Kirby Tradition - Make it suck baby!

[hoover1060]

Anyone who's ever used a Kirby Tradition with its original paper bag system can literally hear the bag fill tube choking the airflow off and the cleaner gasping for air. Here is the original paper bag system, a 2" hose and adapter attached to the emptor a'la tupperware lid

 

[hoover1060]

now look at:

The bag fill tube from a Heritage series... WAY more GIRTH here...

 

[hoover1060]

so with some drilling

and a little bit of sealant, this tradition can now use the HEPA bags, and will have some airflow thanks to the larger bag tube...
I'm using the emptor adaptor from a Heritage I, and its attached to the Traditions emptor with two screws.

 

[hoover1060]

the end result:

A Kirby that no longer gasps for air and acutally cleans quite nicely. (Note the carpet lines- also installed is a 4 brush ball bearing brush roller)
It works so well that Jack decided he'd kinda sorta pose with it!

 

[petek]

How'd you get that thing shined up so fast.. I must be a lazy sob as I haven't touched that Classic III I got last weekend. hahaha. I don't think I wants to go doing any drilling though.

 

[hoover1060]

nah, you're not lazy

I was a little under the weather with a cold this past weekend, so when I wasn't passed out in a Nyquil coma I was parked downstairs polishing that Kirby.
The guy I bought it from said the shine was a "7" He was being generous, but it really didn't take alot of elbow grease to make her sparkle!

 

[urarachu]

It looks beautiful! I remember when I was a kid, and the Kirby store was right next to the library. I would stare into the window at the kirbys. The one that really stayed with me was the Tradition. It was so shiny and perfect. I was really short and I would have to look up at it. It was art.

 

[hoover1060]

Favorites based on looks:

1-Classic III - that red with the polished aluminum really pops!
2-Tradition - The Blue is almost as rich as the red
3-G5 - always liked burgundy too
4-Legend II - the rose color looks very nice on this one

Ugliest models(IMHO)
1-G3 - poor thing was just plain jane
2- Heritage I - Who told them orange went with grey?

There has not been a GREEN Kirby since the D80... its time for another one!

 

[tlee618]

Jeff, the Tradition looks beautiful! That is another one of my favorites. Haven't tried the 4 brush, brush rolls yet but have to get a couple one of these days and give them a try. I agree with you, Kirby is long over do for a green model! Terry

 

[brettsomers]

speaking of... does ANYBODY know when kirby will come out with a redesign?

 

[petek]

I like the Classic III equally as well as the Tradition and the Heritage Legend II and the D80.. but I agree about the G3 being a snore, it almost looks antiseptic industrial, still it's a great vac.

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Jeff...

Give us a better glam shot of the machine...

 

[hooverwheelaway]

I agree...

It is about time for Kirby to introduce a complete re-design, that regurgitated G3 is getting tired.

Is 15 years the longest they've held a design?

 

[hoover1060]

I gotta admire Kirby for:

Sticking to their guns so to speak. When everyone else is trying to sell clean-air machines with on board tools, Here's Kirby with their same horizontal motor-dirty fan design that they used on their first machines. And they have one model out at a time.
I think the G-series machines have been their best yet, they clean, and thanks to the self propel are pretty easy to use.
The price is a little outlandish, but then Kirbys have always gone for big $$$'s.
Something to think about:
In 1974 you could buy a new Classic Omega for about $300
a Hoover Dial-a-Matic power drive in 1974 went for about $160

Today that new Kirby costs $1800
What would the Dial-A-Matic cost in today's dollars?

Fred: I think the first generation models(from 1c to D80) is the longest they've held a design, 1935-1968?
Correct me please Kirby experts...

 

[westytoploader]

Fantastic job Jeff, she looks GREAT!! Sure wish I hung onto my Tradition, but it wasn't really the best machine, IMHO.

I agree with you on the fact that the G3 and Heritage I models are UGLY...I don't think the G4 looks all that great either. The G5 and Legend I/II models, in my opinion, however, are good-looking machines, and I like the styling of the GSix and Ultimate G as well. Time to go back to Sirocco or Green again though!! ;-)

 

[veg-o-matic]

I always say...

There's nothing like a little extra girth.

veg

 

[programcomputer]

I hear a rumor that....

Not only is a new Kirby forthcoming, but rumor is, that it's supposed to have tools on board. HOW this wil be done I have no clue..but my freind Bill, who works for the Kirby company store up in Lansing Mi, said it's supposed to come out in 07'-08' sometime therin.

Royal tried to update their Metal Line with the 45 lb. PowerCast cleaners a few years back. Dual-Motor, geared belt, updated brushroll and OF COURSE bypass air-system. All in three funky boring colors with blue being the lower line, burgandy being the middle line, and black being TOL..

Royal, realizing that they had just created the worlds most expensive pleasure boat anchor...discontinued them in toto and is trying to replace them out from under owners ASAP. Funny that our reps say that, yet you can still get a new on IN THE BOX thru Ebay and certain websites. Heck we just sold the last of ours over Christmas.

Anyway, a new Kirby would be very nice...and YES in green. We just complined to the Miele rep that we have no green cleaners..green gives a feeling of fresh and clean just like blue and white...

Sorry I'm done now...

Chad

 

[eluxomarty]

kirby designs

I am not a kirby expert per say but i have a few in the collection. I always group my Kirby's by the different designs. Models 509 to 515 are the smaller of the 500 series. In 1956 Kirby came out with the new redesigned 516 which style ended with green D80. In 1970 Kirby came out with the humungous Classic, a design which ended with the Tradition. From 1981 to 1990 the Heritage and Legend series shared a similar design ( the way the bag hooked onto the handle, mini emptors) and finally Kirby has had the Generation series since 1990.

 

[hoover1060]

New Kirby

There's been talk of a Kirby with on-board tools for the last 5 yearsor better, I would not doubt a prototype exists somewhere too. It just depends on how much courage the Kirby people have with regard to bringing this thing to the public.
It was 5 years or so ago that I heard about Kirby taking the speed switch out from under nozzle/hose connection and having it so the user could switch from low to high speed whenever, so the high speed would be available for rug cleaning, which is finally now on the current Diamond G model.
My opinion is they have a good cleaner now, yes its expensive but it also works and is pretty sturdy. Why mess that up?
What they should do is bring back the old non-self propelled model Legend II style and have that as well as the self propelled.