You'll be forgiven if my title suddenly starts making you hum a tune from the 80's, but here is my #10 Gypsy that I got a couple of years ago. When I first picked this up from the auction I was encouraged about how good the thank looked as it was pretty much completely free of rust. Once I got it home and started to play with it, its challenges became quickly apparent. First, it did not have its original generator. It had what appeared to be an AGM generator of some model I never identified. Secondly, the external fuel line had been modified to interface with the incompatible generator, and had a cracked nut for securing it. At the time my brazing skills were not up to snuff, so I commissioned Dead from CCF to make me a new one. I was able to find a 2nd hand generator with problems, that a collector had recently replaced with an NOS one. Most of the generator was correct except for the gas tip, which caused me no end of problems, but I was able to use the stove finally. After numerous modifications to the pricker needle and stem I ended up replacing the tip with one from a 425 and got much better performance, but still not completely right. Usually it either wouldn't simmer, or would only simmer. This week I was able to source an NOS generator, for which I paid dearly, but I am thrilled to finally have a proper running stove. I don't think even hen's teeth are this rare. This is the earlier version with the "Gypsy Stove Co. Wichita, Kansas" stamped on the tank-burner brace. Unfortunately the new generator has a bakelite valve wheel, where the original is fiber. I'll keep it as a backup.
Excellent. I have yet to see a Gypsy in person, is on my short list. Does it "Hot Blast" to get the generator up to temp?
@Majicwrench Yes, it blasts. This stove appeared in the late 20's/early 30's, when instant-light functionality had already been introduced, and was considered an economy stove. So it would have been the only newly manufactured model still with hot blast. Probably why they didn't brand it as Coleman; they wanted to steer the Coleman faithful to the Model 2e/9e Not many of these around. Almost entirely steel except for the plumbing, so most of them have probably rusted out.
Great persistence and follow thru. I have one I picked up some years back, finding out later that a late friend likely had been bidding against me. Duane
