Kirby 561

[kirbfan94]

My dad Bought this For me as a surprise,
It was 30.00 at some vacshop And it runs Great.
It does need a polish bad and It has the Wrong cord and bag.
I Was told by another collector that the bag was grey.
Not sure about the cord tho.
I got the ornigal box as well.

 

[caligula]

Great Kirby but not original.

Hi buddy, love the Kirby, I have one of those myself (in storage).

Looking at the picture I see a number of things that don't match. I believe the 561 is 1961, then again it could be 1956. At 59 the memory fades.

I can't tell what is original, but that is the famous "Kirby red!" I doubt if the bag is original. It looks like a replacement bag to fit a Kirby. Cord looks like a D-50, and the logo on the belt lifter looks wrong too. Hard to say what is original, but who cares? as long as it runs!

How about a look at your collection, I'd love to see how the Dial A Matic looks with it's brothers and sisters.

Enjoy,

Alex Taber

 

[kirbyvertibles]

Hello, just my two cents worth. It is 1961 and the bag isn't original. I don't think the cord is either but not sure. Everything else looks great.

 

[caligula]

As I said, the memory fades.

Thanks for letting me know my memory is still intact. My first thought was 1961. Being a Kirby historian as well as a former training manager (Classic Omega through Heritage) I used to know these things. What threw me were the wheels. They are traditional "Kirby gray," I wondered if they were original and everything else was replaced, or were they replacement wheels?

As for the cord, I knew that was a D-50 color.

I guess that is whats known as a Frankenkirby!

As I said, as long as he likes it.

Alex.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

What This 561 Needs ...

According to a 1965 Kirby service manual, the replacement parts (which are NLA) are as follows for the 561:

190058S - replacement bag, complete
192059 - cord set (gray w/ red plugs)

Belt lifter is intact; as the same one (part #144360) was used on the 560.

~Ben

 

[compactelectra]

Here's A 561

That is about as original as they come. Just back from the spa in Omaha.

 

[electrolux~137]

Such a gorgeous thing, isn't it. To me, the 560/61 is the most beautiful vacuum cleaner ever made.

 

[caligula]

WOW!

None of my Kirbys looked that good! That is truly awesome. With the exception of my favorite vacuum cleaner, (the Electrolux Model LX) I agree with Charles Richard. That is the finest vacuum Cleaner ever made!

Alex Taber

 

[crevicetool]

Fred,

That machine almost looks unreal!!!! It's like a mirror!! It is just so B E A U T I F U L.

Thanks for the picture,
Rick

 

[kirbfan94]

I would like to know how to polish mine like that,
It's amazing.

 

[lux1521]

From time to time someone will post a picture like Fred has done, and it reminds me why people like Kirbys as much as they do. After seeing the dozens of average, tarnished, mismatched examples that are all over the internet, I guess I have started to loose interest in the brand. When something like this comes a long, I have to reconsider my dislike for the 509 - Classic III time period. For some reason these models just don't age too well. The metal gets dull, the red trim starts to look nasty, the bag is faded or replaced, and certain details like the beautiful belt lifter are dull enough to go unnoticed. Seeing this fine restoration makes me want to take a stab at bringing one of these cleaners to its former beauty. Some people have enough restoration talent to make my least favorite models look appealing. Well done!

 

[ohio_tuec]

"For some reason these models just don't age too well"

As if their predecessors did? Oh wait, that's right, pre-505 machines are almost non-existent. And the ones that are usually are in mint condition (or close to it), and if you want one on eBay better put a second mortgage on your house lol. They're waaaay out of my price range. It sours me the fact that prewar examples are so hard to come by. This 561 is definitely a stunning example of what polishing can do.

 

[kirbfan94]

here Is a pictue I thought would be cool,
I noticed when I Picked up the 561, The headlight was very bright
This picture dosent really do it justice
But you get the idea.

 

[kirbfan94]

Another thing I noticed was how thin the bag was,
So I was very exicted because I knew it would be a True ballooning Kirby bag
And naturaly it was.

 

[kirbfan94]

And the last thing I noticed,
The Height adjustment dosent raise up as high as the Classic's And Etc.

 

[compactelectra]

The Back Story

Of that beautiful 561 . . . I picked it up on Ebay a couple of years ago - complete with boxes and attachments including a complete can of Sweet-Aire! It was pretty beat up with deep scratches I thought would never come out and missing the original cord which is very hard to find. I would have ordinarily sent it back to Kirby for a rebuild, but at that time, it would have come back tricked out in tan trim. Couldn't have that! I got the cord from Fred Stachnik and had the headlight trim and waited for the right opportunity to get it buffed out and restored. Lo and behold, Greg Nunn lined me up with a vacuum guy in Omaha (who also restores vintage automobiles (the right combination!) I sent it to him without the bag and with the trim. This guy takes his time (about 3 months waiting) and on my next trip to Omaha personally went in and picked it up. It was front and center in the vacuum store and I almost peed in my pants when I saw it. Now reunited with the attachments (the box got a bit damaged in water in my basement) but well worth the patience to put the right combination of time and gathered parts together. Luckily the original bag was salvaged. He completely restored the machine including rebuilding the motor. So indeed, she is like brand new. Welcome to 1961 and the delivery of your new Kirby! I agree with Charles Richard, truly one beautiful machine and the Kirby that I remember as a kid.

 

[compactelectra]

Here it is

With another, better box from an earlier Kirby.

 

[compactelectra]

And our very own

Vana (Tania) demonstrating the attachments. Such versatility! That red and grey combination is stunning. Lipstick and hair to match!

 

[kirbfan94]

What I would do to have any of my kirbys that shiny......