The Curta.org Bulletin Board

[Jack]

OK, everyone, I want to play a game of "20 questions".

I request that anyone who has a Curta with a serial number higher than 60000 having a metal clearing lever to please post a response to this notice. You can also send a response if you have a Type I with a plastic lever that has a serial number lower than 70000.

By doing this, we should be able to determine at approximately what serial number Contina switched from metal to plastic clearing levers. FYI...I have copies of all versions of the Contina service manual as well as several service bulletins, and not a single one specifically mentions when the change from the metal to plastic clearing lever took place. Unfortunately, the change-over point for the metal to plastic clearing lever cannot be inferred by changes in associated components because Contina similarly failed to mention when those components changed. Oddly, nearly every other component is identified with a serial number range.

I'll start - - - > I have seen serial number 57202 with a metal clearing lever. Does anyone have a higher number Type I with a metal clearing lever?

And let's do the same for the metal and plastic cranks. I believe the cut-off point for the metal crank was at serial number 46890. Does anyone have a Type I close to that serial number? Does it have a metal or plastic crank?

[Jack]

It does appear that the phase-in of the plastic clearing lever took place over a period of time (serial numbers), as I have just noticed a sale on eBay of serial number 65942 with a plastic clearing lever, while 71575 is also on eBay showing a metal clearing lever.

Such "back and forth" installation of parts was not uncommon by Contina. The service manuals often do list ranges of serial numbers for certain parts.

It is also worth noting that when a metal clearing lever was broken, it was often replaced with a plastic clearing lever by the serviceman. This was the suggested practice mentioned in a factory service bulletin.
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Jack Christensen
Timewise
32 Old Barn Road
Hawthorn Woods, ILLINOIS 60047
USA
847-550-5052 (evenings)
curta.info@gmail.com

[Pete]

Jack, my 68122 has a metal clearing ring and the post-and-plunger arrangement securing it. Despite owning quite a few Curtas I do not have even one with a plastic clearing ring yet (73996 is missing it, hmph).

Additionally, I just noticed that 73996 uses the larger numerals above the setting sliders...the same size as seen in the grey-body Type 2. This change must have occurred sometime after 68122 though - that one is pretty much identical to machines in the 20-40000 range with the exception of the crank handle and the canister.
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Cheers, Pete