You've done a lovely job on that reel, David!
You have transformed what was a pretty plain run-of-the-mill 1960's reel into something which has a rather classic look to it.
I'd definitely have one which looked like yours, whereas the original ...
But then I am unfairly biased against the poor old Record Breaker.
In 1968 I acquired the Allcocks catalogue, and fell in love with the Match Aerial. The price shown was 124/3, including Purchase Tax.
"Endorsed by Billy Lane as the finest trotting reel ever made".
15 years old, I worked on a farm for six weeks during the summer holidays, earning about £1 a week and saving most of it.
September came around, and I took the bus into town clutching my earnings.
And there it was in the window, but to my horror, the price had gone up by about four shillings, thanks to an increase in Purchase Tax!
I begged for a discount, but the shopkeeper was having none of it. He even told me that a kid like me had no need of such an expensive
reel, and persuaded me to buy a Record Breaker.
It's not a bad reel at all.
But it's not a Match Aerial. And 55 years on, it still isn't.
