Help with and old 6500C

[Hawg]

I just started fishing multi species a few years ago. I have an old 6500c ambassador reel on an extra heavy trolling rod. It's the very first thumb bar model. Can it be upgraded to better drag washers? A friend told me it has more collector value than fishing value as it's only been used a couple times. I'm thinking it's not worth messing with but sometimes that old stuff really was pretty good equipment

[KING]

the older 6500's are good. and there are lots of aftermarket parts available for them. worth more to fish them than as a collector.

even the newer ones typically the worm gear and pall were the items that would wear out. the factory ones were not very durable but the replacement parts were, once you changed them you were typically good for quite awhile.

i never had drag issues with mine so I'm not sure you'd need to upgrade it. It is important to relax the drag tension between outing though.