I just finished my first Weber restoration. It’s a 1996 mastertouch from what I’ve been able to gather. Long story short on it, the future in laws brought it for a garage sale after it was given to them for free and when it didn’t sell my fiancée couldn’t let it go so this year I said if we’re keeping it, then we’re fixing it. The stock grates were in really rough shape, the photos don’t do them justice on the nasty crap built up so we opted to just go new on grates. All in all I went though 10 razor blades getting crud off the lid and the razor scraper was junked by the time I finished (spring was shot).
The lid handle was also busted off, I ended up replacing it by drilling out the pop rivers and using two 3/4” stainless bolts, some fender washers, regular washers, and wing nuts.
The front leg cap was missing and that’s been replaced as well, and the new wooden handles have been ordered they just haven’t arrived yet.
All in all I think I’m $70 into parts and $25 in on hardware/cleaning supplies. If I had to do it all again I definitely could shave $20 off and maybe more if the charcoal grate wasn’t also so rough. That said having a shined up 96 will be worth it but it won’t be like New it does have a few battle scars from the original owners. I’ll still bet I get another 10 years out of it.
TLDR: fixed a Weber from 96 here’s some pics
https://imgur.com/a/oGFON8T
The lid handle was also busted off, I ended up replacing it by drilling out the pop rivers and using two 3/4” stainless bolts, some fender washers, regular washers, and wing nuts.
The front leg cap was missing and that’s been replaced as well, and the new wooden handles have been ordered they just haven’t arrived yet.
All in all I think I’m $70 into parts and $25 in on hardware/cleaning supplies. If I had to do it all again I definitely could shave $20 off and maybe more if the charcoal grate wasn’t also so rough. That said having a shined up 96 will be worth it but it won’t be like New it does have a few battle scars from the original owners. I’ll still bet I get another 10 years out of it.
TLDR: fixed a Weber from 96 here’s some pics
https://imgur.com/a/oGFON8T