Help me determine the age of my Kettle and proper replacement parts please.

[mad-ass]

Can I get some help determining the age of my kettle? and is it even a Weber?
There are a lot of indications that it is a Weber from 1962-ish era, but my knowledge base isn't there yet to determine it for myself and need some help clarifying few things.

Here's the Kettle in question.


2 out of 3 bottom vents were missing and 1 remaining vent was stuck so I ground the screw head off to get it off(currently awaiting for replacement vents to arrive)
also the leg stands don't have any thumb screw or anything, just fits in there.


Handle on the bowl is missing, but it seems that it was a rivet/screw on style.  I thought all Weber kettle bowl handles were welded on from factory?


Lid's vent also doesn't have any date code, so it is either really 1962 or older before any stamps were on the vent, or it has been replaced.



Char-Broil handle? This is what is getting me confused, but I'm sure it was just something previous owners had laying around or salvaged it to fix broken lid handle. and again, it seems like it's a screw on style, and not a weld on style.


^lid hook design looks odd, never seen one like that before, then again I never paid attention to any small details on weber grill before. but it works well.

The wheel is what got me thinking it's 1962+ model



what is the hole in the middle of the bowl for at the very bottom?



I bought Weber 7478 replacement handle cover so I can have a handle on the bowl, and the width of the flat metal bar needs to be 5/8th, and no local big box store sells 5/8th width flat metal and I could not believe it. it goes from 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch width.  I even asked someone to help me find it and I got pretty angry with the dude that I picked to help me as he him self was in "I am not interested in helping you" mode so I stormed out of the store so find it online, and good god I had no luck in finding 5/8th flat metal bar so I calmed myself down a bit and went back in and grabbed the 3/4 bar.  I will have to shave down where it will be covered by the handle cover, but my trusty angle grinder never turned down a party.

^(I've always been the "grill man" at parties and gathering, but never owned any charcoal equipment myself as I never owned a charcoal grill before)

I do have the ash tray, just not pictured. it's like this one


To make it easy for you to answer my questions WKC, I'll list the questions.

1. Is my red kettle even a Weber?
2. What year is it made?
3. What is the hole in the middle of the bowl for?
4. How big of a gap should I leave between the bowl and the handle? I'm thinking about 4 inches away from the handle.
5. I plan on adding thermostat on the lid(ordered Weber thermostat with beauty ring), where is the best location for it? next to the vent on the lid?
6. I noticed inside the bowl, there aren't any "stands" for the coal grate to sit on and it just lays there.  I want to upgrade the coal grate to a modern one.  what is the best way to attach little stand off's(will make it out of scrap metal, should be fairly simple) to inside the bowl without doing much damage to the coating?

Thank you WKC in advance. I will turn this into my ongoing "build" thread

[RRRanger99]

Looks like it's a Happy Cooker, and in great shape. @brewtownbeatdown has one like it, with the Charbroil branded handles. It's somewhat of a collectors item, if yours came with an internal ash pan.

[RRRanger99]

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/'-the-happy-cooker-'-the-truth/

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/the-happy-cooker-family/

[pancho2017]

The bowl handle on the Weber Jumbo Joe 22" isn't welded on, it attaches through two holes on the bowl and tightens down with two nuts on the backside. Not sure if it's a direct fit for yours but with a little tweaking it might fit and look really good.

[brewtownbeatdown]

Not a Happy Cooker, nor is it a Weber.  Is definitely a Char-Broil.  Still a cool little kettle though.  The crimped bowl w/ flat bottom, plastic handles, 4" hollow wheels, and crimped edge ash pan are the telltale signs of a Char-Broil kettle. 

I have a black one that is a Char-Broil, and a red one that is labeled Kenmore:







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[brewtownbeatdown]

I'll check my parts stash.  I should have two non-branded handles, and possibly some bowl dampers that'll fit if you're interested. 


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[solidgoldstein]

I'll check my parts stash.  I should have two non-branded handles, and possibly some bowl dampers that'll fit if you're interested. 


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That is a pretty sweet power move for a pretty hard to find set of parts! Kettle Karma points heading to brewtown if he has the stash to pull it off!


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[mad-ass]

Thank you all for the valuable information. Certainly more info than what I could have gathered on my own research.

Now question is, do I try and sell this and buy the weber I want?  I am not out to make money but deal is a deal.  And I am not in the market to collect kettles by any means, as all I am looking to do with a kettle is cook with it.  Like it would be ashame if I keep dirtying it up when someone that collects these would want it in clean as possible condition.

How much could I even get out of this kettle? I would be willing to do a trade with someone honestly.

[brewtownbeatdown]

There really isn't much value in vintage Char-Broil kettles.  So...if you really want to move it on, instead of cook on it, I'd just ask what you paid for it. 

You can post it for sale/trade, but per site rules, you need to have an asking price (or trade idea).  I'll still check my parts stash for you, or whoever decides to give it a good home. 


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[PotsieWeber]

I second that.  You might just want to keep it to cook on until you find a nice used Weber at a good price.  After you have what you want, list it and get what you paid for it back.

[mad-ass]

Right on, if that is the case, I have 0 problem keeping it and modifying it to my liking. 

So, how close is this thing to weber from its age group?(how old is this?) Seems like its almost a exact replica minus few details.

Can someone answer my question #6? Is bolt/nut or rivet method preferred?

[brewtownbeatdown]

Right on, if that is the case, I have 0 problem keeping it and modifying it to my liking. 

So, how close is this thing to weber from its age group?(how old is this?) Seems like its almost a exact replica minus few details.

Can someone answer my question #6? Is bolt/nut or rivet method preferred?

As far as age, it's late 70's to mid 80's.  It'll cook pretty much like any Weber with the three bowl dampers. 

Your charcoal grate is designed to rest against(bite into) the bowl on this model.  Switching to a Weber charcoal grate with something to actually rest on would help with the grate's stability.  Drilling three holes and using SS bolts/nuts would be plenty.  If you'd prefer not to drill any holes in the bowl, you could design a bracket that uses the bolt/nut from each damper's mounting hole. 


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[PotsieWeber]

Using four corner braces where each of the four bolts for the two handles go through might also work.  If the grate should be above the handles, turn the L the other way. 
Something like this might work (or custom make your own with a drill & a vice)  https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-3-4-in-Zinc-Plated-Corner-Braces-4-Pack-13542/202950157

[Schaefd2]

Dude. Brewtownbeatdown is the man! His generosity never ceases!!

I like the red kettle btw!


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[YardBurner]

The charcoal grate on these is actually meant to hang from the cooking grate.
The handles on the coal grate go up through  the gap at the cooking grate handles
and hang from the hooks on the coal grate handles.  This makes the coal grate height adjustable