1050 Brands 3173 Models 21458 Galleries 13422 Typefaces 6273 Patents
Home » IBM » Correcting Selectric II » 197x #Not found yet
197x IBM Correcting Selectric II Serial # Not found yet 197x IBM Correcting Selectric II typewriter, Serial # Not found yet Trevor London's 197x IBM Correcting Selectric II typewriter. 2020-08-06 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Trevor London: 197x IBM Correcting Selectric II Serial # Not found yet It wasn't working when I brought it home. All that filthy icky old disintegrated IBM foam had shed all over the guts and I knew it would be a very bad idea to run this typewriter with all that stuff in there, but I couldn't help it. I had to try to at least power it on. I was thinking possibly that it might just be a simple electrical fault, since when I switched it on, nothing happened at all, no motor turning sound, nor a hum of a stuck motor. It appears to be (besides all the foam gunk) in good condition, the paint is very very good, so I was thinking there might be a chance this thing had low hours. I quickly learned how to get it open and I took a look. The line cord has what looks very very much like CAT TEETH MARKS.... 'Christmas Vacation' instantly came to mind. I thought that might be the problem and I replaced it. Even if it wasn't electrically faulty, its just not safe to have a damaged line cord on anything at all, especially a beautiful thing like this typewriter, but also out of respect for the cat. Its hard to tell if that was actually the problem, because before I did plug it in again I noticed the little ventilation port at the bottom of the motor housing and stuck my finger in to see if it turned. It did. I plugged it in and the thing came to life, almost-- the machine was making the tick tick tick and when I watched a video on youtube from Phoenix Typewriter (bless those folks indeed) it appeared to be a problem with the 'hub'. It could've been the cord keeping it from powering up, or the motor might've had a problem, like a 'dead' spot or something, and just needed to start in a different position. The ball bounced about the way its supposed to do but the carriage would only advance a little. Does anybody know if you can move it away manually? I'd love to take a look at the serial number.

I have always wanted a green Selectric II. When I saw this for $35 I pounced, I would've forked out more. Really, this was at the top of my all-time typewriter wishlist. I feel like this is the absolute pinnacle of typewriter design, and probably the most beautiful typewriter ever made. The first Selectric is pretty, but this is a masterpiece. The green color is a big part of that, for me, the other colors these came in don't appeal as much, it had to be a green one. And here it is! Much of my collection is for fixing up and selling, it has to wait for those to be finished before it gets much of my time. Its about at the bottom of the list, not just because I need to fix up the others first but for the simple fact that I am NOT qualified to even clean the big bastard out. Maybe 'qualified' isn't the right word, 'confident' fits a little better. Not yet. I'm learning more about typewriters every day-- in fact I do little else. In the last couple years, as my childhood fascination with typewriters has had a huge and rapid resurgence, I have learned a tremendous lot about them. I'm sure I'll be able to fix this thing eventually. I have to, if I want it to ever work. I couldn't lose a great opportunity to discover the secrets of the world's greatest typewriter, I can only benefit in the knowledge and experience that'll come with this project. I would have to be completely and utterly stumped to take this to a proper tech, its a challenge, a big, huge, green heavy challenge and I'll learn. Until I am ready, I WILL have this thing at the forefront of my typewritery thoughts.

This typewriter makes a perfect bookend with my Fox 3-- everything else is in between. I dont necessarily mean chronologically, though that's part of it, but more of a historical, and also design sense. That Fox is an early pioneer, the Selectric II is the final frontier.

At some point I'll take a look at the ribbon that of course has all the letters punched off. Maybe I'll find out what became of the cat.

197x IBM Correcting Selectric II #Not found yet

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Trevor London (NoiselessBastard)
Created: 07-30-2020 at 05:12PM
Last Edit: 08-06-2020 at 04:33AM

Description Hunter 1 Photos 0 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

It wasn't working when I brought it home. All that filthy icky old disintegrated IBM foam had shed all over the guts and I knew it would be a very bad idea to run this typewriter with all that stuff in there, but I couldn't help it. I had to try to at least power it on. I was thinking possibly that it might just be a simple electrical fault, since when I switched it on, nothing happened at all, no motor turning sound, nor a hum of a stuck motor. It appears to be (besides all the foam gunk) in good condition, the paint is very very good, so I was thinking there might be a chance this thing had low hours. I quickly learned how to get it open and I took a look. The line cord has what looks very very much like CAT TEETH MARKS.... 'Christmas Vacation' instantly came to mind. I thought that might be the problem and I replaced it. Even if it wasn't electrically faulty, its just not safe to have a damaged line cord on anything at all, especially a beautiful thing like this typewriter, but also out of respect for the cat. Its hard to tell if that was actually the problem, because before I did plug it in again I noticed the little ventilation port at the bottom of the motor housing and stuck my finger in to see if it turned. It did. I plugged it in and the thing came to life, almost-- the machine was making the tick tick tick and when I watched a video on youtube from Phoenix Typewriter (bless those folks indeed) it appeared to be a problem with the 'hub'. It could've been the cord keeping it from powering up, or the motor might've had a problem, like a 'dead' spot or something, and just needed to start in a different position. The ball bounced about the way its supposed to do but the carriage would only advance a little. Does anybody know if you can move it away manually? I'd love to take a look at the serial number.

I have always wanted a green Selectric II. When I saw this for $35 I pounced, I would've forked out more. Really, this was at the top of my all-time typewriter wishlist. I feel like this is the absolute pinnacle of typewriter design, and probably the most beautiful typewriter ever made. The first Selectric is pretty, but this is a masterpiece. The green color is a big part of that, for me, the other colors these came in don't appeal as much, it had to be a green one. And here it is! Much of my collection is for fixing up and selling, it has to wait for those to be finished before it gets much of my time. Its about at the bottom of the list, not just because I need to fix up the others first but for the simple fact that I am NOT qualified to even clean the big bastard out. Maybe 'qualified' isn't the right word, 'confident' fits a little better. Not yet. I'm learning more about typewriters every day-- in fact I do little else. In the last couple years, as my childhood fascination with typewriters has had a huge and rapid resurgence, I have learned a tremendous lot about them. I'm sure I'll be able to fix this thing eventually. I have to, if I want it to ever work. I couldn't lose a great opportunity to discover the secrets of the world's greatest typewriter, I can only benefit in the knowledge and experience that'll come with this project. I would have to be completely and utterly stumped to take this to a proper tech, its a challenge, a big, huge, green heavy challenge and I'll learn. Until I am ready, I WILL have this thing at the forefront of my typewritery thoughts.

This typewriter makes a perfect bookend with my Fox 3-- everything else is in between. I dont necessarily mean chronologically, though that's part of it, but more of a historical, and also design sense. That Fox is an early pioneer, the Selectric II is the final frontier.

At some point I'll take a look at the ribbon that of course has all the letters punched off. Maybe I'll find out what became of the cat.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:


Hunter: Trevor London (NoiselessBastard)

Trevor London's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 233

I love typewriters


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the IBM Correcting Selectric II on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the IBM Serial Number page and the IBM Correcting Selectric II By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

Typewriter Hunter Merch!