13:36 (5,666 days old) by truckerx (Palm Springs, CA)        
Blue Royal...

truckerx's profile picture
....model 4250

Post# 52111 , Reply# 10   9/22/2008 at 13:37 (5,666 days old) by charles~richard ()        

The Royal and Electro-Hygiene used either an extension cord or an automatic cord winder. See photos.


Post# 52112 , Reply# 11   9/22/2008 at 13:38 (5,666 days old) by charles~richard ()        





Post# 52133 , Reply# 12   9/22/2008 at 16:51 (5,666 days old) by ttuee2006 ()        
The Cord...

I have the original cord that goes with it! I just took it off for the photos. It was sitting on the floor beside where I was taking the pictures. I don't think the video showed it, but it was in use to make the film too.

The pictures just don't do it justice. In the pictures it looks all beat up, but in life it looks great. Photos have a way of bringing out the worst in stuff...

Incidentally, does anyone know what vintage this is? The woman I bought it from appeared to be in her late 40s, and she inherited it from her mother who bought it new. She doesn't remember when they got it though. Up until a couple months ago it was her daily-driver vacuum even! I imagine she stopped using it due to the horrendous shrill screech the front bearing was intermittently making. The same bearing is in it now, just after a nice long soak in Acetone and a repack with new grease.

I had a friend and fellow collector showing me his 2003 Royal Tank, and it's surprising how little they've changed over the years. I'm curious if the new ones have a larger motor... Mine has a 6 amp Lamb motor in it.


Post# 52266 , Reply# 13   9/24/2008 at 00:47 (5,665 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Nice Finds, Eric!!

hygiene903's profile picture
All great machines! I'm thinking the green Royal is from the 60's. My son and I have a blue one similar to Bernie's with the tool caddy, but ours is a lighter blue, think Bernie's is newer. We also have 2 Electro-Hygiene tanks like the one in the photo Charles shared. One is from 1974 and the other is from the 50's, and not much difference between the two. The one in the pictures below is the older of the two.
And the Classic III, we've got one of those too and I really love it!! Think it's the quietest Kirby I've ever heard!! All I need to make mine a complete ensemble is an instruction book and maybe a Handi-Butler!
Again, nice finds. Enjoy!!
Jeff


Post# 52344 , Reply# 14   9/24/2008 at 20:23 (5,664 days old) by mihi ()        
man.....

those are 3 nice vacuums!

Post# 52364 , Reply# 15   9/24/2008 at 21:18 (5,664 days old) by ttuee2006 ()        
Updates...

The Convertible made its debut at work today, replacing the HORRENDOUS Eureka Maxima upright we had down there. Everyone was impressed with how QUIET it was in comparison! What a wonderful thing for an office! The sad part is that it picked up half a type-C bag full of garbage out of 2 offices and the entryway. That's only half the building! The Eureka only picked up a handful of dust when it was used last Wednesday.......PATHETIC!!

The CIII still hasn't been touched. In fact I had to hide it in my attic since it will not be going into my collection. I bought it explicitly to restore and give to my sister. The thing is almost 100% original, though I will have my mother sew a zipper into a replacement bag so she can use disposable bags if she wishes.

The Royal tank got a workout just today cleaning up my garage! Did a fantastic job too. Seriously though..... I need to get a shop-vac for that sort of thing!


Post# 52400 , Reply# 16   9/25/2008 at 07:00 (5,663 days old) by arh1953 ( River Park, in Port St. Lucie, Florida)        

arh1953's profile picture
I love that green and white Convertible. The other two are definite eye candy.


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