This is what camping geeks look for on the Internet: vintage stoves! Call it a sickness, call it a midlife crisis, but when I saw this early 60’s Coleman® 425C for sale I just couldn’t pass it up. The “C” model of the 425 series was made in 1961, 1963 and 1964. I do not think there is any way to tell exactly when this particular one was originally sold, but it’s fun to have a forty-something year-old camping stove.
Coleman 425 Camp Stove History
Model 425: 1948 to 1953
Model 425B: 1954 to 1960 & 1962
Model 425C: 1961 & 1963 to 1964
Model 425D: 1965 to 1966
Model 425E: 1967 & 1970 to present
Model 425G: 1968 to 1969
I’m looking forward to getting my “new” stove out and putting it through its paces. Will this replace my propane stove? I think it will, owing to the nostalgia factor and the fact that it should make for a nice campground conversation piece.
One of the reasons these liquid fuel stoves are not as popular as their propane brethren is that transporting the fuel can be a pain. It leaks, it smells and it’s just a big hassle compared to the disposable propane canisters. I plan to carry the fuel in a MSR® bottle, which will be a lot less prone to leaks than the 1-gallon can that the Coleman fuel comes in. The fuel tank on the Coleman stove is 40-ounces and the largest MSR bottle is 30-ounces, so two of the bottles should be sufficient for even weeklong camping trips.
See also…
I have a Coleman 425B & a 425C camp stove, a 5000 btu Coleman heater, and 3 lanterns of various ages. Are there regional “fan clubs” of old Coleman products? Are there any “shows” or “conventions”
where collectors buy and sell these things?
I guess I would like to learn more about the values of these products. I live in the Chicago area.
Thank you!
Yes, there is the International Coleman Collectors Club, that has a yearly Convention that moves around from place to place, but there are regional gathering where one does not have to be a member to come to.. Such as the Great Lakes fall campout in Indiana (Gordons Campground), and the Great Lakes Spring Gathering in Madison, Wisconsin…
I converted my coleman stove to burn propane. I purchased it at dicks but you can probably google or look on amazon…. the white gas is like 10.00 a gallon at Walmart. Which is very expensive. So i did some research and found the converison yo propane allot easier and better. Heres a link to one website I found.. http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/mobile/Stansport-Propane-Converter/productDetail/Propane-Accessories/prod9999001084/cat101730?ref=google?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shoppingfeeds&utm_term=1146115&utm_campaign=GDF&gdffi=956ae87823e94c98adceb63322121bc0&gdfms=2DF6A4CF2BBF486281928C589E8A8F5D&gclid=CjwKEAjw7e66BRDhnrizmcGc8VcSJABR6gaRsp8nrGCU_vZT9vAtpUXKOWzcDxne_PERdtC93kOo_hoCWOjw_wcB
Wal-Mart now carries Crown Campfuel @ $7 and change…
I just bought a vintage Coleman camp stove, model 425f499 marked 3 83 on the bottom, for $30. My plan was to rebuild (Actually just buy) any part that looked like it needed replaced. Just looking for a camp stove to take camping once in a while It was in its original box so I didn’t mess with it until I got home. It turns out to be brand new, with the papers and tape still holding the grill down. I took the tank out and pumped it and opened the gas cap, everything seems to work ok, I oiled the cap threads and pump but I haven’t added fuel and tested it yet. My question is, is there anything I should look for or do before testing it? it has never held fuel and the rubber gasket on the cap looks perfect. the pump was pretty stiff until I oiled it. Any advice would be appreciated.
if the tank holds pressure and doesn’t leak,you will hear hissing ,you got a prize
Thanks Steve, simple enough directions that even I couldn’t screw up. It all checked out. Pumped it up, waited, no hissing sounds and air was released when I turned the valve on the generator.
there is a way to change the stove to burn un-leaded gas instead of the over priced coleman fuel ,somebdy else might know the trick.I bought a dual -fuel 2 burner stove marked down at sears that works perfect on unleaded
A propane conversion is healthier than running RUG which will clog the generator very fast even on one designed for it.. Your best option is to find White Gas at the pump (few and far between).
your stove ,being in good condition you say, would be a candidate for a propane conversion.the adapter is widely sold at sporting good stores ,and the green bottles are sold everywhere,nearly .much cheaper than liquid fuel.great for when the lights go out
ON finally cleaning out our basement full of Mom and Dad’s “stuff” that i have never gone thru even tho they have been camping in heaven for many years now. I ran across a Coleman 425D camp stove in relatively good condition. Our hunter son, said just keep it in the basement store room, Mom. So, that’s how i came to have all this “stuff” in our basement in the first place. Ha!! I couldn’t bear to sell it anyway. Dad would be happy to see that his grandkids plan to take it camping next summer and will hopefully get to use his camp stove. Camp on!!! Judy Vos
I just bought a vintage thermos camp stove. Looks just like a Coleman. That got me hooked. Now I have three Coleman vintage ones. One I find while at the dump looks like it has a brass fuel tank. Did they make one with a brass tank?
Yes, many of the early stoves and lanterns had brass tanks through the late 1940s and into the very early 1950s except for war years because of rationing. During these times Steel started to be used. Eventually everything went to mostly all steel except for valves, because steel was cheaper than brass…
I just purchased a Coleman stove at a yard sale this past weekend for 10 bucks the model number is 6j. Does anyone know when these were produced? It started right up and works great I used it all weekend camping.
hi, good day, sorry for the late comment , but i have a 6-j and all i can find is it was produced after world war 2 around 46 i think….im only saying what was on a website i can no longer find.. thank you…