#14 - 1925 L327 - A blast from the past

Model: L327

Date: July 1925

Technology: Quick-Lite

Mantles: 2

Fuel: Gasoline

Date Acquired: January 5, 2017

From 1928 until 1983 Coleman relied on, and separated itself from the competition with, the Instant-lighting lantern design.  A common misconception is that these appliances burn liquid fuel, which is not the case.  To run efficiently and illuminate the mantles the appliance must burn a vaporized fuel.  This is accomplished in all Coleman gasoline and kerosene appliances since about 1917 by use of a vaporizer/generator positioned near the mantles that, when heated, will vaporize the liquid fuel pulled into it from the fount.  Lighting liquid fuel would result in a giant fireball!

The instant-lighting gasoline models make use of an actuator inside the fount that pulls mostly air mixed with a tiny spew of liquid fuel which allows lighting of the mantles without a significant flame-up and, once the mantles are lit and achieve vaporizing temperature, vaporizes the liquid fuel from then on. Operators are familiar with the instruction disk that reads "Open 1/4 turn to left and light"; this is the position that pulls the fuel and air mixture.  Then "After mantles burn right open as far as possible", which means vaporization has occurred and now the appliance needs to be drawing only fuel.

This was the technology that Coleman relied until 1984 when the Instant-light mechanism was replaced by the Schrader valve, which still accomplished the same goal but in one step instead of two.  Prior to 1928, it was a different ballgame. Without the instant-lighting technology, the generator had to be manually preheated to achieve vaporization to run. A match, or two, would be lit and held under the generator for 20-30 seconds (or longer in extreme cold) and then the fuel valve could be opened, pulling the liquid fuel into the hot generator and achieving instant vaporization.  This sounds cumbersome, but when Coleman marketed this technology, which it dubbed "quick light" in 1917,  it was a game changer.  Prior to that was the "torch light".  There was no vaporizer/generator, just a heavy brass tube which carried fuel from the fount to the burner assembly, which required significant a preheat measured in minutes. 

Having been familiar with only instant-lights and Schrader's up to this point, I came to a point where I just had to have one of these, but as with the 242 they just weren't showing up in "the wild".  Still intimidated by eBay despite my success, I posted a want-ad on the colemancollectorsforum.com and found a collector who was willing to part with a project condition piece for a reasonable amount of money.  

What I received was a gem from 1925 and even included a small pump for an iron.  The simplicity of these models is what first grabs you.  The L327 has no built in pump and pressurized via a hand-held pump that is pressed against an inlet stem in the fuel cap.  There is no instant-light actuator so the when the valve wheel is opened it pulls liquid fuel, so there are fewer moving parts to fail.  They also do not include a generator tip cleaning mechanism. They were originally sold with "disposable" generators which were to be replaced when the gas tip became clogged, with an optional generator available having a built-in tip cleaner.  The ventilator is nickel plated brass and is not finished in porcelain enamel.  These models are known for being reliable runners and easy to service and maintain.  Also of note is that they do not utilize a Pyrex globe, but rather a mica "chimney", complete with a lighting "door" used to insert a match through for the preheating cycle.  Mine came with a very beat up and torn mica chimney, but aftermarket reproductions are available, one of which is pictured below.