Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Conventional and Bait Casting Reel Rebuild Tutorials and Questions => D.A.M Quick => Topic started by: mo65 on July 25, 2017, 09:13:16 PM

Title: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: mo65 on July 25, 2017, 09:13:16 PM
   I've been bitten by the Quick bug...just now discovering a reel I should have known more about. I've been watching these Quick baitcasters for a while now, and finally pounced on one. The first pic is the reel as received, not too bad, just a little dirty. Note the button that resembles a bait clicker, under the free spool button. It's actually a "lock" for the free spool, as the free spool button's positioning was famous for getting depressed in storage. The next two photos show how she cleaned up, very nice looking reel! The last shot shows how this reel had no "thumb rest" bar at the bottom rear. This conundrum, combined with the free spool debacle, is why this reel faded into the distance as the Garcia Ambassadeur became a household word. I'm not sure these problems are enough to make me snub the reel though...after a proper lube it feels smoother than any of my Ambassadeurs! 8)
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Tiddlerbasher on July 26, 2017, 09:12:55 AM
Sweet little reel Mo :)
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: wfjord on July 26, 2017, 03:20:21 PM
That's a very nice looking reel!  I may need to have one of those.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: mo65 on July 28, 2017, 02:03:01 PM
Quote from: wfjord on July 26, 2017, 03:20:21 PM
That's a very nice looking reel!  I may need to have one of those.

   Currently they rarely go over $30-40 unless NIB or unused. A great bargain for a quality reel. 8)
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Gfish on July 28, 2017, 03:31:15 PM
Didn't even know these type a Quicks existed. Questions: aprox. time of manufacture?; is that tail-plate cast control done by mag., cen., or friction?; probably got spool beraings insteada bushings, bearings anywhere else? Anti-reverse by dog only?
Wait I's assuming you've been inside it already. Disregard if you haven't. Love that DAM engineering, thanks much for sharing.
Gfish
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: mo65 on July 28, 2017, 04:06:23 PM
Quote from: Gfish on July 28, 2017, 03:31:15 PM
Didn't even know these type a Quicks existed. Questions: aprox. time of manufacture?; is that tail-plate cast control done by mag., cen., or friction?; probably got spool beraings insteada bushings, bearings anywhere else? Anti-reverse by dog only?
Wait I's assuming you've been inside it already. Disregard if you haven't. Love that DAM engineering, thanks much for sharing.
Gfish


   Slow down Gfish...let me try to catch up and answer some of that...hee hee! OK, time of manufacture appears to be 1970s(bet Fred knows). The cast control on tail-plate is just a friction control, but there is a centrifugal set up just like an Ambassadeur on the handle side. It has spool bushings, but like the early Ambassadeurs, could be upgraded to ball bearings. To be honest, I've never saw bearings cast better than well polished bushings on this style reel, due to the levelwind assembly. Anti-reverse is a silent dog type. Everything inside looks just as familiar as the outside. If it weren't for that missing thumb bar you'd swear it was an Ambassadeur.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: wfjord on July 28, 2017, 06:09:46 PM
It doesn't look seem like it would be that difficult to install a thumb bar onto that reel. Have you heard of anyone doing it?

I know what you mean about the bushings.  A couple my of old Bantam baitcasters with polished & lubed bushings can pretty much cast as well as four other old Bantams I have that have bearings.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: oc1 on July 28, 2017, 08:53:47 PM
It's interesting to know that is all the support you need for a frame.  A four-screw stand and one post, with a little help from a worm shield.  Once it is dialed in you should not really need a thumb rest.
-steve
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Gfish on July 28, 2017, 09:42:58 PM
Thanks for the answers Mo. I prefer well made bushings to bearings 'cause a the maintenance/saltwater thing. Looks like you could take an old penn post from a fairly narrow reel and shave it down to make a thumb-rest. There'd just haveta be room on the frame above the spool. Works sofar for me on penn's that gotta inside-only ring. Just dida Long Beach---surprising how hard and fine that older bakelite is, kinda like drilling through super hard--hardwood 'er somethin. I don't get why the freespool button placement would be such a big deal, but it looks like they addressed it on your model.
Gfish
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: mo65 on July 28, 2017, 11:42:33 PM
Quote from: Gfish on July 28, 2017, 09:42:58 PM
I don't get why the freespool button placement would be such a big deal.

   I think it would only be a problem for the ones who complained about it...the "bass-pros". They haul around the lake with the rod laying on the deck, and that top mounted button got depressed. An Ambassadeur's button is farther back...10 'oclock position instead of 11:30. I haven't even tried casting yet, but I'll admit that missing bar in the back feels kinda weird.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: foakes on July 28, 2017, 11:45:19 PM
Thumbrest isn't really necessary on these -- most of the European anglers just rest their thumb on the sideplate -- then use their thumb for a casting brake as needed to avoid bird-nests.

Best,

Fred
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Bruce on August 01, 2017, 05:40:19 AM
 That`s the way I learned to cast my Langley  plugcast  as a kid in the early fifties . Thumb it on the side of the spool .
Still have that little reel .
Bruce
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: basto on September 13, 2017, 06:32:45 AM
I had two 700b when I was a lot younger. They were quite cheap compared to an equivalent sized ABU, which they shared a lot of identical parts with.
The 600 is a very nice reel also, but I have never seen one in the "flesh"
Basto
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Alto Mare on December 30, 2017, 06:24:23 PM
Mo, if you happen to have some pics of the inside of that reel, would you mind posting?
Nice little reel!

Sal
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Tightlines667 on December 30, 2017, 09:07:03 PM
It really does look like an ABU clone.  Cool reel.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: mo65 on December 30, 2017, 11:38:05 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on December 30, 2017, 06:24:23 PM
Mo, if you happen to have some pics of the inside of that reel, would you mind posting?
Nice little reel!

Sal

   I looked everywhere but seem to have misplaced some pics I had of the insides. If I remember right...it looked just as ABU inside also. 8)
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: festus on December 30, 2017, 11:59:18 PM
Here's a schematic.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Alto Mare on December 31, 2017, 01:06:50 PM
Quote from: mo65 on December 30, 2017, 11:38:05 PM
Quote from: Alto Mare on December 30, 2017, 06:24:23 PM
Mo, if you happen to have some pics of the inside of that reel, would you mind posting?
Nice little reel!

Sal

   I looked everywhere but seem to have misplaced some pics I had of the insides. If I remember right...it looked just as ABU inside also. 8)
Got it Mo, thanks!
Quote from: festus on December 30, 2017, 11:59:18 PM
Here's a schematic.
Just what I wanted to see, thanks Chester!

Sal
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: festus on December 31, 2017, 05:14:22 PM
You're welcome, Sal.

Very similar to an Abu but I see minor differences in the brake plate, spool tension assembly and the spool pinion.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Mack1964 on December 09, 2023, 08:06:21 PM
I'm sorry for reviving an old thread but don't really know what else to do.
I have several of these and fish them regularly.
There is an O-ring under the left side cover nut that I believe DAM refers to as the Joint Ring. It seems to be there to keep the nut from backing off. One of mine is missing and I can't find a replacement.
Can anyone help?
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: foakes on December 09, 2023, 08:40:17 PM
Hi Mack, & Welcome!

PM me your full name & mailing address —- I'll get one in the mail to you.

N/C.

Best, Fred
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Mack1964 on December 09, 2023, 08:46:04 PM
Quote from: foakes on December 09, 2023, 08:40:17 PMHi Mack, & Welcome!

PM me your full name & mailing address —- I'll get one in the mail to you.

N/C.

Best, Fred
Fred, you are incredible.
Thank you, sir.
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Mack1964 on December 17, 2023, 03:18:06 PM
Fred, I wanted to thank you again. It arrived and will be used well.
Going through some family issues but hope to get out and catch some fish soon.
By the way, I just got a DAM 215ls.
Any info on these?
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: foakes on December 17, 2023, 05:08:06 PM
Quote from: Mack1964 on December 17, 2023, 03:18:06 PMFred, I wanted to thank you again. It arrived and will be used well.
Going through some family issues but hope to get out and catch some fish soon.
By the way, I just got a DAM 215ls.
Any info on these?

Generally, the later DAM Quicks are near the top end of Asian offerings —- Okuma, Daiwa, Shimano, etc..

But I don't get involved in the graphite reels.

Parts availability is always an issue with these.

Whereas, I have over 400,000 NOS parts for the 40 years of higher quality DQ reels from early 50's to about 1990.

Best, Fred
Title: Re: D.A.M. Quick Champion 700
Post by: Mack1964 on December 17, 2023, 08:25:34 PM
Thank you again, Sir.