I've had this box with a bunch of old Cardinals (one 7 & nine 4s) that's been staring at me for about 4 years now asking to be cleaned and to be ready for use. Well a month or so ago I decided to make it a priority to finally get them done while the weather sucks. Now every Cardinal I own is rod & fish ready........finally!
Here's this latest bunch:
Inspiring work, Tommy!
I don't have the Cardinals you have — but I do have a box of about 7 plus loose parts to restore and service — not counting 8 completes ready to fish in my private arsenal.
Mostly 4's, one 3, a few 6's, and another 7.
But the service/build/restore/repair backlog is heavy right now — and going into March, will only get busier.
So they will likely wait another year, or so.
Are you going to install original spools on the ones that are missing them — or the after market upgrades?
Nice results!
Best,
Fred
I grew up fishing with some of those reels in the 70's, Tommy, fond memories!
Quote from: foakes on February 24, 2019, 05:44:25 AM
Are you going to install original spools on the ones that are missing them — or the after market upgrades?
Nice results!
Best,
Fred
I've got original spools for all those reels. Those aren't my display reels, just extras I've picked up over the years. I remove the spools and keep them separate in a plastic container. I installed them in the group pic, though. In addition, all my display case Cardinals have 2 spools (an extra each) in their boxes and I have 8 or 10 plastic spools still new in unopened packages. I also have about 30 aftermarket aluminums that I fish with for my 3s & 4s. ;) No more worrying about faces popping off. :)
Back in the 70s I sometimes used a pair of Cardinals for carp fishing in the UK. That is until I popped a spool on a decent double figure fish - I then changed to Shimano bait runners.
Tommy, I wouldn't call that a box of reels--more like a treasure chest.
Frank
Very cool Tommy, those are nice reels.
Sal
Only two makes of spinners I consider. None of the models are made today.
However if I could get my hands on any of those your sporting in the pic,Tommy I'd be very happy to fish them for the rest of my days.
Good reals from a different & in some cases better
time... Jeff
Your inspiring me to do more Tom.
Joe
Thanks for the compliments, guys. It was kind of nice going through all those back-to-back. I didn't have to think a lot, it became old hat & pretty automatic putting them back together. No pics or studying was really nice, just take them apart, clean the parts & right back together.
These are some of my spare aluminum Cardinal spools that weren't either on a rod & reel or in the boat in my extra spool box. The four at the bottom are for 3s and all the rest are for 4s. The ones that have "Classic IV" on them I purchased years ago from American Classic Sales when they were still in business selling the American Classic IV reels, an exact copy of the ABU/Zebco Cardinal 4. Parts are actually interchangeable. They wouldn't sell parts because of that, you had to send your reel into them to be repaired if a part needed replacement. ::) The spools were only $22.50 back then. The reels, though, were $165.00. They're pretty hard to come buy nowadays, I haven't seen one for sale for about 4 years but A guy in Canada has one listed right now. (https://www.ebay.com/itm/American-classic-IV-97-01520-Collectors-Zebco-Abu-Cardinal-Spinning-Reel/202605135411?hash=item2f2c350633:g:IDEAAOSwyElcXeUV) :o The aluminum spool corrected the only, IMO, weak spot in the Cardinal 3 or 4. They're a godsend! 8)
Wow! Tommy thanks for sharing this... Jeff
Would spooling a plastic spool with braid rather than mono prevent the face from popping off? ...if so; what braid would you use on a 4?
Thanks
-Mike
Mike,
I'm not confident on an answer to that question because I don't use braid. You shouldn't get as much stretch and contraction with braid as there is with mono but braid is pretty tough on spools & SS line rollers. Cardinal 3 & 4 plastic spools are susceptible to UV degradation after awhile so if it is an older plastic spool it very well could come apart. Inspect the spool face rim abutting the metal button housing. If you can see any hairline cracks in that ridge the spool has seen its better days and it will only matter of time before it fails.
Thanks Tom