Elna Carina Model 65 Air Electronic
 

I bought this one today. It's mostly metal and made in the early 80's. It's one of the last models Elna made in Switzerland. I spent a few hours working on it. There are only a few
problems with it. 1) it has one broken spool holder and it can't be repaired
easily. The actual material on the on the inside of the lid is damaged. But, I was able to repair
one spool holder, so I'm good to go. There were no accessories in the tray, but
I have quite a few from my Supermatics so am good to go. The case on it has a
slight break on the back so it doesn't latch well, so I have to use a bungee
cord to keep it shut:> And the bobbin extractor is missing.

But, it came with all 18 cams, cord and foot control and sews beautifully. I'm
impressed with it!

Anyone have this model?

That's my machine!!! Love it. Got it after using someone else's and it was so smooth. I don't use the cams much at all, and I can't get the buttonholes in right. But it just hums along. I have it in to a dealer only once in all the years I had it, and I think it ran better before it was cleaned! I think I had it about 30 years.

Cool! Do you remember what you paid for it 30 years ago?

Oh, I am so excited to see this post! I am considering buying something similar today. In a recent donation, I got a bunch of cams for an Elna, so I contacted the thrift store that got the rest of the donation to learn about the machine.

All they could tell me is that "It is white (Elna SU air electronic). It does have a pneumatic foot control. It does have an instruction manual."

They are asking $40. Does this sound like a good deal?

Thanks, and thanks for posting about your score!

From what I was told, this machine was about $1,500 new 30 years ago. I'd pay $40 for it, in good condition with a manual. Mine doesn't have a manual and has a few things that need attention. But, if it's the same model as this one, I don't think you can go wrong for $40, especially if you have the cams.

When I saw this machine, I wondered why mine has a white band where that one is black. On the inside of my instruction manual it says: "Note: The Elna models, classes 65 and 66, are supplied with 3 different colour schemes, ie with a black, red or white decorative band. The instruction manual is the same for all 3 versions and contains all the necessy information concerning adjustments and the operation of the machine." I got mine about 28 years ago after seeing it at a county fair in Pleasanton, CA. It has been a wonderful machine and I just started using the cams about a year ago.

I have an older ELNA than this and really have had no problems with it. Just keeps humming along. Have replaced 3 feet. Just wore out the points or whatever was down there that told it to go.

Altho my Elan is from 1998, I love it.....I wish I could find one of the 65or66 models.....

Interesting! I didn't know about the color banding. Mine is a model 65/Carina and I just assumed the different colors were different models. I have 3 other vintage elnas(the green ones) that use the same cams, so I'll be able to interchange them all which is great.

This one came with 18 cams including the one with the ducks which I've been wanting for some time, so that makes me happy:>

Well, I decided not to buy the Elna I viewed today. It was a 68, by the way. There was a woman at the thrift shop who was very knowledgeable about machines and she put it through its paces. She said it was very "sludgey" and needed a tune-up, although she said the motor sounded good. The zig-zag didn't work properly (hardly any zig, no matter what the setting) and the tension was off so that the fabric bunched a little, even with a straight stitch. She was willing to drop the price to $25, but estimated a tune-up would be $75-100. I just couldn't justify that.

Oh, well. Need any cams?