This followed me home today, L227 burns

[Wolffarmer]

Went to an estate sale and found this for $7













I am not sure what model it is, or date. Closest I have come to it is a L227 from 1927-33.

http://terrence.marsh.faculty.noctrl.edu/lantern/colelantpre31.htm

Though the top nut is not the same. nor does it catch the threads. threads look ok.

Also came with some spare mantels from a local sporting goods store that disappeared at least 20 years ago. Price on them was $0.44.

[teardrop_focus]

[High Desert]

want to make a profit? I'll give ya $10 and I'll pay the shipping....

Thats a great find. I agree with your ID from Terry's site. And if thats right, you have a rare lantern on your hands with less than 1700 made. Congratulations!

[Wolffarmer]

want to make a profit? I'll give ya $10 and I'll pay the shipping....

Thats a great find. I agree with your ID from Terry's site. And if thats right, you have a rare lantern on your hands with less than 1700 made. Congratulations!

When i saw that only 1700 was made I became rather skeptical I got one. but never know.

You got a 200 made in 1950, Sep to be really picky to trade?

[High Desert]

want to make a profit? I'll give ya $10 and I'll pay the shipping....

Thats a great find. I agree with your ID from Terry's site. And if thats right, you have a rare lantern on your hands with less than 1700 made. Congratulations!

When i saw that only 1700 was made I became rather skeptical I got one. but never know.

You got a 200 made in 1950, Sep to be really picky to trade?

Darn! Closest I've got is an A-51 220D...

You should drop Terry Marsh an email with the pictures of that lantern, he's a really helpful guy with an amazing database. He's been a big help to me on a couple of odd ones.

[doug hodder]

Randy...clean up the area under the embossed logo on the tank and see if there are any numbers stamped there. That's a really nice find. Doug

[hotrod]

yup, thats a dandy, even if it needs some attention..would be proud to have it in my meager collection!

[Wolffarmer]

Doug

Under the logo all i can make out is a stamped 7 then a space then what appears to be an a figure, straight staff with a flag on top going left. Like an L turned 180 degrees, then a #1. Plating is pretty bad but there doesn't appear to be anything else there.

Will keep looking

edit

before the 7 there are 2 spots of corrosion but doesn't look like anything was stamped there. can't find anything else on it. Other than a mess of critters i brought home.

[doug hodder]

I sure hope for your sake it's one of the 1700. You just might be able to find a very generous Japanese collector for it! It appears that the frame needs a bit of straightening on it, once done...the mica globes are really nice...I got one on a 327. Doug

[Wolffarmer]

Did a bit a digging on the net.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rare-coleman-l227-quick-lite-lantern

That describes what i have pretty close. Specially about the Vent top and the nut on it. The nut on mine still has the capture washer still on it. I found a L227 that sold on Ebay that had lost the washer. Of course it had a whole lot better finish still on it, pumped up and was burning, but with a glass globe. This one also has a cleaning lever on the generator. Mine has no cleaning lever nor does any of the others I have found.

http://cgi.ebay.com.my/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180477054179

Dating info

http://www.oldtowncoleman.com/date.htm

With that I will say that mine is a L227 built in Nov 1927.

Thats my story and i am sticking to it.

[Wolffarmer]

Well I bit the bullet today and cleaned up that lantern I got. The more I tore it apart and reading in a collectors forum I am even more convinced it is a L227. I cleaned it up, didn't polish it. The font was not to bad. One thing that says this is a real L227 is that the fuel pickup tube is soldered to the top of the font and not the fuel valve so it stays in the font. Appears that is very particular to the L227. Put it all together and .....................................





I had never been in that deep in anything like this before. Cleaned the mud wasp nest out from inside the collar (it was an old one). Bent the frame straighter. The check valve was leaking back a little. I got it out without to much trouble and bunch of carb clleaner and compressed air and it now holds pressure. Got an O ring from hardware store for the fill cap, it is a different on than the one on my 220. and that cap would not thread onto this one. The generator is an original one. It was plugged up but with carb cleaner, compressed air, WD40, compressed air, carb cleaner, compressed air, repeat. It now works. The generator has no tip cleaner so have to tread lightly. I have no idea if I put the correct mantels on it. I have several sizes here.

Now it needs a proper cosmetic cleaning, new globe and frame derusted.

[Zollinger]

You guys find the coolest things. I love the chrome and big hats. I bet it will clean up pretty good.

[Wolffarmer]

I just lucked into this thing. Had not idea it is one of the rarer ones. Supposedly less than 1700 of them was built.

It also helps to be unemployed, in this matter anyway.

Randy

[teardrop_focus]

Wolffarmer

One thing that says this is a real L227 is that the fuel pickup tube is soldered to the top of the font and not the fuel valve so it stays in the font. Appears that is very particular to the L227. Put it all together and .....................................

That is so cool!

Well done!

[Wolffarmer]

I am setting here surfing the web by the light on the L227. 83 years old and brighter than a 5th grader.

It burns real smooth, no flickering at all. Have had it running about 3 hours now. No more pumping after lighting it up.

So far I have lite it twice. That is when things get exciting. It is not like the 220 I got in March and the only other white gas lantern I have operated. That one just lights and right away the mantles are glowing. Not this one. Get all kinds of flames burning in an overly rich condition for about 15 seconds then you see a little spot in the mantels start glowing and in about 5 seconds the excitement is over and she is a glowing. From what i have read on the collectors forum this sounds rather normal.

I think. but for now don't light around flammables and be ready to run.

Randy