Sometimes even using a check list like yours, you get surprises with vintage machines. i bought a hand crank Singer in perfect shape stitching really well for $50. After getting it home and checking it out, it seemed almost too good to be true. After checking the serial number and searching on the Internet, I found out that I had bought a much newer machine than I thought. It was actually a Singer reproduction made in India. I can't be mad at the owner as I don't think she realized exactly what she had and I had never seen one before. The machine does stitch and the price wasn't ridiculous. I will look even more carefully next time.