The newest piece to my collection, a 1960's Sears three burner stove made by Coleman. The stamp on the fuel tank says 5 6 6, so I am guessing it made 5/66. It is in fairly decent shape, although quite a bit of rust on certain parts. I am not sure if the fuel tank is any good though. If you shake it, you can hear loose rust inside and if you look inside the fuel fill neck, it is quite rusty. I think this stove would look pretty good if I cleaned up all the rust and repainted it. I would like to get it working again. Enjoy the pics!
Fun. A lot of what is in tank may be old fuel. I would clean it out well with some loose screws well shaken (not stirred) then pressurize and dunk it in a bucket. Inside of tank can be coated, not just to fix leaks but to control loose debris too, I do it often.
Coleman made this 3-burner stove for Sears as Model 476.74980. Coleman US stoves – mid 1950s – present
I have seen multiple times how dried out american gasoline leave residues looking like rusty sand - some of it may be diluted by methylated spirit. Your tank doesn't look that rusty, just dirty.
Maybe that is what it is then.... I a bit of a closer look in the tank and the bottom actually doesn't look rusty at all, but there is a rusty coloured material that is shaking around in it. I think I will probably pull out the valve from the tank and remove the cap and then try and clean it. Would it be okay to use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol inside the tank to help clean it? Sorry, I am new to all this and trying to learn.
I don't know how isopropyl alcohol works on that sort of dirt but I know that resinous dirt use to dilute easily in methylated ethyl alcohol - but it isn't harmful to test isopropyl alcohol. If the alcohol feels sticky or oily after washing around in the tank for a while you know it works - start with a small amount.
This stove would have used Coleman fuel which is a distilled form of unleaded gasoline called Drip gas or White gas. There has been a new brand available in the USA called Crown fuel that is of the same as Coleman fuel. Coleman fuel has seen limited production as the Coleman GPA's have seen a reduction of consumer purchases. Coleman painted the inside of the fuel tanks with a red or brown Enamel paint and a few other colors. The red and brown colors look like what you will see on a rusty chunk of ferrous metal or steel. When Coleman fuel or Drip gas evaporates it creates a coating similar looking as lacquer. Alcohol can dissolve this coating in a very slow process with no guarantee of absolute success. When a auto mechanic or a small engine repair shop rebuilds your fuel system or carburetors they do not use alcohol. Alcohol only has 3 purposes in this world and that is down my throat, at the doctors office and as a fuel for stoves called denatured not isopropyl Alcohol in camping, boating or a fondue warmer. If you have what looks to be a flaking of debris inside your tank it is most likely to be the enamel paint. The evaporating gas creates a hard finish that can fracture and pull the paint off what ever it attached to. Some people claim that this dried coating is a form of lacquer, however there is no viable source that I have found the proves this. Lacquer comes from a tree resin discovered by the Japanese in use of their art works. The western world did not make this discovery but did import it. A form of alcohol called Ethanol is used in gasoline to boost octane while absorbing water. If you want to clean the inside of your fuel tank don't use alcohol. The gasoline industry makes a specific product for cleaning fuel residue. Go to the auto parts store and buy the product used to clean residue. Carburetor Cleaner.
Question.... I am going to be cleaning this unit up so that it actually works and try to get rid of the rust. I was also thinking of repainting it, make it look like new. Problem is, I can't find a spray paint that is this colour blue or yellow in the stores I have checked. I am looking at a rust spray paint/primer in one. If I was to resell this, would it hurt the value if I was to repaint it or should I leave it as is? Thank you.
Check some place (auto parts store) that sells Dupli-color brand. I think there is a Ford blue that is pretty close.
Not a whole lot of value to hurt...neat old stove, and a Sears, but not anything special. Paint away!! It's yours to use and enjoy. the coating inside the tank were on later model stoves and lanterns, that one is probably old enough it didn't have it. You might be able to find more about color match over on Coleman Collectors Forum.
