Mike, I saw that, but I thought $26 was kinda pricey for a slide plate. But I'm cheap. If you're not in a hurry, you can try the part number 66525 in a title and description search (did that already, no go), and save the search so that ebay will email you when there are new matches. (Ebay now calls it "Follow this search", if you have the same version I have at the moment. They just changed it, and they usually have several versions floating around, so yours might say "save this search".) Then wait. I would also do a title-only search with terms like "Singer 101 (slide, plate)" and eventually a cheaper one may turn up. Don't use the quotes but do use the parens. The words in the parens are either/or. You will get some results that are not the slide plate but not too many. Personally I would also add (part, parts) to the terms in parens. There will be a lot of results but after the first search there won't be too many more because a lot of them are buy-it-nows that stay for 30 days. Clear as mud, right? I included some examples below.

I found this in completed items. Interestingly the part number for the slide plate here seems to be 66524.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Singer-101-P...-/181226227241

So, my searches would be:
(singer, simanco) (66525, 66524) <----[check the box "Include description"] and
Singer 101 (slide, plate, part, parts) <---[title only]

If you're ambitious you can search Singer 101 (slide, plate), including description, but search only in Crafts, Collectibles and Antiques (too many results if you search all categories). That's 3 more searches. I would do all 5 searches and save them (aka "follow them")

I was going to say to forget about the 101 and get the 15 running. But then I saw it's a 66 and not a 15. I have one of each. You can get the plate cover off ebay. You may have to watch for a month, but they do peridically get listed.

One mistake people often make is finding a machine missing a part or two. The machine is selling really cheap. You have to know if it's an easy part to find. For most singers a plate is easy to get but not the 101 as they are uncommon. In my opinion singer decided it was a bad design and came up with a good one - the 201.

I paid $25 for a needle plate for mine and was happy to get one.

I double checked the serial# on the machine I picked up yesterday. The actual Serial# is AH590636. This makes much more sense. I originally mis-read the "H" as an "M". The machine is actually a model 66-16 built in 1948, NOT a model 15 like I originally thought. Either way I'm happy, I was just confused at first because of the mistake.
Thanks everyone for the input on the missing cover. Very good tips on searching Ebay. I've always done things the hard way on my searches so it helps me a lot. It's kind of crazy how things work sometimes. I'm looking at paying more for a tiny cover plate for one machine than I just paid for an entire complete machine. I still want the 101 to be up and running though and I've gone through the same sort of thing restoring old woodworking machines. It just means the low "buy-in" price is a good deal, not that the part is over-priced.
I'll be playing with the 66 today to see how it works. Since I've already given the 101 to my daughter it will be an uphill battle to pry her away from it to learn on the 66 instead. :)

Rodney,

I have several 66-16s and -18s as well as several earlier models. They are, in my not so humble opinion, Singers best straight stitch machines. Easy to use, easy to maintain and they use common bobbins, needles and accessories.

I wouldn't try to pry the 101 from your daughter. Let her bounce from one to the other and decide which she likes as you service them.
Nor would I worry about the price of the slide plate. No, it's not cheep, but it's a one time expense that if you pay attention to how it works won't be going anywhere.

Joe

I found a parts list for the 101
http://www.tandtrepair.com/Schematics/101-1.pdf

On page 8:
66525 is the slide plate complete with spring and screws. Singer did not mark any pieces with 66525. The complete part would have come in a box, bag or envelope printed with 66525. The plate is 66524 and is always marked. The screws are not likely to be marked. The spring may or may not be marked.

So, 66525 is the repro, and 66524 is the original. We've seen this before with bobbin cases. The repros are marked with the part number of the complete set, and the original Singer parts have the individual part numbers marked on one or more of the pieces (usually the biggest piece, in this case the plate). But if you find 66524 on ebay, be sure to get a view of the back and check that the spring is on it. On second thought, the spring protrudes a bit on the sides so you can see it from the front, but it's still a good idea to get a view of the back to check for rust or breaks.

Forgot to ask -- I guess there were no goodies under the seat?

Those are some nice machines - enjoy them! I really like the library cabinet that the 101 is in.

On the topic of serial numbers, looking them up on ISMACS doesn't always give the right model. For example, the Featherweight here http://bc.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-h...AdIdZ462849442 has a pretty clear serial number (EV902960), but ISMACS says that's a 196K. I have a Spartan (192K) at home with a similar mismatch. I assume this is a problem at the factory - someone puts a serial number from the wrong series on the machine - rather than a problem with the Singer/ISMACS data. It's rare, but it does seem to have happened occasionally.

I have an identical 101, cabinet and all from 1929. The motor quit on mine (I think it is the wiring) but when it was running, I loved the stitch!

I've been fiddling around with the 66 and it works very well. I just finished sewing a test run through 8 layers of cloth, all that would fit under the foot and the machine handled it beautifully.
Sheluma thanks for the info on the slide plate for the 101 and unfortunately there are no attachments hiding in the seat on the 66. I'm not complaining though. For $20 and tax I have a working classy looking sewing machine in a cabinet with a matching seat.
Lovelyl You are probably right about the wiring. Have you looked at it yet? The wiring on these old machines is very simple, there's a very good chance you can fix it yourself. If it does turn out the motor is shot, I know I saw a couple motors for the 101 on Ebay a couple days ago. I haven't checked if the auctions have ended so I don't know if they are still listed or not.

Is there a way for me to edit the original title to reflect a model 66 instead of a 15?

Thanks,
Rodney