Having not seen either machine or motor I can assure you the motors are completely interchangeable.
That little post that seems to just get in the way is to rest your foot on. Took me a few weeks of almost sewing my fingers together to realise how it worked. Rest your foot on it and pivot onto the button and you'll have much better control over the motor speed.
Failing this, I have several Wertheim (Aussie made) foot controllers that work and two Brothers (actually I do have two brothers but they'd be much less effective at controlling your motor than the Brother foot controllers) as well as a spare Singer motor from a 66 (with light still attached).
Regarding the munge, I actually love cleaning the inevitable mess from under the feed dogs. It's like a really great nose blow when you're in the last stage of a cold. You know everything's going to be much better immediately after it, and in the case of your sewing machine the aluminium based unit will be so much better for it.
Bring me your motor and I shall show you the path to the promised land: A land of no clatter; A land where steel plunges both effortlessly and silently through cloth.
The price for all this salvation is part of your Friday (only one, but lunchtime). Might even have my new 222k and/or Necchi by then
