Question, why does weber make 2 different portable styles (SJ&GA)? Seems redundant.
That's a very interesting question. AFAIK, the GA is the only Weber charcoal cooker that is not round also. That likely means it required different production techniques from all of their other grills.
Except for the mini-WSM conversion, I think the GA is a better cooker than the SJ. The rectangular shape makes it more suitable for zoning the fire. That's harder to do in the SJ due to the round shape and the taper of the bowl towards the middle.
Interesting side note... I picked up an H code CGA NIB at the June meet and it had the instruction manual in the box. Back then (ca 1986) both round and rectangular grills were known as
"go anywhere" grills. (Quotes are theirs.) What we now call the GA was either a Portable Table Top Grill or a Table Top Gas Grill. (And the picture on the cover shows an SJ with black legs and ash pan!) I need to scan in that manual one of these days.