Old-style vs. new-style

[Tagged]

I've read about ten pages of posts in this section of the forum, and I haven't seen this question answered yet. 

Is the "new" style senator, better than the "old" style, where you can access the drag stack without removing the side plate?  If so, why?

If I had — hypothetically, you know — bought an old style reel, are there upgrades that are available and recommended?

Looking forward to responses and opinions!

[Cuttyhunker]

I've fished and worked on both styles, either should last about 2 years longer than a rock, with a little maintenance.  My only guess is that the external may have been more apt to let salt water into the guts of the reel.

[RowdyW]

IMO the newer style red Special Senator is better for trolling & the old style black Senator would be better for bottom fishing. The red SP. Senators have a higher gear ratio. Accessing the drags from the outside defeats the purpose of fully servicing the reels & also being able to check if anything is going wrong inside. Both the red and the black Senators have many upgrades available but the red Senators have many more upgrades available. A red Senator 113H can really send you down the rabbit hole ($$$). But where is the fun of buying a new about equal reel when you can build it yourself with pride that you did it yourself. We are here to help. By the way, early style red plate Senators have outside accessable drags too.       Rudy

[oc1]

Not all black Senators had the external access drag.  I think they stopped making those in the 1960's before the high speed red ones came out.  I'll yield to the experts here for exact dates.

[JRD]

If your talking the maroon side plates with small bearings 113h then yes they will accept the modern up grades.  The only downside is the "top hat" washer on top of the drag stack does leave a bit more gap between itself and the plate than the later side plates which may let more water in.

[RowdyW]

Red side plate Senators started about 1963 & had outside accessible drags. Around the early to mid 70's the red & black side plates got the smaller hole for the gear sleeve. All early Senators had a heat-treated steel main gear. When they changed to the smaller hole size in the right plates they started using a marine bronze main gear. The pinion gears have always been ss.