This would be an old all metal machine. I think most of them were made in England. I saw one today at the local thrift shop and wonder if anyone here has ever heard of them or have one.

I'm debating on going back and getting it in the morning. I did some research as soon as I got home on the internet.

Would appreciate some feedback.

Thanks.

I want to say first of all that I am partial to mechanical old Singer sewing machines. So my opinion is already tainted.

:lol:

I have a Singer treadle machine; a Singer handcrank that uses the shuttle; a Singer 66; a Singer 401 (my favorite); a Singer 403; and two featherweights.
All of them work.

I love the mechanical machines because many times, you can work on them yourself. Many of the machines manufactured before 1970 were made with metal gears so you don't have the gears breaking up into pieces. Many of my vintage machines will probably outlast my children. (There are some vintage machines Singers that I would not buy ...those are the ones like Touch and Sew that have the plastic gears).

I've never had a Spartan machine. I'm also on a forum that discusses the vintage machines. Many of the collectors of vintage machines do use their vintage machines for sewing. Several others on the forum are retired sewing machine shop owners.

The questions I would ask the forum is whether the machine makes a pretty stitch; is it easy to buy parts for it or to get it serviced; and what are the things I should check before buying it. I'm sure that some of them have the Spartan model.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagesingers/

Thank you so much! I'll check that out.

Spartans are great machines and if you wanted it go ahead and get it before someone else does.

Did you get a serial number off of it? If you did I can tell you what model and year it was built and how many were allotted for that run.

Billy

As long as it has it's parts ( bobbin case, foot controller, tension assembly)
I would grab it. It is a workhorse from what I have heard......

Keep your fingers crossed....I'll be there when it opens at 9AM in the morning! I'm excited!

Oh boy, if you get it please post a picture.

Oh you know it!

Well she was there waiting for me and let me tell you, she really got worked over yesterday afternoon. I called and asked if it was still there at 6pm and they said yes. However, when I got there this morning the wood base was gone that it was in and it was in the black base and a little wobbly sitting in that. That was not the case yesterday and I questioned the people there concerning that. Of course no one knew anything. Oh well she's mine now for $9.98 I could clean her up no problem and fix the base. I hooked her up and she ran smooth and quiet so I bought her and here's the picture. I also took her to my neighborhood Sewing machine mechanic and he said I got a good deal. He also told me it was a copy of a Singer Spartan and I told him no.....there's the proof.....made By Singer in Great Britian. He asked me where I got it and just shook his head........lol. He said I got a real good deal then....all was original on it.

So I am a happy camper this morning......and here's the pics. Just a little clean up and need to find some rubber stoppers for the base and she will be good as new.

The model number is EP960654......really wish I could find out when she was made.

Nice! I had fun yesterday reading some of the history of the Spartan.

Here is a link...scroll down to April 13, 1959.
http://www.google.com/archivesearch?...ed=0CCoQ5wIwCg