Coleman 200A Fuel Cap: The 8-To-10-Word Switcheroo

Coleman changed the fuel cap on the 200a model in 1970. The 200a was introduced in 1952 as the successor to the Coleman 200, and was produced until 1983. The 1970 update saw the introduction of a one-piece fuel cap, which was even safer than the previous 3-piece design.

The 200a's predecessor

The predecessor of the Coleman 200A was the Coleman 200, which was produced from 1950 to 1951. The 200 was introduced in Wichita, Kansas, in 1950, initially with a nickel-plated brass fount. By April 1951, the lantern had transitioned to a green-painted brass fount, without a decal, and an unpainted metal collar.

The 200 was succeeded by the 200A in November 1951, with the earliest models featuring green-painted steel founts and the Coleman decal. The 200A was produced until 1983, with several variations introduced over the years. In 1953, the 200A featured a black steel globe base rest, likely due to material shortages caused by the Korean War. From 1953 onwards, a polished aluminium globe base rest became standard. From the 1970s, the base rests were printed with lighting and safety instructions.

Other notable variations of the 200A include the use of "burgundy" paint in 1960, the change from a "tall vent" to a "short vent" in 1963, and periodic changes to the tank decals. Models produced after 1970 used a one-piece 220C1401 fuel cap, replacing the older three-piece 220B1401 cap.

The 200a's successors

The Coleman 200A was introduced in 1952 as the successor to the Coleman 200, which was produced in 1950 and 1951. The 200A was produced until 1983, with its final three years of production seeing the lantern painted the same shade of green as other Coleman lanterns.

Coleman's successors to the 200A were the CL1 and CL2, which were first manufactured in 1983. These models were among the first with an adjustable light, and featured a tip cleaner in the orifice in the off position of the valve rotation. The CL1 and CL2 were identified by the decal on the side of the fount, and by the smaller print on the collar, which identified them as 286 and 288, respectively.

In the same year, Coleman also introduced a larger lantern with a more robust generator and presumably more candlepower. The fount decal identified it as the CLX, while the smaller print on the collar identified it as Model 290.

Coleman also manufactured a single-mantled kerosene model, the Model 214, which was dated March 1993. The Model 200B, produced in 1995 and 1997, was similar to the 200A, with a single mantle and variable light control, but also featured a heat shield.

The 200a's fuel cap design changes

The Coleman 200a single-mantle lantern underwent several design changes over the years. The model was introduced in 1952 as the successor to the Coleman 200, which was produced in 1950 and 1951.

The first notable change to the 200a model was in 1953, when it featured a black steel globe base rest, likely due to material shortages caused by the Korean War. After this, a polished aluminium globe base became standard until the 1970s, when the base was updated to include printed lighting and safety instructions.

Another notable change to the 200a was the use of "burgundy" paint in 1960, as well as a shift from a "tall vent" to a "short vent" in 1963. The fuel cap design was also updated in 1963, replacing the original three-piece cap with a small hole on the side with a three-piece "Plamann" cap featuring "slots" on the inside to redirect pressure downwards and away from the user. This three-piece design was then replaced in 1970 with an even safer one-piece unit, which is still sold today.

Periodic changes were also made to the tank decals, and models built after 1970 used the updated one-piece fuel cap in place of the older three-piece design. Coleman also produced several large-fuel-tank 200a variants for Sears, featuring their signature red, black, robin's egg blue, and pea green colour schemes.

The Coleman 200a was produced until 1983, with the final three years of production featuring the same shade of green as other Coleman lanterns.

The 200a's production timeline

The Coleman 200a was introduced in 1952 as the successor to the Coleman 200, which was produced in 1950 and 1951. The 200a was produced until 1983, with several variations introduced over the years.

In 1953, the 200a featured a black steel globe base rest, likely due to material shortages caused by the Korean War. After 1953, a polished aluminium globe base became standard until the 1970s, when printed instructions were introduced to the base. In 1960, the colour was changed to "burgundy", and in 1963, the model changed from a "tall vent" to a "short vent".

In terms of the fuel cap, models built before 1963 featured a 3-piece filler cap with a small hole to ventilate pressure when unscrewing the cap. This design was dangerous, as it could spray fuel when depressurising. In 1963, the cap was replaced with a 3-piece design featuring "slots" to redirect pressure downwards. This was known as the Plamann cap. An even safer cap was introduced in 1970—a one-piece unit, which is the same cap that is sold today.

In its final three years of production, the 200a was painted the same shade of green as other Coleman lanterns.

The 200a's colour variations

The Coleman 200A was produced from 1952 to 1983, and over the years, several colour variations were introduced.

The earliest models from 1951 featured a red colour, with some lanterns having a black band or dealer decals. In 1953, the 200A featured a black steel globe base rest, likely due to material shortages caused by the Korean War. After 1953, the base rest was changed to polished aluminium, which remained standard until the 1970s when the base rest was printed with lighting and safety instructions.

In 1960, a "burgundy" paint colour was introduced, and in 1963, the lantern changed from a "tall vent" to a "short vent" design. During the 1970s, Coleman also produced several large-fuel-tank 200A variants for Sears, featuring their signature red and black, robin's egg blue, and pea green colour schemes. Additionally, a yellow or "gold" 200A was produced as a promotional item for the Gold Bond Company.

In its final three years of production, from 1981 to 1983, the 200A was painted the same shade of green as other Coleman lanterns.

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