Meet Fiona my Slant O Matic
 

I have been working on Fiona ( Isn't she beautiful?) for about a week off and on while working on two other machines. I bought her at a new place in town that sells storage unit purchases they make. She was in a cabinet inside and outside in the trash heap was tobacco her identical twin. She was what I call grasshopper spit color...shudder. She was filthy, but she had a bag full of cams with her so I paid the $5 for her and $30 for Fiona in a little cabinet.

The man said the woman that had Tobacco had a five pack a day cigarette habit! Well, I wiped her down before she could go into the studio. Then I took a shower.

I have actually used several parts from Tobacco and am very glad I looked past her filth to her usefulness.
I had a heck of a time with the thread guide thingy on top of Fiona. I knew something was wrong with it and sure enough when I took the one from Tobacco it was very bent and in the right position and Fiona's was straight. Do not know how it got that way but no wonder the machine wouldn't sew. Of course Tobacco's was a dark sticky brown and it took a good soak in metal cleaner to make it shiny again.

I cleaned every nook, cranny and crevice on Fiona until she is almost like new. I played around with her cams and stitches and she is rock solid but I am still not sure if she is "the one'. I am pretty sure I will know it instantly when I sew with it.

I have ordered a bunch of belts and rubber doughnut wheels for the bobbin winders. That is mostly what I need to finish up the others including 4 iron ladies. Maybe one of those will be "The One"?

I have about a dozen more machines to fix up and test out in total. It really does float my boat to stand back and just look at how pretty they are and how well they sew after all of my hard work. Believe me it is HARD work for me right now because I still know very little so it takes me a long time because I have to run to the internet all of time to get more info. plus I am 59 and not nearly as quick as I used to be. I still do not know what most of the parts are called but I am learning thanks to this forum and it's members who love sharing.
Thanks everyone and especially you Miriam. Your Da Bomb!!!

Looks like you did a terrific job!

You've made it look brand spanking new!

Thanks guys I am so proud of how Fiona turned out plus it is great therapy isn't it?!:) I find naming them is easier than trying to remember their model numbers when I talk to hubby about them..LOL

The Singer 403 is MY go to machine.

my husband loves the 400 series machines. He's got a 403 and I've got a 401, though his "the one" machine has turned out to be his 201. I'm finding he gets attached to the machines he works on, and when we traded two of them this last week, he was like a guy sending his child off to school - giving the new owners all kinds of pointers and showing them this and that and all about fixing them up. On a good note, the new owners seemed very pleased to meet the person that fixed them up.

Wow, that must have really taken some elbow grease... good for you! Nice save!

Shes a beauty...

She is beautiful!!!!