Perpetual Finds From The Past Thread

[bamakettles]

It's winter time and not a lot going on here on the forum.  I was looking back through my pictures and found some grills I'd acquired over the past couple of years.  I got the idea to share acquisition pictures and stories even though they're been shared here before.  I figure there's probably new members here that would like to see and hear about past acquisitions without having to search for old threads.  I'll start....

Nothing fancy, but a couple of favorites in a two for one deal.  1973 Weathered Warrior and a DO code Smokey Joe, both for $25.  My son picked these up for me in Birmingham, AL in 2020.










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[JEBIV]

It is fun to look back at old finds and restores, I will have to post a few !

[michaelmilitello]

Patent pending steel wheel cado.   I was going to pick up a beat up easterner only to find out the seller had this one, too.  I made an offer and came home with both!   Has great green overspray in the bowl.   Found in Cincinnati, OH, summer 2018.  Fun road trip with my daughter.   The seller had recently picked it up at an estate sale, which was the original owner. 


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[michaelmilitello]

Summer 2019.   It was Thursday afternoon and I was checking out Craigslist.  I found this gem!  The problem was it was in Holland, Michigan, which is 4 hours north.  It had been listed for 5 days, which was astonishing.  To my great fortune, I had already taken Friday off and contacted the seller successfully.   I remember getting on the road at 5 am.  A birth year Fairway was good motivation to get up early.   It was caddywampus and the owner had been using it with the ash pan inside the kettle.  Part of the ash pan is melted into a glob of aluminum.  I got a free, partially used bag of matchlite.   This is one of my favorite finds and worth the 8 hour round trip.   Not my longest kettle trip but close. 


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[1spacemanspiff]

Kettle Karma (Aug 2018):  I reached out to Troy to give his sequoia a ride to it's new home. I did my best to keep this mission, of the Norcal Weber Express, a secret from Chef ( @inkaddictedchef1). 6 1/2 hours later I dropped it off.  At the time I wished that he was home when I delivered.  Now, I think it all worked out just fine.   In the end, I think Chef does an excellent job telling the story.  Just search "surprise delivery".  Fast forward about a month to Sept 2018.  4 four round trip for an Ambassador.

[bamakettles]

Awesome stories, thanks for playing along......

[bamakettles]

2019 attic find.....1975 Statesman.  It had been used maybe once or twice, I did no cleanup on it and it was my first MBH and first vintage kettle.  Hooked me into this hobby but good.








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[michaelmilitello]

August 2021.  $20 fb marketplace find locally.  73-74 Warrior.  Didn't need it but could not pass the price and resto opportunity.  Quite rough and very well used when found.  Needed new bottom vents,  so I swapped off a black donor kettle.  Refinished the handle and repainted the wheels.   Worst ash pan I've ever cleaned up!   It was restored in October and I gave it to my father in law as an early Christmas present.   He lives in southern Indiana and is a widow.   We have been visiting him once a month to have dinner and I usually cook on my Jumbo Joe.   Now he has his first Weber ever and I have a cool cooker when we visit!


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[Bob BQ]

Six days after the 2018 WKC Chicago meet-up, 8/17/18, shortly after 10pm: a FB Marketplace ad for a black 18 MBH (and umbrella and lawn chairs) caught my eye, but it was missing the triangle, so I flipped by it. Went back a few minutes later, and looked again... hmmm... that is a VERY black grill for an MBH... no "weathered warrior" grey... what the hell, I'll message the seller. He got back to me a few minutes later... yes, he'd hold it, but only if I could be there by 930am the next day. I was the first to message him, but he'd already gotten a couple more inquiries about it.  It was only $25, so why the hell not.  When he pulled the cover off of it the next day, I couldn't believe it.  3 1/2 years later, I still can't believe it! 

Got the umbrella, too

**first two pics are from the FB MP ad**

[michaelmilitello]

Score of a lifetime!


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[bladz]

Great thread Greg!  There's some really nice photos and reminders of kettles past. Plus  a few finds I don't remember much about. Lol. I guess I'm getting old.
I'll have to dig up some old stories and pics of a few of my grills.


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[bamakettles]

Great thread Greg!  There's some really nice photos and reminders of kettles past. Plus  a few finds I don't remember much about. Lol. I guess I'm getting old.
I'll have to dig up some old stories and pics of a few of my grills.


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Thanks!  My hopes are to bring back some veteran members and see some of their awesome finds from the past.  It's fun to share here where most appreciate an old kettle grill.

[1spacemanspiff]

@bamakettles totally agree

[bamakettles]

Weber Fireplace - who knows what year these are.  Facebook Marketplace find for a reasonable amount just south of Birmingham, AL about a 4 hour round trip drive for me.  Well used and a bit rusty on the hardware, it cleaned up nicely though.  Some love with a wire wheel and drill on the legs and riser, all nuts bolts and washers replaced with stainless and stainless steel handles from Eric and Dennis with new Zavod wood.  It sits proudly in the Weber room, heck I may even fire it up after my fence project is complete.










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[bladz]

Here's a cool grill with a great grillfella behind it.

September 1, 2019 I get a text from a friend who owns a lake home in Northern WI.  It's a pic of a PP Gourmet and he wanted to know if I was interested in it.  Hell yeah I am!

He said the grill is at a Lions Club ball diamond and park in the village his place is at in northern Wisconsin
They brought his granddaughter to the park to play on the outdoor play sets and she spied it on the backside of a pavilion.  There is no one at the park, and he tells me he will have to talk to one of the Lion members to see if it's available.  Fast forward a few days and he goes to the Lions Club building and asks  about the grill. The secretary says it's been sitting there all summer and she has no idea who's it is.  She said she will ask around and find out who the owner is.  I'm figuring this thing is long gone before I hear anything more about it.
September 28 2019,  I'm at home and get a text from my friend that he's going to stop over.  He swings in my driveway with the Gourmet in his truck. 
The Lions secretary said no one claimed it, so my friend asked if he could make a donation to the Lions Club, they agreed and the next thing you know the grill was his. 
We worked out a deal, and this great Gourmet is now part of my collection. 
Great friends and family are responsible for many of the grills and neat stories that make up my collection.




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