Kirby Model 561

[eurekastar]

This Model 561 has been sitting in my garage for a long time. Every time I went out there, it called out for my attention. I saved this vacuum from a junk pile at a vacuum shop in my hometown. When I got it, it had a bojack F&G bag setup and an aftermarket belt lifter. I don't know where I got the Emtor, but luckily I had one lying around. AND I found an original belt lifter at the same vacuum shop where I got the vacuum.

 

[eurekastar]

The nozzle casting was in really rough shape and required quite a bit of sanding before I put it on the buffer. The original fan case was cracked too. Fortunately, I had a fan case from a 562 that works perfectly! The Sweet-Aire plug is one of the tan replacements that Kirby sells. I painted it red, along with the headlight and nozzle trim.

 

[sanimatic]

Nice!

Nice job as usual. I never mind that black bag on those models, is very striking..

 

[eurekastar]

And here it is with it's slightly older sibling the Model 560. The 560 aged more gracefully and didn't require as much cosmetic surgery! Someone once asked me why I put a bag chain on come cord hooks. Well, there isn't enough slack on the end of a Classic III cord in order to reach down to the power plant. So a bag chain helps to overcome that problem. In fact, Kirby was selling the black replacement cords with chains. I guess they added more slack to the newer replacements, because they no longer have the chain on the cord hook.

 

[Sablekid]

one of my favorites!

 

[compactelectra]

As Charles Richard Says

The 561 has to be one of the most beautiful machines produced by Kirby.

 

[electrolux~137]

Yep! (And its near-twin, the 560)