A month or so ago I posted a link to an OfferUp ad for a “bbq grill” for $10.00, and as a newbie I asked what everyone thought:
A number of you helped me identify this as a pre-75 18 inch kettle - “The 49’er” in Weber’s folksy nomenclature of the time. You told me to Go! Get it! No brained! So, in spite of tax season I went and picked it up. It joined a huge backlog of grill projects - mostly Genesis gassers - awaiting April 17.
Well, tax season is finally over and this neat little kettle was first up. I tried to follow the great advice I found here in restoring the legs, wheels, ash pan and kettle itself. I kept everything original except I sprung for a shiny new grate:
I have mostly done Weber gas grills, so this is my first kettle restore. At this point I don’t have the heart to cook on it, so I am displaying it in my office at work, complete with a 1973 Weber catalog, a “price tag” I made myself based on the listing for this grill in that catalog and a few “before” pictures.
For my first effort I was pretty happy with how it came out. But, there was one thing missing. I don’t know if this 49’er ever had a Weber logo on the handle (probably not), but I really wanted that to complete the “look”.I love the replica handles available here, but I am lucky to be friends with an artist who lives down the street from me. I did his tax return, and he did this for me:
I love it! I was especially happy to b3 able to retain the original riveted handle.
I can see how it is easy to get caught up in the Kettle Fever! I bought a really pretty red kettle from Charlie, a super nice and friendly WKC member. We wound up making some great swaps, too and he helped me land a blue SSP. With a yard full of grills and projects, I guess I need to stop for now. But if someone has an avocado grill they want to part with...
Topic: Remember my $10 49’er? (Read 1803 times)
