Originally Posted by Janis

OK, here's a few more dumb questions. I guess I'm filled with them lately about all of these lovely vintage Singers.
Is the Spartan the same size as the 99, but a 192 model instead?
About the godzila finish on an old Singer, is it the dull rough black on a machine? Are there certain years that the machines were made in that finish? I'm thinking that they were during WW2, is this correct? Other years too? Are those machines really rare and more desired machines?
I've seen one with a dull black finish recently but the serial number had been removed, so I don't know what it is, nor when it was made. The only things that date it are on the bobbin cover plate are a series of patent dates with the latest being 1910, and it had a 'Singer' plate bolted on the arm instead of the decals. The book, or what part of it was there showed a treadle machine, and the motor on the machine was labeled Universal. I think it was a treadle made into an electric machine.