Looking for the manual for an Abu-Garcia 170 and 120 reel

Dear Board,

I know it's a long shot because these reels were popular long before many of you were born, but I figure there is no harm in asking?

I am looking for copies of the manuals for the old time old school push button spin casting reels made by Abu-Garcia in the late 1960's to early 1970's.  The manuals I desire are for the 170 and 120 models.  

Some of you older fellows here must know what I am talking about?  If anyone has a copy that they can scan and email that would be awesome.  If you want to print a copy and mail it to me I'll give you a few bucks to pay for your time and trouble and postage.

So, can anyone help me out?

Regards,

Tim Murphy  

heres a parts diagram for the 170
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Dear Casting Call,

Thanks but I had already found that.  What I am more concerned about with the 170 is how to set up the star drag so it works along with and not against the direct drive of the reel?

All I have been to accomplish by fiddling with it is pretty much free spool and locked down tighter than a frog's butthole.  I want to know how to get to the middle so that a fish can run against the drag without having to chase it down?

If anyone has any tips let them fly.  I bought the reels for my wife to use.  She really enjoys fishing and has fun but she is far from a natural and not very intuitive about figuring out what to do with a fish on the line.  I'd like for the reel's "automatic" capabilities to be used.

Regards,

Tim Murphy   

Sounds too complicated! I couldnt find anything online other than the parts list. Perhaps contact Abu Garcia directly?

Send me your e-mail addy. I found the Schematics for those reels if they are the Spinmatic spin cast reels.
those are the only ones that I could find on the Abu-Garcia reel shematics site that are 170 and 120.

Scott

Let me throw this at you just for an idea.
I had one of those as a kid and there really isn't much to it. You know that and that's probably frustrating the hell out of you.
You have already fooled with everything and you aren't getting the desired results.
I assume you took it apart, cleaned the hell out of it and oiled the S**t out of it.
Is there any chance that there is with something that old, an actual mechanical issue that prevents you from getting were you want to be with it?

I am quite familiar with these reels as I fished with them quite a bit as a kid.  You have to actually turn the reel handle backwards 1/4 turn to get to fish fighting drag mode, this drag is controlled by the star wheel by the crank handle.  If you do not "back turn" the crank you are in set the hook and horse the fish out of the weeds mode.  This mode also has a drag adjustment--it is the screw on top of the handle, looks like a dime would fit the slot.  Both adjustments should be reset, one might have to be done first-I don't know.  
The 170 (which I'm most familiar) was quite expensive for the day and is much better built than any closed faced reel made today.  If you can get the drag figured out, it will serve your wife well for many years.

I am quite familiar with these reels as I fished with them quite a bit as a kid.  You have to actually turn the reel handle backwards 1/4 turn to get to fish fighting drag mode, this drag is controlled by the star wheel by the crank handle.  If you do not "back turn" the crank you are in set the hook and horse the fish out of the weeds mode.  This mode also has a drag adjustment--it is the screw on top of the handle, looks like a dime would fit the slot.  Both adjustments should be reset, one might have to be done first-I don't know.  
The 170 (which I'm most familiar) was quite expensive for the day and is much better built than any closed faced reel made today.  If you can get the drag figured out, it will serve your wife well for many years.

Dear Eddie,

Thanks for the explanation of how the 170 operates.  That makes sense to me that you need to back reel 1/4 turn to switch out of the direct drive mode and let the drag operate.  

You are right that these old reels are much better made than any spin cast reel today.  Everything in them is metal and even though both reels are 40 years old they are not pitted or corroded and everything still works smoothly.  

They will probably last for 100 more years at the rate my wife catches fish!   

Regards,

Tim Murphy