how old is "vintage"

[Troy]

I'm curious - how old does a grill need to be in order to be labeled "vintage"?

[MaxBobcat]

Of course this is subjective, but for me it would be 25 or 30 years. 

[Bman]

I'm curious - how old does a grill need to be in order to be labeled "vintage"?

According to the thread Marty started on the topic, he's going 35 years and Pre-Dated kettles.

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/vintage-vs-old/msg75153/#msg75153

[MartyG]

Thanks for digging up that thread Bman. I don't think we ever reached a consensus. In terms of "periods", the pre-plastic handle era seems to be a cut-off for many with respect to "old" vs. "new". You could argue the switch to wood top handles was a significant date in Weber history. Wood Dale vs. Palatine. Palatine vs. Arlington Heights. Made in USA vs. Designed in Palatine IL USA. There are too many debatable points. For me, "vintage" is anything up to plastic handles. Then again, an original SS Performer could be argued as "vintage". IMHO - adding a wood handle gives any of the plastic-handled grills a "vintage" look, and in my book that's as good a line in the ash as any. A nice wood-handled MT is as nice as it gets. Vintage or not.

[Jocool]

A 'vintage' car is anything over 30 years. I would use that as the cutoff for Webers too.

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[Craig]

My personal scale is anything pre 1981 which is when Weber eliminated the metal handles permanently. But I can see 1979 being the beginning of the "non vintage" as that is when the date codes started. There have been so many turning points. I guess to me anything with metal handles gives it a vintage look. It was the last design element of the original 1952 buoy kettle to be eliminated from 22 and 26 kettles and it's been over 30 years since the last metal handles were made.

[zavod44]

Of course this is subjective, but for me it would be 25 or 30 years.

 That means something from the 90s is almost vintage.....

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[MaxBobcat]

Of course this is subjective, but for me it would be 25 or 30 years.

 That means something from the 90s is almost vintage.....

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If 25-30 years is good enough for most States and some car clubs to consider a car a "classic" or "antique", then I consider it good enough to call a grill "vintage".   

[Craig]

My personal scale is anything pre 1981 which is when Weber eliminated the metal handles permanently. But I can see 1979 being the beginning of the "non vintage" as that is when the date codes started. There have been so many turning points. I guess to me anything with metal handles gives it a vintage look. It was the last design element of the original 1952 buoy kettle to be eliminated from 22 and 26 kettles and it's been over 30 years since the last metal handles were made.

I forgot I also need to add that the double rivet wood handles changed to single screw in mid-late 1981 shortly after the metal bowl handles were eliminated in late 1980, so personally I would lump double rivet woodies (bowl or lid) in the same vintage category. That's just my own mental measuring stick for vintage cutoff but means nothing in the grand scheme of things.