Thread Number: 44698  /  Tag: 80s/90s Vacuum Cleaners
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Post# 464533   7/12/2023 at 10:12 (309 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

I had stopped at Goodwill on the way home on Monday, checking on some nice Technics floor speakers I was watching. They were 40 bucks but I opted to not get them unless they went half price.
Well this week was RED week, so the speakers would have been half off.
However they were gone, as well as a couple Onkyo receivers I was watching.
I really did not have the room for them so I was not too disappointed.

I did see a Kirby G4, which was pretty scuzzy looking. I passed it up as I had no desire for one anyway.
I was about ready to leave when I spied a Kirby G5 hiding in the far corner.
This is the last Kirby model I had really wanted, as I really like the black-cherry color - very classy in my eyes.
It was a bit dirty and needed serious polishing but nothing I could not fix. No bag was inside and it looked like it was not run without a bag. It sounded healthy and the tranny worked like it should. It was 20.02 but it was RED tagged also. So for 10.01, it came home with me.

I will update this thread as I work on it.
I had pulled a few easy parts off and washed them up inside, such as the bag top and the handle parts. The bag and nozzle stayed outside since they were the worst off.
The rest went to the garage, as I will not have much time to work on it being it is so dang hot and humid outside. The heat bubble returned and it will be 100+ for the foreseeable future. Heat indexes will be around 110-115 - yuck...

When it is done, I will be willing to sell off my G6 2000 edition set. Fully restored and all attachments & shampooer washed up and present, packed in original G6 boxes.
PM me if anyone would be interested. However shipping it would be outragously expensive..

I have a G5 shampooer set but will be needing the full standard attachment set, hose and all. If anyone has a good set for a good price, please let me know.


A side addition to my luck today...
I have been into ebike riding for fitness, fun, and physical therapy (for my bad knees) for almost two years now.
I had just bought a suspension seat post for the bike and installed it on Sunday. It really helped keep the off-road jolts from hurting my messed-up back as much.
I still wanted a Cloud-9 saddle to go with it for max comfort for long rides. I had dreamed of that for over a year, but did not want to part with the $45 yet until I thought I really needed it.
So on my way to my mom's house that same Monday, I stopped in a new thrift store at Buckingham and Plano road - 'Thrift Town'.
This had to have been the cleanest thrift store ever. Friendly people, cool sales, and reasonable prices.
Just before leaving, I had found the Holy Grail - a Cloud 9 cruiser select saddle with elastomeric suspension - new in the package for only 14 bucks! This is just the one I was wanting!
I also got the Thifty-Over-Fifty senior discount (wow I feel old now) so it was only 13 bucks after taxes.
I snuck in a ride yesterday and the comfort of the post and the new saddle made me feel like I was riding on a near-flat, or like on a cloud.
My neighbor told be I should have bought a lotto ticket that day, lol....
Sometimes the planets just align for me it seems..

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Post# 464536 , Reply# 1   7/12/2023 at 10:41 (309 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky)        

hoover300's profile picture
Good for you!! Always nice to find something you've been after a long time. I can't wait to see it, I know it will look and run great!

As for the G5 tool set, do you still have the one I sent you? If not I can keep an eye out for another if nobody here has a spare

Post# 464538 , Reply# 2   7/12/2023 at 11:58 (309 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Hoover300, Could you remind me what you had sent me? I now vaguely remember something like that but my old mind cannot recall it well. I know I would still have what you sent.
I do have a complete shampooer set, that I am sure of.

Looking forward to Fall!!

Post# 464541 , Reply# 3   7/12/2023 at 13:33 (309 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky)        

hoover300's profile picture
If I recall correctly a full G5 tool set, no shampooer but had the shrink wrapped VHS tape. Also a g7 hose as it kind of matched

Post# 464542 , Reply# 4   7/12/2023 at 13:47 (309 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
Rob

 lesinutah's profile picture
Congrats on your brandywine acquisition. Thats a heck of a deal for a g5 In pretty good shape. Keep us posted on attachments. I have a set iirc.



Post# 464545 , Reply# 5   7/12/2023 at 14:35 (309 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.)        
texaskirbyguy

 That G5 is a classy ride for sure. And the price,hello. Anybody with an ounce of a clue knows what a value Kirby's are. Even more on the used market! That you were the buyer makes this a win/win for both you and the machine. I'm looking forward to seeing the end results.

I spent many a summer staying with cousins in San Antonio and know all about the heat. When the AC had to be replaced, they said two weeks before they could start and finish,we just all moved in to a hotel for the duration.

First and only time I saw heat lightening was in Texas. I also learned that hail stones come in larger sizes than what I was used to seeing in California.

Nice find and you probably should have purchased lottery tickets that day!

Post# 464546 , Reply# 6   7/12/2023 at 15:01 (309 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Hoover300 - THANK YOU! I am remembering this more clearly now and I now remember the off-color of the hose. I remember the video tape too. I think I got this in the middle of my 6 surgeries so my mind was literally in other places then. Now, I just have to find said set.

Yes, for the price it was bit of a no-brainer. I have a G6 motor unit for parts if I need some so I did not even care if it did not run right.

I will do some work on it little by little, whatever keeps me outside the least.

Les, is that the real Kirby color name? Kinda sounds like something they would use..

Kirbyklekter, hailstones here vary in size by outragous amounts. Just recently in some storms the hail had to be described in inches, as no coins, fruit, or balls would describe the huge sizes/shapes they were. Scary for sure. I had some marble hail just the other day. We got 3.3" of rain in 24hrs, now we are back into a prolonged sauna...


Post# 464548 , Reply# 7   7/12/2023 at 15:39 (309 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)        

huskyvacs's profile picture


Great find! Looks like it was reasonably well cared for. For $10, better than any vacuum you can get from the store today that's for sure.

Post# 464550 , Reply# 8   7/12/2023 at 16:22 (309 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

human's profile picture
I thought the G5's color was known as 'Cabernet', but I've been wrong before.

Post# 464557 , Reply# 9   7/12/2023 at 21:01 (309 days old) by KirbyCollector (Columbus Ohio USA)        
And this is a 1997 without the BPI light on the nozzle.

kirbycollector's profile picture
Which makes this an even cooler find!

Post# 464558 , Reply# 10   7/12/2023 at 22:16 (309 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
I

 lesinutah's profile picture
Remember Kent oyler calling it that color.
Human is correct cabernet is the color kirby calls it.

Post# 464572 , Reply# 11   7/13/2023 at 12:49 (308 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Yay - I found the attachment set! Hidden in plain sight in a G5 Kirby box, mixed in with all the clutter in the back room. Wow, I cannot believe I had forgotten about these. All washed up and ready for use.
I would still like a correct Cabernet color hose if someone has one. Is the attachment box the proper color? It has a slight rose tint to it.

Bummer on not having the brush roll LED - oh, well - can't be picky for 10 bucks!





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Post# 464661 , Reply# 12   7/17/2023 at 09:16 (304 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        
Time to get this show on the road...

 Here are some before pics, showing how dirty this thing really is. It looks loaded with caked on carpet fresh and maybe even some cat litter, as I did find what looks to be long orange cat fur in it. Luckily there was no animal smell also.

Worst part was the nozzle and brush roll... How can someone let this get so bad??
This entire machine will require a complete teardown unlike my G6 which was in very good condition when I got it in 2018.

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Post# 464662 , Reply# 13   7/17/2023 at 09:21 (304 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        
This is the way you pick your vac...

 I would pick the carcass of the G5 motor unit a little by little as time, temperatures, and pain levels allow. I took advantage of the mornings before it got stupid hot. By 11am it was time to go in. I preferred to work on it outside due to how nasty it was.
Once the worst of the crud was removed, I took it inside for final cleaning/washing.

Two parts that I had found to have been replaced are the fan and the power switch, both with 2007/2006 date codes on them.

After a bit of brushing and blowing, it began to look better.
I got quite a hairball from the motor shaft and rear wheel.

Note in the last pics of the fan case, Kirby actually used purple sealant!

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Post# 464663 , Reply# 14   7/17/2023 at 09:24 (304 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

The outer bag was turned inside out, brushed, and lightly beaten against a tree to get the worst of the dust and cat hair. It may have been used once or twice with a leaky filter bag.
After washing in a bucket, I ran it in the washer and hung it in the garage to dry. It was really not too dirty at all. Being synthetic material, it dried quickly.
I sure like the color scheme of it!

BTW - does anyone have a tip on removing the bag strap without damaging it? I cannot see new ones in the proper color. This one I was able to force off without breaking it. Not sure how difficult it will be to reinstall...

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Post# 464664 , Reply# 15   7/17/2023 at 09:28 (304 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        
Saving the worst for last--

 The nozzle...
This thing was gross but I was determined to save all the parts since they were still usable.
After soaking in a bucket of water with Simple Green, the crud came off easily.

The belt lifter had to come off as well as it had a horrible feel and sound when it was turned. Key thing is to note how it all goes together. Luckily the front decal came off intact and can be glued back on.

The brush roll was the worst. I used surgical scissors to cut off all the hair and twine. Once bunch of hair in the center was as big around as my finger!
After wadding the hairball up, it was 3" diameter like a baseball. It had some weight as well.

I found that it has the magnet in it for the BPI, if it had that feature..

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Post# 464665 , Reply# 16   7/17/2023 at 09:29 (304 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Here are all the finished parts - washed up, dried, and stored away for now.
I like using a compartmented box to separate the small bits.

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Post# 464666 , Reply# 17   7/17/2023 at 09:31 (304 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Here are the big aluminum pieces ready for fine wet-sanding, then polish. These are the next big steps...
Note the dried colored polish remnants that Kirby had used during production!

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Post# 464669 , Reply# 18   7/17/2023 at 16:14 (304 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        
Bag strap...

 human's profile picture
I've never tried it, but I've heard you can use a small, flat blade screwdriver, slipped in over the teeth on the strap to remove it. I've got a couple of trashed G-series bag assemblies down in the barn. Maybe I should experiment on them to see if I can figure out the technique.

That nozzle was pretty gross. It reminds me of the one on my Diamond G when I first got it. The machine had apparently seen extensive (or at least neglectful) use with the shampoo kit and thus I had to replace the entire belt lifter mechanism.

Post# 464674 , Reply# 19   7/18/2023 at 10:52 (303 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

I had tried the small screwdriver method and I broke the first 'loop' so I stopped.
A thin Exacto blade may work better as it is thinner and not wedge shaped.

As I was trying to pull the strap down and off while fully connected, it popped open some, just enough for me to get it off.
I wonder if I could do that again but lube up the 'teeth' with liquid soap first.

Yes the nozzle was nasty. I never would have thought it would have cleaned up nice enough to come in the house!

Post# 464792 , Reply# 20   7/24/2023 at 13:04 (297 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

There seems to be not much interest in G series restorations so I will let the pics do most of the describing...
Due to the severe tarnishing and corrosion, I decided to wet-sand all of the metal parts before polishing. I used 1000 and 2000 grit.
Below are the pieces before sanding (less the handle)...

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Post# 464793 , Reply# 21   7/24/2023 at 13:05 (297 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Here is wet-sanding in progress.
I did this in a dish pan in the kitchen sink, with a little dish detergent as a lube and dispersant...
Note the differences in the motor shell and the nozzle when half is done, half not.
This makes polishing easier and faster.

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Post# 464794 , Reply# 22   7/24/2023 at 13:07 (297 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

Here is before polishing with Mother's mag & aluminum polish on a 4" wheel on a drill.
After this was done I wiped the parts down with solvent, then did one last hand polish.

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Post# 464795 , Reply# 23   7/24/2023 at 13:10 (297 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX)        

And here it is all done.
It looks a lot better, but up close some of the stains can still be seen.
Good enough for a daily-use machine..

Next will be to work on the drivetrain and slide mechanism.
After that will be motor bearing replacement and total reassembly!

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Post# 464796 , Reply# 24   7/24/2023 at 15:42 (297 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
Nice

 lesinutah's profile picture
Nice job on the restore. It looks like its coming along great.


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