I guess it kind of depends on what you expect it to do. If you want dead reliable easy parts availability/interchange straight stitch only, get a singer 66 or 15/15clone. with a nod towards the 15 for the dropping feed dogs and straight bobbin thread path. if you want ZZ/fancy stitches I have been told that the Nechi's are nice. if you want a smaller hand crank laptop kinda model (which you don't because you mentioned a treadle cabinet) go with a 99. Also I have been told that some of the harder to find models 101 and 201 are nicer (ball bearing?) versions of earlier machines... be careful to get the non "potted motor" versions as the potted motors wont treadle ( at least not easily)
Good luck and just a warning, dont be concerned about getting the right one ... as you will most lkekly end up with more than one (some of us WAY more )
Dan
Last edited by greywuuf; 04-13-2012 at 10:17 AM.
Reason: fat finger /typo's