Redhead Happy Cooker

[DrewZ]

Picked up a $15 red pedestal HC today.  I figured the ash pan alone was worth it.  Our town has a free scrap metal recycling day next Saturday, so I'd have an opportunity to dump the carcass.

Once home, it put up a great fight to avoid being taken apart.  Lots of rust, lots of paint and the use of slotted screws made it a very difficult task, but a combination of PB Blaster, impact wrench, 3-lb hammer and an angle grinder eventually did the trick.  I even got a good amount of the white paint off without too much hassle.  At this point, I might just keep it as a cooker.  For anyone that has one of these, how do they cook?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/beiCjDfrEwkF6nLcA

[CatskillSmoker]

Nice score Drew. I saw that up. Nice work on bringing it back to life. RRR
@brewtownbeatdown

[LiquidOcelot]

Nice! When I own a house I'd love to cement in a pedestal kettle

Sent from my SM-G973U using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[james1787]

That cleaned up real nice!! Glad it went to someone here.

[Kain]

Wow that cleaned up good


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[charred]

coooool!

[DrewZ]

Spent some quality time with my new redhead to get her cookworthy. 



The support collar was a real b'ar.  Had to use the cutoff wheel on the angle grinder again to get the rusty hardware off.  Then flap discs to get rid of most of the rust.  Underneath the rust, the collar was pitted like nobody's business.  After an overnight in Evaporust, I decided to forego the red engine paint on my shelf and go with the yellow caliper paint instead.  The tube and wheel assembly are wearing primer grey.  I decided to leave it like that for now.  The control knob was pitted, so I replaced it with a shift knob I had on hand.  Seemed fitting.



I've had plenty of Webers--One-Touch, Daisy wheels, CGAs, but the air control system of the HC pedestal intriqued me.  Fired up a chimney of coals on my SSP, then dumped them in baskets on the charcoal tray atop the ash pan.  On my previous ash pan, I found a foil pizza try fit perfectly, so I transferred that one over for easy cleanup.  A batch of boneless chicken breast went first.  Direct and indirect worked great.  Raising the coals made searing a breeze.  Since there were a lot of hot coals left, I put on some bone-in breast pieces and dropped the coal tray.  They came up to temperature nicely, and again, just raise the coals for a final sear.  Although I initially only grabbed this for the ash pan, I may end up keeping it as a cooker.  I've changed my mind about nineteen times already, and probably will about nineteen more.

[Darko]

I like it! Great job on the resto & the cook.

[bamakettles]

I like it.....would look cool with a set of these......  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XHMFSXL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Craig]

Nice work!

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[crowderjd]

Just saw this!  Great restore!  I've always thought those were super cool, and was curious how well the liftable grates worked.  Nice write up.  I cannot wait to someday find a Happy Cooker WITH its ash pan.  Congrats!