Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes

[wyd]

Very nice job on the restore.  I'm amazed that is able to be brought back from near death but looks like some time in the ICU at Brians house did the trick. 

[G$]

This is a particular kind of amazing.

[MartyG]

There aren't many colored Wood Dales out there

I have one. It's black in color. Some would say black is their favorite color. A black-colored Wood Dale looks amazing!

[Dan NY]

Brian,
Thank you so much for posting the photos and story of this restoration.  I am so excited to see this grill back together, I cant wait to show your photos to my grandparents.  This grill is the reason that I found our wonderful club and is ultimatly responsible for me getting into collecting Weber kettle grills. 

Here is the story behind this grill: It was purchased by my great grandfather and given to my grandparents for their first wedding aniversary in 1962.  They used it for many years at their home in Connecticut and then gave it to my parents here in NY in the 1980's.  At some point my parents got a new weber and this one was sent to an area in the back 40 of the farm known as "The Junk" (an area where old farm equiptment and old household appliances have gone to die for the past 4 generations.)  The grill sat in The Junk for many years and eventually fell in a heap until I rediscovered and rescued it.

Here are some photos from the day I found it:

[swamprb]

Nice job! I thought that I went above and beyond the call on this one, but you've exceeded the challenge!

[blackdog043]

Wow, nice restore, to preserve some Weber history!!!

[zavod44]

Wow, absolutely amazing!   Thanks for sharing the rebirth of "The Firebird".

Well done....   

That's it it's "The Firebird"

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[Frantz]

Holy moly. Well done!

[charred]

Freaking unbelievable rescue! Congrats and thanks.

[zavod44]

So as I vowed to do, tonight the Firebird got the call from the bullpen.  I had some potatoes in a foil bag that an 18 inch grill would work perfect on.  So I fired it up and put it into action







It was part of a larger cook, my buddy just got back from fishing in Canada.  So he wanted to fry the fish up so I got the Ranch going, overkill....yes, but it worked out because there were a bunch of people helping so there was a lot of space for people to move around and do there thing.  I needed a table to use with the ranch.  Of course the nod went to the vintage wood table because I can adjust the height to fit the grill.  Anyhow here are a few pictures of the whole ordeal.....








I even cracked out the old vintage fiberglass TV tray for extra room





Some Walleye and Trout ready to go in the fryer





The frying fish had to fire up some coshell to get the oil going hot....





Smoke rising again from the firebird





This was a long journey to get to this point.  It definitely not the final chapter, but another chapter indeed.....

Oh and I was happy it didn't fall over too

[zavod44]

I was also thinking now that every other guy in the club has a custom now, this is the only Red 18 Wood Dale We know of at this point. So here's to the one and only Firebird.....

[glrasmussen]

Just awesome! That meal cooked on Weber Kettles that have over a hundred years combined history. To me that is WOW!

[G$]

Thanks for sharing, Brian.  THAT is what it is all about!

[Craig]

What an awesome rediscovery by Dan and an epic rehab by you Brian! The Firebird turned out beautifully! I especially love to see it back in service.
I love to see the old cookers doing what they do best... Being a cooker! :-)

[Nate]

That's awesome that you were able to turn what you had into what you have now. Awesome resto!