Welcome to BigScreenBiz.com

Recently I bought a couple heads from ebay just for fun because I spent many years at a small chain that used original equipment, some from the 1930's. My working experience is with Simplex E-7's and X-L's, but these two are an earlier model.

I think they are Simplex Standards, but I am not sure if they are Standards, Regulars, or perhaps Kaplan clones of Simplex machines. The original name plates are missing.

That is all the info I have. Anyone able to tell me which model this is?

www.smugmug.com/gallery/6370718_UygpU

Thanks for any information!

Maybe a Super.

There's some history surrounding that mechanism.

The drive-in I grew up working at had a pair of 'Wenzel Ace' projectors, which look to be carbon copies of the model in your pictures.

I'd have to spend some time on it to get my chronology straight, but I heard this was a story about someone moving from one company to another, or starting his own, or some such. I don't remember what direction the move went though, so I can't say which machine was more "genuine".

I think Ken Layton knows something about it, though.

Everything appears to be a Simplex Standard. It looks like it has had quite a few upgrades over the years too. I see a lot of LaVezzi gear/shaft upgrades, a rear shutter conversion kit, Weaver brand picture changeover, and changeable slip-in aperture plates.

This looks like a real good runner and must have come from a theater that kept it updated.

The regular/standard simplex had a front shutter only and was very early converted to a rear shutter which everyone copied under names like wenzil ace gardnier or Kaplan or the original century K
It has at one time had a panatar anamorphic fitted onto it from the extra holes on the front plate