Featured here is one of the oldest documented grills that we have in the Weber Kettle Club. This grill belongs to the proud owner and site member, Greg, aka…glrasmussun. This is the 22″ Weber “Texan” which is dated from 1960-61. Attached below is Greg’s own story of how he originally found the grill, then nearly lost it, and almost 2 years later – had the good luck to have a second opportunity at it. Here is how he found it that special day.
The first time Greg saw the Texan
Greg’s Story
Back in August of 2013 me and my bride were out for a bike ride. We decided to go
off our normal beaten path and travel into a neighborhood we hadn’t visited. We came around a corner
trying to head in the direction of home. I spot a Weber Grill in a driveway. I tell my wife this is an old one,
turn around and the gentleman walks out. I walked up and greeted myself and we got to talking about his
grill.
His wife had purchased it around the time they got married. It was their cooker. Thanksgiving Turkey always,
but only up to 14#’s. I had asked if he was willing to sell or trade. He said “Greg, since my wife has passed, it is a little
difficult at this time. My fiancé would like it gone. Tell you what, if I ever do decide, you will be the first I contact.”
Last year I sent an e-mail just to let him know I was still interested. No reply.
May 15th 2015, out of the blue, I am contacted by the owner via e-mail. Reply sent
immediately, but no reply back from the gentleman. Heart rate up, finally three hours later I received a reply.
Deal was struck and was in my garage that night. Great gentleman, avid Weber guy too.
Feel pretty blessed and this grill will now be a family heirloom.
Restoration/Clean-up and final photos of the Texan
As you will see, Greg spent a great deal of time on details in getting this grill back to its original factory condition. This grill came with steel legs that were originally chrome plated. The before and after pictures are pretty amazing.
MartyG’s NIB Smokey Joe Platinum (Original Jumbo-Joe) that was taken in on a trade for a very clean redhead a while back. As usual, I couldn’t wait for Brian to make me a KOA handle, and his artistry on these handles is extraordinary. 2006 was the final production year for the Smokey Joe Platinum.
When you have a chance to get your hands on an original Weber kettle, you don’t say no. You grab your camera and pray for good weather. I recently had that chance, and took full advantage of it. Weber Stephen headquarters in Palatine Illinois is home to some amazing artifacts – remnants of over 60 years of innovation…
You asked, we delivered. Rather than use a printer, this time we’re using TeeSpring.com. They’ll handle the transactions, printing, and shipping. We need to sell 20 hoodies in order for us to make the project worth it. The sale ends on February 13th, so get yours NOW!! http://teespring.com/wkc-hoodies
I grew up in the Midwest, including college and grad school outside Chicago, and then had an opportunity to do my internship in the Bay Area of California. It was a grand adventure. My wife and I quit our jobs, piled most of our stuff in Gram and Gramp’s basement, stuffed our small car to…
This stunning piece of kettle history was found in a storage unit in Minnesota and is owned by WKC member, Saxart. This very unique color is described as “bright burnt orange” and the finish has a bumpy texture. The lid and bowl are in incredible condition for their age, however, the legs and wheels were…
Customizing a Weber kettle can be a rewarding experience as it allows you to tap into your creative side and really personalize the grill to make it your own. The classic design has changed so little over the years that for the most part you can mix and match parts between a vintage kettle and its brand new counterpart with ease. With that in…
This could be the template for how to tell a great kettle story. Suspense, drama, mystery…it has it all. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the excellent documentation.
Greg – congratulations to you. What a great story and an amazing restoration. This kettle is the prime example of Rescue, Restore, Respect.
Winz
This could be the template for how to tell a great kettle story. Suspense, drama, mystery…it has it all. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for the excellent documentation.
Greg, that is beautiful!
jcnaz