First Vintage Find is a Yachtsman!

[ReanimatedRobot]

So a few people have been wondering who got lucky in Union, MO.  This might answer your question...

I will tell more in the next few days, but I wanted to leave you all with some fun photos to take in.  The handle was a replacement from another kettle.  They drilled a hole in the center of the handle.  The metal handle was leaning a bit but I gently bent it as straight as I could without getting too nervous. 

For the overall condition it looks pretty good for being 40+ years old.  Someone painted over the original coating and it might have been a blessing for the overall condition of the finish.  It will need to be scrubbed or some kind of graffitti remover will be needed.  I am missing the original ash pan and at least one bottom vent shutter.  I am hoping I can source these from some fellow members or a few local finds.  If I had all three vent shutters I probably wouldn't drill out the rivets, but since one is already missing I will probably take them off and use bolts after a deep cleaning.  The handles seem solid and the top grate holders are good.  Unfortunately the bottom grate holders are not doing so well.  Two of them are salvageable while the other two just need to be snapped off.  After an extensive cleaning I am hoping I can get some new tabs welded back on or simply let the grate rest on the bowl.  There also seems to be some trouble on the outside of the kettle where the bottom grate tabs touch the bowl.  Hopefully it isn't too bad after I get the paint off.  This one is probably going to see a fair amount of evapo-rust, but I do think she will clean up nice!

[ReanimatedRobot]

More photos!

[ReanimatedRobot]

And this is all you get for photos until the cleaning starts.

[Grillagin]

Congrats!  Looks like a great project.

[JPotter]

Looks pretty good, Congratulations

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[Kain]

Wow that's sweet! Can't wait to see how it comes up.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

[Walchit]

You lucky dog you!

[JEBIV]

Congrats, now those elbows will get a work out

[PotsieWeber]

Nice first vintage find!

[Pezdogs]

Congrats on the great score

Sent from my SM-N950F using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[Bob BQ]

Very nice! Congrats on the pickup!  Can't wait to see her restored!  Surprised you didn't post this one in the Online Finds section prior to getting it.

[PotsieWeber]

Does this grill look a bit familiar to anyone?

[JEBIV]

Very nice! Congrats on the pickup!  Can't wait to see her restored!  Surprised you didn't post this one in the Online Finds section prior to getting it.

LOL

[CatskillSmoker]

Congrats on a Grate score. She should clean up nicely.

[ReanimatedRobot]

Very nice! Congrats on the pickup!  Can't wait to see her restored!  Surprised you didn't post this one in the Online Finds section prior to getting it.

LOL

I probably would have lost it if I had even taken time time to post it.  Almost as soon as I saw it I told her I will buy it.  There was one other person that was messaging about the same time.  However, they were asking questions about the kettle and condition rather than just saying I will take it so I got lucky.  After I was the first one to say I would buy it and the seller agreed to the sale, I think the STL crew (and likely others) started bombarding her with messages.  I once again got lucky that the seller simply marked the item as SOLD rather than starting a bidding war.  Then on Tuesday night we met up as agreed and the seller totally understood the kettle head way of driving 6+ hours round trip to pick up a Weber kettle because their father is a kettle head. 

The whole thing (with exception to my angry wife) was awesome.  I gave the seller an extra $10 and said their next drink/coffee or whatever was one me for being honest and sticking to the deal even though other people were messaging.  I doubt things will ever go so smooth again, but I sure hope it does!

So far a lot of the original yellow is still on the bottom bowl, but there is a fair amount of rust around the leg sockets and the bottom rim where the rusty charcoal grate sat for decades.  I am going to keep scrubbing and doing short rounds of exposure to evapo-rust to break the rust down and clean it away.  I was too afraid to leave it sit in the evapo-rust over night because I could only imagine the horror if the evapo-rust worked too well and I pulled the kettle out without a leg socket still attached.