I picked up the stove from a local seller some 30 miles from home. As I have not yet encountered a Primus 71, I did not realize how small it was until he pulled it out of his trunk. Ok, I said to myself I really like the size. The stove came with the original postage wrapping It was ship to its new owner here in California by Perry van der Kar and the Customs Stamp is dated May 27, 1963. Carefully cutting one side of the package for me to take pictures of the box itself and to see if it will show any production dates. Could not see any production date on the box but notice the sealing tape marked A B BAHCO STOCKHOLM SWEDEN. I then looked at the bottom. It would seem that there is a faint round circle and the letters/numbers have already rubbed off in time and I could not, even with an eye loupe decipher it Then looking it over, I saw numbers on the tank collar where the burner is attached. It reads the numbers 201262 but I have very little knowledge if that is a part number or production number and hope someone out there can tell me. The case is still in good condition as seen in this photographs As you will see, the logo and instructions, portions of it have peeled off. I primed it and fired it but somehow my digital camera could not properly focus as the flames keep changing and I will post pictures of it working some other time. The tank fuel cap is stamped Primus. Here are other picture of the stove in the case. Another stove added to my collection. Thanks for looking
Great score and find Ron!!! The numbers 201262 is a date code. See the Primus dating chart. Yours is made in 1962 of course. Cheers, Jeff
Jeff, looked at the dating chart...up 1962 a year before it was sent to its new owner What is the difference between a 71 and a 71L then? I guess I would say the difference is that the other has an "L" Thanks
Very nice Ron! I love those, especially because of their size. I really like all the cousins too, like the Op 80, Svea 123s (my favorite) and so on. Now you've started something! And since they are small, you can store a whole mess of 'em! See mine here: internal link sam
Hey Sam, anything small I will surely like (especially the opposite gender height-wise that is) Did you have a chance to fire up your stove yet since I notice you posted it as "new" because I do have a question? When I open the control way up, it sort of pulses but at a high rate than when it is on the "medium" and "simmer" mode. Is that normal? Ron
That _sounds_ normal. If it gets too obnoxious or the pulse becomes long and very loud, then it might need cleaning. The SVEAs are known for the helicopter sound they make, which I think is pretty cool. I'm not sure of the frequency, but if I were to count, it would be like 20 beats per second. You will want to consult other posts to find out if the pulse is even normal, but I bought an Op 80 that was near new and clean as a whistle that pulsed like my SVEA, which sounded pretty cool inside the blue box. Any of the experts want to comment on this?
Sam, Thanks, that sound right 20 beats per second on "high" and no beats on "medium" or "low". Cool! Might trade up my M1942 for a 123R if ever. Hows the weather down there BTW, do you get a lot of tornadoes? Ron
All the little 123's/70/71/80/8R's share the same design burner, more like a pulse jet (think V1 rocket), than a nice hissy (is that a word?) pressure type burner. Now, if you hear a pressurized burner make that noise, shut it off!!!
these are of course very fine camping stoves.they may seem small but with that large tank,think 123 for a small tank,you will get lots of cooking time before you need to re-fuel.the curved shape of the box fits nicely into the side pocket of a rucksack.
Hallo Ron, The added 'L' behind model numbers of several swedish makers stands for 'Låda' which means 'drawer' or 'box'. Many small stoves could be had without, or with a tin, usually containing a set with added spanner, meth's bottle etc. Your model comes in a tin of course, and even if it is a necesary requisite to function as a stove, Primus deemed it necesary to add the 'L' anyway. This way it could be discerned from the excisting model 71 in its various guises. The year of 1962 coinsides with the sender, Perry van der Kar, as that chain of shops of sporting articles was an amalgation of Jos van der Kar and Perry Sports, in 1960, till the end of the 70's. The addressee was likely a dutchman? Regards, Mike
Hello Mike, the name of the addressee is written in script and a bit hard to read. It was sent from Amsterdam to the US perhaps someone in California, maybe the sellers father as he mentioned he did receive it from his father. So now at least I have learned something from you about the letter "L" for "lada" similar in our language we call it "lata" or tin can. I fired it up again a while ago to make myself some coffee and it really is wonderful, small and will fit one of my backpacks pockets - no clutter and no assembly needed, as simple as that. Thanks for the knowledge. Ron
Hi Ron, As well as the "L" there were other configurations of this stove. There was the "E" that came packaged in a different windshield and stove support along with a pan and lid/frying pan and a pot handle. And the "K" that was similar but came with two pans. Here's a 71E from the SRG: 71E And here's a 71K from the SRG: 71K According to the SRG there was also an earlier 71D that was the same config with no pots: 71D You learn something new everyday - I wasn't aware of the 71D even though it's sat in the SRG right in front of my eyes. Maybe the stove I found on holiday in France a couple of weeks ago is a "D" then - I'd assumed it was an "E" or "K" without the pans. I'll have to take a close look and see if I can find any dates. Note the original contributors are acknowledged within the linked pages so I won't repeat here - but thanks guys! I must get round to contributing pictures of more of my collection Cheers, Graham.
Good luck to a good buy!! I bought a Primus 71, that was just like yours, and for a moderate price, and just one week after i stumbled over another made in 1937.. They both was in good order, the firts was just to fill up and set fire to, and it went like a banshee.. The older one was gassed up, so i had to empty the tank and flush it, since the gasoline probably was from the 50´s, smelled like turpentine. I simply love them, but alas the older one is "spoken for" since I, in a state of dementia, I guess, promised to buy one for my brother.. But my collection has grown since that, so I am not that sorry, a promise is a promise.. I just love the small format, and they are so efficient, much faster than my Opti 11C, that takes a day and a half to boil a pot of water. I have a Svea 123 that I simply love, a Radius 42 that works like a god, and the primus 71, a favourite, and lastly a Optimus 8, so small and nice, but it takes a while to get up to "full steam", I guess that it has something to do with the distance between tank and burner, it has to heat for a while to get the gasses flowing. And then there are the keroburners.. But that´s another story.. Best regards, and enjoy!! Uffe
Hi Graham, thanks for the info (knowledge is power) hence I have shifted my focus temporarily on these model critters. Again, due to space constraints my collection is limited to the smaller species of stoves. Uffe, I had to fire up the stove 3 times within the night as I really liked how they "pulsate" as sam (IdahoStoveGuy) put it. I did also a bit of fettling by removing the nut on the spindle and wrapping a bit of graphite packing as I noticed a bit of flame coming out while priming. I attempted to take of the burner but the resistance was too much that I feared I might bash the threads on my very first 71. Thanks all and perhaps these models will also be amongst the favorites of mine. Ron
Sad , Sad ,Stovies The fever only gets worse :frown: .. Or so I'm told . Keep the flame ...Blue Im searching for a vaccine .. But it's a strange disease 8) The 70s/71s/80s do it for me ..123s are there .. but not quite .. Too many 123 finger/hand burns to let me Love 'em Under the influence of a local brewed porter ale/stout/beer . 2c worth & exit . Nick
i have often wondered if all these letters on the stoves were for the buyer--us--to see what sort of model were were buying and what came with that stove or it was just to keep things straight at the factory when they were packing them up
Hi Ron, congrats with your new 71L! Very small, but very fine stoves indeed, one simply has to fall in love with them! It will look great next to the Petromax! Regards, Wim
hey Wim, I really have no idea how tall the Petromax is. Is it as tall as the 00? Yup, look forward to its arrival. Ron
Hi Ron, I don't have a 00, so I can't tell, but I have a pair of Burmos's N°21 and it is identical to them (if that is of any help to you! ) Let's say it is one size up on a Primus N°96 . Regards, Wim
