Yes they came in that pretty golden color. I have some of them. The balance wheel turns away from you. They are driven by a little wheel on the balance wheel from a motor that is attached to the back of the machine. The motor can pivot but doesn't interchange with other machines. The paint does go bad if they have been stored wrong. They do take special needles. They turn very well. Some of them came with the godzilla finish. Their cabinets are usually very cool. The cord is the same as the old JC Penny cords. They take the top clamp feet. They are easy to thread once you figure it out. The bobbins are odd but common, the bobbin case is odd but common. They do make a good stitch. Even if the paint is bad, the machine might be a very nice one to take with you since it is very light weight. Some come in cases. The cases are pretty heavy but would be nice for storage. Use something else to haul it around.