Kirby Lengend ll

[alexhoovers94]

Here is my Kirby Legend ll that I bought of ebay about this time last year, it is great came with everything and only cost me £48 so was quite a bargain.
I did polish it a bit before taking pictures, however it does need a good machine buffing to bring it to a real mirror shine.
Mine is from April 1991 and was serviced yearly by Kirby, according to the seller. It runs pretty good.
Here are some pictures of it; also showing it's different configurations.

 

[alexhoovers94]

close up



You can tell it needs a good buffing!

 

[alexhoovers94]

I heard those lexan fans are to be stronger than the metal o

 

[alexhoovers94]

The wonderful micro matic......


It is a shame these slipped because in my opinion they were the finest looking toe touch controls Kirby used on there machines.
As you can see, mine has been replaced at somepoint because of the slipping flaw no doubt, this is from a heritage ll

 

[alexhoovers94]

April 1991 by the looks of that serial number

 

[alexhoovers94]

Bag topper

 

[alexhoovers94]

The canister/cylinder configuration


It has it's full tool set, and before me even telling you it was from 91 you Kirby fanatics would of noticed straight away that this was one of the later legend ll models, because it has the G3 style tool set in the legend ll colours.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Portable cleaner - for stairs and what not

 

[alexhoovers94]

The shampooer.....


Never used this and I am convinced that no one ever did use it either. Are these things any good?

 

[alexhoovers94]

The floor polisher/carpet fluffer


These are quite goodl, although they do have a tendancy to take off down the length of the room if you momenteraly let go of the handle. Lol.

 

[alexhoovers94]

The blower configuration

 

[anthony]

the legend

i recently sprayed my garden fence with my kirby G5 after about an hour of painting with a brush and not getting very far i thought i would give it a go . I have to say the results were exellent i did 16 panels in half an hour

 

[kirbybag]

nice kirby

like those kirby in the portable unit.nice kirby

 

[alexhoovers94]

Thanks they do look cool, but they do your back in when you try and use it like that for stairs, so I just use the uphostery tool.

 

[kirby519]

Are those the original above floor attachamenta that came with the machine? Those tools look like the one for the G Series Kirbys here. Or were the redesigned above floor kits released in the uk before the US? In the US we have the attachaments that were with the Classic series and earlier models.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Well the Kirby G3 was delayed over here until about 1992, I think?? so the 89 until about 1990 had the classic series style tools and the 1991 models had the G3 style tools but in the maroon colour, like my one hear, and the very last legend ll models had the white G3 tool set. and then we got the G3, I have no idea why there was a delay in britain for the kirby G3?

 

[kirbyvertibles]

There was a delay on the G3 here to wasnt there? Isn't that why the Legend II was made, because the G3 wasnt finished??? I never knew they used the G tools and the 91 series!!! I love that.
This is my favorite model Kirby. I bougt a demo model when I was a kid and pd a lot for it. Was the first vacuum I ever bought myself. She still works like a champ

 

[djtaylor]

I love the Legend II, it was the most beautiful of it's generation. That maroon color was the best color Kirby every used, and I wish they would use it again. I have one, but lack the attachments. I hope to add a set of attachments soon.
Alexhoovers94- you have a great machine there, use it in good health... and use the cloth-like HEPA bags. You will be glad that you did.
Justin

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Here is how you read a Kirby serial # on 1981 and later units:
1. First digit is the assembly line and shift.
2. Next two digits are the calendar year made ("91" is 1991).
3. Next two digits are the month of the calendar year ("11" is November).
4. Last few digits are the number of units made in that production season.

Therefore, your cleaner was made in November 1991. Thus, in the UK the Generation 3 was delayed until 1992.

Meanwhile, here in the USA, there were some Kirby distributors who didn't want to sell the Generation 3 yet in the final six months of 1990 (from when the G3 was originally introduced) and so Kirby gave them only one more shipment of Legend IIs in response; when said shipments ran out for those dealers, if they continued to refuse to sell the G3 (and there were a few known dealers who still didn't want the new model), Kirby ordered them to be shut down. This had followed other known cases of old models-preferred-over-new ones, such as the Tradition 3CB (July 1979) and the original Classic 1CR (January 1970) which itself was a radical departure from its predecessor, the Dual Sanitronic 80 (September 1967).

~Ben

 

[madabouthoovers]

So the Heritage 1 was the first Kirby to feature that type of serial number then - mine has the number 1811000548. When in 1981 was the Heritage started? I take it mine was only the 548th one off the production line making it an early example?

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Steve,

Your Heritage 1HE was built in October 1981. Production of the Heritage started in Cleveland, OH and Andrews, TX in August 1981 (at serial X810800001), and initial sales were in September.

~Ben

 

[madabouthoovers]

Thanks - so does that last number mean that it was 548th off the line in October 1981, or 548th since the start of production of the 1HE in August?
Didn't take long to reach the UK market then did they lol. I still prefer using it over the later G series though - I think its a remarkably good vac for its age.
I have another 1HE but it has a cloth fill tube, dated 12/81 was this original?

How do we tell whether it was made in Andrews, or Cleveland? I think its the first digit on the serial number which indicates the plant? 1 for Cleveland is it?

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Steve,

The 548th from when production began in August 1981.

~Ben

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

Steve,

I wanted to answer you on your other 1HE thoughts:

*The cloth fill tube - I wish I knew what to say.

*The plant code is indeed the first digit in the serial #. As far as I know, 1 indicates Cleveland, OH and 2 means Andrews, TX. It should be known that digits 3 and 4 are likely respectively the same as 1 and 2 but in different times of the day (there's day shifts and night shifts, you know).

Any Kirbys exported to the UK or other European and Asian countries will be finished locally since not all countries use the same voltage system.

~Ben

 

[madabouthoovers]

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">It should be known that digits 3 and 4 are likely respectively the same as 1 and 2 but in different times of the day (there's day shifts and night shifts, you know). </span>


<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>


Not sure what you mean by this sentence.


 


I believe the early model 1HE originally may have had a cloth fill tube, but this was superseded by the usual hard flexible tube. I was quite surprised when I first saw it, but then again it has the red outer original bag, which my other Oct 81 model does not - that has a H2 grey bag fitted, but has a flexi fill tube and oval bag adaptor hole. 


I'm wondering if the Tradition had a cloth fill tube as well.


 


When you say that exported Kirbys are finished locally - I'm assuming you mean that the distributors have to fit local type cords and plugs to them, as surely the motors are still fitted at the factory in the US, even though these motors will be the 240V ac type


 

 

[a007kirbyman]

Ben & (some) Kirby Info...

Hello Ben.

I'm curious as to some of the 'sources' you use for some of your Kirby information???

This not being combative, or critical; however, I would consider 'other sources' to verify your information, ...before posting.

I've seen posts of people complaining about the information they've received from Kirby dealers; or 'fibbed' (I'm being polite) to outrightly.

However, that being said, if we don't verify 'our' information, we do no good in minimizing or reducing those false information situations.

And understand Ben, you do have a lot of great & helpful infomation for many members! You are more than welcome to call me, if you have questions. Or I'd call you. I don't mind either way, just ask for my contact info. As 'Evelyn Woods' I'm NOT, it's much easier for me to call. ~lol~


*****

Anybody international, that offer applies to you as well.

*****


Usually you're own with 'OTHER' brands though!!! ~lol~ My knowledge is with Kirbys. If I don't know the answers, I won't 'throw you some BS.' ~lol~



Back on point:

I have posted numerous times on serial numbers, etc. If anybody searches the archives with my username & keywords: Kirby or serial, you WILL probably get the RESULTS & ANSWERS you desire.

This in large part to a great database & search feature that Robert has created here on Vacuumland.



As for the Legend II's when the Generation 3's came out, 'our' distributorship was selling 200 to 300 Kirby's at that time, & it took 'us' about 9 months to finish selling the Legend II's. That including some of them considerably discounted. We showed the customer both, & let them decide. So I am confused by your prior post?!?!

Again, I would encourage you to re-think some of your Kirby sources Ben. No disrespect.


Cheers & hagn/d all,


Bill

Ps: I just added a link to one of the posts about serial numbers, & reading them since the 1HD (Heritage).

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?9910



198[this post was last edited: 7/13/2013-21:55]

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?9910

 

[kirbylux77]

Kirby Heritage cloth fill tube & rug plate

Bill, just wondering if you could clarify a mystery for me here. I just bought a used Kirby Heritage from a thrift store. It was all original with the cloth fill tube, but something REALLY strange, is the rug plate has no rug guard bars across the bottom. It is totally open except for the guard in the middle around the belt. Also, the brushroll has more of a "chevron" shape to it than a normal Heritage or Heritage II brushroll.

So, was these experiments Kirby was trying? or a design mistake that was corrected later??

Rob

PS- Bill, I would also like to take you up on your offer to talk to you sometime. I can be reached at the email address in my profile if you want to leave me your number.

 

[normvac]

Was wondering about the Attachments

Was wondering if it was a late Legend model. As my son has a legend 11, and his tools were in the box, but still the older style. So good to see, as I never have
seen those. Must be the introduction, just proior to the G series being introduced.
Thanks, great machine, as all Kirbys are !

 

[a007kirbyman]

Rob & Kirby 1HD ???'s (& Steve)

Hello Rob.

On the Kirby Heritage (1HD), I have seen the rug plate with only the 'crossbar' where the belt is located. This is to help prevent the belt from accidentally leaving 'marks' on carpeting. My belief, is that it was NOT accidental, rather experimental.

As for the brushroll, they were to my knowledge always 'helical' (like DNA ~lol~) thru the entire production, & even into the Kirby Heritage II (2HD). If it has a more 'chevron' design, then it's a replacement. If you wipe off the brushroll, & L@@K closely, you may be able to see the brushroll's manufacture date. Provided that it's a genuine Kirby brushroll.

I sent you an email earlier with my contact info.





Hello Steve.

The Tradition (3CB) never had a 'soft' fill tube, only the tube with the wire coil thru it was available.



Cheers & hagn/d all,


Bill