Weber Kettle Club Forums
Grill Talk => Weber Grill Forum (Grills, Accessories) => Topic started by: Jeff on August 27, 2012, 08:03:38 AM
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So during my vacation this past week I was at an old antique yard in NW Wis. Walked around the place for a good 45 minutes and saw some pretty cool stuff, but didnt buy anything. On the way out, my wife said, "hey, look at that over there". Away from most of the junk of the antique yard sat an old kettle grill. I looked and I knew something was different about it. Then I saw it had a steel top handle. It was oddly shaped, and when I walked up to it, I knew it was a 26. So this grill is an old 26 Weber kettle with a steel top handle. Its grey in color...definitely not a faded black. It has the 8" steel hub wheels. It also has the 3 daisy vents on the bottom. Its not in the best of shape, but is solid all around included the leg sockets on the bowl. The charcoal grate was trashed and burned out so I left it there. There was no way to rehab it. The original cooking grate is still there, but missing one bar on the end. The original twist on ash catcher is missing. The condition of the grill is not really something that I wanted to personally take on, but there was no way I was leaving it there. I ended getting it for 10 bucks. I'm going to let Brian have it for what I paid for it and he can make it his project if he likes. If he chooses not to keep it, I'm sure someone else would like to have it....so just mention it to Brian.
I'll post some pics of it a bit later, but its still packed away in back of my truck. I think this grill is from the late 50's based on what I've seen in some old Weber catalogs.
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nice.
i speed read that post trying to figure out the color, then had to go back and re-read it :)
i use old 22" cooking grates as the charcoal grate i my old 26r
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I am interested if Brian isn't. I like a challenge. I can't wait to see the pictures of it. What made the shape odd?
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The shape was odd...just because the flat top 26ers are pretty distinct. The vent on top also says "Wooddale, IL."
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I'm so excited for this grill I don't know waht to do, I need to get to Jeff's house ASAP!
Brian
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Alright Jeff, i've been patient! But c'mon i'm jonesi'n for pics! (http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/6730/methd.jpg) (http://img803.imageshack.us/i/methd.jpg/)
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Here you go Duke
(http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1799/silver26.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-27
Brian
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Thanks! Super nice find Jeff! I don't think it's a fifties model though. They made one just like that in '62. If I had to put a date on it my guess would be '61. pre '60 would have had a flat top. They were originally flat, then went round and back to flat and now round again. ::) I still love it none the less and would love to restore one like that someday. You guys have all the real oldies. Except for that Daggum original '52 I passed on. :(
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That kettle ('62 Fleetwood?) is just ACHING to be restored and given a second life. ;) The metal wheels look like they're in good shape! Everytime I see the metal lid handle kettles, I always imagine cigarette in one hand and burning the sh*t out of my other hand by doing a stupid knee-jerk grab during a cook. Even my riveted wood handle 60s 18" gets super hot. Wonder how many lids were dropped and hands were seared on those early handles? ;)
Craig
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so after looking a little more closely at this grill...Shaun may be correct about it not being a "flat top". I put it next to my red and blue 26, and the tops on those clearly have a larger "flat" surface, BUT, the top on this steel handle one IS flater on top than your typical 22. I think this grill might be the same shape as Troy's red 26. The steel wheels are in decent shape, but would look much better with a sandblast and repaint. The rubber tires do have some dry cracks on them, BUT are not seperated at any point or ready to fall off the rim. It should be a nice project for Brian.
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mine's a 62, this one is older. same shape though.
it looks awesome!
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I thought George changed to wood (walnut) for his lid handles for 1964? ???
Craig
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i thought it was 62. i don't have the catalog files handy at the moment
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Okay, we have pinpointed it. Notice it's also gray and not black? That was the only color they offered back then and '62 was also the first year for the 26'r. Notice, 62 backwards is 26?
What you have there is a genuine 1962 26 inch classic Weber kettle. ;)
(http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1269/1962webercatalog.jpg) (http://img19.imageshack.us/i/1962webercatalog.jpg/)
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Yep, thats the catalog I was thinking of. I see a yellow kettle in there. I didn't realize that they did yellow in 1962. Would love to see the pics up close.
Craig
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Has ANYONE cooked on a grill with a steel handle on top? I think it would be dangerous to pick the lid up by that handle. I know others have commented about that too.
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Has ANYONE cooked on a grill with a steel handle on top? I think it would be dangerous to pick the lid up by that handle. I know others have commented about that too.
In all the old B&W pics I've seen from the '50s and '60s have shown guys with huge oven mits handling the lid. Sometimes even the wood handles get too hot at times. I don't even want to find out how hot a metal lid handle can get.
Craig
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oh comon now Craig...I want to find out, but just not with my own hand!! :)
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oh comon now Craig...I want to find out, but just not with my own hand!! :)
;D
Fire up the old 26" and take a temp. Probably gets hotter than that medallion piece the bad guy grabbed hold of in the bar fire scene from Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Probably results in the same horrific scream.
Craig
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The same girlie man scream you mean? That was classic. I bet all the guys in the Weber family have burnt hands too! :)
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Ahh, grasshoppers. Lift the burning kettle lid with your forearms and bear the mark of a true master!
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Yes of course....REAL men are branded! :)
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If I can get to Jeff's house tonight, I'll let you know this weekend!
Brian
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I got it today, I'm very excited. Jeff, as soon as I got home, I just grabbed that handle and bent it straight no problem. Just did it with my bare hands. The steel was very thick and the welds were incredibly strong. It is rough, no doubt but potential and it's a Wood Dale....Nuff said! Pictures this weekend...
Brian
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I got it today, I'm very excited. Jeff, as soon as I got home, I just grabbed that handle and bent it straight no problem. Just did it with my bare hands. The steel was very thick and the welds were incredibly strong. It is rough, no doubt but potential and it's a Wood Dale....Nuff said! Pictures this weekend...
Brian
Can't wait! :D
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Has ANYONE cooked on a grill with a steel handle on top? I think it would be dangerous to pick the lid up by that handle. I know others have commented about that too.
Ummmh, yeah I have, and its a rude awakening! Kinda like a flashback if you don't burp your Big Green Egg. If the handle wasn't in shuch good shape, I'd have no qualms about replacing it.
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i got pics but they are too big, I'll resize tomorrow
Brian
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Brian would you stop teasing already!
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where are the PICTARS!?!?!?
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Hey Brian Swamprb,
Can you please post a picture of your gray 26'r? I can't find the "touch of gray" link at the new tvwb site. Thanks!
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Okay lets try this again
(http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/738/6226b.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5499/62262.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
More tomorrow,
Brian
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It's so nice i'm actually crying............. :'(
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Is that brownie the one you just picked up?
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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
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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. ;)
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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!
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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!)
(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9134/dsc07360l.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/346/dsc07361s.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/792/dsc07371h.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9199/dsc07363b.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2962/dsc07382w.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6352/dsc07364n.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9946/dsc07367t.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
(http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/7972/dsc07377k.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
You can see the difference in the lids,
(http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/7347/dsc07386pz.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
The two troublemakers
(http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/5294/dsc07384p.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-08-31
What do you think? Leave old Grandpa and cook, or turn him into yard sculpture?
Brian
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Oh here was a sneak peek of the other one for landgraftj
(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2521/dsc07354h.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-01
Brian
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Grandpa awesome!!!!!!! :o
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. :D
Our front page would be the bomb! 8)
BTW, nice boob. ;D
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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
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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. :D
Our front page would be the bomb! 8)
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
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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
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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?
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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!
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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
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damn Craig...that DOES sound a bit disturbing. LOL Keep that in mind Brian when you do your first cook on Grandpa....he's getting good and hot for you...
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Hey Jeff I straightened out the lid and bowl so now they both fit nice. I got the top vent all cleaned as well.
Brian
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Thats great...its shapin up nicely now. Its gonna be a good cooker. We need to find you a charcoal grate that doesnt sit too high since that cooking grate since lower than a 22 does. Looking forward to seeing the cleaned up vents and the re-attached ones on the bottom.
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I agree with Jeff...give him a good cook or two and see what happens.
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Grandpa will be in action tomorrow, if if doesn't rain all day. What about a 18" cooking grate for the charcoal grate? I'll have to go measure the charcoal grate on the Fleetwood,
Brian
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Keep that in mind Brian when you do your first cook on Grandpa....he's getting good and hot for you...
That's just wrong on so many levels. :-[
It's just hard to believe it's raining there. It's 80 here right now and we had a garage sale. :P
I may just head to the beach on monday. :P :P
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The hurricane finally made it's way up the Mississippi valley and we are getting a little rain here. Usually whenever there is a hurricane that comes ashore in New Orleans we get it a few days later. We got horrible rain here from Katrina. It was 97 here on Friday. We haven't had rain all summer we need all we can get.
Brian
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97 and then rain! :o
Hot weather rain is always weird. No wonder Grandpa's so rusty! ;D
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No it was 97 yesterday, only like 75 today and rainy...midwest weather
Brian
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Gramps should get cleaned up, and cook on those special occasions.. Then spend the rest of his life watching after the young-uns..
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Agreed!
Brian
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Is Grandpa working today???
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I took him apart to get the vents re-attached and in the middle of all that, a bunch of people popped in so I got taken away from my most serious work. I wasn't able to gt him back together before dinner with all the people around. I found a different triangle form another 26 that wasn't so bent up. The front hook on grandpa is so bent I need to do some serious work to it if I want to use it. I have a 26" triangle from a 1985 and they are identical. I also found my 26" ash pan so he will be whole again. Tomorrow he will be back in action for the first time in who knows how long....
Brian
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I took him apart to get the vents re-attached and in the middle of all that, a bunch of people popped in so I got taken away from my most serious work. I wasn't able to gt him back together before dinner with all the people around. I found a different triangle form another 26 that wasn't so bent up. The front hook on grandpa is so bent I need to do some serious work to it if I want to use it. I have a 26" triangle from a 1985 and they are identical. I also found my 26" ash pan so he will be whole again. Tomorrow he will be back in action for the first time in who knows how long....
Brian
Nice! :D
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Here's Brian M's Grandpa. ;)
(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/4717/gray11.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/i/gray11.jpg/)
(http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/1893/gray12.jpg) (http://img843.imageshack.us/i/gray12.jpg/)
I think it's funny there are only two of these known around and the owners are both named Brian. ;D
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Yeah...that is a coincidence.
Hey Brian...you said Grandpa was getting some work last week? Did you get the vents back on? Any new pics?
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Okay so I got grandpa cleaned up and ready for dinner. :D
(http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/4972/dsc07426i.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
(http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/5936/dsc07427g.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
Despite some rust in the bowl, it is very solid. the rust is just surface rust. Not really threatening the integrity of the bowl. Plus once it gets a little grease it won't rust much more.
Here's grandpa all put back together, I added the ash pan off of my other 26.
(http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4499/dsc07429u.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
Then a load of hardwoood....Grandpa is warm again after being cold for all these years, some might have thought him dead but.....HE LIVES!
(http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/244/dsc07430x.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
I just went easy on him, first some polish sausage.
(http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/4714/dsc07441w.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
Grandpa caught smoking....by Phoebe....
(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/909/dsc07435p.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
A few burgers for good measure
(http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/965/dsc07442ri.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
Now the smoke was rolling
(http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/763/dsc07443s.jpg)
By zavod44 (http://profile.imageshack.us/user/zavod44) at 2012-09-10
So the big thing I was interested in was the metal top handle. Surprisingly it was not really hot. Granted I just had a fairly light load of lump, but it was not really hot. I'm sure if I did a bunch of coshell it would get too hot but I never found it an issue. I'll do some more testing, but as for now....HE'S ALIVE! HE'S ALIVE!
Brian
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Fabulous pictures! It's sure good to see Grandpa out of that old rest home and back with the rest of his family. :)
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Something about bringing them back to life, seeing those glowing embers and then a grill full of
meat..I think I'm gonna cry...sniff...snifff... Is it me or did I see Grampa smile just a little bit?
Bravo Brian, Bravo..
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For Grandpa, it's like riding a bike, you never forget! Nice pics, Brian! ;)
Craig
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that last pic is so dramatic. i love it!
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It looks like the lid doesn't seat well. Is that true or did you just leave the lid ajar?
BTW Brian, what did you scrub Grandpas wobbly old legs with. :-[
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14 sausages, almost a dozen burgers...and so much room left to add more food on! I bet its nice to have another 26 in the stable! The legs looked pretty shiney, and I saw one of the wheels looked alot cleaner on the whitewall! Did you put the bottom 2 vents back on? Glad to see Grandpa is still kickin again!
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I did not put on the the two bottom vents yet. It still needs work but I was so excited to cook on it. I shined up the legs with goo gone and some steel wool. Then I use something called a sunshine cloth. Similar to that never dull stuff. I didn't want to make the legs super shiny but they did need something. The lid doesn't seat great but I keep adjusting it and it is very close to being round again. I had it fitting perfectly but when I was cleaning it I think I leaned on it a little and it went out of round again. That's why I went with some burgers and polish just because the bottom vents and the lid fit really wouldn't matter. I still need to noodle with the thumbscrews. They were missing and I'm not sure if someone drilled all the way through and just put a nut and bolt. So I don't know if the threads are gone for the thumbscrews or they are still there. I can re-tap the holes if need be.
I had one other thought....if I were to repaint this grill and make it a looker not a cooker. I could make it a Westerner. Just like turning a LeMans into a GTO Judge. I like the idea of just cooking on it but I was thinking a Westerner sitting around would be pretty sweet!
Brian
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I think it's a bad idea to paint it and all that stuff.
You could however take an old 22 and make a mini westerner, or my choice would be that custom brown one with the animals on it. We never see those. I don't think they were that popular.
Leave Grandpa alone, he doesn't need a makover at his age! >:(
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I don't think I really want to do that but it would be cool. MAybe the mini westerner. I need to put it on my Mini smoker!
Brian
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Does anyone have a good picture of that grill with the chickens and chops on it?
Brian
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This one? Thats the biggest pic I could find of it.
(http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/71/webergrill1969.png)
Craig
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Brian
Where did you get that charcoal grate? Was it from your other 26?
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Brian
Where did you get that charcoal grate? Was it from your other 26?
Just an FYI, Grill Mark actually makes a decent one for a 22 and a 26 these days since weber quit making the quality old ones without the hinges that I despise so.......... ::)
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Yea the charcoal grate is from my other 26. Does Grill mark make the grill grate or the charcoal grate? I hope both...
Brian
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i'm not sure about the charcoal grate, but the main grates they make are nice for an aftermarket without the flip ups.
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Yea that's what's on there, the grill mark grate. It's an awesome deal. I think I paid $27 buck for it. I would like a flip up grate though. It would come in handy on Thanksgiving.
Brian