BobA wrote: [QUOTE=kellyblues]Somewhere I have my research data I did before making the final specs to make dies to make pump leathers. I have a pretty extensive list. I measured every single pump cup in Ernie Hiatts collection at the time. Lanterns,stoves,mill spec, everything. That took a while. Without digging it out ( I'm at work at the moment ) i do remember being surprised to find a Neoprene in a late 220 1978 lantern. This lantern was in a factory sealed box. I purchased it from Ernie and opened it myself.
Hi Kelly,
Nice to see you. I haven't "spoken" to you in years. Hope all is well with you. I remember buying fuel cap gaskets from you, "back in the day". Do you still do any of that?
To the point - what you wrote is very interesting. My first thought was, "that figures"! It seems that anytime one is getting close to narrowing down any change in the components used, Coleman always seems to come up with some exception that screws up the data!
In any case, should you come across this data that you compiled, I would be interested in what you found.
Thanks,
BobA
Well howdy there Bob!!! Good to see you too. Now as always I'm here as en enthusiast and try NOT to promote my stuff here but to answer your question. Not yet, but soon.
Yeah one thing I've learned and long ago is that Coleman never feared testing something and they used everything they had and they didn't keep many records of that. Of course it makes matters worse that most of the records they did keep got lost in a tragic fire. For that in our hobby there is no single individual that is the definitive end of Coleman knowledge. Ole HE was the closest thing to that and hes no longer with us.
As I mentioned I do have all my research data and I'd like to take this opportunity to address a question I received via email after my post the other day in this thread. Ernie graciously allowed me to inspect and record data about a great number of things, not just pump cups. His only request was that I never share it in whole publicly or privately without his prior knowledge consent. Share here and there sure to help the hobby. But never publish it. Like posting it here. It no secrete Ernie and I parted ways and Ill openly admit the responsibility of that falls solely on me. Just because of that Ill not go against his wishes after he was generous enough to allow me to rummage endlessly through his breathtaking museum and some of his private stash on dozens of occasions.
So everyone gets this straight it wasn't Bob A that asked and furthermore got agitated with me because I wont publish it and continued on to question my integrity and my honesty. I know with all certainty if they don't end up at the destination I suggested it wont be at the lack of my accurate and inclusive directions on how to get there. Fearing a distraction by any detours I made sure to strongly advise " Going Straight".
Okay, I feel better now. On to the the info.
Keep in mind the lanterns that were mine in my data I no longer have with the exceptions of my heirlooms for I sold my collection long ago.
The following are the earliest dates I have for Neoprene.
220: 10/1978
200A: 11/1979
I found something else worth mentioning
201 : Nickel fount 11/1978 Neoprene
201: Regular fount 11/1978 Neoprene
201's before and after that had leather.
Again I don't have any of these lanterns in front of me nor do I own any of them. However either it was my lantern or someone eases i personally inspected the pumps. During that time I had ID'd pretty well what the replacement pump kit that included the pump shaft looked like and what the factory pump assemble with neoprene cup looked like. They had VERY significant differences. Baring an oversight on my part I don't believe the lanterns or other GPA's I marked for being the earliest rubber cup to have been a newer replacement assembly in an older unit.
I didn't read all of my data for lack of time. Its all hand written and I have no digital copy.
Hope this helps, and its good to see ya again Bob
KW