Is this '76-'77 22" kettle too far gone?

[Jon A.]

I picked up my father's ~40 year old kettle the other day. I was hoping to use it primarily as a pizza oven with the addition of the Kettle Pizza (or a DIY version) but it is in rougher shape than I suspected. What do you think... too far gone or clean it up and give it a whirl? 

After browsing this site for the last few days I think I'm hooked and may expand my planned use for the kettle. I have a Weber Genesis gasser and a Masterbuilt smoker... charcoal should round those out nicely, increasing my options.

-Jon A.

[Jon A.]

Based on research here, I think it is a '76 or '77.

[jbenavidez2]

That's an heirloom, I'd use that as my goto cooker with extreme pride.

[addicted-to-smoke]

I don't see anything in your pictures that shows it could be in bad shape. What matters is:

1) leg sockets (will it stay up and not fall over)
2) intakes (do they spin, do they seal)
3) got holes we can't see?
4) grate straps (yours are rusting through to the outside, but are they still secure?)

Even if you don't keep or use it, you gotta cook at least one more time on it!

[Travis]

What's wrong with it Jon? Do you have other pics? Maybe consider using some form of charcoal baskets for high heat cooks as to not damage it any further, but other than that, that's a cool looking cooker you got man!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[indy82z]

Looks and sounds like a definite keep for sure. Heck, even if it has some of the troubled items, I would definitely restore it and keep/use it. Pretty rare to get something with a history like that.

[charred]

What's wrong w/ it? Looks good to me.

Need inside bowl and outside leg socket pics to judge structural integrity. 

[charred]

PS- you can't buy fade like that at the store! That takes years and years of sun drenching- about 40 yrs worth. Clean it up, use it, and pass it on to the next gen.

[jkolantern]

What everybody else has said.  I'd get a cheapo to cook on as your pizza oven so that you could keep the one with the memories from being punished with the extreme high heat used in pizza cooking.

[WNC]

You'd be crazy not to make that the center piece of your collection, and an everyday cooker!

Something with that kind of history and sentiment deserves a place of honor.

Every grill I have has years of someone else's memories and several years of mine, I only wish I had a family heirloom like that.

RRR has never been truer

[Jon A.]

Well, it looks like it is unanimous. I guess we can consider the pics above the "before" pics.  I think I will clean it up as best I can, put a new grate in it and see what it'll do.  I will post more pics after I clean it up. 

Thanks for the input and encouragement!

-Jon A.

[swamprb]

I would say YES!

[addicted-to-smoke]

^^^^^^^^^^^

[Craig]

Well, it looks like it is unanimous. I guess we can consider the pics above the "before" pics.  I think I will clean it up as best I can, put a new grate in it and see what it'll do.  I will post more pics after I clean it up. 

Thanks for the input and encouragement!

-Jon A.

Kettle looks like it's got many more years of service left in it. It's got a sharp looking patina that takes years to earn. I've got a '74-75 fade that has some patina freckles. BTW, what condition is the cooking grate in? Original? Reason I ask is, those old 70s and 80s grates are better built and can be cleaned and restored to cookworthy status again. Unless you absolutely want a flip up grate, those old school solid non flips are built like tanks.

[Jon A.]

Well, it looks like it is unanimous. I guess we can consider the pics above the "before" pics.  I think I will clean it up as best I can, put a new grate in it and see what it'll do.  I will post more pics after I clean it up. 

Thanks for the input and encouragement!

-Jon A.

Kettle looks like it's got many more years of service left in it. It's got a sharp looking patina that takes years to earn. I've got a '74-75 fade that has some patina freckles. BTW, what condition is the cooking grate in? Original? Reason I ask is, those old 70s and 80s grates are better built and can be cleaned and restored to cookworthy status again. Unless you absolutely want a flip up grate, those old school solid non flips are built like tanks.

Here is an interior shot showing the grate.  My wife is a bit of a germ-a-phobe and is insisting on a new grate.  I'll hang on to the original and try to clean it up and some point down the road.  I was thinking the flip-up grate might be pretty handy so I think I will pick one up.