Penn Long Beach Series

Shark Hunter · December 30, 2014, 07:38:28 AM

Due to my recent Long Beach Fever, thanks to Dwight. I figured I would start my own thread.
I found a really nice 67 that looked really Good. I figured it would be an easy service. NOT!
Every piece that was on the inside was as green as the handle that was on the outside!
I had to polish the rings to get rid of the corrosion. The screws took the channel locks with a shop towel around the posts to get each and every one out!
The main gear is steel and shorter than the other long beaches I have acquired, but I made a nice three stack with new 6-60 CF's. I went through the older 66 I had with the root beer handle and put is back as stock as I could.
These smaller reels take a lot of time. I probably put three hours restoring this one. From the screws to the handle. Also put in a stainless sleeve.

bluefish69 · December 31, 2014, 12:48:16 AM

Daron

A few years ago I gave 2 Penn 67's to a Charter Captain in N.H. They were mine & my Dad's bought in the mid 60's. Back then no one knew about these reels. My 2 Penn 60's were stolen.

Mike

Penn Chronology · December 31, 2014, 01:13:28 AM

Daron,

You did a fine job on those Long Beach Model 67's. You should try a Long Beach 68. They also have steel gears and are as wide as a Senator 4/O HLW. The 68 has the deep main gear that passes through the head plates to allow for drag changes without breaking down the reel.

Shark Hunter · December 31, 2014, 04:56:03 AM

I have two of them Mike. In the boxes. Trying to clear the table of reels this week.

I don't think that have those types of plates, but my root beer 66 did.

Ron Jones · December 31, 2014, 06:22:26 AM

That's the third or fourth time I've heard of a LB 4/0 having a 60 gear in it. It works just fine it just isn't deep enough for a 5 stack unless you use Bryan's washers.
Ron

Shark Hunter · December 31, 2014, 07:40:13 AM

You have to roll with the punches Ron. Just about every Long Beach I've opened so far hasn't been like the one before it. Different gears, metals, dogs, plates and spacers.
I did learn that a 67 post is the same as a 113h and a 65 uses a 112H if that's all you have.
I picked up this nice little 65 with a stainless spool, One of the posts was completely stripped of the chrome. Lo and behold, the 112H post was a direct replacement. Short Brass Gear with a 3 stack.
I managed to stop fiddling with my nail clippers to take this pic Sal.

Shark Hunter · December 31, 2014, 10:10:54 AM

Went through my Pre War 67. This is the oldest reel I have ever come across.
I did manage to get in completely tore down without breaking anything, except for the undergear washer. I will put it back as it was, drags and all. It has those plates with the gear exposed that you were telling me about Michael.
70 year old grease smells like an old gun. $:-\$

Alto Mare · December 31, 2014, 04:05:04 PM

...don't forget your toenails

Penn Chronology · December 31, 2014, 04:50:35 PM

QuoteI did manage to get in completely tore down without breaking anything, except for the undergear washer. I will put it back as it was, drags and all. It has those plates with the gear exposed that you were telling me about Michael.
70 year old grease smells like an old gun. Undecided

Yes, that's the one. It is odd to see the external drags used on a Penn 67. Any I have seen have been on a Model 68 but no matter. All the Models 66, 67 & 68 are interchangeable anyways. I will join in with the photo story here as soon as the holidays pass. As we speak, I have a old 1940's Model 68 sitting on my work bench in pieces. As soon as the holidays pass I will be getting it back to together and I will see how well I can photo the process.
Some of the posts I have seen on this forum are Overhaul Manual quality. They are that good or even better.

Old gun? I guess some people just get grease crazy. They open a reel and just add more grease, never cleaning out the old stuff. If you get into full classics, 75 to 100 year old reels, you find grease that has solidified and stopped the reel from operating. I am not a fan of heavy grease, I do not use any paste grease, I use a spray penetrating grease that kind of flows into cavities and then dries leaving a light grease coating, but, that is me. Most reels I restore are done for display, reels I do for fishing are for my fishing. I usually Bay fish for Fluke. My personal big game is Stripers, Codfish and Blackfish. If I catch a shark it is because he jumped on one of my smaller fish. I do not have the kind of time or money to target big game but I do love to read about and write about it. Sometimes I do it, but those are very rare times.

I think I have a problem with the feeling of the fish have me on the end of the line rather than me having him.

vilters · January 01, 2015, 05:38:18 AM

Nice work SH. I love seeing these reels brought back to life and upgraded. I'm pulling my old penns out of mothballs and getting them ready for the season, give the shimanos and avets some rest.

Shark Hunter · January 01, 2015, 07:53:43 AM

I said an old Gun Michael, just because I know that old grease smell. I'm talking an old pre war Mosin, that probably had the same grease.

I put all the parts from this old reel in some simple green overnight and got back at it this evening.
I got them Clean enough to sit on the Table without any rags, so That is a first.

I left some of the original patina, just trying to make this Dinosaur show quality. No Dremel or sandpaper, just some paper towels, simple green and chrome polish.
Almost finished, Seventy year old reels are a lot of work.

I intended on keeping the drag stack original, but I guess after they sat out overnight, they crumbled when I picked them back up to put some grease on them. Put in 6-60's. I am very Happy with the results.

Maxed Out · January 01, 2015, 08:25:40 AM

Very nice Daron. That is a pre WWII reel and preserving it as a survivor is the right thing to do. Surely you could go fish it right now and it would do fine. That's why those long beach reels stood the test of time and are the most common used penn reel out there. Now with the new smaller diameter spectra the 60 has become much more popular and now those 67 & 68 can hold a mile of line, which makes them more versatile. I fished a in lodge in BC a few years ago and all their halibut rods were rigged with penn 66. They would consistently pull in halibut up to 250# with them. Those reels also withstood a lot of abuse, but anyone that's been around them already knows that.

Happy new year Daron, and thanks for sharing your candy, it looks tasty, but I'll pass on the cottage cheese. lol

Ted

Newell Nut · January 01, 2015, 10:18:25 AM

Nice work there Daron. I have a minty 67 on the way to add to my long beach collection. Looking forward to cleaning and tuning it up for my grandson one day.

Shark Hunter · January 02, 2015, 06:47:28 AM

Left to right. Long Beach 60,65,66, three 67's and a 68.

Penn Chronology · January 02, 2015, 07:17:36 AM

I did my old pre-war Penn 68 today, These are very hard to come by. The #68 model was introduced in 1942 and the production run was cut short by the War Act. The particular reel I have has been around the block, so all parts I feel are not 1942, especially the handle, it think it is older.

Here are all the parts, I left all drags original because they were in nice shape and were still soft. I believe they are leather.

As I said, the reel was very used, so when I cleaned the spool, all of the plating on the spindle was gone. Strangely enough, the spool sides were still in very nice shape.

Can't miss the classic picture tail plate. The Model 68's had Hershey Kiss style clicker buttons. The early Model 66 and 67's had the waffle style clicker and the first model 66 even predates the picture plate and has a blank tail plate.

Because my reel is early, nothing has a part number. Even all internal parts are not stamped with part numbers.

I have not seen a Penn 68 that was not identified with the model number. Earlier model 67 and 66 had head plate logo that only stated Penn Long Beach. Of course, everything is interchangeable, so a non-marked Penn 66 or 67 side plate could be used to build a model 68. Stranger things have happened..............<:O)

I like this reel, it is a small game big game reel. Even in the factory stock configuration it has a five disc drag and steel gears, it is a strong Long Beach.

I believe the handle on this reel is a very early Penn 49 handle and I think the Penn 49 handle upgrade is the perfect touch for one of these Model 68's. They even feel more right than the stock handle.

So there is one of my oldies. I make no claims that this reel I have pictured here is 100% historically correct. I guess by the time any machine gets used for 70 years, something had to be changed on it. By the way, after cleaning and reassembly, this reel and drives runs like new.