Sometimes I understand that older machines were "updated" and older parts (the scroll face) were switched out for newer ones. I have an older one and some of the feet are black from WWII metal shortages. I have heard that they just dumped the newer parts in a bin and then picked from it so you might have either one depending. I haven't ever heard anything about older being sturdier, tho some where here in one of the FW threads someone was saying the early ones are worth more as the first couple of years they only made 10,000 vs later years when they made up to 50,000.