1976 Kirby Classic Omega 1-CB Rebuilt (Classic III Conversion)

[huskyvacs]

Another new vacuum for the collection! This time it's a 1976 Kirby Classic Omega 1-CB that has been rebuilt into a Kirby Classic III style. This is the first Kirby that I have ever seen or found at a thrift store since I started collecting in late 2017. I have found a Kirby hose, and Kirby belts, and Kirby bags at thrift stores - but never an actual Kirby itself. There was one time I seen a Kirby G4 at my local Restore being used to vacuum the entryway rugs, and I checked the store for an entire month every 3 days for the vacuum to come out for sale and it never did. I suspect an employee stole it for themselves.

When I first seen this one in "the vacuum corner" I was like "oh my god its one I don't have", so I grabbed it. It did not fit in their tiny carts so I had to unhook the brushroll nozzle in order to get it to fit in there. I was certain it was a Kirby Classic III the entire time, however when I got it home, and I got to taking the photos of it, I noticed the label said "Classic Omega 1-CB" on the bottom and I was like "huh????".

I could not find any information on this particular conversion (or any other Omega 1-CB's converted to this scheme for that matter), but I did find another old post on Vacuumland of someone else's 1-CB decorated in blue for the Tradition color scheme, so it kind of made sense for the one I have in why it's decorated like a Classic III. I am not sure if Kirby did this as an official conversion when someone sent their Kirby in for a rebuild, or if this was done by a shady vacuum shop trying to sell unsold older Omega models they had sitting around as the newest model and hoping the buyer never found out.

My determination of why I believe it was totally rebuilt and not just a change of the color scheme is that there is some possibly missing screws and some loose screws here and there, so it leads me to believe it has been worked on internally as well as being modified into a completely different model.

Making a long story short, due to a series of two different cashier's mistakes with the purchase (I bought 2 cartloads of stuff this same day) and some kind of very strange stroke of luck, I got this vacuum for absolutely free (it was originally $9.99). So I was just absolutely thrilled to get it, and even happier when I found out it didn't cost anything!

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of it in the store. Sorry it's blurry, when I was focusing the pic to snap a photo someone came through the employee door and bumped my arm just as I snapped the pic.

Photo taken on: 6/26/2021 12:38 PM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of it at home. It came with a hose too, but no other attachments. I suspect the attachments got misplaced in the backroom and separated, put on a truck to another outlet store, or got put out separately from the vacuum and someone bought them.

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:55 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the backside. The bag has a tiny smidge of fading, but it's not that bad.

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:56 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the left side. Is there a screw missing here, or is that an oil hole? It has some scuffs and scrapes but the finish is still mostly shiny from when it was rebuilt.

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:56 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the hose. It has become sticky all over and kind of tacky, like the rubber is decaying. Anyone know how to fix it? Car tire wax maybe?

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:56 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the front nozzle and belt lifter. Also I just noticed the serial number on the fan chamber is different than the one on the bottom of the vacuum. Is that normal?

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:58 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the bottom of the vacuum. I seem to notice a reoccuring pattern with Kirbys that have been rebult in the fact that after the owner pays all that money out to have them rebuilt they are only used once or twice and then never touched again.

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:58 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the model tag. I just noticed the serial number on the fan chamber is different than the one stamped here. Is that normal?

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:58 AM

 

[huskyvacs]

Here's a photo of the date wheel. This looks like it says June 1973? Or June 1983? I suspect this part is original to the Omega 1-CB it started out as.

Photo taken on: 6/27/2021 4:58 AM

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

huskyvacs

Yes, your Classic Omega 1CB's motor shell housing has a 1973 casting date. The serial number on its nameplate puts that as being among the first ever built, with the black plastic motor bellhousing that was known to melt overtime.

The fan case is definitely from a Classic III; its serial number starts with a D which dates it to 1978.

To see if you really have an Omega, you would check the motor bellhousing. As I said, going by the serial number on the nameplate from the motor shell, that should be black instead of white.

~Ben

 

[huskyvacs]

Okay I'll try and see if I can get a look at it at a later date and see what color it is.