Penn Reels - just as you find them

[Penn Chronology]

anks for the "heads up" about the 209, guys! Sounds like one I'd better "add' to my collection. Also, thanks for mentioning the gears, Rudy ! I've been "bit", once, by gear noise from an "unmatched set"....your warning ,probably, saved me from another "bite" !!

Early 209 models are very special. Their frames are a matching set. Penn did mention it in the catalog. The stand and posts are secured by what Penn called riveting. Actually, the posts and stand were undercut to fit tightly into the trim rings. A early 209 frame stands alone with side plates removed. Will trick you if you are not aware of that when you take it apart.

[Benni3]

anks for the "heads up" about the 209, guys! Sounds like one I'd better "add' to my collection. Also, thanks for mentioning the gears, Rudy ! I've been "bit", once, by gear noise from an "unmatched set"....your warning ,probably, saved me from another "bite" !!

Early 209 models are very special. Their frames are a matching set. Penn did mention it in the catalog. The stand and posts are secured by what Penn called riveting. Actually, the posts and stand were undercut to fit tightly into the trim rings. A early 209 frame stands alone with side plates removed. Will trick you if you are not aware of that when you take it apart.

so how hard to get a donor reel with good chrome to make clean,,,,,,,,

[oc1]

The stand and posts are secured by what Penn called riveting. Actually, the posts and stand were undercut to fit tightly into the trim rings. A early 209 frame stands alone with side plates removed. Will trick you if you are not aware of that when you take it apart.

Good idea.  You would never have to fuss with that worm shield and the four tiny slots 

Are the peerless levelwinds to only reel ever that carries spare parts on board.  The spare pawl.  I've been trying to think of other small machines that came with spare parts built in like that but haven't come up with much.  I used to think the spare pawl provided reassurance, but now realize it is a harbinger of doom.

-steve

[broadway]

Hey Mike,
   Your 209 head plate looks like someone made a boo-boo when they had the side plate in the mold??
Nice one,
Dom

[Crow]

   When did they quit "riveting" ? I need to start looking for the "age appropriate " parts for that 209....the level wind stuff (worm, guide, etc.), and handle, are missing. Not sure if "new" level wind items are the same ? Looks like there may be a difference in the drive gears for the worm ?

[mo65]

   Yeah, that "riveted" comment is a misnomer. The posts are the only undercut parts, the stand is just a normal run of the mill #30-66. Don't get too excited Steve...holding it all together still takes 7 hands!

[Penn Chronology]

so how hard to get a donor reel with good chrome to make clean,,,,,,

Very hard if you insist using the original undercut posts. I would think if you feel the need to replace the vintage parts that standard chrome posts with new trim rings would work. I would rather clean the old parts and keep it original, no matter how funky they were.

[Penn Chronology]

Are the peerless levelwinds to only reel ever that carries spare parts on board.  The spare pawl.  I've been trying to think of other small machines that came with spare parts built in like that but haven't come up with much.  I used to think the spare pawl provided reassurance, but now realize it is a harbinger of doom.

That is a good question. The first of the Peerless reels was the pre-war 109 and that reel had no spare pawl, it had a mechanical spool brake located where the spare pawl compartment will eventually be. The spare pawl idea came after that. That makes the early 109 more desirable. In my opinion. I cannot think of any other Penn reels that carried integral spare parts. I always thought that spare pawl was kind of pointless. When the level wind system fails, it is usually the sacrificial worm gear drive that is driven off the spool that fails first, not the pawl.

[Penn Chronology]

Hey Mike,
  Your 209 head plate looks like someone made a boo-boo when they had the side plate in the mold??
Nice one,
Dom

Sure wish that was my reel. It is not, it was one of Ray's reels. I do not know what happened to it. I assume it is sold by now. I would like to have it to take it down for pictures.

[Penn Chronology]

When did they quit "riveting" ? I need to start looking for the "age appropriate " parts for that 209....the level wind stuff (worm, guide, etc.), and handle, are missing. Not sure if "new" level wind items are the same ? Looks like there may be a difference in the drive gears for the worm ?

The riveting (as Penn called it) stopped in one model year. Try to save the posts, worm gear cover and trim rings. The worm gear sacrificial gear that is in the tail plate in early reels was made from Phenolic rather than the Teflon gear of the later reels. I believe either gear will work. Dimensionally they should be the same, the difference is the base material the gear was made from.

[Penn Chronology]

Yeah, that "riveted" comment is a misnomer. The posts are the only undercut parts, the stand is just a normal run of the mill #30-66. Don't get too excited Steve...holding it all together still takes 7 hands!

Yea, not really a misnomer, more like a stretch of definitions. If you find a first gen 209 that has never been apart, those posts will hold the trim rings together. They were snug. I have the feeling that Penn may have swelled the ends of the posts a bit, ( like a hollow rivet would be swelled).  as they age the fastening power of the posts gets weak and the frame breaks down, especially if corrosion works its way in. They also have a tendency to fail if the plates gets stuck in the trim rings. Ocean City did it better. That is probably what Otto Henze was trying to recreate with the first 209. Otto must have seen the concept when he was at Ocean City and used it on the 209. Ocean City actually undercut the posts the same way the early 209  was done; but, Ocean City took it a step further and silver soldered that stand into the frame. The Ocean City rings and frame literally had to be broken apart to separate. Notice the first picture, I actually destroyed a reel to see how strong it was. I still have the separated parts. do not try this at home unless you are ready to loose your valuable collectible..........................

[George6308]

A Genuine Penn model 77 that you can't double dog, change the drag stack, nor add any stainless steel internals !
Appropriate for catching the large minnows and other mini fish !

[Benni3]

Looks like it is in great shap,,,,, and is overlooked by most great find,,,,,

[Crow]

A great find ! If all the fish that were caught on those 77's were in one live well...it'd have to be a BIG boat !!! It's surprising the fish you can "handle", by "thumbing", and "back reeling"!

[1badf350]

Penn 85
Not a rare reel at all, but I'm wondering about the box. I have scoured Mikes books and google searched and I cant come up with any info. If anyone can help I would appreciate it.