Yesterday, I went to my local paint store to see if they could match the tiny bit of paint left on the wheels of my 58 Custom. The employee asked me what the wheel was from. Well that's all it took for me to geek out and start talking Webers. I whipped out my phone and showed him photos of my Custom. A paint contractor standing behind became intrigued and also joined in on the conversation. He gave me a few painting tips and I left with my quart of oil based gloss enamel.
Today, I went back to the same store as I wasn't happy with the color match or the sheen of the gloss paint. The same employee and painter from the day before were both there again. I engage once again in a conversation with the painter. He tells me he has his Dad's Weber kettle from the 70's at home. My heart rate jumps a bit and I ask him what color the kettle is. He responds black (heart rate returns to normal). I explain that the black kettles are not coveted by collectors as the colored ones are from the 70's. I once again whip out my phone and start showing him photos of limes, yellows, cados and coppermists and ask if his Dad's kettle has metal handles. He says he can't recall because it is dismantled and is in a box, almost new. Again my heart rate jumps. It's at this point he says something that really grabs my attention. He says, "The one I have doesn't have a wire type triangle, the one it has is solid metal". I show him a photo of my Custom again, pointing out the solid triangular ash pan. He says yep, I think that's what it looks like. I explain that if it does have a solid triangle, it will probably be from the 50's instead of the 70's. It was at this point his order was hand trucked our from the back. He had to leave so we exchanged phone numbers and I will be following up on this lead next week.
It will be interesting to see what kind of kettle this turns out to be. Wood Dale, Weber Brothers Metal Works or is he just mistaken about the solid triangle. You just never know where your next lead on a vintage Weber will come from.
BTW, please tell me I'm not the only one that has "baby" pictures of their vintage Webers in their phone gallery................