Howdy y'all

Man!! I went for months without finding anything, then all
at once I find two machines in two days! This morning one of the subdivisions in
our town had a community yard sale, and at the second place I stopped I found
this little beauty! Like the model 66 I found yesterday, she has no attachments
or manual, but she works and I got her for only $25! The man who sold her to me
said he thought she was a model 265, but she doesn't look like any of the images of those
I've been able to find on Google...mainly because they're all plastic and this
machine is all metal, but also because they were all full-sized machines and
she's obviously a 3/4. There is no model number that I can find, and the only
number I can find on her at all is underneath. That number is engraved into her
bottom and is 80492 *4*. I thought maybe that was a serial number but when I
tried to look it up online, all of the Singer serial numbers that had no letters
in front of the numbers were made in the 1800's. I just don't believe she's that
old. She sure is a pretty thing though, and MAN is she heavy! Can anyone help me
identify her? I would sure appreciate it!

Donna

I think that it's a 285.

Daaaaang, what a tank! Good find!

She looks like she might be a light industrial model, maybe for tailor's shops or along those lines. Are you sure the '8' isn't a 'B'?

It looks some like my 185, It looks like they changed the stich length control. That is where the model number is located on mine.

I think you have a 285.
Neat little machine. Very similar to a 185 but a little different by the hand wheel.
This is a link I found that might help.
http://www.singersewinginfo.co.uk/285/
Rodney

I just did some more reading. Very different from the older 99s and 185s underneath. I don't think Singer sold a lot of them.
Rodney

I've had both the 185 and the 285. Lets just say the 285 has parts.........

What a pretty Singer. Congratulation on a great find.

That's a 285. They are a little unique compared to other Singers. The 185 looks nearly the same but has the mechanics of a 99 inside. The 285 is a totally different animal under the bed. It has sort of a saw blade looking device that goes back and forth to oscillate the bobbin hook. I don't think Singer kept that particular design on any other machines; people complained it was too loud and vibrated too much. I haven't really heard any complaints about stitch quality, though.

I haven't sewn on one myself; I have a 185 and I'd love to put the two machines side-by-side to see all the similarities and differences.

Very nice! I have a cuple older Singer manual and with motor. Solid an sewing solid and stable. I also have Elna Grasshopper, Supermatic and an Zundapp. Heard about Zundapp? Not me either, but when I see the Zundapp for sale, I drive avay and bought it! Nearly the same design from 50- 60.