(Re)Opening a Family Heirloom (pic heavy)

[mike.stavlund]

About a year ago, I headed back to my family's home in Iowa to help my folks prepare the house for sale.  Since I flew out there, I couldn't bring home my dad's Smokey Joe.  My brother took it to his place and mailed it to me this week.  Just arrived today.

I remember this grill from my childhood, not because my dad cooked on it a lot (he had-- has!-- one of those light blue 22s that all the kids are trying to buy these days), but because of the way he cared for it.  He put spar varnish on the cardboard box in order to keep rain showers and dew from damaging it on camping trips, and always kept it in the box.  Looking at this box is kinda like looking at my Six Million Dollar Man lunchbox-- it just flies me back 35 years to when I was a kid. 

I was a little worried that my brother would just tape up the box and drop it off at the post office, but he knows how much this means to me so he did it up right.


Tyvek tape for the outside, and blueprints for packing material.  If you want a house framed up in Rochester, MN, he's your man.


Yup, yup.





My first clue that I'm short two fiber washers.


Whoever designed this logo should be sainted.  Beautiful and completely badass.












It's much easier to see in person, but the handle is set just a bit off-center.  Is this common, or did someone make a goof on this kettle?


Another view of the slight offset, and let me apologize as well:  I didn't realize I had her legs all twisted until I looked at this photo just now.


So what year do y'all think she is?  Pre date-stamp, clearly, but post 1977 which the copyright on the instruction manual shows. 

[MartyG]

We can't call it a "score" and it's definitely not a "rescue" in the classic sense, but what you have there Mike is a bonafide treasure. I'm not sure I'd even clean it up. It has all the patina from some great family cookouts right there to see. Glad you shared it with us, and honestly - with that great back story to tell -  I didn't even notice it was black. Well done.

[Thin Blue Smoke]

That story is the essence of this craft. Your joe is awesome and ready for some more memory making! Thanks for sharing!

[Golly]

thanks Dad

[Harbormaster]

Cool.
Very cool.
My dad has been a Weber guy for a long time, but he never had an old Joe and he never cared for any of his grills like your dad did. Hell, I give him grills now.

That is a totally awesome thing to have.
Not the grill as much as the great memories.

[Duke]

That's some serious nostalgia Mike! That's a really nice old 3 wheel joe and the lid handle is definitely off, but even more special IMO. I love the box design and extra points go to dad for preserving it. I hope to build memories with mine is why I take so many grill shots especially when we are away. I plan to pass a few on to my son and hopefully they go to his one day. I still have the original poker/meat hook from our backyard brick santa maria style bbq my dad built and feel the same about it. Great post!

[glrasmussen]

That is awesome Mike! Thanks for sharing.

[Craig]

What an awesome backstory and sweet old SJ! I like the off center handle, it gives it a uniqueness. My 22 brown handle is ever so slightly off center too. That SJ of yours is a keeper!    I love those old Weber boxes from the 70s and I agree on their logo at the time. IMO this was the best leg style for this size grill.

[G$]

Mike Stavlund, you are one of my heros. thanks for sharing.

[harris92]

Funny, I  got an exact duplicate from Wisconsin about a month ago.  The guy was selling it for his parents.  He thought they bought theirs new around 1978.

[landgraftj]

Great story Mike! Hope you continue to enjoy it.

[Hogsy]

Cool story Mike
Love the offset handle, one of a kind

[kendoll]

Now THAT is how you should come by an old weber. Keep it in the family.

Ken

[Red Kettle Rich]

Thanks for the new avatar

[Bman]

VERY cool Mike!