A Penn 430ss on the Cheap

[mo65]

   Well...it started out that way...but quickly went up in price. Every good luck streak has to end. I guess I was due for a surprise. I snatched this 430ss for $35 shipped, and even though it was advertised "as is" I didn't flinch. I though it would be the usual broken bail spring, maybe it was stiff with dried out grease. It has some advanced boat rash but I just wanna fish the reel, and the fish don't care about bling.



   As soon as I turned the handle I cringed. The main gear was shredded! Nice...oh well...add 20 bucks to the cost.



   Like Billy Mays used to say, "but wait...there's more!" The drag knob is cracked. Choke up another 20 clams.



   Here are all the nuggets, ready to glue back together. The new main gear meshes with the pinion very well, and the bearing cleaned up smooth as silk. I really like that big Teflon drag washer, it should be hard to top for this application. Then I looked at the body...all that paint loss...it just looked alien surrounded by all those shiny parts.



   Another $10 later, the body looks a little better. Rustoleum Industrial Enamel in semi-gloss black sticks to reels pretty good. I shot some on the rotor too.



  I lubed the clock works with Superlube, it's clear, but if you zoom you'll see it. It's the first time I've used this grease, and I like it. Usually a new gear feels better with some use, I don't see how it could be any better than it is now. I used CorrosionX HD in the bearing, so it has a nice free feel when you spin the handle. I have to admit, I miss hearing the AR dog clicking, but I like the manual bail release.



   Hey now, she's dressed to kill. A little beyond my original plans. My $35 fisher morphed into an $85 investment. I'll be eatin' peanut butter this week...grinnin' like a chimp at this reel.

[Carl L]

That turned out very nice mo !  I spray paint car parts almost daily, and if you don't have access to hvlp gun and automotive clear coat, autozone/advance/whatever auto parts have very good rattle can "wheel coating clear" that works great- you can also get it in matte..will make that finish very durable..

[Keta]

Too bad about the broken and worn out parts.  

I found a 420SS in a box of old reels a customer gave me that just needed the petrified lube cleaned out.  The box also had 2 Mitchel 300s and a 308 in good shape but in need of a cleaning and two old Pflueger knuckle busters in very good shape.

[gstours]

  Sure looks good now!   Thanks for the pictures and showing your determination in continuing your reel repair skills.   Nothing ventured ,  nothing learned.   Great job.   

[steelfish]

. My $35 fisher morphed into an $85 investment. I'll be eatin' peanut butter this week...

yeah but now you can add a fillet of catfish or LMB to that peanut butter   

really nice work there amigo, I need to do something similar to a abu 6600c I just got, reel feels solid, bearings could need a cleanup job but ir really needs to be repainted

[Shark Hunter]

Solid Work Mo!
You are a Master.

[foakes]

Great skills, Mike!

You do what needs to be done, then some — and you do it right.

Best,

Fred

[Alto Mare]

excellent operation on that patient Mo
You gave it another 50 years of fishing until the next one...good job!

Sal

[mo65]

  Nothing ventured, nothing learned.     

   That is the quote of the day Gary, and perfectly sums things up. Thanks for the compliments everyone. I felt pretty good about the reel after I stood back and looked at it, but hearing it from the crew here on AT makes me sure it was worth the investment. Now where did I put that peanut butter.....

[Midway Tommy]

Nice restore, Mike, it should serve you well! I agree with Carl's tip. I learned a long time ago that some clear coat will eliminate paint finish thinning and wear. I don't repaint reels but if I do have a foot or leg that needs paint I add a clear coat for wear longevity. A lot of late '70s & '80s reels, before powder coating got so big, had clear coats. 

[thorhammer]

Mike, great work. Let us know how the finish holds. I wish we had an economical, easy way to anodize spinfisher bodies.

[Donnyboat]

Yes really good work Mike, thanks for showing, with many of the other comments, we have learnt a lot, thanks again, cheers Don.

[mizmo67]

I think it's worth it. "Reel" nice, as CT would say

[mo65]

I think it's worth it. "Reel" nice, as CT would say

  I think it's worth it too Mo, and thank you for providing so many parts that complete so many "reely awesome" reels.

  Thanks to Don, John, and Tommy too!

[festus]

Mike, you did a great job on that reel, money well spent on parts. 

I've been checking prices on the 420ss, 430ss, 714 and 716 series and they aren't cheap. 

Other than the metal spool, how does the feel of your reel compare to the Shakespeare 2052? They are similar both size wise and internally, some difference in A/R and a few other changes.  But the Penns are going for triple and quadruple the price of the Shakeys, even those in poor condition. There have been quite a few of the 2052 go from $15 to $35 recently.