Typewriter Talk / Quick question about selectrics

**Posted by Paul1986** 29-4-2023 16:46:53

Hello everyone
Is it possible to "transplant" the carriage of a selectric 1 onto a selectric 3?

**Posted by typewriterguru** 02-6-2023 19:26:25

Paul1986 wrote:
Hello everyone
Is it possible to "transplant" the carriage of a selectric 1 onto a selectric 3?

It is possible but probably not practical. Many improvements were made through the iterations of the Selectric. Using the much older carrier will likely require you to replace the return cable as the end connections will be different in order to work with the carrier. I know of people who have replaced the Selectric III 210 bicycle ribbon carrier with the Selectric II Selective Ribbon System carrier.

**Posted by Paul1986** 10-6-2023 21:07:05

Hey typewriterguru, thanks for responding.
Keeping my fingers crossed, I have just sent one to have to procedure done. Let's see how it plays out.

**Posted by Herik Beheran** 27-8-2023 12:52:26

Paul1986 wrote:
Hey typewriterguru, thanks for responding.
Keeping my fingers crossed, I have just sent one to have to procedure done. Let's see how it plays out.

Hi Paul, what happened with your experiment. I had ever wondered: would it be possible to do it?
A Selectric 1 allows us to use cloth cartridges, and the selectric 2 allows us to change from pica to elite.
Combined the two you would have a machine that allows you to use cloth tape, change the font and size.
Could you make it?
Greetings from Argentina!

**Posted by Paul1986** 26-10-2023 18:23:42

Answering an old post. Sorry it took so long.
What happened was I was talked out of it by my tech, who was very patient in explaining why this would be a fool's errand. What he did do, however, was adapt a carbon ribbon Selectric 1 using the carriage of a carbon ribbon machine, and I am as happy as can be. You see, the whole point for me was to keep the "playability" of the Selectric, but with cheaper ribbons. Carbon film ribbons have become way too expensive around here, and I use typewriters for drafting, it didn't make sense to spend all that money on ribbons.

**Posted by Paul1986** 26-10-2023 18:25:55

Correcting. He took a carbon film Sel 1 and installed a regular ribbon carriage, and now I can use those little cartridges that take normal typewriter ribbons.