Mine would be the D-50, Classic III, and anything in the 500 series. These are actually my favorites of ALL Kirbys, not just pre-1980 (although they ARE all pre-1980 machines!).
Jeff
D-50, D-80 and Classic I. Love the perfomance and sound of teh Sanitronics, and love the feel and growl of the Classic. It's such a beast. It's so ugly it's cool to look at.
The Tradition...this is the first model I collected, I went to a house sale looking for a small log burner and it had sold...on the way out near the door was this big shiny vac with loads of boxes and instructions & guarantees, handy butler & everything..marked up for £30 quid, I thought well for that I can take it home & try it and then sell it on fleebay later!! I searched on the web for spare & parts etc and up came classic appliances club (AW) & the VCCC, ...Oh my, another world out there and have been hooked ever since...the bug got me!!!...LOl ...135 vacs and 87 washers later!!!.....
I have the original bag bug I much prefer the big solid replacement!!! cheers, Mike...
The Model 561. It is the first Kirby that I ever had and still have. But since most all people call me the Kirby Kid, I guess I could say I love all Kirby's big and small! I really like the color of the Tradition, it is so regal looking in it's Deep Blue (however it is the most gutless Kirby's of all that I have)As soon as I change it over to the miniemptor or I could leave it as a shake out bag.. That would work. anyway I love them all....