Penn 155

[alantani]

sal, sal, sal, we've gotta talk........   

[Alto Mare]

sal, sal, sal, we've gotta talk........   

As stated above, I only have a couple and love them, these are all spoken for.
I had another dozen or so, those I gave to members here and there. Some even flew to the other side of the pond
With that said, I'm not showing my 100's

[alantani]

ok, so i got off work at 1am, i got home at 2am and i'm enjoying a scotch at 3am.  that's why i'm up.  what's your excuse?   

[Alto Mare]

I've been getting up at 4:30 AM for the past 25-30 years...no alarm clock .
You're forgetting you're 3 hours back.

[Alto Mare]

I have a couple of 155, but mine have been converted to narrows........

I didn't know this was possible.  I have 2 155s that I use all the time for porgys and seabass inshore.  I'd love to make one a narrow.  No need for all that capacity when I use braid to catch porgys in 40ft of water.

I checked Scotts but wasn't able to find anything but the standard 155 parts.  If anyone could point me in the direction of the correct conversion parts, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Matt

Matt, you could make your 155 reels a narrow by using a 29L-100 spool, 30-49 stand and 37-180 frame posts.
About the frame posts, I believe Black Pearl is working on the stainless steel spacer bars as the 501, but those will need to be a little different to keep the weight down. I will give him my suggestion when the time comes, I'm thinking a shape similar to a Bow Tie or larger holes.
These are already narrow: Surfmaster 100, Baymaster 180,185 &190 ( The 185 & 190 are knuckle busters, no star. The 190 would be the older ones, the newer are taller as the 85) and the Monofil 27. Keep in mind these will not have the aluminum spool.

Most of all others with the same size plate can be converted to narrow, by using the parts mentioned above.

Sal

[Alto Mare]

I haven't done this mod yet but I think it involves three things 1 spool 29L-100 1 stand 30-180s and posts X4 37-180
Sal can you confirm .The parts are listed under 180 Baymaster .

Thanks,
Matt

Sorry Matt, I just noticed that you've already answered the other Matt, maybe that's why i got confused .
Yes you are correct, you could use the30-180s stand, but the 30-49 would be a better choice and you'll save 3-4 dollars.

Thanks!
Sal

I have a feeling that Mo at Scott's is going to run out of spools for these soon, get'em while they're hot ...maybe i'll grab a couple of more .

[Superhook]

I just acquired this neat little 151; it has the lighthouse tail plate, the pointy handle knob, and a brown mottled spool which I haven't seen before. I haven't started fussing/cleaning/polishing yet, although it's in really nice condition and doesn't need much. Would anyone be willing to guesstimate its approximate vintage? 50s? 60s?



Another thing I've been puzzling over: I'm aware that tightly winding mono onto a plastic spool can crush it like an eggshell because of mono's considerable stretch, but does the same hold true for non-stretchy braid?

Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks...   

~A~

Aiala.

You said your reel is a #151 . I think the guys missed that "1" after the "15" . If they saw a photo of the head plate they would have seen that it does not have a star drag. The #151 is a difficult reel to find and in the condition yours is in the difficulty doubles again. They were made 1940-1942 & 1946 .
Definitely a collectors reel .  From an anglers view - A star drag would be preferable so not many were bought . For that reason and a short production time span , that is what makes them a collectable.  Nice find.

Ray

[Keta]

ok, so i got off work at 1am, i got home at 2am and i'm enjoying a scotch at 3am.  that's why i'm up.  what's your excuse?   

Big front passing through and my legs are killing me, tried to sleep but gave up at 03:30.

[Alto Mare]

I just acquired this neat little 151; it has the lighthouse tail plate, the pointy handle knob, and a brown mottled spool which I haven't seen before. I haven't started fussing/cleaning/polishing yet, although it's in really nice condition and doesn't need much. Would anyone be willing to guesstimate its approximate vintage? 50s? 60s?



Another thing I've been puzzling over: I'm aware that tightly winding mono onto a plastic spool can crush it like an eggshell because of mono's considerable stretch, but does the same hold true for non-stretchy braid?

Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks...   

~A~

Aiala.

You said your reel is a #151 . I think the guys missed that "1" after the "15" . If they saw a photo of the head plate they would have seen that it does not have a star drag. The #151 is a difficult reel to find and in the condition yours is in the difficulty doubles again. They were made 1940-1942 & 1946 .
Definitely a collectors reel .  From an anglers view - A star drag would be preferable so not many were bought . For that reason and a short production time span , that is what makes them a collectable.  Nice find.

Ray

Ray, I don't believe the reel has the correct parts, usually the stand is not tapered with that type of handle knob, but I'm not as knowledgeable as you guy .
Still, if that was the case, I would still put that reel on a shelf, I really like that color combination.
Gorgeous reel Aiala .

[Superhook]

Sal,

Good pick up.  It has been modernized . Looks like a part# on the tail plate bearing and the handle blade has a #24 ....  If the Head plate has the #151 logo everything else can be corrected.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Penn-SURFMASTER-150-Conventional-Reel-/231446775893?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35e34d8855
This is the correct era #150 for the donor parts but you need a better one.

Ray

[Aiala]

Uh, fellas, I'm afriad my dyselxic tendencies have once again reared their ugly haed; I wrote "151" when I meant "155".    There is a star drag, and in fact I think it's a pretty ordinary little reel, except I was curious whether that mottled spool meant it was older than most, or something. I'd like to fish with it at some point (I'm not a shelf display collector) but I need to follow Mr. Shark's suggestion and upgrade to an aluminum spool.

In any event, I do apologize for causing unnecessary confusion.   

~A~

[BMITCH]

Aiala, I've been seeing you post a couple nice little and big reels on here lately. I believe you have a nice quiver of Penn's. And best of all your gonna fish them!! My kinda gal. BTW, I like the spool on this one but your better off with the alum if your gonna fish it. Like Daron said. Good luck
Bob

[Alto Mare]

Uh, fellas, I'm afriad my dyselxic tendencies have once again reared their ugly haed; I wrote "151" when I meant "155".    There is a star drag, and in fact I think it's a pretty ordinary little reel, except I was curious whether that mottled spool meant it was older than most, or something. I'd like to fish with it at some point (I'm not a shelf display collector) but I need to follow Mr. Shark's suggestion and upgrade to an aluminum spool.

In any event, I do apologize for causing unnecessary confusion.   

~A~

No need to apologize Aiala, I knew you meant 155 all along, still with mismatched parts though , but that doesn't really matter if you're going to fish it.
Your aluminum spool is on its way.
Sal

[Penn Chronology]

I just acquired this neat little 151; it has the lighthouse tail plate, the pointy handle knob, and a brown mottled spool which I haven't seen before. I haven't started fussing/cleaning/polishing yet, although it's in really nice condition and doesn't need much. Would anyone be willing to guesstimate its approximate vintage? 50s? 60s?

Just one number off and you send the nutty professor historians into a quest . I searched my catalogs and found the 1940 Model 151 reference:
just so you knew Ray and I were not talking through our silly hats   and then I went into my picture files and found a picture of a 151 and its sister, the 201 sitting peacefully next to each other:
and then I realized that if I was as observant as Sal, I would have picked up on the fact that the head plate on your reel does not have the quick change feature of a Model 151 Surfmaster and you simply typed a "1" instead of a "5".

Simply amazing what one number off can do .

On another note, The Model 151 is a difficult reel to find, so if you come across one, no matter what the condition, it is a keeper, as is the Model 201. These models were not made after WW II.

[Aiala]

Mitch, Sal, Alan(s), Mike(s), Dom(s), Daron, Ono, Randy, Lee, Keith, Wai, Tim, Dwight, in fact the entire AT crew, I know I've said it before, but y'all are the kindest, most generous bunch of guys... ever. I just wish more womenfolk would come here, because if they did, it'd renew their faith that there are, indeed, plenty of old-fashioned true gentlemen left in this hurried modern world of ours.

~A~