Show Off Your Long Beach

Started by Penn Chronology, December 12, 2014, 07:37:21 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Penn Chronology

QuoteI bought my first conventional reel in 1976, it was a Penn 60. I preceded to load it up with cheap 40 lb. test mono. Short story , bad idea. As I learned how to cast the ill tempered beast I had to cut my way out many times.

Well there is one thing that is a sure thing for the Long Beach 60 and that is, there is no anti-backlash control. So, what is necessary to do, is to educate your thumb. The process involves many backlashes and for me, they never stop happening, no matter how educated my thumb gets, I can still backlash a Long Beach. As time goes by what happens is you get really good in untangling them. ;D

Penn Chronology

#16
QuoteEarly 2-speed Long Beach, So. Cal. style.

Not really a Long Beach but a great Penn reel. The Model 259 Live Bait Caster was the parent of Jigmaster. Many parts interchange between the Live Bait Caster and the Jigmaster 500. The custom 2 speed gear box is classic California Custom before Penn sold High Speed reels. A Reel Deal gear box  was hooked up to Squidders and Surfmasters,usually, They sold in the 1950's and 60's and were not cheap. You could actually buy a Surf Master of a Live Bait Caster model reel for less money than the gear box.
           Shifting the gear box was just a matter of a push / pull button above the handle nut. Disengaged, the gear box allowed the reel to operate at its normal retrieve ratio but when you engaged the gear box you increased the retrieve ratio to 9 to 1. These were a very hot item for a number of years used for throwing Tins to Tuna in South California. Not that I have ever done that, but I read a lot..............  ::)
            Thanks for posting the  Reel Deal box.

Shark Hunter

#17
66 with a 5 stack, steel gears and stainless spool. ;D
Life is Good!

Ron Jones

So, I'm being haunted by that narrow 60. I think I have figured it out. Has anyone taken apart the sleeved stainless spools? If so then I think I can shorten the center sleeve to 501 width and assemble the reel with a Newell 501 kit. I'm hoping someone can help me with the spool because I HAVE to have one of these. Basically a fast Surfmaster.
Ron
Ronald Jones
To those who have gone to sea and returned and to those who have gone to sea and will never return
"

Penn Chronology

QuoteSo, I'm being haunted by that narrow 60. I think I have figured it out. Has anyone taken apart the sleeved stainless spools? If so then I think I can shorten the center sleeve to 501 width and assemble the reel with a Newell 501 kit. I'm hoping someone can help me with the spool because I HAVE to have one of these.

             I suspect an experiment may be necessary here. Custom spools widths have been created by using a shaft from another spool. Now, I have not done this, but I have heard of it being done with the Penn 49. When the original 49 was made wider, it was not done by Penn, it was done by a fisherman that wanted the reel wide. He separated a 49 spool and remover the shaft. He used the shaft from a Jigmaster 500 spool in the 49 spool and added a spacer to the spool spindle.
             Possibly a shaft from a Penn 501 spool could be used in a shortened Penn Long Beach 60 spool, as you said, separate a Stainless steel spool and use the 501 shaft to assemble it back to the width you want, add the 501 posts and stand with the Long Beach 60 plates.
             It is worth a shot I think :-\

Penn Chronology

Quote66 with a 5 stack, steel gears and stainless spool. Grin

                      Since I deal with the history of the Penn brand, mostly. I do not get into mechanical upgrades too often, but I find it interesting that the Long Beach Penn 66 you decided to upgrade is such an old model. Looking at the old Picture Tail Plate tells me it is a 1940's Penn 66. What made you decide to use such an old reel for your improvements?

                     

Bryan Young

Did that box say $24.95?  Wow, that would be like $300 or more in today's prices.  So very interesting.
:D I talk with every part I send out and each reel I repair so that they perform at the top of their game. :D

Shark Hunter

Quote from: Penn Chronology on December 18, 2014, 05:26:30 PM
Quote66 with a 5 stack, steel gears and stainless spool. Grin

                      Since I deal with the history of the Penn brand, mostly. I do not get into mechanical upgrades too often, but I find it interesting that the Long Beach Penn 66 you decided to upgrade is such an old model. Looking at the old Picture Tail Plate tells me it is a 1940's Penn 66. What made you decide to use such an old reel for your improvements?

                     
The reel I was upgrading had a stainless spool, but was missing the eccentric and dog spring and had a brass main gear. I bought the older reel for the steel main, picture plate and the parts I needed. The spool on it was badly corroded. Plus, I think the older reels with the steel gears are just better quality.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=12272.30
Life is Good!

Penn Chronology

#23
                I believe you are right about the quality of the older models. I feel they were built a bit heavier. The stainless spool is from the 1980's, so your reel's vintage transcends many years. The side plate molding style of the model you worked is late 1940's going back to the 1930's.

I like the old pictures plates, one of my future projects is going to log and photo all the different picture tail plates. There were quite a few.

The Long Beach is a model with a massive appeal as far as variety goes. If you would have walked into a tackle shop in 1939 and asked to see a Penn Long Beach model, these are how many different reels he might have in stock under that model name.

Tightlines667

#24
Quote from: Penn Chronology on December 18, 2014, 10:34:40 PM
               I believe you are right about the quality of the older models. I feel they were built a bit heavier. The stainless spool is from the 1980's, so your reel's vintage transcends many years. The side plate molding style of the model you worked is late 1940's going back to the 1930's.

I like the old pictures plates, one of my future projects is going to log and photo all the different picture tail plates. There were quite a few.

The Long Beach is a model with a massive appeal as far as variety goes. If you would have walked into a tackle shop in 1939 and asked to see a Penn Long Beach model, these are how many different reels he might have in stock under that model name.

p

Good stuff!
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

Penn Chronology

#25
QuoteDid that box say $24.95?  Wow, that would be like $300 or more in today's prices.  So very interesting.

Yes, In the 1950's a Reel Deal Transmission was about 25 bucks. The was big money back then. My first regular job was in 1964, the minimum wage was $1.25 an hour, which made me $50.00 a week. A reel Deal transmission would have cost me half a week's pay. In today's money that would make that little gear box big bucks. Even though they were expensive, they must have sold many of them because they are fairly easy to find in the collectors market.

Here's mine, a very mixed up Squidder with a 1960's side plates, 1980's stainless steel spool, Newell cross bars and a Reel Deal transmission.

It is the fastest reel I own but a bit off balance........................................ :)

Shark Hunter

Michael,
I think we all would enjoy the various picture plates that penn made over the years.
Life is Good!

Penn Chronology

QuoteI think we all would enjoy the various picture plates that penn made over the years.

OK, I would like to start another thread because there are many different picture plates.

broadway

Hey Michael, whats the deal with the yellowish/orange plated Long Beach in your last photo? ...is that sun damage or was it that color from the factory?
Also, do tail plates tell the age of a reel (to a degree?) I know the handles do (to a degree.)
Thanks
Dom

fishhead69

Very cool stuff Michael. I bought both of your books at the ORCA convention in San Diego. Hats off to you and Penn reels. I collect old Penn reels and I can really appreciate your work. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so I have a deep seated love for Penn reels for sure. Keep up the good work.