Would you pay $8 for this?


 
Jon Tofte

Jon Tofte

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Saw this old Sunbeam on OfferUp. The offer price is now down to $8:

https://offerup.com/item/detail/547880288/

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It brought back old childhood memories of suburban New York backyards. Lava rocks, single post, square aluminum box on top. This one has to go back pretty far, maybe even the 70's. Of course, this may be a good example of the clunker gas grills that Weber blew away with the Genesis. It does have some features that look like the old Weber gas kettle.

After working with a few Broilmasters, though, I have a little more respect for older grills with all cast aluminum construction. I am sure, though, the burner options are pitiful. The newer ceramic tiles with holes, however, can give these old grills a boost.

I looked very briefly and I guess Sunbeam still makes some outdoor cooking stuff. Nothing like a regular gas grill, though.

Forgive my historical curiosity. Don't worry, I better not even think of bringing this orphan puppy home:rolleyes:!
 
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I wouldn't however your wife might kill you even if you brought that home for free. How many acres do you have to store this stuff. :)
 
Yeah, Brian, I know:rolleyes:. I don't have acres, either.

It is actually more interesting than I thought, though. Since posting, my curiosity led me to Googling Sunbeam, old Sunbeam, etc. There are, of course, zillions of old junky grills to look at, but I didn't see even one picture of a Sunbeam that dates back to this time with the single pole and cast aluminum top and bottom. This one looks almost like a Broilmaster of that time period. And, like I said, the lower part is a lot like the old Weber gas kettle.
 
It's not the eight bucks, it's the item being in your yard! I'd say if you can unload one, you can gain this one. Of course, since I know you're like me, you'll end up fixing it up to perfection, losing money on it and not really caring that much. So I don't think there is any advice in this message at all really!
 
THyde said:
Of course, since I know you're like me, you'll end up fixing it up to perfection, losing money on it and not really caring that much.
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Yeah, that's me:(. Someday I am going to grow up and be like Bruce and actually MAKE money now and then on this hobby!
 
It's identical to the old Warm Morning single post grills. I remember them well. Sunbeam had a factory right here in Cicero IL but I don't think they made them. I think they were actually made by Broilmaster (or the parent of Broilmaster). If you look up old Broilmaster grills you will see that labeled as Warm Morning
 
Larry,

Does that make it worth $8, labor and some creative adaption of parts?

As these other guys note, I am a little off the wall on what projects I would enjoy undertaking. It looks like it would actually be fun and kind of unique. However, if it wouldn't cook worth a dime (or $8) then I should heed their warnings to not rile up my wife even more!:rolleyes:
 
If it's the rebadged warm morning grill the Broilmaster parts will fit it. If it was a one off made by Sunbeam all bets are off.I don't know what to think.
 
Sunbeam/Broilmaster/Early Morning...This is getting more interesting!

LMichaels said:
If it's the rebadged warm morning grill the Broilmaster parts will fit it. If it was a one off made by Sunbeam all bets are off.I don't know what to think.
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OK, bored with my tax returns again:p, I did a little more research. This "orphan puppy" is starting to look a lot more interesting:

Here is a picture of it (old Sunbeam) from the front:

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Now here are a couple of vintage Early Morning/Broilmaster grills:

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Here is the Sunbeam from the side:

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Here is one of an old Warm Morning from the side:

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It is not the SAME firebox, and it looks like it may not be as deep. But it seems like there is more than a coincidental likeness of appearance. So many similarities, although it is clear the Sunbeam is the low-cost version.

I tried even harder to find ANYTHING on the really old Sunbeams. No luck. It seems that the original Sunbeam went bankrupt in the early 2000's. I don't know if they re-emerged or it is a new company with that name, but they don't make actual grills.

Most Sunbeams you and I have ever seen are just another chinajunk entry of low quality. This old thing looks to maybe be different. Old enough to be made in USA. Maybe by Broilmaster as Larry suggests is possible? Hey, it could be a Broilmaster wolf in Sunbeam sheep's clothing;)!
 
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Jon, I know you are going to buy that for 8 bucks hoping you don't spend 30 bucks in gas to go get it. I am begging you to stash that in the yard hidden from your wife, really not sure she will get it. :) Actually if I had brought that Broilmaster home probably would have gotten a frying pan over my head and its cast iron hey honey it was only 300 bucks.
 
Ha ha ha ha!!! Well, my wife is much less unhappy about the Broilmasters than my Webers because I sold one for $500 (buyer is VERY happy!) and I have another buyer waiting for the second one at a very fair price. Just need to get it done. So that adventure worked out. I got a cool grill (3rd Broilmaster) with little or no investment besides my labor, which is of course, one of love! My wife and I even agreed on a place where it can stay permanently:).

This thing, I admit, is WAY OUT THERE. But it IS, in a historical way, pretty cool and apparently not too common. I admit I am much more of a collector than I ever will be a flipper, so... If I could actually use my supply of leftover Broilmaster parts to bring it back, I could keep my investment negligible and maybe have a fun and uncommon cooker with Broilmaster internals! It is not TOO far from me...Uh Oh!:rolleyes:
 
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Wow you did really well with the Broilmaster's did not even know what they were till you posted them and sounds like you got good money on top so yup I bet the wife is happy.
 
You bought it already, haven't you... :)

A fellow Weber rehabber was that I am friendly with was trying to find a buyer for an MHP WNK grill earlier this summer. I'm sure it would have been a nice grill... there's just no demand for them and they just don't do it for me aesthetically.
 
JKim in MA said:
You bought it already, haven't you... :)

A fellow Weber rehabber was that I am friendly with was trying to find a buyer for an MHP WNK grill earlier this summer. I'm sure it would have been a nice grill... there's just no demand for them and they just don't do it for me aesthetically.
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Not yet, but might:eek:! This one would have no flip potential, only an interesting exhibit in my grill museum for which I have no space:rolleyes:!
 
Jon…...I don't know what to say, it's not often I can't find the words, but this time I'm at a loss. Although the fact is you know you're not going to flip it, so that's a start. I can see where that god awful ugly excuse for a grill would have some conversational points. Cooking on it might be another challenge, But for 8 bucks go get it and surprise all of us with your creative abilities (that came straight out of enabling 101) we might all be surprised you've done it before (2018 enabling seminar). :rolleyes: ;):
 
I'd like to see what you could make of that old grill. Not that we are voting or my opinion means much.......:)
 
Rich Dahl said:
Jon…...I don't know what to say, it's not often I can't find the words, but this time I'm at a loss. Although the fact is you know you're not going to flip it, so that's a start. I can see where that god awful ugly excuse for a grill would have some conversational points. Cooking on it might be another challenge, But for 8 bucks go get it and surprise all of us with your creative abilities (that came straight out of enabling 101) we might all be surprised you've done it before (2018 enabling seminar). :rolleyes: ;):
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Rich, Greg, THyde, Bruce, JKim & Larry (and anybody else who checked out this crazy thread:rolleyes:),

Yes, I am either a moron or just a hopeless collector with too much curiosity. You who predicted I would succomb were, of course, correct. I have to keep at taxes, so all I had time to do was pick it up and stash it in my far back shed/grill grave yard. Luckily, I used the trip to accomplish TWO pickups, so I don’t regret the gas and time.

Quick impression is that this is an old but, probably more like 1980s than 70s grill. It is cast aluminum but pretty small. It still had lava rocks and intact grates, and even the cheap burner looked better than would be expected. I brought along a used Broilmaster burner to try and test fit, but gave up and just laid down the eight bucks and took it without finding out.

After fall tax season and a few more important projects, I am going to let you all have one last laugh and see what I can make of this oddity. What I won’t do is sink any real money into it.

I see a few potential outcomes:

1.) I am able to retrofit with my used Broilmaster burner and set it up with ceramic pyramids I have leftover from my Broilmaster projects. Turn it into a “pocket rocket” :cool:and use it like I used to use my Q that I sold.

2.) Broilmaster burner can’t be retrofitted but existing one can be salvaged or replaced VERY cheaply. Fix it up to look nice. Enjoy looking at it for a while and then donate to our organization’s Thrift Store.:eek:

3.) Nothing works and getting it to work will entail more $ than I am willing to toss at it. Scrap metal; hang my head and listen to The Who “Won’t get fooled again!”:(
 
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