OLD 26 found...

[zavod44]

Okay lets try this again


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


More tomorrow,


Brian

[Duke]

It's so nice i'm actually crying.............

[landgraftj]

Is that brownie the one you just picked up?

[Craig]

I forget how big 26"ers are (old or new) until I see them over powering a 22.5. How heavy is the lid on this one?

Craig

[Duke]

You guys definitly get the real oldies out there. I am sure at some point one of you will find an original '52, but until them I am still the closest and even out here in Cali. That is unless you don't believe my story of the one that got away. 

[kaz]

Please never paint that! Any yahoo can rattle paint bbq black on it but it took it 50 years of grilling to look like that. I love it all original. Super cool sixty two!

[zavod44]

Yea that's the salmon colored grill I got on Monday.  The lid is much lighter than my other 26 from 1985.  All around this grill is much lighter in weight that the my black 26.  When I picked this up from Jeff, he referred to it as Grandpa, and I think that's his new name.  I think it's fitting. How many fourth of July parties has grandpa seen?  How many Labor day parties has he provided for?  For 60 years grandpa has done his job in making meals for families.  I think have to agree with Kaz, I think I might just clean up the inside.  I tried to remove some of the rust streaks on the outside but the enamel is different that the newer ones and it just seems to come off with steel wool. I don't want to damage Grandpa anymore.  I could totally repaint it and fill in all the battle scars but then it would just be yard sculpture, I couldn't cook on it any more.  I'm thinking to keep him in the fight and keep cooking on him.  He deserves that respect.  What do you guys think?  I'll clean the vent wheels up and clean off the dirt.  I need to reattach the bottom vents, and a handle on the bowl is missing.  I'll put those on, and I have an ash catcher for him.  I have a better triangle I'll put on so he's good and stable.  I might repaint the wheels, but If I do he might look like a bum wearing new shoes.  Any thoughts.  I want to cook on him.  Maybe he will come out as the guest of honor at special parties.  Not an everyday cooker but definitely still in the game....Grandpa is a true piece of Americana!

Here are some pics of Grandpa next to Mesa Azul, the performer and the Fleetwood.  (Sounds like a freakin circus over here!)


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31

You can see the difference in the lids,


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31

The two troublemakers


By zavod44 at 2012-08-31

What do you think?  Leave old Grandpa and cook, or turn him into yard sculpture?

Brian

[zavod44]

Oh here was a sneak peek of the other one for landgraftj


By zavod44 at 2012-09-01

Brian

[Duke]

Grandpa awesome!!!!!!!

I am with Kaz, leave him alone! I would probably just give him a good bath, straighten the triangle and ad new proper fitting as close to original grates. When he's finished he should be displayed on the fron page here.

How about if we get all of our kettles together and make a picture on the front page of them together like the '62 catalog? All of our rare finds that nobody else has and all different.

Our front page would be the bomb!

BTW, nice boob.

[Craig]

Brian, words can't even begin to describe how cool that old 26" is. I agree with the treating of the rust and maintaining it in its orignal form. As for the wheels is there a way to clean them up w/o replacing them? Like not make them look like like new, but just clean the rust up so you just have off-white-walls and clean black rims? Grandpa is a fitting name! BTW, I am also coveting your retrofitted '85 26". That looks badass with the ash bucket. That salmon kettle.....WOW!! You guys have quite the sweet collection!

Craig

[Craig]

When he's finished he should be displayed on the fron page here.

How about if we get all of our kettles together and make a picture on the front page of them together like the '62 catalog? All of our rare finds that nobody else has and all different.

Our front page would be the bomb!

I second this! I am waiting on my first non-red 22.5 (late '70s Chocolate) to arrive next week for an updated 2012-13 family "Olan Grills" family photo. 

Craig

[zavod44]

I do need to do an updated picture for this site.  I can get a cooking grate for it.  I need the coal grate...I suppose I could just use a 22 coal grate. 


Brian

[Eastex]

Wow! What a beautiful old grill, I wouldn't do anything but what you suggested, a clean up and start cooking. Those stains and rust are badges of honor for years of loyal service. I've got some cast iron skillets that date to the 1800s and I always wonder what the conversations were in the room when they were being cooked on back then. Don't you wish there was a way to know how many pounds of meat have passed across Grandpas grates?

[Jeff]

I would clean him up, clean and reattach the vents, straighted everything else out best as possible, try and clean the wheels a little bit, and then cook on him a few times.  See how it goes, and reassess what you'd like to do.  I'm glad Grandpa has a home where he will be appreciated!

[Craig]

I'd love to see a temperature reading on that lid handle when Grandpa's good and hot! (I know that sounds disturbing, but what the hell....?)

Craig