Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

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JMQ4
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Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#1

Post by JMQ4 »

Sorry to ask, its not a fly rod, but a 6' two-piece light action Heddon Deluxe spinning rod. I believe it is made of steel, but has silk winds, and black ferrules - the colors match the deluxe pal fly rods and it has a faux bamboo paint scheme. I've exhausted most other avenues trying to find some information about this rod. It came in an aluminum Heddon tube, basically the same that you would expect a three-piece bamboo fly rod to come in. The label unfortunately isn't readable. I am not looking to sell the rod, but just curious about its history.

Would anyone have a Heddon catalog that lists this rod? I would appreciate a scan of the catalog page if you do - I am interested in finding about when it was made and its cost at the time.

Thanks for your help.

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bluesjay
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#2

Post by bluesjay »

Hi Guys, Did you use a magnet? I have a steel fly rod and a fiberglass fly rod, both with the faux paint.

Jay Edwards

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JMQ4
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#3

Post by JMQ4 »

Yes, and it's not very magnetic, so it could possibly be fiberglass - it was sold as steel. I don't own any steel rods, so I have no basis for comparison. The selling price was so inexpensive, it was hard to pass up, and it's an attractive rod. I doubt I could have bought just the tube for the selling price, which, to be honest, was what attracted me to it.

I believe that Heddon at some point used 'T' to designate 'tubular' fiberglass, although early on it was also used for 'tournament'. I don't think the latter is very likely - so maybe the former is most parsimonious.

I have some actionglas faux bamboo fly rods, but no other Heddon with that finish.

bluesjay
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#4

Post by bluesjay »

Hi Guys, Just a thought, but both the steel and fiberglass would have been part of a search for 'something new,' so perhaps a spinning rod would be later and more likely to be fiberglass. Oh, ask on the sister ship fiberglass site:

https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/index.php

Jay Edwards

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JMQ4
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#5

Post by JMQ4 »

Mark at the fiberglass site, was kind enough to send me a copy of the page from the 1953 Heddon catalog that listed the T170. He told me that the rod was offered in 1953, the first year for a tubular fiberglass spinning rod from Heddon, and 1954. Thereafter, the 'T' was dropped and the rod became simply the model 170. Interestingly, the handle is made from cork and balsa - I puzzled over that when I first saw the rod.

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Last edited by JMQ4 on 04/11/21 17:13, edited 2 times in total.

bluesjay
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#6

Post by bluesjay »

Hi Guys, Hmmmm, balsa....

Jay Edwards

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JMQ4
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#7

Post by JMQ4 »

The deluxe pal fly rod that same year (1953), the T70, is the same price at $27.50, but didn't have a 'cork-balsa' handle like the T170 - then again, the fly rod handle wasn't 12" long either.

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JMQ4
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#8

Post by JMQ4 »

Someone else added that the 12-2 at the base indicates December 1952, so the rod is likely the first year offered, 1953.

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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#9

Post by JMQ4 »

In case there is any interest in the handle.

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Titelines
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Re: Heddon deluxe pal 6' light action spinning T170 L

#10

Post by Titelines »

If it's a fiberglass rod, this discussion needs to be taken over to the fiberglass forum.

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