Penna WW Special on Ebay

[golfunderpar18]

Bumping a very old thread.  
over the last few months I found a ww special driver which had been refinished to a walnut color but head was in excellent condition plus separately a 2&3 wood wwt all original.   Having them refinished to match as a set like they once were in the mid 50’s.  Will post pics once complete. Some of you are on the persimmon forum via Facebook and saw my post about the driver last month.  Wanted to share here also.  Cheers.

Edited August 27, 2020 by golfunderpar18

[mocokid]

super find, have dave wood refinish those. 

[tstephen]

Incredible double find. I was lucky enough to have Dave Wood restore my WW Special 2 wood. If you don’t mind me asking where did you find them?

[tstephen]

Interesting just 6 years and it has “yellowed” as though original 50’s refinish 

Edited August 28, 2020 by tstephen

[Fellaheen51]

Stellar finds.  Look forward to the rest of the story.

 

Seeing this thread again brought to mind the TP WWT Special Driver restoration by Prsmnstudio from 2015.  An epic tutorial on the process that he generously shared with us.  One of the most interesting threads I've ever read on WRX.  With all the hosting platform jockeying occurring around  here, most unfortunate that all the accompanying pictures are apparently lost in the ether.  (Along with any number of other important historical threads.  Collateral damage.  More than p***es me off.  I digress.)  Many will remember, others maybe not:

 

 

 

 

 

[golfunderpar18]

So now that the site has been reverted back after the disappointing upgrade are all older threads with photos now obsolete?   Some great content but without photos they just aren’t the same.

 

ive been in contact with a few folks in that threat that @Fellaheen51 shared.  One is doing the restoration work for these babies so let’s see if we can post some new photos soon!   Here are a few of the driver As the work has commenced.

[thepunch_out]

Wow, great find! Seeing posts like this keep me searching despite having more than enough in my collection, you never want to miss out on the White Whale! Can't wait to see this club once the re-finish is complete.

[golfunderpar18]

On 8/27/2020 at 9:48 PM, tstephen said:

Incredible double find. I was lucky enough to have Dave Wood restore my WW Special 2 wood. If you don’t mind me asking where did you find them?

Driver I bought on eBay and the 2&3 woods on Facebook via the persimmon golf society forum where a member Offered them for sale after seeing my driver.  

Edited August 30, 2020 by golfunderpar18

[tstephen]

I hit my WW 2 wood yesterday vs Taylormade Rocket 3 wood SIM at 12 degrees and my strongest and both were only 10 yards longer carry.

Edited August 30, 2020 by tstephen

[golfunderpar18]

17 hours ago, tstephen said:

I hit my WW 2 wood yesterday vs Taylormade Rocket 3 wood SIM at 12 degrees and my strongest and both were only 10 yards longer carry.

That’s awesome!   CAn you post if the sole, crown, face etc?  Thanks 

[tstephen]

Red leather Grip Masters I added only one I’ve seen, original shaft. Dave Wood took 3 tries to get white color right and that shows the kind of great craftsmanship he delivers. The different face line colors like the WB All American. It has very rare for model u-shaped grain. I love how it has yellowed. It’s actually been almost 7 years now just noticed grain picture taken 9/2/13. The 2 wood and one of my ‘50 LFFs also 7 years ago are only clubs Dave has restored for me. I will never hit that perfect better than new LFF but the 2 wood probably 50 hits including playing a couple of rounds. However, Dave currently has my red fiber insert 945W and WB All American. Wait until you see what he does with that club. It’s going to be one super unique WB.

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by tstephen

[golfunderpar18]

On 11/9/2013 at 2:28 PM, tstephen said:

[quote name='teevons' timestamp='1384052634' post='8125936']
Also according to Nicklaus website,he won 86`Masters with an Armour 693 driver
[/quote]

Until reading a couple of Golfwrx threads I thought it was just his 3 wood that was a 945.
Another thread mentioned there were no WW drivers which I know now was false.

Getting back to the Penna WWs - maybe someone should contact Guiness Book of World Records. As a kid I remember that is how the Honus Wagner t209 was made famous.

I now own 2 ww special penna drivers.   I have a set 1-2-3 currently being restored and will do the same with this driver.  

[golfunderpar18]

New photos ....it just arrived.   Head looks great.  Dave wood will be restoring it for me.

Edited December 1, 2020 by golfunderpar18

[golfunderpar18]

Got the clubs back from restoration. 

[NRJyzr]

Yeah, those are reasonably attractive

 

[deejaid]

4 hours ago, golfunderpar18 said:

Got the clubs back from restoration. 

 

Cool clubs but I don’t think the restoration did them the proper justice.  Looks like overspray on the sole plate edges.

 

 

[golfunderpar18]

4 hours ago, deejaid said:

 

Cool clubs but I don’t think the restoration did them the proper justice.  Looks like overspray on the sole plate edges.

 

 

He struggled with the restoration and they were repainted at least 3 times trying to get them right.   The soles aren’t perfect that’s for sure.  The faces and crowns are pretty good.   Definitely were a lot of work and the restorer had a difficult time trying to complete.    
 

I am trying to have Dave wood restore my second WW special driver.  He’s super busy but will see if he can work on it In the spring.  

[teevons]

easiest way to restore black or white is to install soleplates after they are sprayed, they then look perfect

[golfunderpar18]

Think the photos are misleading as he did paint/spray them without  the sole plates on.  I have photos from the Reno process.   They were repainted a few times to try to get them right.  

Edited December 8, 2020 by golfunderpar18

[elwhippy]

Why would someone put a cheap white paint finish on a quality block of wood? These are an acquired taste to say the least. 

[golfunderpar18]

2 hours ago, elwhippy said:

Why would someone put a cheap white paint finish on a quality block of wood? These are an acquired taste to say the least. 

Are you familiar with these rare woods?  Sets of these have been sold for $32k and $50k.   Agree they are not something I would suggest either but it was a one off rare model that could only be special ordered back in the day.   Heard that less than 100 were made.  I was not fond of Taylormade’s white metal / titanium woods either but fads go in and out all of the time.  A few stories online about these.  the ones attached were refinished poorly.  The originals can be seen in Kaplan’s guide.  The faces were white also.

Edited December 8, 2020 by golfunderpar18

[golfunderpar18]

From Kaplan’s MacGregor catalog....1954 offering 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

1 hour ago, golfunderpar18 said:

From Kaplan’s MacGregor catalog....1954 offering 

 

Any idea what $100 in 1954 is equivalent to in today's money? I've been quoted for new OEM drivers with a shaft upgrade here priced at $800~$900, so I was wondering how that equates to $25 70 years ago.

 

Edit: Here's the answer from a random website I found:

https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/

 

Cliff notes: probably $238 in today's money, but could be as much as $1,370 depending on how you calculate it.

Edited December 9, 2020 by No_Catchy_Nickname

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Any idea what $100 in 1954 is equivalent to in today's money? I've been quoted for new OEM drivers with a shaft upgrade here priced at $800~$900, so I was wondering how that equates to $25 70 years ago.

 

Edit: Here's the answer from a random website I found:

https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/

 

Cliff notes: probably $238 in today's money, but could be as much as $1,370 depending on how you calculate it.

 

I use the CPI Inflation Calculator for such exercises (CPI = Consumer Price Index).  Using that, I get $967 in 2020 USD.

 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

1 hour ago, NRJyzr said:

 

I use the CPI Inflation Calculator for such exercises (CPI = Consumer Price Index).  Using that, I get $967 in 2020 USD.

 

 

On that basis, the WWs aren't that different to premium drivers today with custom shaft upgrades (although I'm going on the basis of driver prices I've been quoted in Japan. The USA might be a bit cheaper).

[xgolfx]

The finish would be difficult to properly duplicate , because it was water based and lacquer was used.  I doubt the materials are available today(EPA?)Polyurethane and similar finishes were in their infancy.The finish not only turned yellow over time,but also

was  considered inferior because it was easily chipped. The fable that  white woods are rare has been perpetuated in correctly,in my opinion.

My idea of “RARE” is a 1-9 irons plus wedges,ground by Miller Huggins,(or one of the other master grinders) , or prototypes which never made production due to difficulty to duplicate.

 

CHARLEY PENNA

[deejaid]

12 hours ago, xgolfx said:

The finish would be difficult to properly duplicate , because it was water based and lacquer was used.  I doubt the materials are available today(EPA?)Polyurethane and similar finishes were in their infancy.The finish not only turned yellow over time,but also

was  considered inferior because it was easily chipped. The fable that  white woods are rare has been perpetuated in correctly,in my opinion.

My idea of “RARE” is a 1-9 irons plus wedges,ground by Miller Huggins,(or one of the other master grinders) , or prototypes which never made production due to difficulty to duplicate.

 

CHARLEY PENNA

The finish would have been done with nitrocellulose lacquer, which as you said is very brittle especially after many years of use.  Nitrocellulose was used to paint a variety of wood products in the 1950’s, including guitars, which show the same “nitro checking” as its known, as on the unrestored WW’s shown in the pictures here in this thread.

 

 

One of the advantages of nitrocellulose is that each coat “melts” into the previous coat, so less wet sanding needs to be done between coats and the finishes can be built up without getting too thick.   
 

Most of the current nitrocellulose lacquer paint is different than what was used in the 1950’s as the current stuff has more plasticizers in it to make the finishes more durable, but you can still get the 1950’s formulated stuff from a few places.

 

This original finish can be replicated but you won’t get it with basic white spray paint and polyurethane from a hardware store.

[golfunderpar18]

Great Info charley.....agree on all points.  If you saw the fairways in original well used condition you’d see how the finish held up....or didn’t.   They may have been mistreated also not sure as I just acquired them this year.  But they are 65-66 years old and as we all know things happen over time with age

[Swingingk]

8 hours ago, deejaid said:

The finish would have been done with nitrocellulose lacquer, which as you said is very brittle especially after many years of use.  Nitrocellulose was used to paint a variety of wood products in the 1950’s, including guitars, which show the same “nitro checking” as its known, as on the unrestored WW’s shown in the pictures here in this thread.

 

 

One of the advantages of nitrocellulose is that each coat “melts” into the previous coat, so less wet sanding needs to be done between coats and the finishes can be built up without getting too thick.   
 

Most of the current nitrocellulose lacquer paint is different than what was used in the 1950’s as the current stuff has more plasticizers in it to make the finishes more durable, but you can still get the 1950’s formulated stuff from a few places.

 

This original finish can be replicated but you won’t get it with basic white spray paint and polyurethane from a hardware store.

That's interesting info on the nitrocellulose lacquer.  A buddy of mine had an old Fender Telecaster and the finish was yellowed and cracking just like a WWT so I guess that explains why.  Man what a sweet guitar that was.  I always loved the look of that old Tele...

 

That being said I think if I was refinishing one of these woods I'd be pretty tempted to go with a more durable coating.  It seems a shame to me seeing the beautifully redone and bright white finish turn yellow in just a couple of years.  

[golfunderpar18]

1 hour ago, Swingingk said:

That's interesting info on the nitrocellulose lacquer.  A buddy of mine had an old Fender Telecaster and the finish was yellowed and cracking just like a WWT so I guess that explains why.  Man what a sweet guitar that was.  I always loved the look of that old Tele...

 

That being said I think if I was refinishing one of these woods I'd be pretty tempted to go with a more durable coating.  It seems a shame to me seeing the beautifully redone and bright white finish turn yellow in just a couple of years.  

These are very rare so it makes sense to refinish like the original for resale purposes.   I definitely don’t want a finish that will quickly deteriorate but trying to stay in line with how they were first made,