GM 300 side plates interchangeability

[jdanneo54]

Hello, new to the forum but not to Garcia Mitchell reels. I'm currently refurbishing my dad's 300 that he bought in the early 60's. I has a side plate with the "hockey stick" anti reverse switch and the handle shaft bushing is worn. Does anybody know if the later model side plate with the straight lever type switch will fit? Thanks in advance, Jerry.

PS - I fully intend to fish this reel!

[Ted Lanham]

jdanneo54 ,
to the Mitchell Reel Museum.
I believe that the newer faceplate with the straight a/r lever will work on a 60's era 300. I have a bunch of the used faceplates, somewhere, in my garage that I could do a search for one that has the older boomerang lever, but it might take a week or two.

Regards,
Ted Lanham

[GreatLaker]

Jerry, welcome to the MRM!
I'm not sure what you mean by the handle shaft bushing?
There really aren't any bushings on the handle shaft. If you mean the drive gear bushing which is on the cover plate then there is no way to replace it. That bushing or bushings depending on the age of your reel, is the Oilite bushing Mitchell put on it's 300 reels. It would be unusual for that bushing to be worn. What seems to be the problem with it?
Also, you can swap a cover plate with the chevron shaped anti-reverse lever with one that has the straight lever, but do you really want to?
Kind Regards,
Bill

[jdanneo54]

Thanks very much guys! I'd prefer to keep the original side plate but there is some side to side play where the gear shaft comes through that causes the handle to move around a bit. So it's either a slightly worn gear shaft or a worn cover bushing or a little bit of both. I've seen a bunch of NOS side covers on Ebay but they all have the lever type anti reverse. I thought I'd try a new side plate to see if it corrects the problem.

[Schrack]

Sounds like a shim problem, check a schematic and see if a shim is availible , should give you a part number if it is.