1973 Triangle Restoration - help!

[Snackmaster]

I think this is the correct forum section to post this in...

Hey All! I have a question on vintage triangles. I am restoring my 73 Texan and keeping everything original (save for a new wooden handle that I ordered. Even though the kettle is pretty rough, the legs and vents are starting to clean up nicely. The ash pan (previous post) cleaned up as well.

Question - in looking at the triangle - it is rough. I've referenced the write-ups that are out there for getting them ship shape but didn't know what different years looked like. Were they all the same - as in - did the vintage ones start out just like newer models with shiny stainless steel or plated metal? Mine is rusty but it has a hazy coating on it that I can't tell if it is oxidation and build up over the years or if it came from the factory painted white or gray. I have ground down a few sections on the wheel bar and I can see shinier metal. I'm going to have to strip it down either way but didn't know if they 70's models came painted or shiny stainless. Using a razor scraper isn't producing much success. I started in with a Dremel and it's going to take a while to get this to bare metal. Also - one of the welds is broken where one of the triangles attaches to the wheel bar side. What would be best to secure that when I am ready to do so?

Thanks for letting me share the long winded post - any help or insight would be appreciated!
Cheers!

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[hawgheaven]

I recently grabbed a green 18"er, which I will post pix of soon. 1998 vintage. Sweet. My triangle is a bit rough, so I'm gonna sand it and paint it black. I know that snot original, butt I think it will look cool. Mine now, I can do with it what I wish...

[Snackmaster]

I've seen black on the triangles and I think it will look great with the green!

[johnny 2 shack]

hard to tell , these are not stainless steel there chrome plated . you could try some steel wool with a bit of wd40 or bunched up tin foil to clean . rust usually starts by covering a area then it finds a pin hole in the chrome (or creates one )then spreads around it slowly enlarging the original pin hole . i'v cleaned up chrome that looks worse than that and in came out great .like i say it all depends on how much original chrome is left .painting is always an option . the legs themselves will shine up like chrome if you want using various grits of polish . ( some kind of metal polish ) vents can be polished the same way . usually there's a directional grain on the surface of the vents and you'll want to polish in that direction with a steady hand to maintain that grain . another option would be just clean the bowl and lid and leave that cool patina and enjoy .

[Snackmaster]

Thanks johnny 2 shack!

I've done two of the three legs and they are coming out awesome!  Same with the original twist-on ash pan and vents.  I posted this online in a Facebook forum and have found out that this triangle matches up to some other vintage ones that were in fact gray from the factory.  I fear that I've ruined portions of it as I thought it was oxidation and dremeled through the finish.  At the very least I can smooth everything out and paint with a matching gray color so it looks original.  It's my fault for assuming it was supposed to by shiny before I dug into "fixing" it.  I'm not worried about giving this kettle a show car restorastion - I just want to repay it for all the years of service it has given our family.  I don't mind the patina, I just want to restore what I can for my own joy.
Thanks for all the input guys!

[DrewZ]

I posted this online in a Facebook forum and have found out that this triangle matches up to some other vintage ones that were in fact gray from the factory. 

Thanks for this info.  The triangle on my redhead looks similar.  I've been hesitant to start working on it until I found out for sure whether it was painted or just oxidized.

[johnny 2 shack]

see what happens when you take unsolicited advise from the web ! lol

[jaynik]

Interested.  I have a similar age and understood that the legs weren't chrome or polished originally.

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[michaelmilitello]

I personally think a bit of patina is cool.  It tells a story. 


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[crowderjd]

Can you use evaporust on triangles?

[Scott Zee]

@Craig.  I know you can tell us about the triangle

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[Neil_VT00]

I have a 73-74 that has the same issue on the triangle.  My patent pending (69-72) had a chrome triangle as do my 77s.  Seems like Weber was doing something different with their triangles in the mid-seventies.

Sorry, I have no advice on what to do with it.  I'm in the same boat as you @Snackmaster.

[Snackmaster]

I am going to prep it as best as I can and then spray it with matching gray (as close as I can find to the original) and call it good.  Like I said, there's plenty of weathering on the lid and bowl and I am fine with restoring all the other elements.  I just like that it's all original (save for the handle I ordered and the grates) and has been in our family the whole time.  Tex will go into regular rotation once he's finished.

I believe you CAN use Evapo-Rust on the triangles as it was suggested to me in another forum on Facebook.

Also - if the legs weren't polished from the factory I'm ok with having done so.  They will "cloud up" eventually again anyway and it was cool going through the process and seeing how well they cleaned up.

Cheers All!