The day after the build I couldn't help myself. Before I could even grill on the thing I had to take it apart and figure out what needed to be cleaned, touched up, and improved on this grill. As I do with a lot of things I enjoy making my own improvements and tend to over kill it just for the heck of it. After a lot of time and scouring the internet to see what other members had done and what I might like to do I came up with a game plan.
1.) Clean the kettle and grill grates and do my best to bring them back to like new condition. After getting them clean and removing any small rust spots I will treat them with high heat grill paint. I probably wouldn't do this if it was any other color than black as many members had indicated that it would probably turn black if the paint was any other color. My chips in porcelain coating was pretty limited so touch ups likely won't even be seen. The main objective is sealing them from any future rust that might develop.
2.) Improve the framing in anyway I can for longevity and make sure it is prepped for a larger axle and larger wheels. Then since surface rust was found in the interior of the frame, Rustoleum Rust Reformer will be used to eliminate rust and seal for the future. The exterior will be sent off to be sandblasted and powder coated at the recommendation of another member
@varekai who did something similar.
3.) Upgrade the wheels. Unfortunately Weber tends to drop the ball on wheels when it comes to their high end products. They work great for the regular kettles, but seeing them on this hulking beast is kind of like seeing a giant bodybuilder with chicken legs. The plastic casters also tend to break and just look puny. This will also give the added benefit of just being easier to move around at family or church events that are away from home.
4.) Reassemble the grill with as much stainless steel hardware as possible and eliminate all plastic parts from the grill with exception to the lid rollers.
5.) Improve upon the existing lid handles by adding heat shields and custom wooden handles.
6.) Grill to my hearts content.