Penn Delmar 285 approximate date assistance

[Farmer Mike]

I have an older Delmar 285 Ihave prepared an exploded view for display.  It has a nut on the clicker side plate to secure the clicker screw.  It seems that this is the only time penn used this design or very limited in other reels.

Can any one give an approximate date for this reel

[Wompus Cat]

Well the first Delmar's in the 40's had Plastic Spools and if your's has the original Spool which is a 3 piece then anytime after the late 40's I would think . I am sure there are some Tell Tale signs here to better date it and someone will jump in here to get a better time period on it I bet . Looks like it was well taken care of .They made this Reel well into the 1990's .

[foakes]

Since I see multiple part numbers — with that PENN style logo — it is likely early 50's.

Best, Fred

[basto]

I have an 85 with that exact same tailplate

[Gfish]

Are the drag washers leather? Man dude, you took almost everything apart!

[JasonGotaProblem]

There's one of these available locally, looks like with plastic spool. There's about half of me eyeballing it, while the other half is screaming not to buy tackle I don't plan to use. Thats a toughie. I may ask if it has part #s

[oc1]

That takes "Wall Hanger" to a whole new level.

[Cuttyhunker]

First time I've seen the 3 piece spool exploded, the 3 piecer's I still fish are holding up well with a dacron braid backing.  If the artist says so, then it's art.  Nice job!!

[Farmer Mike]

Thanks for all the positive responses!

Yes it had leather washers and the spool was a bit of a challange to dissassemble, especially prying off the clicker gear.

I have so many other "better" penn reels  (Jigmasters,Peers and Senators), I don't mind dissecting and mounting the basic ones.

Not all end up forsaken, I just refilled a waffle clicker Bayhead with dacron and caught some striped bass on it!  Still catches them just fine. 

[Cuttyhunker]

Fred pointing out the parts numbers makes it post 50/51, the 3 piece spool if original to the reel was discontinued in 54.  The old reels still take them just fine if maintenance is up to date.  My back-up grouper digger is a Pfleuger Ohio 1978, superglued cracked tail plate, black wood knob, probably from the 30's, landed a nice keeper with it this fall with no sweat.

[Eddie K]

I am not an expert on dating these reels, however, I can tell you that the side plate that you described is late 70's, early 80's till the end of the run.  They had asbestos drag washers with brass washers.  At one point toward the end of the run they switched from heat treated steel main gears to brass manganese gears.  To save money, Penn stopped putting in the tiny spring loaded brass ball check valve for lubing the bushings. 

These reels either came with a plastic spool, or a 3 piece metal spool.  IMHO the best of the 3 piece spools was the last variation that was made of stainless steel. The least desirable is the variant that is made of chromed steel.
There is another that is chromed brass.  Do NOT fill the 3 piece spools with mono because the mono will cause the spool to separate and become trash. Fill them with braid and a topshot of mono. These reels never came with an aluminum spool, however, there is an aluminum spool that does work in them. You can find a model 85 Seaboy with an aluminum spool and cannibalize it.

The heat treated steel main gears were called no strip gears, and the reel could be used for light trolling, at least according to the box. 

After seeing the photo of the reel, definitely late 70's.  Good job breaking the spool down.