Working on SS Performers- Gummi Bear build log, pic heavy

[pbe gummi bear]

 

Is that the one on Craigs yesterday for $40?

I can't get anything past Team Cali, can I? 

[Heyjude]

Aren't you part of team Cali?  Actually, when you go to Chicago, you can be a "Double Agent"..

[pbe gummi bear]

Aren't you part of team Cali?  Actually, when you go to Chicago, you can be a "Double Agent"..

Yeah I meant the other Team Cali members lol. The Weber Chicago mole, I like it!

[vader06]

Just wondering if you have painted the frame parts of the table?  If so what kind of paint did you use and brand? 

[pbe gummi bear]

Just wondering if you have painted the frame parts of the table?  If so what kind of paint did you use and brand?

Not yet but I will paint it soon. I'll be using whatever black I have lying around.  Or a wrinkle finish from the automotive paint section if I decide to dress it up a bit.

[mikeinctown]

Just FYI, Lowe's has the glossier Rust Oleum high heat in cans with like 25-40% more in them in stock. $7+ a can, but its a big can and anything not flat black is awesome in my book. Hopefully they can come out with a 1,200 degree blue, red, green, and a yellow!

[pbe gummi bear]

OK, Time to get back on the resto horse and update my progress. Short post tonight!

Cleaning up the burner tube

The easiest way to clean your burner is to put your hose sprayer to JET and shoot it through the end. Picking at it or putting it up to the faucet works too, but those spidernests can be tricky. Degrease it with soap, then hit it with some 320 grit:

Before and After:



Total time <5 min

[pbe gummi bear]

Lifting the ss

I roll this performer around a lot and these wheels aren't cutting it. The caster wheels have  flat spots and the brakes dont work properly. I went to Harbor Freight and bought these 10" tires with 5/8" axle hubs. They are super cheap, like 5 or 6 dollars a piece.



These things were kinda a pain to install. First 5/8" axle or of tube is very hard to get locally. My options were to buy a 5/8" coarse thread that was 3 or 4 feet long and cut it to length, or just buy the bolts, one for each tube side. I decided to try with a long bolt on each side at the possible expense of stability without a solid axle.

Drilling was also a pain. Most drill sets only go up to 1/2" I was to cheap to buy the step bit locally so I just bought a 5/8" drill bit and stepped up the axle hole as best as I can. I wanted this done TODAY otherwise I would have to wait a few weeks.  Would not recommend! I managed to make the holes. They were a little rough but I fixed them with a file.





Now this side sits 1" higher. On the other side i am installing these really nice 5" urethane casters with brake. However, so much time passed that I forgot that there was than 1" difference so now the damn thing sits crooked. At least I have a spare performer cart. :-)

I would not recommend this mod. It looks cool but the axle drilling is a pain and the tires can and will go flat especially in places with big temp swings over the year. I would probably go with large plastic wheels found on garbage bins or wheelbarrows if I were to do it again.

[G]

Sorry honey, no cooking tonight.  The grill has a flat.....

All joking aside, those mods are cool.  A true ATG.  All terrain grill.

[pbe gummi bear]

Sorry honey, no cooking tonight.  The grill has a flat.....

All joking aside, those mods are cool.  A true ATG.  All terrain grill.

Thanks, G. More like "Honey we can't cook on the Performer because I don't want to get it dirty before I finish it. True story. She is not amused but luckily we have other Weber devices.

I also stretched the work surface using all oem parts. I hope to be done with the grill in a few weeks.



You can see the raked stance too. It sits higher at the kettle. Not my proudest moment. Lol

[1buckie]

So you got the "raked" part figured out......what about chopped & channeled....racing slicks?

[pbe gummi bear]

So you got the "raked" part figured out......what about chopped & channeled....racing slicks?

I had to chop the frame the fit the casters. Does that count? 

[1buckie]

Oh, absolutely......now what about headers & a nitrous tank?

[dazzo]

He's already polished the (after) burner tube   
Or does that count as a chrome dip stick?

And who needs painted flames when you have the real thing   

Chopped, channeled AND stretched! I really like the extension. Hinged of fixed?

[pbe gummi bear]

He's already polished the (after) burner tube   
Or does that count as a chrome dip stick?

And who needs painted flames when you have the real thing   

Chopped, channeled AND stretched! I really like the extension. Hinged of fixed?

Hinged extension. I haven't made the thing to hold it up yet though.