OLD 26 found...

[Jeff]

So during my vacation this past week I was at an old antique yard in NW Wis.  Walked around the place for a good 45 minutes and saw some pretty cool stuff, but didnt buy anything.  On the way out, my wife said, "hey, look at that over there".  Away from most of the junk of the antique yard sat an old kettle grill.  I looked and I knew something was different about it.  Then I saw it had a steel top handle.  It was oddly shaped, and when I walked up to it, I knew it was a 26.  So this grill is an old 26 Weber kettle with a steel top handle.  Its grey in color...definitely not a faded black.  It has the 8" steel hub wheels.  It also has the 3 daisy vents on the bottom.  Its not in the best of shape, but is solid all around included the leg sockets on the bowl.  The charcoal grate was trashed and burned out so I left it there.  There was no way to rehab it.  The original cooking grate is still there, but missing one bar on the end.  The original twist on ash catcher is missing.  The condition of the grill is not really something that I wanted to personally take on, but there was no way I was leaving it there.  I ended getting it for 10 bucks.  I'm going to let Brian have it for what I paid for it and he can make it his project if he likes.  If he chooses not to keep it, I'm sure someone else would like to have it....so just mention it to Brian. 
I'll post some pics of it a bit later, but its still packed away in back of my truck.  I think this grill is from the late 50's based on what I've seen in some old Weber catalogs.

[Troy]

nice.

i speed read that post trying to figure out the color, then had to go back and re-read it

i use old 22" cooking grates as the charcoal grate i my old 26r

[Duke]

I am interested if Brian isn't. I like a challenge. I can't wait to see the pictures of it. What made the shape odd?

[Jeff]

The shape was odd...just because the flat top 26ers are pretty distinct.  The vent on top also says "Wooddale, IL."

[zavod44]

I'm so excited for this grill I don't know waht to do, I need to get to Jeff's house ASAP!

Brian

[Duke]

Alright Jeff, i've been patient! But c'mon i'm jonesi'n for pics! 

[zavod44]

Here you go Duke


By zavod44 at 2012-08-27

Brian

[Duke]

Thanks! Super nice find Jeff! I don't think it's a fifties model though. They made one just like that in '62. If I had to put a date on it my guess would be '61. pre '60 would have had a flat top. They were originally flat, then went round and back to flat and now round again. I still love it none the less and would love to restore one like that someday. You guys have all the real oldies. Except for that Daggum original '52 I passed on. 

[Craig]

That kettle ('62 Fleetwood?) is just ACHING to be restored and given a second life.  The metal wheels look like they're in good shape!  Everytime I see the metal lid handle kettles, I always imagine cigarette in one hand and burning the sh*t out of my other hand by doing a stupid knee-jerk grab during a cook. Even my riveted wood handle 60s 18" gets super hot. Wonder how many lids were dropped and hands were seared on those early handles?   

Craig

[Jeff]

so after looking a little more closely at this grill...Shaun may be correct about it not being a "flat top".  I put it next to my red and blue 26, and the tops on those clearly have a larger "flat" surface, BUT, the top on this steel handle one IS flater on top than your typical 22.   I think this grill might be the same shape as Troy's red 26.  The steel wheels are in decent shape, but would look much better with a sandblast and repaint.  The rubber tires do have some dry cracks on them, BUT are not seperated at any point or ready to fall off the rim.  It should be a nice project for Brian.

[Troy]

mine's a 62, this one is older. same shape though.

it looks awesome!

[Craig]

I thought George changed to wood (walnut) for his lid handles for 1964?   

Craig

[Troy]

i thought it was 62. i don't have the catalog files handy at the moment

[Duke]

Okay, we have pinpointed it. Notice it's also gray and not black? That was the only color they offered back then and '62 was also the first year for the 26'r. Notice, 62 backwards is 26?

What you have there is a genuine 1962 26 inch classic Weber kettle.

[Craig]

Yep, thats the catalog I was thinking of. I see a yellow kettle in there. I didn't realize that they did yellow in 1962. Would love to see the pics up close.

Craig