Thread Number: 2503
Kirby bargain! 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 27538   12/20/2007 at 12:58 (5,971 days old) by vintagehoover ()        

I spotted this Kirby Legend II on eBay last Friday. I wasn't looking for a Kirby, I was just browsing. It looked pretty dirty, and was untested, so I had no guarantee it would work. But what attracted me was the price: it had a BIN of 99p! And better still, they only wanted £6.99 for postage! I knew it had to be worth more than £8, even if it didn't work - I sold a Legend II with a shattered fan 2 years ago for £50! So I clicked 'buy'.

It turned up today, and it WAS pretty dirty - it's obviously been abandoned in a garage or shed for several years:

Post# 27539 , Reply# 1   12/20/2007 at 12:59 (5,971 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Other than the dirt...

 ...it's not too bad...all the bits are there:

Post# 27540 , Reply# 2   12/20/2007 at 13:00 (5,971 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
After a bit of a clean:

 Ok, so it'll never be a gleaming beauty like the examples some of you guys have in your collection, but it's an improvement!

Post# 27541 , Reply# 3   12/20/2007 at 13:04 (5,971 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
And in action!

 The good news is, the £8 Kirby runs like new! As well as being cleaned and polished, the bag and fill tube have been washed.

The bad news is I've just had to spend £27.50 on bags and belts for it! Oh well, I suppose there's always a catch with any bargain"

Post# 27545 , Reply# 4   12/20/2007 at 14:11 (5,971 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
A before-and-after...

 ...cos they're always fun!

Post# 27546 , Reply# 5   12/20/2007 at 14:49 (5,971 days old) by swiveltop (Galveston, TX)        
Great Deal

 I would have paid more than that just for the bag and emptor, I got a great deal on my Heritage II with the small head on e-bay,it had a damaged mini emptor,so I got one off the Heritage II that I got cheap at a thrift store, These are my favorite Kirby's,I had a G4 but it didn't do as good a job grooming the carpets, Your Legend II cleaned up nice,with the right buffing equipment you could get it back to facory new looking again, I worked for a Kirby dealer for years,we had a bench mounted buffer and it would bring any Kirby in any condition back to shiny new, enjoy your nice find, Mark

Post# 27549 , Reply# 6   12/20/2007 at 15:11 (5,971 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

Great buy Jack. You know it isn't really as difficult as you'd think getting that Kirby back to near new brilliance. Just get some 0000 grade steel wool and aluminum polish at the grocery/hardware/auto parts or Flitz or Maas or even VIM creme cleanser works albeit not quite as well and rub away. Absolutely will not scratch. It's just more time consuming than anything. And have a roll of paper towels too because it's like polishing silver, lots of black tarnish coming off on the steel wool and your fingers. Remove the handle, sani emptor and nozzle and do it piece work style. I'd sit on the front porch doing mine watching the neighborhood goings on.

Post# 27550 , Reply# 7   12/20/2007 at 15:32 (5,971 days old) by swiveltop (Galveston, TX)        

Here is my Heritage after using mothers aluminum polish and a buffing pad attached to a drill.

Post# 27552 , Reply# 8   12/20/2007 at 15:55 (5,971 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Magic is starting to happen!

 I may have spoken too soon, and underestimated the Kirby's ability to bounce back! I've just been working on it with my Dremel, using some polishing pads I bought on eBay. I haven't used the Dremel much because I've had problems with the polishing compound which came with the pads, but I got it out this evening, and used it after putting on some of the polish I usually use when buffing by hand. It takes a while, because the pads are only small, and it's going to take several applications, but the tarnishing does seem to be coming off! I'm just worried about the more serious patch of corrosion on the right-hand side; maybe I'll have to get some of that wire wool you mentioned, Pete - sounds like it might help.

And Mark, that Heritage looks amazing! It'd be nice to think my new buy could look as good as that one day...we'll see!

I've bought some genuine Micron Magic bags (£17.50 for 9), and 5 geniune belts too (£10 for 5) - I think the prices are a rip-off, though! I bought genuine, rather than imitation, but I don't know if I could afford to do that every time!

I have a question: is it ok to machine-wash the bag? I just did it by hand earlier, and it still smells a little of old dust. Would it be ok to do it inside out, at 40 degrees, on a normal cycle?

Post# 27553 , Reply# 9   12/20/2007 at 16:21 (5,971 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

I only handwash in lukewarm water with a small amount of laundry powder followed up by a rinse and some liquid fabric softener. I know for a fact the blue Tradition bag leeches color even doing it that way. It's not worth the risk I think.
I'm not an allergic person so the micron magic bags are a waste of money imho

Post# 27589 , Reply# 10   12/20/2007 at 23:09 (5,971 days old) by luxg ()        

Jack, Congratulations on getting such a great deal. I've always loved the color combination on the Legend II .

Post# 27628 , Reply# 11   12/21/2007 at 17:23 (5,970 days old) by kirbyking ()        

Wow great find!
What a bargain :D
I got my Legend II a few years ago from a boot sale for £10
Came with the dusting tools, and rug renovator aswell.
They come up really well when polished
Use wirewool or very fine sandpaper to get rid of the corrosion

James

Post# 27633 , Reply# 12   12/21/2007 at 18:14 (5,970 days old) by electroluxxxx (……)        

too shiny. get it inside you are going to blind god or someone. lol. Really Nice machine. now you say that Steel wool and a polish will take care of the machine? what kind of steel wool do you recomend because I have 4 Kirby's that could really really use it. also does the steel wool take care of the scratches on the hood. and last but not least since Brilo is steel wool would that work because I just might take it in to consideration

Post# 27639 , Reply# 13   12/21/2007 at 18:59 (5,970 days old) by hoover1060 ()        
Jack,

Congrats on the nice find, it looks awesome from the first pictures you posted.
I have machine washed Kirby bags with no problems. Those bags especially wash well. I would recommend an extra rinse though, sometimes those bags can be filthy!
I'll echo everyone's polishing advice with one twist: but two grades of steel(wire)wool, One medium-fine grade and one super fine.
Use the plain steel wool first to remove the dirt, then go back with the polishing compound. It will take several appliacations and LOTS of elbow grease, but you should be able to make that Kirby sparkle by hand pretty easily.
Good luck and let us know how it all comes out!

Jeff

Post# 28633 , Reply# 14   1/7/2008 at 16:52 (5,953 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Meanwhile...

 ...putting aside my G5 fiasco for a minute, my bargain Legend II is looking better by the minute! I've been using wire wool on it, as recommended, and the original finish has come back! It's still not perfect, but what an improvement!

Post# 28650 , Reply# 15   1/7/2008 at 20:15 (5,953 days old) by petek (Ontario)        

What a major difference already and it probably looks better in real life than the photo's as usually happens.

Post# 28693 , Reply# 16   1/8/2008 at 14:42 (5,952 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Before and After - the sequel!

 My first B&A pic was a little premature - it's come a long way since then! Wire wool, used with Carr & Day & Martin Metal and Brass polish (why the distinction between metal and brass? Isn't brass a metal?!) has worked wonders. Thanks all the people who recommended the wire wool, too - it'll be a staple of my reconditioning kit from now on.

I did put the bag through the washing machine, too - 40 degrees easy-care cycle. Made the bag look like new and got rid of the musty smell.

Post# 28695 , Reply# 17   1/8/2008 at 14:58 (5,952 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
Another wire-wool miracle:

 The Model 300 I shipped over here at the end of last year; in it's before-state, it was filthy and corroded - the surface of the metal actually had a texture!

After extensive work with metal polish and wire-wool, it's a dramatic improvement. I will be continuing to work on it until it's as good as new, but here's where I am at the moment:

Post# 28704 , Reply# 18   1/8/2008 at 16:11 (5,952 days old) by kirbyboy1 ()        

WOW THATS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does it work good. I would love to have the older machine. Does that machine have " positive agitation"?

Post# 28722 , Reply# 19   1/8/2008 at 17:16 (5,952 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
'Does it work good'?

 Do you mean the Legend II or the 300?

The Legend II works like new.

I've never been able to run the Model 300, because I haven't got a voltage transformer - the seller assured me it ran very smoothly, and had pictures of it running. Rotating the spindle by hand shows the bearings are good, so I imagine it would run great. If I get a few more US machines in the future, as I hope to, I'll get hold of a transformer.

The 300 does have 'positive agitation' - in fact some examples of the 300 actually have 'Positive Agitation written in italics on the motor band. My one doesn't. Also, there's 2 slightly different versions of the badge on the 300. I imagine variations would be due to changes during the production run, but I don't know.

Maybe one of you US guys could enlighten me!

Post# 28846 , Reply# 20   1/10/2008 at 16:19 (5,950 days old) by 74simon ()        
Loving this thread!

 I'd been working on my Hoover 750 with gallons of Brasso, and not getting anywhere fast. Treated myself to some wire wool and Autosol metal polish, and she has finally started coming up nicely! Now all I have to do is change the flex, patch the bag, derust it, touch up the badge and repaint the handle *groan*. Jack, your beasties have given me something to aspire to! I think I may have been a bit vicious with the wire wool at first, but I shall (try) to be patient!

I'm trying an electric drill attachment to buff it up - note my wise choice of drill manufacturer...

Post# 28853 , Reply# 21   1/10/2008 at 17:45 (5,950 days old) by vintagehoover ()        
And a Hoover drill, no less!

 Looks good, Si! It takes a hell of a lot of patience, because each time you put the polish on, everything goes black, and you have to wipe it off, remove all traces of the blackness, then repeat...my muscles are aching, but it's a good workout, I suppose!

Protecting surfaces from dirt is the best use I can think of for the Daily Mail, too!

Below - my ultimate target for the Model 300:

Post# 28877 , Reply# 22   1/11/2008 at 08:54 (5,949 days old) by electroluxxxx (……)        

Great Job you are doing I could use some pointers on how to do this if you would e mail me @ magvac1004@yahoo.com


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