Freshly fettled coleman L227 dated 0 3 It is not quite its own lamp yet as burner and mica have been 'borrowed' from other lamps for the testfire. It has a new R55 generator and is running well on brake cleaner. Enjoy the pics.
Very well saved and well done on a good fettle. You have saved this one from decrepitude. The past has been saved for the enjoyment of the present and future. You certainly had a lot of work to do restoring the lamp to running order. What finish did you use on the bail and frame? Cheers Pete
Hello Pete, The frame is finished in a Zinc based car exhaust paint i obtained from a Lidl store. Not high temperature, but heat resisting enough for a lantern frame. Regards James
The Coleman 227 is not easy to come by and when you find one they usually damned expensive. Great job on restoring this one. It really stands out.
Hello Jean J For rust removal i alternated between a wire brush fitted to an electric drill and emery cloth, the brush removes anything loose and the cloth cuts through the scale and keep going until you find clean bright steel. This one 'was not to bad' in that is was not pitted to deeply and cleaned up ok fairly quickly. Its not perfect, but i am pleased with the results. Regards James
Coleman made around 13,000 of these between 1928 and 1932. This is less than 10% of the production of L327 and L427 in the period. They are consequently not near as common and preserving the survivors is worthwhile. Also makes every one a nice addition to any collection. Nice to see another one saved. ::Neil::
That is a great save, @James K How I wish I have a such a Coleman. I especially like the form and appearance of the L227 and 228. Anyway, how did you remove the rust on the hood without harming the enamel?
I am of the same mind, love my 227 and will eventually get a 228, they epitomize to me the look I love of the early Coleman's. The last big auctions of notable Coleman Collectors contained 227's going for an average of $150.
@James K An excellent restoration. The before pictures to the now pictures show a phenomenal Phoenix like transformation. Well done. Enjoy it, you deserve it. Cheers Pete
@James K Returning to your excellent post: Did you restore the vent (hood) that is shown in the “before” photos? Or is the vent on the finished lantern a replacement? Cheers Tony
@James K Once again another inspirational piece of work and another grand old lady brought back to life. Happy New Year to you. Regards, Jeremy
@Tony Press The hood on the finished lamp is a replacement from a later model Coleman. I was going to repair the original with some perforated steel and get it re enameled but then I found one at a bargain price and the rest is history. From what I remember a true Coleman spotter can tell the difference from a slight change in the curve on the top cap but I was happy with it, it took weeks to arrive and turned up on my birthday and made my day.
@Tony Press Original 227 on left and unknown later replacement on the right. The original top cap is sitting lower because the bit with the holes has rusted away.
