Hey, all!
I'm back with another vintage French beauty!!
I've aquired a broken down, but complete, 1946 French Helion spin reel.
I gave $100 for her due to condition. Seller thought bail arm spring ball cover was cracked, but turned out to be only a surface scrape. Phew!
What a looker!! Wow! The bronze and brown scheme are very similar to my Mepps Baby Vamp.
This old girl is non working and bail arm is sprung, but not broken anywhere.
Reel turns smoothly, but has catches and is cantankerous, yet.
I gave her a full stripdown and am in process of cleaning and polishing all parts.
I could not separate the bail arm roller assembly and since it can be cleaned assembled, I left it, as not to break anything.
This reel is a bearing filled beast!
40 needle bearings on the handle shaft and 45 needle bearings on the flier worm gear assembly, plus 9 ball bearings!
A grand total of 94 handset loose bearings!! WTF!?
I took many pictures before disassembly and still am not 100% sure on full function of parts. e.g. anti reverse and bail arm trip mechanism.
I will delve deeper as reassembly happens, as this particular reel is like none I have ever worked on.
If anyone has any info or documents they'd like to share, much appreciated!
Fun! Fun!
Stay tuned!
More pictures
More pictures
Final stripdown pictures
It looks like there might be some gear damage on the main gear at the 10 O'clock position in photo ending in 614. I hope that's not the case.
Quote from: jtwill98 on September 23, 2025, 04:44:44 PMIt looks like there might be some gear damage on the main gear at the 10 O'clock position in photo ending in 614. I hope that's not the case.
No sir. Just massive amounts of old caked grease giving that impression.
All looked good with wipedown. Full cleaning will reveal it nicely.
Wow, in great condition for 80 years young! Looking forward to seeing her all clean and pretty.
Quote from: MACflyer on September 23, 2025, 05:04:38 PMWow, in great condition for 80 years young! Looking forward to seeing her all clean and pretty.
Agreed! Larger reel than what i normally use, but couldn't pass on her for $100.
Ready to get those bearings set! Lol
Great looking reel, and a nice restore thanks for sharing. Not a reel I have ever seen or heard of. Bet those needle bearings were fun! (Coming from a guy that has rebuilt MANY driveshaft universal joints). Question (not criticism, just my own OCD) in the early photos is the sideplate/medallion supposed to be clocked that way? It looks like the sideplate screws are equidistant 120 degrees, and in my mind I would have it clocked "upright" but I also am quick to be one to say "this is the way it came from the factory". Still a beautiful reel glad everything was "there".- john
Quote from: Brewcrafter on September 23, 2025, 05:28:55 PMGreat looking reel, and a nice restore thanks for sharing. Not a reel I have ever seen or heard of. Bet those needle bearings were fun! (Coming from a guy that has rebuilt MANY driveshaft universal joints). Question (not criticism, just my own OCD) in the early photos is the sideplate/medallion supposed to be clocked that way? It looks like the sideplate screws are equidistant 120 degrees, and in my mind I would have it clocked "upright" but I also am quick to be one to say "this is the way it came from the factory". Still a beautiful reel glad everything was "there".- john
John,
These are all pre stripdown pictures and reel not reassembled, yet.
I am giving all parts a thorough cleaning and brightwork a polishing.
Badge will be rotated when I put it back on and the needle bearings are yet to come! Joy!
Stay tuned!
That's a hard one to find, especially in decent condition! Looks like you have your work cut out for you and a fun time ahead. ;)
Quote from: Midway Tommy on September 23, 2025, 06:02:05 PMThat's a hard one to find, especially in decent condition! Looks like you have your work cut out for you and a fun time ahead. ;)
You know it!! Pumped for this one!
Beautiful reel. Very French--I'm not sure what half the parts do that you show.
Frank
Quote from: happyhooker on September 25, 2025, 07:52:38 PMBeautiful reel. Very French--I'm not sure what half the parts do that you show.
Frank
Haha! Me either. It appears non rotating shaft can be removed easily,via single holding screw at butt end of reel body cap, to allow access to bottom of flier.
Once flier is exposed, 3 holding screws can be loosened and a ring can be rotated and screws tightened back. I have no idea what this does, but think it is anti reverse function. We'll find out...
You can see this set up in my stripdown picture of the flier after the non rotating shaft is removed.
This ring also rotates on 3 of the 9 ball bearings present on this reel.
Hey, all!
I spent the afternoon cleaning, polishing, and reassembling the 1945 French Helion spin reel.
Lots of tiny parts!
Got everything back together and all is working fine, but upon rotation, the spool is slightly contacting the flier.
Upon closer inspection, I can see a slight bend deformation in the flier.
Probably been dropped at one point.
I will take a roll of wood and mallet and give it a finessing and try and remedy that issue.
Without spool attached, reel is very smooth and rotates like silk!
I had to do a tweak to both the handle and bail arm, as both of those, too, were bent.
Handle is not perfect, but I got it way better than it was, as it was contacting bail and body, and the bent angle just made it awkward rotating.
It's a cast alloy and I definitely didn't want to break it pecking on it with the mallet, so stopped where I had it.
Done!
The bail arm was severely out if shape and bent way down past the flier, when closed.
It was making contact with handle and could possibly break.
I did not want to tamper with it, but I just went for it and worked it straighter little by little.
You can see in flier assembly pictures, how low it initially set.
It, too, is not perfect, but is fixed and working great, now.
Done!
Very unique A/R mechanism on this one, like I've never seen.
A finger trigger on flier, rotates a ring, nested on 3 ball bearings.
The ring has tabs on the underside that butt against a notched bushing that is attached to underside of flier, when a/r is engaged, preventing backspin.
When disengaged, the rotation of the ring moves the tabs where they miss the notched washer, allowing counterclockwise rotation.
Took a minute to figure that one out.
Got all 86 needle bearings and 9 ball bearings set without any issue.
Plumber's valve grease was the key here.
Apply a smudge of grease to races and all bearings stayed put while assembling.
Probably one of the most interesting and tedious stripdowns I have ever done, but well worth it, after seeing the finished and now working reel!
I used my letter punches to initial the flier counterweight, too.
I will most definitely be using this old girl, soon.
A great feel and look to it!!
3:1 ratio
Can't wait to see how she functions!
Peace!!
More pictures
Final pictures
Looking good...that sure is a lot of pieces parts. Looking forward to seeing this jewel when you get it all back together.
Thanks
Quote from: MACflyer on September 28, 2025, 02:30:30 PMLooking good...that sure is a lot of pieces parts. Looking forward to seeing this jewel when you get it all back together.
Thanks!
She is all back together, Rick! The final assembly pictures start on the previous page.
Enjoy!!
Tight lines!
Can see it now: beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing. Really enjoyed seeing the entire process you worked bringing this jewel back to life. Hope you fish it soon and catch some great fish and memories.
Quote from: MACflyer on September 28, 2025, 02:58:12 PMCan see it now: beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing. Really enjoyed seeing the entire process you worked bringing this jewel back to life. Hope you fish it soon and catch some great fish and memories.
Yes.sir!
It's the size of an Altex no.3, so just at the maximum size of a reel I would use.
I am mainly UL or medium size reel user, but occasionally use one step up from those, if it's one of my recently restored reels.
I gotta use it a few times, right!?
Well done, Billy! 👍 Quite a tedious ordeal you took on and conquered. :al
Wow! Metal, and more metal. I love it. Great pictures/detail. All those ball bearings and roller(needle?) bearings. I want one! It really looks like a well constructed machine!
Quote from: Midway Tommy on September 28, 2025, 03:31:02 PMWell done, Billy! 👍 Quite a tedious ordeal you took on and conquered. :al
Thanks, man! Quite the task, but really not too difficult with the grease to help hold all in its place!
Working on the getting the rub spot out of the flier, now.
Using peen hammer and both metal and wood dolly w/ leather for pad.
This is slow and precise, but getting there.
All top rotation rub gone, but still slight scrape at bottom of stroke of spool.
Quote from: Gfish on September 28, 2025, 04:08:56 PMWow! Metal, and more metal. I love it. Great pictures/detail. All those ball bearings and roller(needle?) bearings. I want one! It really looks like a well constructed machine!
I haven't seen too many out there in the selling world, but figure they'd fetch a pretty penny. IDK?
Yes. Those needle bearings were a task.
You definitely had to make sure they were all in line and properly seated in race, before sliding body shell or handle bushing down onto them.
If any protruded even a bit, from race, the sleeve on the body or bushng will hit the bearing and pull it out or several.
Ask me how I know. Set a couple hundred bearings by the time it was done. Lol
Thanks for posting, very interesting reel, great photos, thanks for the tip on the grease, Now that it is back together, I would be tempted to drop a little synthetic oil, that would help to allow it to rotate a little easier, I apply it through a serynge, with a needle, so it does`nt make a big mess, cheers Don.
Quote from: Donnyboat on September 28, 2025, 11:10:22 PMThanks for posting, very interesting reel, great photos, thanks for the tip on the grease, Now that it is back together, I would be tempted to drop a little synthetic oil, that would help to allow it to rotate a little easier, I apply it through a serynge, with a needle, so it does`nt make a big mess, cheers Don.
Don,
Yes. I always fully oil all my reels with light sewing machine oil.
It, in combination with the valve grease does a superb job.
yes helps them to yurn easier in cold conditions, ay, cheers Don.
Yes.
The plumbers valve grease, I use, will not harden or dry out and is waterproof.
Actually, any valve grease will have these qualities, so that is all I have ever used, in combination with the light machine oil.
Never an issue and we fish year round. Dead of winter my favorite time!
Beautiful reel, I think my hair would catch on fire if I tried installing those roller bearings. That's next level patience
Quote from: Swami805 on September 29, 2025, 05:19:48 PMBeautiful reel, I think my hair would catch on fire if I tried installing those roller bearings. That's next level patience
Ha! Ha!
The grease really helps, but if those bearings aren't all perfectly in line before sleeving bushing over them, you get to do em again!
Lol
well done !
Beautiful reel, but my goodness that's a lot of parts..
Quote from: DougK on September 29, 2025, 08:06:20 PMwell done !
Beautiful reel, but my goodness that's a lot of parts..
Thank you!
That's the way I love em, overengineered!
Wow, what an interesting reel!
Thanks for the detailed post :D
You really have to hand it to the French back in the day - when it came to designing something technically odd and overly complicated, they didn't just pull it off, they outdid everyone else - including themselves.
Just look at the Mepps Super Mecca... or the Citroën DS, for that matter! ;D
Quote from: Bilch on September 30, 2025, 06:57:59 AMWow, what an interesting reel!
Thanks for the detailed post :D
You really have to hand it to the French back in the day - when it came to designing something technically odd and overly complicated, they didn't just pull it off, they outdid everyone else - including themselves.
Just look at the Mepps Super Mecca... or the Citroën DS, for that matter! ;D
That's for sure. I mean 94 loose bearings! WTF?
I also have a Super Mecca, but have not stripped it yet.
A chain drive bail arm on that one!! Lol
All spooled with 6 lb test and ready for some crappie catching action.
I got all the flier kinks worked out. No rub on spool anymore and drag working correctly, too.
A/R functions as it should.
She's ready to relive her former glory this weekend!!
A reel looks its best mounted on a fishing rod ready for battle. Nice looking outfit.
Quote from: jtwill98 on October 09, 2025, 03:41:28 PMA reel looks its best mounted on a fishing rod ready for battle. Nice looking outfit.
Thank you! Can't wait to try this one!
Casts so far and reels so smooth.
Very nice indeed! Thanks for sharing!
Quote from: Bobcat on October 09, 2025, 06:44:41 PMVery nice indeed! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, sir! Hopefully, I'll be posting up a reply with some big ol' crappies!
I got to take the 1945 French Helion out today and I think I'm in love!
Oh, my!
This vintage French beauty performed flawlessly and is so well balanced, for being a larger reel, was quite effortless to use.
The 94 bearings inside this jewel, give it such a vintage mechanical feel. A smooth, precise, "metal" feeling.
Can't explain it, none of my other reels have the same feel.
Love it!
Great drag set up and sound, and so quiet and fluid on the bail arm actuation.
Fished 6 hours for 82 caught with 12 nice keepers!
Handled the feisty crappies like she was brand new 80 years young!
Proud of this strip and restore, as it was the most tedious to date and this rare reel was completely non working previously, and is now an amazing functioning machine!
Good for you! 👍 It's nice to restore a tough to find reel and then find out afterwards how much you really like the way it functions. 👏
Quote from: Midway Tommy on October 12, 2025, 02:04:45 AMGood for you! 👍 It's nice to restore a tough to find reel and then find out afterwards how much you really like the way it functions. 👏
I usually don't fall hard for a reel, but my French ones are some of my favorites.
Croizix, RuMer, Lasso, Doperr, and now, Helion!
Very nice! I love to see vintage equipment in use. Thank you for sharing your prize with us!
Quote from: Bobcat on October 12, 2025, 12:59:56 PMVery nice! I love to see vintage equipment in use. Thank you for sharing your prize with us!
Yes, sir! I love using the antique reels. All so different in their feel and style.
Another successful date with two of my favorite very rare French beauties!
1948 Rudipech Lasso and 1946 Helion
Great day with alot of throwbacks.
Caught 82 again, but for 15 keepers, today.
Can't complain about the bite.
Once again, my vintage girls were flawless during the dance!
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Cool!
Sounds like the Crappies might be Fall spawners there. Spring is time on the West coast.
The Lasso design looks like the Abu Garcia Suveran I have with a small gear-box and a relatively large rotor.
Quote from: Gfish on November 20, 2025, 05:47:48 PMCool!
Sounds like the Crappies might be Fall spawners there. Spring is time on the West coast.
The Lasso design looks like the Abu Garcia Suveran I have with a small gear-box and a relatively large rotor.
Nope. Spring spawn here,too.
We are able to fish year round here at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Fall and winter bite is usually best and boat traffic is down to nil.
Love my Lasso's! Quite the weird, wonky, and rare spin reels.
Work really great, too.
I just snagged another very nice rare Helion in the brown finish vs. the bronze finish, so I have completed my pair!
Stay tuned for that one. Stripdown thread upcoming!!
These reels make me want to buy a Citroen DS!
Quote from: rcmsangab on November 23, 2025, 08:30:16 PMThese reels make me want to buy a Citroen DS!
Haha!
The vintage French spin reels ate my favorite to collect and stripdown.
All overengineered to the max.