Vintage Kettle Questions

[G]

I enjoy looking at the old Weber catalogs and was thumbing through the 64, 68, 72, and 73 catalogs and looking at the Weber 50 year timeline and got to thinking:
1) How come we dont see more "Customs"?  It was introduced in 1969 which is some time ago but several people own pre-70s kettles.
2) Has anyone seen (or own) an actual 18" Galley-Cue?  This is in the 1972 catalog and should be more prevalent for the same reasoning above.
3) When was yellow introduced as a color?  The 73 catalog says the yellow kettle was "new this year", yet the timeline shows a yellow Ranger in 1965.  Was that the year yellow 18 and 22 kettles came out?

Any thoughts?

[Duke]

I just don't think The Meat grill was very popular and they didn't sell many. Never seen the 18 galley, but I bet there were a few of those sold. On the yellow, I guess they just reintroduced it after doing away with the ranger.

[Craig]

Yellow was an off and on color with Weber. A yellow 22.5" was available in 1962 with a metal lid handle that looks to be a lighter "banana cream" yellow. But it could be the lighting they used on that photoshoot of the '62 catalog. Of course the '65 Ranger was yellow, but havn't seen any yellow standard kettles after 1962 or before 1973. Weber must have kept the bright yellow kettles through 1978. I think the modern blue color replaced it around 1979. Just like I think dark green took over lime green that same time. As for the 1969 custom, it looks like it has roosters and lambs on it?  But I could be wrong . I nicknamed that one the "Green Acres" kettle. Looks like a kettle that Sam Drucker's General Store would have sold in Hooterville. To Duke's point, whether it was meat or farm animals, it probably didnt sell well outside of rural areas.  As for the '73, 18 Galley Que, I agree that you'd think more would exsist, but they may not have sold as many of those, just like I'm guessing the Penthouse probably wasn't a big mover for Weber either, but that's just pure speculation on my part.

Here's the '69 as big as I could blow it up. It looks like a monotone version of the Copper Mist/Chocolate brown.



Craig

[reillyranch]

 I own a copy of 1962,1963,1972,1973,(1988?), 1999-2013 catalogs.  There is 1968, 1969 on line.  I am sure there are others out there (like the 1964 mentioned above), is there a place where all these are listed in order and can be looked at page by page? 

I can scan and save mine to a flash drive and mail it to someone who can post it, if it is not already done. 

Plus I think the Weber time line is off.  It has the gas kettle introduced in 1971, but the 1972,1973 catalogs do not list it for sale.  In fact the 1973 catalog has Mike Kemster slowly uncovering what looks like the base of a gas kettle.  Kind of a teaser picture of what is to come. 

[Craig]

I down loaded the the  '64, '72, '73 catalogs in a adobe format from another site. But I don't know how to put them on here.

Craig

[Jeff]

I wonder how limited some of the production numbers on some of these obscure grills really are.

I have never seen grills such as the Fireplace, Flamenco, Penthouse, Wishing Well, Custom, Barrel Bar-B-Q, or 18" Galley Que OTHER than in the Weber Timeline or old brochures. 

Has anyone else ever seen actual photos of any of these, OR any for sale anywhere?

[reillyranch]

I talked to an Ace store employee that refirbished a barrel-q. I tried to get the customers name, but no go.  They passed my name to the owner if they ever decide to sell. 

[Hogsy]

I talked to an Ace store employee that refirbished a barrel-q. I tried to get the customers name, but no go.  They passed my name to the owner if they ever decide to sell.

I'd be ringing that Ace store and impersonate a Weber Employee
And explain that you've misplaced the customers details and need to contact them

[reillyranch]

Hogsy you got a point.

Next week the kettle mafia swings into action! 

Stay tuned. 

[Hogsy]

Hell Yeah...... We're talking about a Barrel- Bar-B-Q here!!!!!!

[G]

I imagine there is a Custom collecting dust in someones barn right now.  One will come up sooner or later.

Reillyranch - All those catalogs would be a great addition to this site.  I dont know how to do it but Im sure someone else does.  If they cant be posted here, you could probably make a few bucks by selling the complete set on disk.  Count me in for a copy.

[Jeff]

Isn't there anyway to turn them into a PDF file, and then save them onto our site?  Sort of like the other site did?

[TheFinkFarm]

Reilly and Husker. If you want to email me the digital files I have an idea on a way to get them on here.
I was thinking do one thread per catalog. I could get all the pages on the original post and then title the thread the date of the catalog. I have some time of coming up and would be willing to give it a shot.

[Craig]

Reilly and Husker. If you want to email me the digital files I have an idea on a way to get them on here.
I was thinking do one thread per catalog. I could get all the pages on the original post and then title the thread the date of the catalog. I have some time of coming up and would be willing to give it a shot.

I'll give it a shot.

Craig

[zavod44]

The key is Reillyranch getting good scans.  If he can get good scansthen whoever gets them can post them .  Posting is easy, I'm sure Troy can do something....


Brian