Old, Weird, Historical, and Unusual Spinning Reels --

Started by foakes, August 26, 2017, 06:36:33 PM

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Midway Tommy

Quote from: happyhooker on August 28, 2017, 02:47:35 AM
Tommy, those "Punch Buttons" are interesting; I suppose they have the drawback that most closed face spin casters have (or supposedly have) of reduced casting distance, but maybe the benefit of fewer line tangles.  Ever actually use any?

Frank

I've never fished with one. When I got the first one I stuck it on a rod, stretched the mono, took it out in the back yard and cast it a few times. It cast fine but seemed a little awkward to use. I suppose once a person gets used to it things would just be "old hat". One drawback, just like any other spincast reel, is small spool diameter and lack of line capacity. The small diameter of most spincast spools seem to magnify line memory and coils, which in turn limits casting distance. otherwise they are nice working reels. 
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

Midway Tommy

This is a spinning reel that few people even know existed, let alone have ever seen. It's the Zebco 1970.



In the late 1960s the Zebco tooling purchased from Langley began to show a lot of wear. Zebco wanted to manufacture a high quality spinning reel so R.D. Hull oversaw the design and production of their new reel named the Zebco 1970 for release in 1970. One hundred preproduction models and twelve clear plastic salesman samples were made. Zebco had contracted with ABU for distribution of the Zebco Cardinal line so a decision was made to not go into full production of the 1970 and compete with the Cardinals. The preproduction models are all that were ever manufactured. Here's an in depth look at the reel and design. An interesting feature of this reel is that the body, rotor & spool are plastic, some form of ABS I think, and the oscillation gearing has one nylon and two plastic gears. The two small plastic gears are permanently pinned and non-replaceable. The pinion worm gear ball bearing has a plastic/nylon case & dust shield and metal ball and center race/bushing. It has a standard type bail and bail trip lever.   

These photos show some of the inner parts of the reel. It had never been opened so the grease was original 1970 issue.





This is the pinion with the bearing attached.



Here all the parts have been removed, cleaned and ready to reassemble.



Here is an interesting comparison. The Zebco Cardinal 6 was introduced in 1967. It has been thought that Zebco used some of the Cardinal features in their 1970 model. In both photos the parts on the left are from a Cardinal 6 and the parts on the right are from the Zebco 1970. The bearing retainers are similar with three screws and bail trip post. The pinion worm gears are stainless steel and both have the linear tooth for the anti-reverse lever to wedge into, both have the o-ring to reduce noise and both pinion gears have a bronze or brass insert tube.




Here you can see the plastic body, sideplate and rotor. The body and sideplate have bronze bushings molded in place to support the main gear. You can also see the two in-place plastic oscillation gears. The reel foot is two piece stainless steel and riveted to the body. BTW, the Zebco 1970 can be switched from left hand to right hand wind.





These two photos show the internal parts of the reel on reassembly with the main shaft attached. The large oscillation gear is nylon, oscillation block is plsastic and the main gear is bronze.




The drag stack is in the spool. It consists of a spring washer, flat washer, spring washer, thick plastic (ABS?) washer and retaining ring.



Here it is all put back together with it's box and paperwork.




An interesting reel with an interesting history that never made to the store shelves. Only one hundred preproduction reels were manufactured and very few have survived. It has some high quality features but I've often wondered how long the plastic oscillation gears and bearing case would have lasted under heavy use, or how long the riveted foot would have held up under heavy torque and/or twist. 

 
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

bhale1

Tommy,
Wow! Thanks for taking us along with you on such a unique and interesting reel. Great write up and pics! I guess we'll never know about it's long term durability,  as you said. It sure looks like they were tooling up to make a mass production reel,so it probably would have been relatively cheap $$...
Brett

foakes

Thank You, Tommy -- 

Very interesting history.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

thorhammer


foakes

Here is an old Ocean City 320 --

Check out the crank handle on this big old reel -- interesting design.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

foakes

Those old punch-buttons must be fairly rare, Tommy --

Looked through about 100 in bins slated for lamps.  

Found many top mounts with a common top push button release -- but so far, only one of these -- an old Southbend Spin Cost 23.

There are around 300 pounds of old spincasters in other crates that I have not ever gone through -- might find one or two in there, who knows?  Might have time to check them out in a couple of years.

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Midway Tommy

Quote from: foakes on August 28, 2017, 05:49:25 PM
Those old punch-buttons must be fairly rare, Tommy --

Looked through about 100 in bins slated for lamps.  

Found many top mounts with a common top push button release -- but so far, only one of these -- an old Southbend Spin Cost 23.

There are around 300 pounds of old spincasters in other crates that I have not ever gone through -- might find one or two in there, who knows?  Might have time to check them out in a couple of years.

Best,

Fred

Nice find, Fred! Now you have a "talk-about piece" to set on your display shelf.   :)
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

foakes

Quote from: Midway Tommy on August 28, 2017, 06:17:56 PM
Quote from: foakes on August 28, 2017, 05:49:25 PM
Nice find, Fred! Now you have a "talk-about piece" to set on your display shelf.   :)

Unfortunately, I am not a collector, Tommy --

Keep a few sets of reels like the Senators, and personal use reels -- but better to move these along to others.

They will make nice lamps.

I just love the history and the crafting of the earlier reels.

Best,

Fred

The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Midway Tommy

#24
Since you brought up Ocean City, Fred, here's cute little reel, the Ocean City 350 Spinalong, patented by Edward Small in 1953.



The pickup finger flips out by centrifugal force to grab the line to reel it in. Manually flip the finger up and grab the line with your index finger to cast. The burgundy colored reel on the right has an anti-reverse and cream colored one on the left doesn't.  Odd and interesting looking little reel, for sure.  8)


 
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

foakes

I only have one of those old 350 OC, Tommy -- an ivory one like yours -- no boxes though.

Nice pair!

Question:  why is the old South Bend punch button 23 called a Spin Cost -- rather than a Spin Cast?

Best,


Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.

Bryan Young

I would love to see Fred create a fishing reel museum.  He has some very interesting historic reels in pristine condition.
: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

Midway Tommy

Quote from: foakes on August 29, 2017, 04:37:08 AM
Question:  why is the old South Bend punch button 23 called a Spin Cost -- rather than a Spin Cast?

Best,

Fred

It isn't, Fred. You may want to have your bifocal prescription checked.   ;)

Seriously, though, checkout the "a" a little closer. It has a little up dart at the top right and a similar little down jog at the bottom right.  ;D

Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

Midway Tommy

Weighing in at a mere 5.50 oz, here's one of, and possibly my favorite, old spinning reels from the mid 1950s. The Johnson Sure-spin 640, made by the Louis Johnson Co of Highland Park (Chicago), IL and Johnson Silver Minnow fame. To me, the most interesting thing about this reel, other than its light weight and no bail, is that the spool does not oscillate. The manual line pickup is attached to a bar that oscillates in and out as the spool spins in a fixed position. One of the darnedest designs I've run across and it sure gets a lot of looks and conversation. It's really a quiet running reel but I'm sure that's due to the nylon main gear.






   
Love those open face spinning reels! (Especially ABU & ABU/Zebco Cardinals)

Tommy D (ORCA), NE



Favorite Activity? ............... In our boat fishing
RELAXING w/ MY BEST FRIEND (My wife Bonnie)

foakes

You were right, Tommy --

I adjusted my reading glasses by cleaning off the grease!

I have maybe a half dozen old Johnson Sure Spins -- but nothing like your version -- unless I find one someday out in the storage -- did find another old JC Higgins 500 out there yesterday -- in black instead of mint green.

But back to the Johnson's -- the Sure Spin's I have weigh in at 12 oz.!!  

Must have lead gears.

In George Thommen's "Complete Guide to Spinning Tackle" -- the ones I have are pictured -- and this book was a second printing dated July of 1954.

Thanks for posting this weird old Johnson --

Best,

Fred
The Official, Un-Authorized Service and Restoration Center for quality vintage spinning reels.

D-A-M Quick, Penn, Mitchell, and ABU/Zebco Cardinals

--------

The first rule of fishing is to fish where the fish are. The second rule of fishing is to never forget the first rule.

"Enjoy the little things in Life — For someday, you may look back — and realize that they were the big things"
                                                     Fred O.