I found an '02 blue performer at an auction and paid 50 bucks for it. In my excitement I failed to notice that it's rusted through on the bowl where the grate brackets are welded to the inside. I'm wondering if a little JB weld and some high heat automotive paint will fix her up or if I should just buy a replacement bowl. Ironically, the base is in near-perfect condition and the lid is quite nice, just a few rusty spots, all surface rust. I'd like to hear some opinions and maybe some stories of other folks' restoration projects. I like a project, but not a money pit. Also, if replacement would be the better option, which bowl will fit the 02 model. Thanks a lot and happy grillin!
Rescued a 2002 Performer. Advice please!
- Thread starter JerryP
- Start date
Go ahead and get a replacement. If it's already rusted completely through - that's my assumption, based on how you worded it - then you'll spend more time on it than worth the savings of a replacement bowl.
I don't know if there's a way you can guarantee that the replacement blue will match the '02 lid. You'll "cry once", but essentially have a new grill.
Think of it as a "many years" investment; it'll make coughing up the cash easier.
I don't know if there's a way you can guarantee that the replacement blue will match the '02 lid. You'll "cry once", but essentially have a new grill.
Think of it as a "many years" investment; it'll make coughing up the cash easier.
Agreed, pics would help a bunch
Hi Jerry!
I bought a 2000 SS Performer of Craigslist a couple months ago. It was my first time attempting to restore a kettle, and trust me, my last! Even though this performer was only my third restore ever, I was confident enough I could tackle it..
WRONG! This thing kicked my *** every which way to Sunday! The kettle and inside lid was so funky with at least 10-12 layers of carbon, the outer layer was an inch high in what was like a black fuzzy matter, and it stuck up through the lids vent holes a good 1/2 inch. I've never seen anything so nasty! At one point early on in the restore, I was so freaked out what may have been cooked in this thing, (tons of small hairs) I was ready to chuck the whole project and go buy me a brand new performer, even though I loved the looks of the vintage SS.
I decided to keep going with the restore when I added up all the replacement parts I had ordered for it, and just flip it to recover my expenses, and help with the cost of a new one.
I put in over 35 hours of time, 5 cans of Easy Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner, 2 bottles of Dawn Platinum dish soap ( made to soak pots and pans over night, Killer stuff, I might add!) 4 brass brushes, 2- 16oz bottles of Purple Power degreaser, 1 box of SOS pads, and my trusty little metal putty knife before I saw the porcelain enamel on both the kettle and lid!
It took another 2 cans of oven cleaner to get the outside of the lid's layers of carbon off, that was present on just one side of the lid.
Once my parts started arriving, I was incapacitated to do any more work on it, as I was recovering from my back hurting so bad from over 30 hours of bending over that thing, both hands developed Carpel Tunnel syndrome, which I had surgery for over 15 years ago, so I knew the pain, and put splints on both hands to help reduce the swelling.
It litterly took 2 weeks for my body to recover from that ordeal, and I never got past the kettle!!
The day I decided I was well enough to start tearing down the frame to replace a rusted cross bar that sits where the ignition button is, ( which you have to replace the whole top frame rail) I got the call my Dad had past away, and so everything got covered, and put away, and by the next week, the rains had come in, and seem like are here to stay. So, I have kinda lost my Mojo to finish it up for the time being..
But, I highly recommend you order a new kettle from Weber, and save yourself ALOT of pain and expensive.
Granted, I'm closer to age 60 than 50, and admitting that a kettle grill kicked my ***, is well, kinda embarrassing, but from now on, I'll leave this kind of work to the young whipper snappers! (But I did get that kettle and lid 100% carbon free, and brand new looking!!)
I bought a 2000 SS Performer of Craigslist a couple months ago. It was my first time attempting to restore a kettle, and trust me, my last! Even though this performer was only my third restore ever, I was confident enough I could tackle it..
WRONG! This thing kicked my *** every which way to Sunday! The kettle and inside lid was so funky with at least 10-12 layers of carbon, the outer layer was an inch high in what was like a black fuzzy matter, and it stuck up through the lids vent holes a good 1/2 inch. I've never seen anything so nasty! At one point early on in the restore, I was so freaked out what may have been cooked in this thing, (tons of small hairs) I was ready to chuck the whole project and go buy me a brand new performer, even though I loved the looks of the vintage SS.
I decided to keep going with the restore when I added up all the replacement parts I had ordered for it, and just flip it to recover my expenses, and help with the cost of a new one.
I put in over 35 hours of time, 5 cans of Easy Off Heavy Duty oven cleaner, 2 bottles of Dawn Platinum dish soap ( made to soak pots and pans over night, Killer stuff, I might add!) 4 brass brushes, 2- 16oz bottles of Purple Power degreaser, 1 box of SOS pads, and my trusty little metal putty knife before I saw the porcelain enamel on both the kettle and lid!
It took another 2 cans of oven cleaner to get the outside of the lid's layers of carbon off, that was present on just one side of the lid.
Once my parts started arriving, I was incapacitated to do any more work on it, as I was recovering from my back hurting so bad from over 30 hours of bending over that thing, both hands developed Carpel Tunnel syndrome, which I had surgery for over 15 years ago, so I knew the pain, and put splints on both hands to help reduce the swelling.
It litterly took 2 weeks for my body to recover from that ordeal, and I never got past the kettle!!
The day I decided I was well enough to start tearing down the frame to replace a rusted cross bar that sits where the ignition button is, ( which you have to replace the whole top frame rail) I got the call my Dad had past away, and so everything got covered, and put away, and by the next week, the rains had come in, and seem like are here to stay. So, I have kinda lost my Mojo to finish it up for the time being..
But, I highly recommend you order a new kettle from Weber, and save yourself ALOT of pain and expensive.
Granted, I'm closer to age 60 than 50, and admitting that a kettle grill kicked my ***, is well, kinda embarrassing, but from now on, I'll leave this kind of work to the young whipper snappers! (But I did get that kettle and lid 100% carbon free, and brand new looking!!)
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A Cleland
TVWBB Super Fan
I have restored a dozen or more old Webers. Nearly all of them were caked with carbon buildup in the bowl and inside the lid. On the first couple, I struggled with the oven cleaner, razor blade scraping, hair pulling, profanity spouting, and all of the other time consuming efforts to get them 100% carbon free.
Then I had an epiphany.........engine degreaser. Yes, Automobile engine degreaser. Spray on, wait a couple of hours, then hose off. What was left was easily removed with a little scraping and elbow grease. Gave them a thorough scrubbing with soap and water, then lit a small amount of coals, closed the lid for an hour or so, and when I removed the ash, they looked brand new. I know some of you will scream about the use of the degreaser, but it does work, it works well, and after hundreds, if not thousands, of cooks later, no side effects other than massive weight gain from eating delicious meals.
I have read about some spraying down that carbon buildup with a large amount of charcoal lighter fluid and then setting it on fire allowing the heat and the fire to burn it off. Chemicals are chemicals, and I know that I don't use charcoal lighter fluid for a reason. So introducing it as a cleaner can be no worse than engine degreaser. The key is the thoroughness of the clean up afterwards. I hope this helps, no need to kill the messenger.
Then I had an epiphany.........engine degreaser. Yes, Automobile engine degreaser. Spray on, wait a couple of hours, then hose off. What was left was easily removed with a little scraping and elbow grease. Gave them a thorough scrubbing with soap and water, then lit a small amount of coals, closed the lid for an hour or so, and when I removed the ash, they looked brand new. I know some of you will scream about the use of the degreaser, but it does work, it works well, and after hundreds, if not thousands, of cooks later, no side effects other than massive weight gain from eating delicious meals.
I have read about some spraying down that carbon buildup with a large amount of charcoal lighter fluid and then setting it on fire allowing the heat and the fire to burn it off. Chemicals are chemicals, and I know that I don't use charcoal lighter fluid for a reason. So introducing it as a cleaner can be no worse than engine degreaser. The key is the thoroughness of the clean up afterwards. I hope this helps, no need to kill the messenger.
Steve Cleveland
TVWBB Pro
My last garage sale Weber got cleaned until it stopped coming off, then I stopped cleaning and started cooking. I figured why bust my butt removing something I was just going to add the minute I started using it.
Quick update. I ended up buying a replacement bowl for it. Just stripped the old one of its parts and attached them to the new bowl using new hardware. Works like a dream. So for essentially the price of aN OTG I have, in my opinion, the coolest of the performer "body styles".