strange penn 285

[reelrepair123]

here's a question for the members,  did penn ever make a 285 with an aluminum left sideplate?  picked one up last week, didn't know if it was a treasure or a fluke. there were two extra holes in the bottom of the plate where the reel stand bolts on, it looks very professional , copper rivits holding clicker tongue, spool bearing in the middle with the raised flange, any input?   thanks members,   harryk

[Tightlines667]

Maybe post a pic, (or email it to me and I will) so we can have a look see.  Sounds like it is likely a sideplate from a different manufacture (the Ocean City Fortescue comes to mind, or a Pflueger maybe?) That was used to replace the existing sideplate.  Is it a Penn tailplate bushing (stamped with a Penn part number)?

[reelrepair123]

thanks for responding, as soon as i can i'll post some pictures, i have to get my daughter to help.    harryk

[Penn Chronology]

here's a question for the members,  did penn ever make a 285 with an aluminum left sideplate?  picked one up last week, didn't know if it was a treasure or a fluke. there were two extra holes in the bottom of the plate where the reel stand bolts on, it looks very professional , copper rivits holding clicker tongue, spool bearing in the middle with the raised flange, any input?   thanks members,   harryk

Penn made examples of side plates in their engineering department out of brass and aluminum. Sounds like you have a factory escapee.

[reelrepair123]

thank you michael, i'm in brentwood, L.I.  N.Y.

[Penn Chronology]

thank you michael, i'm in brentwood, L.I.  N.Y.

I am in Wantagh. We are about a half hour away from each other.

Does your tail plate look anything like this Long Beach 66 tail plate?

[Tightlines667]

Whoa!

That's pretty cool Mike.  Around what period (s) do you suppose Penn was experimenting with metal sideplates?  I mean were they doing this in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, or 60s+?

[Penn Chronology]

Whoa!

That's pretty cool Mike.  Around what period (s) do you suppose Penn was experimenting with metal sideplates?  I mean were they doing this in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, or 60s+?

John,

This plate was rescued from the trash when Penn was cleaning house around 2003. I would have to guess it is from the 1950's. I do not have any real history about it. The owner of it allowed me to photo it; but, could not sell it to me. It is now in someone's collection.

[PacRat]

I would guess that the tail-plate in the photo is a proto-type to test fit and make certain all the dimensions are correct before producing a mold. Very cool. Just imagine how many of these wound up in the scrap bin.

[Penn Chronology]

I would guess that the tail-plate in the photo is a proto-type to test fit and make certain all the dimensions are correct before producing a mold. Very cool. Just imagine how many of these wound up in the scrap bin.

Sounds right to me.

[reelrepair123]

good  morning   michael,    the clicker ring has copper rivits holding it in place, where the button is on the outside, the groove where it slides is rectangular, the spool bearing says 40-60 ,but when i try another one it doesn't fit too big, it seems the bearing in it must have been re-tapped to a smaller thread, the flange where the bearing screws into is raised like an original sideplate , and along the bottom where the reelstand bolts on there is two extra holes , not like they were meant for frame post. all the holes are counter sunk to accept the head of the screw.  thanks for your help.   harryk