It looks lovely. Needs a good cleaning. I use Krud Kutter on the parts, etc. as it removes all that dirty varnish. I use leftover batting to clean (80/20) and flannel. I use TR3 on the paint with the batting and flannel. I oil everything that moves first with tri flow and let it sit. I clean all the gook out with wooden sandwich picks. I love the 301s and have a few. They are my go to piecing machine- fast, accurate, great visibility. Keep at it!

Very nice.

Quick summary of http://singer301.com/dating/default.html
Only 1000 301s got the Centennial Badge with another 9000 serial numbers allocated in 1951.
301 (Grand Introduction Oct 1952) NA010001 to NA185750 1952 Anderson, SC (Start & End of 301)
In 1953 they started adding the "A"

So while you don't have the earliest 301, yours was allocated in year 2 of a 7 year run of 301s.

I think an improvement would be in order. I'm sure not only that you can that you will.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

yep, I will after I repair what I broke.

I love both of mine, though I wish one was black. Yours will clean up nicely. AnnieRose (1956) needed her plug rewired after we'd traveled around for a couple of years. She no longer goes to quilt group. I put a tension spring on - not sure it's right, but it works. ErinRose (1952 long bed) has needed nothing - even the bobbin tire looks original. Thirsty little machines!

I found my black 301A short bed at a yard sale a couple years back for $20. A couple weeks ago I found a tan 301A long bed at a yard sale for $10. I was excited over this one.

I had a tan long bed years ago and gave it to my niece. I prefer using a machine in a cabinet so it had to go.

Cari

Kari, The short bed footprint fits in vintage Sears cabinets. I just had to add supports on the inside to get it to the right height.

Unless I see it I have to disagree. I've got 3 Kenmore cabinets and I know that a Singer or other Japanese machines won't fit without significant modifications, the most important being that the hinge spacing of a Kenmore machine is different than other machines. I won't butcher a cabinet when I know there are many out there that my machines will fit.

Cari

I probably spoke too soon. The bed of the 301 fits either of my old Sears cabinets perfectly, but they just sit there in the opening, supported by boards in the cabinet. They are never closed, which is I'm sure couldn't be done. Works for me. I don't need the machine to be put away, but I do need it flush, especially for FMQ.

Ah, I see. I did a similar thing years ago for my DD. She found a cabinet she really liked but after she got it home I discovered it was for a later machine that mounted by a big screw on the bottom of the machine. I set a piece of plywood in the opening and her machine sat almost perfectly flush.

Cari