My Daddy bought everything at Sears and my Mom and I both have 70's Kenmore machines. Mine was a 158-1946 from 1978 (My HS graduation gift). It was my only machine for 25 years and I did everything on it including re-upolster the seat of my Datsun PU. My Mom's was about 1971, 148.xxx and she still uses it for everything. I just serviced it for her this last weekend. She had taken it to a local shop for servicing and about 2 years later it completely stopped moving. Frozen solid. I brought it home and could see the residue of something they sprayed into it, white and sticky goo. I finally got it moving with PB Blaster then cleaned out and lubricated with Tri-Flo. Took it back to her yesterday - she's excited to have her old friend back (she's had mine as a loaner). They are good, solid machines. I also re-homed another Kenmore this weekend, a 1948 117-959 that was in my sister's garage for 10 years from her MIL. It purred after I cleaned and oiled it, then I went over the cabinet with Howard Restore-a Finish. I sold it on CL cheap, but have to thin the herd in preparation for moving early next year. And it went to a good home ...
Last edited by Skyangel; 06-25-2012 at 01:25 PM.