Does Anyone have photo of the sole on a 1955 MacGregor 945TW Driver?

[Seve0992]

Does Anyone have photo of the sole on a 1955 MacGregor 945TW Driver?  I'm looking for the soleplate design and any markings.

[RobotDoctor]

7 hours ago, Seve0992 said:

Does Anyone have photo of the sole on a 1955 MacGregor 945TW Driver?  I'm looking for the soleplate design and any markings.

 

Here are two examples of a 1955 945W sole plate.  It does not make a difference whether the 945 was a 945W or 945TW.  That distinguished whether the woods had leather (945W) or cord (945TW) grips. 

[thepunch_out]

Huh, interesting that the toe stamps are slightly different on these. It actually makes it look like the EDO finished driver is an older model.

[RobotDoctor]

2 hours ago, thepunch_out said:

Huh, interesting that the toe stamps are slightly different on these. It actually makes it look like the EDO finished driver is an older model.

 

I never noticed the sole stamps but yes. they are different.  I know both are 1955 models based on the grips installed on both had the original two-tone (black and red) calfskin leather wrap.  This grip was only offered on the 1955.  The 1954 945W was a red beveled leather wrap.  I will have to ask Dave Wood if he knows the significance of the sole stamp difference.

[tstephen]

Here you go

[Seve0992]

I knew I could count on this group!  I know MacGregor primarily used the Swept back and Butterfly solep lates after about 1950.  I recently saw a few from the late 40's that had a soleplate that looked a little like a combination of the 2..... nearly a swept back but the trailing corners turned back up.  Was this used much after 1950?  Store line clubs?

[RobotDoctor]

2 hours ago, Seve0992 said:

I knew I could count on this group!  I know MacGregor primarily used the Swept back and Butterfly solep lates after about 1950.  I recently saw a few from the late 40's that had a soleplate that looked a little like a combination of the 2..... nearly a swept back but the trailing corners turned back up.  Was this used much after 1950?  Store line clubs?

The swept back sole plate was used on Tommy Armour and some other pro line clubs (Ben Hogan models and some others). This was definitely the case in the early 50s.  The butterfly sole plate was for the Tourney line of woods.  

[thepunch_out]

19 hours ago, RobotDoctor said:

 

I never noticed the sole stamps but yes. they are different.  I know both are 1955 models based on the grips installed on both had the original two-tone (black and red) calfskin leather wrap.  This grip was only offered on the 1955.  The 1954 945W was a red beveled leather wrap.  I will have to ask Dave Wood if he knows the significance of the sole stamp difference.

I have a 1953 that has the same toe stampings as your EDO finish. Only difference is the sole plate as the '53 model was not an Eye-O-Matic, and came with a solid red insert. Could be yours was an older head that didn't get used right away.

[RobotDoctor]

59 minutes ago, thepunch_out said:

I have a 1953 that has the same toe stampings as your EDO finish. Only difference is the sole plate as the '53 model was not an Eye-O-Matic, and came with a solid red insert. Could be yours was an older head that didn't get used right away.

Your 1953 945W is the only year it came with the solid red insert. This was the transition model between the 693 and 945W/TW Eye-O-Matic model.  Since the '53 945W/TW mode was made only one year these are harder to find.  I have a set (1-4) of the 1953 945W as well that will one day be restored by Dave Wood.  
 

With regard to the stampings I was just told that this could have been the choice of the person who made the 945W.  The stamps were replaced frequently due to becoming dull and many were made. You're theory that mine was an older head that was completed later could be correct as well.  None the less these classic MacGregors are simply works of art.  
 

Here is my other 945W EOM driver. I am not sure whether this was 1954 or 1955 as the original shaft was replaced before I got it.  

[raggal62]

2 hours ago, RobotDoctor said:

Your 1953 945W is the only year it came with the solid red insert. This was the transition model between the 693 and 945W/TW Eye-O-Matic model.  Since the '53 945W/TW mode was made only one year these are harder to find.  I have a set (1-4) of the 1953 945W as well that will one day be restored by Dave Wood.  
 

With regard to the stampings I was just told that this could have been the choice of the person who made the 945W.  The stamps were replaced frequently due to becoming dull and many were made. You're theory that mine was an older head that was completed later could be correct as well.  None the less these classic MacGregors are simply works of art.  
 

Here is my other 945W EOM driver. I am not sure whether this was 1954 or 1955 as the original shaft was replaced before I got it.  

Am I seeing 2 backscrew holes?

[RobotDoctor]

4 minutes ago, raggal62 said:

Am I seeing 2 backscrew holes?

 

Yes, my former club restoration person back in the 90s reshafted this with a DG S300 and added a different back screw.  I sent this off to Dave Wood and he removed the backscrew and filled the hole.  With today's epoxy there is absolutely no need for a neck back screw.

[thepunch_out]

2 hours ago, RobotDoctor said:

Your 1953 945W is the only year it came with the solid red insert. This was the transition model between the 693 and 945W/TW Eye-O-Matic model.  Since the '53 945W/TW mode was made only one year these are harder to find.  I have a set (1-4) of the 1953 945W as well that will one day be restored by Dave Wood.  
 

With regard to the stampings I was just told that this could have been the choice of the person who made the 945W.  The stamps were replaced frequently due to becoming dull and many were made. You're theory that mine was an older head that was completed later could be correct as well.  None the less these classic MacGregors are simply works of art.  
 

Here is my other 945W EOM driver. I am not sure whether this was 1954 or 1955 as the original shaft was replaced before I got it.  

I always enjoy the peeks you give us of your collection. You've got some remarkable clubs, and a great depth of knowledge to go with them! Unfortunately I only have the 2-wood to go with my 945w at the moment, I'd like to find a nice 3&4 to complete the set, but as you said they're hard to come by. I'd love to have mine refinished to the same quality that Dave has done with your clubs, I just don't know if I'll have the patience to wait until I find those elusive fairways to complete the set!

[RobotDoctor]

3 minutes ago, thepunch_out said:

I always enjoy the peeks you give us of your collection. You've got some remarkable clubs, and a great depth of knowledge to go with them! Unfortunately I only have the 2-wood to go with my 945w at the moment, I'd like to find a nice 3&4 to complete the set, but as you said they're hard to come by. I'd love to have mine refinished to the same quality that Dave has done with your clubs, I just don't know if I'll have the patience to wait until I find those elusive fairways to complete the set!

 

The hardest part of building a collection is patience.  I have been working on mine since the early 90s (off and on).  The past 10 years or so I have ramped my search up and have found some great pieces.  Some were acquired from other collectors and some on eBay.  I have taken chances on a few that other collectors simply pass on because they were in rough shape.  For what ever reason I seem to have a knack to see a diamond in the rough from a pile of "sheet."  The 945W EDO finished driver I have is the epitome of that.  Here are some pictures of the original driver pre-restoration.  One thing this driver had that was evident was ultra top tier grain.  When I got the driver I found that it sat about a degree or two closed.  I like a driver square or one degree open.  This allowed alterations to be made on the toe to remove the dried out wood.  Dave worked on the insert cavity to allow for the face to be flared out and not to remove any insert material.  Dave Wood said the grain on this one is epic top tier, the best of the best.  Fortunately he saw the potential as well.  The driver was a total reclamation project and Dave put in quite a bit of time on this one.  The results were absolutely incredible.  I present to you pictures of the driver previously known as BamBam.  Followed by pics of the driver formerly known as Bam-Bam now known as Enzo (Dave renamed it as he views this driver on par to Enzo Ferrari).