I don't know if it has been mentioned, certainly not worth a special trip, but Coleman has a museum at their Coleman store here in downtown Wichita. They have a lot of stuff on display coupled with old pictures from the original factory.
Interesting to look at on my occasional stops in the store, especially since I used to work in the downtown plant making the founts back in the late 70s. The original factory at 2nd and St. Francis has been torn down and due to ground contamination is a parking lot/plaza for downtown events. The museum/store is just across St. Francis and open M-S.
Like I said, not worth a special trip, but if you are in Wichita for some reason, a nice side trip.
So after my first purchase, the lantern on the right, I found this thread. Much like my first Cruiser purchase, I found the info on Mud after the fact! But, again just like my other Cruiser purchases, I did the same thing and picked up the stove and the lantern on the left today.
Not sure what I'm going to do with them, restore or use as is... I've got a 425 that I use camping, but I might have to swap it out for the matched set...
^^^^^ WOW! I just bought one of those today! The sears stove. I found it for $13 and just had to have it for that much. Needs a little paint but other then that it's sweet.
Also found two Colman lanterns and a sweet little tool box. A 1973 and a 1948. The small 48 is missing the glass, need to see if I can find that. They had a couple of earlier ones that were a little cooler looking then the 73, but my FJ55 that I'll be using most of this vintage stuff with is a 73 so I figured that's perfect.
I think my wife thinks I'm nuts wanting to start phasing out our modern camping gear for this stuff...
When I was a kid, my family had the blue sears gear. Those are great finds. The big hat lanterns are especially nice.
In hairly apple's pic the small lantern on the right is a 242. It is one of Coleman's best runners. It uses the same globe and generator as a 200A (the more common red single mantle lantern), so you'll be able to find one anywhere.
It is mandatory you post pictures of them running.
They had a couple of the little old ones, that one was in the best shape and I wasn't sure if you could find parts, looked online and there are tons of parts. I might have to go get a the others tomorrow.
I am going to check them out tomorrow and make sure any seals are still OK and fix them if needed, and buy some gas and test them out tomorrow.
So after my first purchase, the lantern on the right, I found this thread. Much like my first Cruiser purchase, I found the info on Mud after the fact! But, again just like my other Cruiser purchases, I did the same thing and picked up the stove and the lantern on the left today.
Not sure what I'm going to do with them, restore or use as is... I've got a 425 that I use camping, but I might have to swap it out for the matched set...
The first one I ran across at the Flea Market at the Fairgrounds. You should check it out, they have that type of stuff on a regular basis, but I had never come across the Sears versions. The second lantern and stove I was perusing Craigslist (for my usual addictions!) and these were for sale, not too far from my old house....
Pictures are not the greatest, but it's what I've got.
These are a Coleman 500 and 500A. Timeline wise, they started making the 500 model in 1938 and stopped in 1954. In the USA, they changed the grate and the casting of the burner and started making the 500A in 1954 and stopped production in 1961. In Canada, production of the 500 started in 1938, and it didn't go out of production until 1970. The 500s have a brass fount that is nickle plated and the 500As have a painted steel fount. There was a military model of this that was exported from Canada to England in WW2 that had a super cool windshield and was painted army drab. I wish I had one.
Here is my 1947 Model 500:
(I had to pay more than my usual $20 max for this, but still under $50!) I have seen nice examples to go over $300 on ebay.
There are several unique features to these stoves, in that they are rated at 9500 BTUs, and have a cast iron, 1 piece venturi, mixing chamber, airtube, and burner which makes them surprisingly heavy and durable. The fount is larger than a usual lantern fount and so the burner is stable and difficult to tip over. It holds enough gas for a week in the field. It was built so it was easy to just clean out the generator rather than to just replace it. These 2 stoves acquired a reputation of running well even in extreme cold, and were very popular in Northern Canada. So popular, in fact, that they made the the stoves in Toronto until 1970. It is said that due to the size of the generator and gas tip, that it will also burn Kerosene if you preheat the generator. i'll try that some time.
Anyway, 1938-1970. It's one of Coleman's longest production runs of any 1 model.
That's pretty sweet Al. I've got one of those, but in much worse shape. It was my dad's and he was cleaning out the basement and gave it to me. I think he kept the folding legs though. Those folding legs were a staple on all camping trips even when we didn't use the stove. He cut a little wooden table top to fit on them (something to put the FM radio and beer on).
Spent WAY more time and energy on this today then I should have. But it came out nice. Didn't quite get all the crud out of one of the cornors and didn't notice until I had already started to paint it, but oh well. Got to clean up the grill as I got paint on it, and finish wire wheeling the stands tomorrow. I am going to go get some dremel wire wheels and clean up the burners and stuff inside a little better and get to the rest of the paint off the tank, but I'm REALLY happy with how it came out.