Thanks Steve!
Yes it is a first rate quality machine although designed to be budget priced.
Singers' must have ran out of Aluminium as used on the later 201 machine casings to make them lighter and to compete.
A lot of the smelted alloy came from old Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancasters after the war.
A " Spit" sold for £25 scrap value then.
Rolls Royce Merlin engine toboot!!!!
Aghhhh!!!!
To late!!!
So then they must have ran out of Aluminium and thought...
" Mhhhh. Back to cast iron but we'll make certain parts outa plastic coz that works and its cheaper!.
So....
The 237 has a plastic casing top, Head, knobs and facia plate.
They at least thought about this with regard to " wear".
All the plastic parts cannot wear out.
Everything else is metal.
If they had made the afformentioned parts from cast iron or steel the machine would not have sold due to it's humunguous weight.
That is why I am certain that Singer in this Era simply ran outa Aluminium.
Guess what happened next?
Enter stage "left"...
PLASTIC !!!!
As George Carlin said...
Thats why we humans are here!
To make Plastic!
Pete