I can get it,just wondered what it is & does anyone have parts?
Tommy or Fred have the answer :al
drum roll or crickets chirping-Fred's honeymooning so I guess it's up to Tom :cf
Interesting. A rear drag. Any model # anywhere? Fred is gone for a-while. Garcia came into the picture maybe in the "50's.
Matchmaker James. Has a decent ring to it.
I haven't got it yet Gregg, I think before Cardinals came out like u sed
After doing some searching looks like it's possibly an Abu Garcia 444. There's a sold listing on eBay it just says 1950s Abu Garcia spinning reel. so then I googled when did Abu Garcia release their first spinning reel and it was in 1955. And lo and behold there was a picture of your reel.
Edit: just put my cheaters on, and may not be the exact same one but very similar.
Also, just found this thread here
According to Fred it was a cooperative effort between Charles Garcia and Abu and only made for three or four years!
Definitely looks like the same reel to me and do believe you'll find all the info you need in that thread.
Thank you
https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,22859.0.html
Good forensic accounting, EA.
Pretty much a complete history of the ABU Garcia & ABU 444 (which are the same reel other than the lettering on side plate) is in that link/discussion mentioned above.
No worm gear drive. Interested to see how it compares to a Zebco(Abu) cardinal.
Will a Cardinal 4 spool fit this reel if needed?
No, but if my memory serves right the Cardinal 6 might, or at least is very close. I'd have to pull a couple out to try them.
I got some more pix from the seller, it was from a Martha's Vineyard Fishing Derby in 1958, no telling who used it?
It would be cool to know who all fished the derby and won the reel. They were actually prizes given to some participants/placers. I wonder if there are any old records stored away somewhere.
https://www.mvderby.com/history/pastwinners/46_80.php