Info on odd Penn 2/0

[SteveL]

Hi guys,

In acquiring a few Penn 2/0's, I picked up this one from eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Penn-No-2-0-Conventional-Fishing-Reel-USA-/181814598197



I thought I was just getting a plain old 2/0, but this one is a bit odd.  If the picture above is posted correctly, you should see that the gap between the handle and the sideplate is a bit more than usual.   Seems that this handle side plate is missing one of the humps over the gear.  On a typical 2/0 and 3/0 plate, I am accustomed to seeing an additional hump over the gear, but this one sits flush with the handle side bearing (about an 1/8" short by eye). 

Many of the parts of this reel are unnumbered, leading me to guess that it might be old.  The dog has been replaced with a numbered one, and the gear and drag stack that you would expect to find in a 2/0 seem newer than the other components  and a bit of a tight squeeze.  The seller noted that the drag was working but not as it should.   I am wondering if this sideplate is intended to have a shorter gear like the 1/0.

Any thoughts or info on this reel?

Thanks

Steve

[SteveL]

Another 2/0 arrived with this same style of sideplate:



This one seems to be functioning correctly, so I can compare the main gears and drag stacks.

Before now, all of the ones I have seen look like this one as shown on mysticparts.com:



(note the raised area around the hole where the gear sleeve and spacer pass through the plate.   These two 2/0 plates are missing this last raised area)

Any ideas when the design change occurred?

"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com" (image file fixed)

[Shark Hunter]

That's pretty common on older senators. I can't tell you when the change was made, but it makes changing the gears easier without removing the plate.

[RowdyW]

I don't think that hole in the side plate is large enough to remove the drags & main gear. It might just be an early design. Maybe Mike can chime in on this one. If the hole is large enough to change drags with the side plate on then it might have a top hat washer over the drags. We need a better side view photo.

[SteveL]

it makes changing the gears easier without removing the plate.

The hole around the spacer is only slightly larger than on the typical newer plate.  It isn't large enough to access the drag stack or main gear.  There is good bit more room above the gear with the newer plate (more room for gear, drag stack and spring washers).  

[bluefish69]

Steve

I have the same condition on my 2/0. There isn't a Chrome extension coming out of the side plate. My reel just sits on a Plinth so no concern but I never noticed this before.

Mike