Thread Number: 6028
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Post# 67500   4/23/2009 at 22:30 (5,452 days old) by andy (Boston, MA)        

I meant to post this here on Sunday, but time just got away from me.

I haven't been adding any more machines to my collection until finances improve, but for $7.20 I couldn't pass this up.


Post# 67502 , Reply# 1   4/23/2009 at 22:31 (5,452 days old) by andy (Boston, MA)        
It's a model 510...

obviously not completely orignal, but I don't see the cloth hose era Kirby's too often.

Post# 67504 , Reply# 2   4/23/2009 at 22:34 (5,452 days old) by andy (Boston, MA)        
Tools

The door is completely unhinged from the box, but at least its there.

Post# 67505 , Reply# 3   4/23/2009 at 22:35 (5,452 days old) by andy (Boston, MA)        

Switch

Post# 67508 , Reply# 4   4/23/2009 at 22:39 (5,452 days old) by aeoliandave (Stratford Ontario Canada)        
The door is completely unhinged from the box, but at least i

aeoliandave's profile picture
That's ok, Andy. We're all a tad unhinged here. :-)

Excellent find and as you say, the cloth hose Era.

Dave


Post# 67510 , Reply# 5   4/23/2009 at 22:44 (5,452 days old) by luxg ()        

Wow Andy, what a great find, are those pictures the way you found it or after your special touch? Beautiful!!

Post# 67541 , Reply# 6   4/24/2009 at 05:58 (5,452 days old) by kirbyvacuum (Long Island New York)        
VERY, VERY NICE

Hi Andy BEAUTIFUL KIRBY you just cant beat the CLASS of the 500 series Kirbys. You are very lucky to find that, around here finding old vacuums is a thing of the past. I have a very nice collection of Kirbys. I would love to have a original 505 ( dream on) maybe some day. If you ever want to talk Kirbys feel free to e-mail me any time. Take care Doug


Post# 67542 , Reply# 7   4/24/2009 at 07:16 (5,452 days old) by vinvac (Dubuque IA)        

vinvac's profile picture
Andy,

What model is it...509?

Morgan


Post# 67551 , Reply# 8   4/24/2009 at 12:27 (5,452 days old) by ridgidvac ()        

Nice Kirby. That Kirby (or any old Kirbys) will beat the new Sentria any day. I put the Classic, DS80 & G3 2 the test w/the new Sentria & Sentria didn't do as good as my G3; the Classic & DS80 (my DS80 missing tools) outcleaned the G3.

I'm keeping my eye on a 500 Series Kirby like Andy's got; those are hard 2 find even @ antique shops.

My Classic (brown, not sure if its a 1CR or III) REALLY has carpet ripping suction.


Post# 67557 , Reply# 9   4/24/2009 at 13:35 (5,452 days old) by thunderhexed (Edmond, OK)        
Gotta love

thunderhexed's profile picture
those elder Kirby's

They look just like shiney new Caddy's when all shined up. Those huge bags just set them off...

My newest is a G3. That is as new as I will go as far as the Generation series are concerned. Gave the G5 to mom and dad. It just seemed to me that it wasn't built as solid as the G3 adn those prior. Some say that the transmissions shift a little rougher in the G3's, and it does.. but it's not jarring. Has MUCH more push and pull to me as well.

Those Classics where just BEASTS! Gotta love em..

Amazing find! Looks great!


Post# 67577 , Reply# 10   4/24/2009 at 19:57 (5,451 days old) by compactelectra (Palm Springs)        
Great Find Andy

compactelectra's profile picture
It's beautiful!

Post# 67578 , Reply# 11   4/24/2009 at 20:17 (5,451 days old) by normvac (COLUMBUS, OHIO)        

One has to love those old 500 series Kirby's. I have a 512, It's been rebuilt so it has all tan trim. Sure wish it was org. with the bag and all.
I just boxed up my D-80 for a rebuild in Cleveland in the next couple of weeks. Sure hope it looks brand new, when I
get it back !! Can't wait !!!
Norm


Post# 67612 , Reply# 12   4/25/2009 at 01:48 (5,451 days old) by briankirbyclass (Eudora Kansas)        

briankirbyclass's profile picture
Great find Andy! Ive always loved the 500 series because my Grandma had one, so i was raised using it. My only gripe about the 500s is that the handle pole is too flimsy. At the time they were being made, it wasnt of course,,,the thick shag/plush carpets and padding hadnt come into vogue yet.
With the handle pole being flimsy, it makes a 500 series hard to steer and turn on thick carpet,,but if you replace the strait stick like handle with a classic, or better yet a HG1 or 2 handle,,,that solves the problem.
Of course now you have a franken kirby,,,but hey,,to each his own.
I put a HG2 handle on my factory rebuilt DS50,which makes it very easy to use.
I totally agree that there is nothing like the Classic series, if properly cared for, they will last forever.
A cousin of mine bought a Classic Omega brand new in 1973,when she got married and started housekeeping, and its still going strong to this very day. She has never had any other vacuum cleaner.
The motor still sounds like it did the day it was delivered. Of course she has had a new bag, brushroll and belt installed over the years, but i find it remarkable that even being 36 years old,,and had heavy use over the years, the machine still sounds and acts like its brand new. I know she has sent it in for rebuilding a few times over the years, but its been many years now since she even did that. Just goes to show,,,
Quality
Reliability
Performance!

She said the Kirby salesmen still come around once in awhile trying to show her the new G series machine,and to talk her into
"Upgrading" to the newer model.

She says she always tells them NOTHING DOING! WHY would i want to get rid of my Kirby? Its like an old friend! Has never let me down yet~, and works as well as it always has!
Besides, YOUR company promised me they would rebuild my Kirby for 39 dollars for as long as i live, as often as i want. So, you can take your Kirby and ride it back to your office! lol


Post# 67618 , Reply# 13   4/25/2009 at 07:21 (5,451 days old) by thunderhexed (Edmond, OK)        
Norm...

thunderhexed's profile picture
I sent my D-80 back to Kirby for a rebuild and it came back show room new, You will love it! All the original colors were kept intact!. The only thing I wasn't to pleased about was the handle. They replaced the top plastic part with a handle that has the bag hook on the side like the Classic III and Tradition, but at least it is still avacado in color. I also had to spend about 45 minutes filing it down to get it to fit so the cord hook screw would watch up to it's hole. Other than that, it looks and sounds beautiful. It's my baby and doesn't see much use.

Post# 67765 , Reply# 14   4/26/2009 at 15:48 (5,450 days old) by andy (Boston, MA)        
Hi all

Thanks for the comments!

Terry-I hand polished with Mothers and steel wool. Not quite what you would get with a buffing wheel, but still pretty good!

Morgan-This is a 510. From what I understand it is from 1950.

This may be blasphemy among the Kirby lovers, but I changed the bag. The red bag you see in the pics is an aftermarket replacement. Even after washing, it really choked off the airflow of the machine. I had an extra Heritage II outer bag in storage, so I grabbed it, took it off the mini-emptor, gave it a wash, and put it on the 510. Now the airflow is just out of this world, and it makes the machine look more genuinely Kirby. I don't worry about the dust since I regularly vacuum with either a Miele with a 236 or the central vac, but if I were using it somewhere else it would be different.


Post# 67918 , Reply# 15   4/28/2009 at 02:32 (5,448 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Great Find, Andy!!

hygiene903's profile picture
And what a beautiful machine, with a nice set of attachments too! And you can't beat the price! Just love the 500 series Kirbys. I have a 512 and a 517. Congrats,
Jeff


Post# 67919 , Reply# 16   4/28/2009 at 02:33 (5,448 days old) by hygiene903 (Galion, OH)        
Great Find, Andy!!

hygiene903's profile picture
And what a beautiful machine, with a nice set of attachments too! And you can't beat the price! Just love the 500 series Kirbys. I have a 512 and a 517. Congrats,
Jeff



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