So after last Summer when I restored my performer (http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/just-scored-a-free-red-ss-performer/) I got to thinking, "I need to fix up my parents old red head." So last Fall I'm at my parents house and I'm showing my brother the restoration of the performer. I tell him I'm going to fix up Mom and Dads Weber. He calls "Claim" and sates I already have a red Weber now...fair enough. I figured I'd fix it up and take it to his weekend house in Wisconsin.
So here's how I find the grill last fall. It's been sitting in this spot for over 20 years!
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20131110_153037_zpsdfb9ca0d.jpg) (http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20131110_153059_zpsdf254953.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20131110_153124_zps6a37f1b0.jpg)
I wasn't about to take it home that day, and I didn't have time to work on it anyway. So I dumped out the ashes, took her apart, and stored her in the shed for the winter.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, school has wrapped up for the semester and I finally have some free time. I go to my parents, bring the grill home and get to work.
So she's missing a handle, one leg socket is detached, one is loose, charcoal grate is gone, cooking grate is pretty rusted, ash pan is beat up, some dents & and scratches. I think we can save her!
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152706_zps7435cdb9.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152718_zpsf6b5ff59.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152755_zpsa47e46ad.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152803_zps923d0ea9.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152817_zps0ff45282.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152847_zpsad88999c.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/8f731f52-51f6-4356-b623-cf2c2b719573_zps28445220.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152924_zpsb688d80e.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_152937_zps2c428a3f.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_153339_zps034111ec.jpg)
Here's the lid after 5 min. with 000 steel wool on the left side.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140519_154030_zps6e44fa04.jpg)
Started cleaning up the legs.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140522_094608_zps7d8c932b.jpg)
Masked off the wheels to repaint the whitewalls.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140522_101444_zps4e2782b2.jpg)
Used some stainless bolts, nuts, and lock washers to reattach the legs and secure the loose ones.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140523_160625_zps213bebc4.jpg)
All cleaned up with new grates.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140523_160633_zpsed380490.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140523_160645_zpsebf3c2a9.jpg)(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140523_160710_zps3354fb45.jpg)
All back together!
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140523_160557_zpsc2c7cc65.jpg)
Burning off any residue from the cleaning and new grates.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Brickout/Weber/1970%20Red/20140523_162605_zps522bf435.jpg)
All I'm waiting on now is a new handle, which has been ordered. I also picked up a new cover and a utensil holder.
I'll tell ya', these old red's sure do shine. The red coating that Weber used back in the 70's is far better than the red they used on my performer.
Fantastic job, a fine example of the WKC motto.
Sharp fixup !!!!
Might be the single worst charcoal grate I've ever seen & believe me, I've seen some toads.......... :o
Bravo, Brickout! I'm always excited to see your resto's. Good job on that ashpan especially.
Nice fix up of a family grill, way to go!
Nice work, Brick! It looks great, and it's so sweet to have a family heirloom restored like this.
Good work Brickout! Really came back to life!
Nice clean up, it looks great!!!
Beautiful job! Nice save.
What did your parents say?
Excellent job. That is beautiful.
Very nice, be sure to send pics to your brother! 8)
Nice! Great Job!!
Well worth the effort, nice!
Great job!
Wow, she is beautiful!
Nice rescue and wonderful kettle!!
I love to read stories like this here in the forum because it's something that would never happen here in Germany.
The oldest grills we find are from 1990 or so, that's already pretty old I think but 1970, holy shit, this is 17 years before I was born ;D
I'm glad I found this forum. You all do a wonderful job and care about each other and old stuff.
That's something special in 2014 !!!
Wow, great restoration! That red does indeed look great. What handle did you order? Has your brother seen any of the progress on it? You still gonna give it to him? :-P
Sent via smoke signals from my Weber kettle
One thing I'd say is hang on to that old cooking grate. In the pictures at least, it doesn't look too bad, and my experience is that the old ones are more heavy duty than the new. Even if it is a little rusty, get it hot, get it greasy, and it'll love you like cast iron.
Well done Brickout. After all the TLC you've put into the grill I'd say you deserve to have it.
Quote from: jkolantern on June 03, 2014, 08:39:12 AM
One thing I'd say is hang on to that old cooking grate. In the pictures at least, it doesn't look too bad, and my experience is that the old ones are more heavy duty than the new. Even if it is a little rusty, get it hot, get it greasy, and it'll love you like cast iron.
This weekend I took to a rusty cooking grate with my drill + rust-removing attachments like a wire wheel and some other composite wheel of some sort. My friend thought it was a brand new grate when I was finished. Definitely save the old one if you think you might clean it up. It wasn't hard.
Sent via smoke signals from my Weber kettle
Wow! Super job!
Great job in restoring back to the beautiful kettle that she once was. Looks awesome.
Quote from: AnakiMana on June 02, 2014, 11:27:29 PM
Wow, great restoration! That red does indeed look great. What handle did you order? Has your brother seen any of the progress on it? You still gonna give it to him? :-P
Sent via smoke signals from my Weber kettle
He ordered the replacement handle from me, I make the replacements for these grills. He got the double rivet style. That's the one that will replace his rotted one....I'm working on it...
Thanks for all the complements. My parents saw the grill on Sunday, the were very happy to see that the grill will continue to live on and be used. As much as I would like to keep the grill, I really don't have the space for it. I could put it down in the basement, but what use would that be? By bringing it up to my brothers weekend house, it will see a lot more use. I go up there a lot with the family. So I'm pretty sure I'll be the one cooking on it. So in a way, I have a grill here at home and one in Wisconsin.
Nice work! Looks like a fun project!
Sent from my HTC6600LVW using Tapatalk
Well done. I'm pretty sure you just covered birthday gifts for your brother for the rest of his life! Cheers!