NTD (New Typewriter Day) at our place.

Fresh out of the shipping box and warming up in my hobby room.

Serial number makes it a 1966-made machine.

The number "1" key-top did turn out to announce it is a cursive-script typewriter.

It has over-sized (i.e. tall) capital letters...so this one only takes a 1-color ribbon.  Ribbon selector only has a "Print" and a "Stencil" setting.  I thought it might be so when I saw the photo did not show a red color indicator on the rotary selector switch.  Metal factory spools still on the machine.  Hurray !

The Fed Exp. truck (and the driver) were very cold, so I will not plug this one in until tomorrow some time.  Today our high managed to get into the 20* F's for the day.

This machine may be recently been serviced, as it has a almost new pair of small v-belts in place that are supple and in great shape.
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Hi Uwe,

Sorry no number stickers on the bottom panel at all.  SN stamped in the metal of the framing with a little "window" cut out in the sheet metal to expose that.

Your right about boxes coming in during cold times.  This box spent the night in my garage...which I keep with an HVAC vent to 55* F. during the winter.  Then a day in my home once out of the box.  Will not power it up until late Thursday or so.

I do the same during our summers when we have many days at 100* F. and higher and the shipping truck's interiors probably another 20-30 * F. on top of that.

I got into this habit with CF Martin Co. acoustic guitars.  Box in our home for a day, guitar still in its case but out of the box and packing for the next day, and finally on the last day just out au-natural without any string tensioning or playing time.  3-day process and never got wood and/or lacquer cracks in the process.
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I also love how the 2 vinyl pads on each side of the CR lever are colour-coordinated with the same bluish color of the body cowlings.
 

If it's anything like mine, you'll be afraid to touch that "Power Return" key.  It's like launching a missile...sideways.... 

Pete E. wrote:

Jim,

As I understood from one of Phoenix Typewriters' You-Tube videos, the  Electra 210/220 got a motor with 2 "stages" of windings.  Normal motor for spinning the power roller.  And another stage for the power return mechanism to make it lighting fast by design. You can hear the increase in motor RPM for that in the video.

One of the reasons was wanted to snatch one up and play & learn from it.

I will probably keep this 220 case and pair it with my 210 which is case-less.  I will then, after a full service, gift the 220 away.

My Dymo label maker can make a neat Electra 120 label to cover the "220" label presently on the case.

Yes, my 220 also has that extra circuitry with a microswitch to engage the secondary winding.  I've toyed with the idea of disabling it.  It really does feel like the carriage is going to fly across the room!  It's not clear to me whether that was an optional feature or standard on all 220s.

By the way, I think you mentioned something about not wanting that 120 with the script typeface.  I have a 120 with a standard pica typeface if you're interested in trading.  I believe mine is a 1965 model with blue shell and white keys (and of course the matching case).  I'm still looking for something with script...