need help identifying Vermont Castings Defiant...

[boldpsi]

i was gifted (for a $500 donation) this Vermont Castings Defiant stove (see pics).
the sides do not wrap around the front; the back is one-piece. i think this means it's pre-1980.
it has Model# 33118.
can anyone help identify this stove? thanks!

 

[begreen]

It's the original VC Defiant from the late 70s to early 1980s. 33118 is the serial number.

 

[boldpsi]

oh! so... it's not like a serial number. i had it in my mind that it was like a month/day/year thing! d'Oh!
thanks, begreen! i've seen a lot of your posts, thanks for your help!
take care,
dave

 

[bigealta]

I had that stove in 1989. It came with the house. Burned lots of wet wood in it. We were young, stupid and broke. Never got it running great due to the wet wood. Wish i had some dry stuff back then to have learned that beast!

 

[bigealta]

It has a lever in the back that pulls a chain up and down. This adjusts the draft. I think the chain expands with heat also making it somewhat thermostaticly controlled? but begreen should know more. I never got the stove dialed in.

 

[begreen]

The model is either an 0019 or 0028, Defiant I, II, or III. There are subtle differences, the most obvious being the fireback design inside of the firebox. They were made from 1975-1980. In its day this was a serious heater with basic secondary combustion. There is a coil thermostat on upper back that operates a flapper valve at the base which feeds primary air.

At this age, the stove likely needs a thorough going through to check integrity and wear. The manual for the original VC stoves is here, in three parts: https://www.hearth.com/talk/resources/vermont-castings-older-stoves.189/