Optimus No 9

Thanks Ben you’re a start what would I do without you, the information you have been giving me is invaluable.
Looks like things will be taking a little longer now.
I am still waiting for my friend to get the little spanner laser cut and now with this information perhaps I can have a repro cover to make it complete.
I just so happen to know a very good seamstress who might be able to make a replacement canvas cover for me.

 

Just a quick update for those that are interested.
I managed to buy three original dead stock jet prickers, still wrapped, I didn’t really want brand new modern ones.
Exciting news on the repro canvas cover that my friend the seamstress was making for me, it’s arrived.
Ben so very kindly accurately measured his original one for me so this one is spot on, he has also given me detailed measurements of the brass eyelets and draw string cord so this is the next stage, but only after I have dyed this one the correct shade of green.
Still waiting on the little spanner my friend is going to laser cut for me, he has to pick the right time when his boss isn’t about as his machine is usually set up for a production run, so I have to be patient.

 

I like the great updates.

 

Quick little update for those following my fettling.
After some research we decided to dye the repro stove cover Olive Green BS220, this we think is probably about as close as we can get to original, bearing in mind we don’t actually know the exact shade of green they were, so thanks go to my wife for carrying out the dying process.

I have the exact dimensions of the eyelets thanks to Ben, so now it’s dyed that is the next job to do on the cover.
You will of noticed I now have the repro spanner (plus a spare) that my friend laser cut for me, again thanks go to Ben for supplying me with the dimensions of an original one.

Another update once its all finished

 

Very good!

 

The color looks perfect and the spanner is an exact replica. Your attention to detail is impressive.

Ben

 

Great great great!

 

Quick little update, after searching the entire planet for the exact size eyelets and coming up blank i settle for as close as I could get, these are 2mm smaller on the o/d and 0.5mm larger on the i/d
Decided to go with gunmetal finish rather than bright brass to try and give it a bit of a distressed look.
Now need to source some plain 2.5mm cord dye it the same green and the cover is finished.

 

Well that’s it... 7 months on and i’ve finally finished my restoration.
So to summarize.
Whilst I was out on my weekly treasure hunt at the local car boot sale I spotted lying on the ground a very neglected and unloved camping stove,
if I see a stove I usually buy them if the price is right, this one had a ticket attached saying £5 i picked it up and had a look, to be honest it looked like it had bits missing and I had absolutely no idea what it was, but I thought what the heck it’s only five quid, so I gave the lady £5 stuffed it in my bag and carried on treasure hunting.

When my wife and I get home after 3hrs of searching through people’s junk we usually have a cup of tea and then start sorting out what treasures we managed to buy, vary rarely do we come home empty handed.

So i done quick google lens search on the stove.... followed my silence, wife says are you ok, to which I replied, not really... that stove I just bought seems to be quite rare.

So over the next few days I done as much research as I could to find out more and yes indeed I had stumbled across a very rare stove.

It was whilst I was doing my research that I found Classic camp stoves forum, so i paid my 9 bucks to get full access and posted my first ever post with a few photos asking is this what I think it is..... well apparently it was, because within 24hrs I had three offers asking if I would sell it, two asking me just to wrap it up as it is and post it, two of these offers were from abroad and one in the uk and all three were offering four figure sums.

Now as I really am a treasure hunter and dealer in anything old (especially military and civilian 1930’s 40’s 50’s clothing and household items and motorcycles, in fact anything old) this confirmed that I did indeed have something rare and something that other people really wanted for themselves.

Anyhow as I’m also a bit of an engineer and often have a few restoration projects on the go I thought best thing to do is restore it to it’s former glory.

So I won’t go into all the details here and now because if you’ve been following my progress you can see exactly what I have achieved, some did suggest I should of left it as I found it, but I think that would of been an irresponsible thing to do as it would of just carried on deteriorating, I know some of you are very serious collectors and I hope I have done the restoration to your satisfaction.

Whilst it is in my possession it will get used, not to often, but I will fire it up occasionally as I’m not a lover of shelf queens.
I’ll probably sell it one day, probably to fund another restoration, I do actually still have my 1977 RD400c the last time I rode it was 1987 that needs restoring... but for now it will sit in the lounge under the tv where I can keep any eye on it,

Ps I wonder if I can find another one, or is there something ever rarer that I should be keeping an eye out for ?

All the best
Joe

 

Hi Joe,

you really did a magnificent job on this Optimus 9 and clearly you have put a big effort and competence into it. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to do what you did, also finding the best competences around you.

If sometimes the restoration is discouraged on such rare items is simply because sometimes the “good will” is not followed by a “good outcome”. But in this case, with your perseverance, precision and care the outcome is beyond the good will, so really my true congratulations.

This stove ended in the right hands and you should keep it, maybe adding a couple more stoves to build a little great collection around it.

Cheers,

Nicola

 

One more thing, I’ve never managed to work out how to “quote” or “tag” people in this forum.
So would like to give a massive thanks to Ben for supplying me with information in the form of measurements and photographs of your own very own No9 this enabled me to get everything as close to original as possible.
So thanks Ben you’re a star.

Nicola
Thanks for you kind comments, yes I think I might keep my eye out and see if I can add another nice stove to the collection, I have a couple of Vapalux M320’s that I’ve restored it can keep them company for now.

Im going to stick around and follow the forum as I find it quite interesting, what should I be looking out for now ?

 

You've really done a bang up job restoring a damaged and incomplete stove back to its former glory. I was glad I could help.

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Ben