Another Performer Bowl Replacement question


 

Kyle in Woodstock

TVWBB Guru
My "O" model SS Performer has a few holes in the bottom bowl.... can't be fixed with the fender washer/bolt trick. Weber wants $114.18 for a new bowl.

Would the bowl from this craigslist grill fit on my performer frame? It appears to have the hood holder, but looks like the brackets would not line up.

This grill has been listed for 19 days, so could probably low ball offer....I don't think this would be a direct fit, but wanted to get your thoughts.
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/for/d/marietta-22-weber-grill/7029180627.html


I also found this one:
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/for/d/buford-weber-performer-grill/7021213368.html
It's a mess, but much newer than my SS one... do the newer Performers also go by the two letter serial number or is it more complicated now? Wondering if I bought that one, if I could register it and potentially get a warranty bowl out of it since it's newer.
 
KT,
I don't think the Platinum One-Touch with the oval side pieces would be a good fit unless you are OK with trying to drill a big hole for the igniter and potentially some other holes. I personally love those "platypus" kettles the way they are. Actually prefer them in some ways to a Performer since I usually light my charcoal with a long neck blow torch tool.

The second one would definitely work, but it looks very suspect to me. At least if you go for a new bowl it will have a much longer life, especially if you care for it. I, too, have tried to restore a SS Performer (blue) with that same problem. I picked up a cheap newer Performer - not as easy to find in blue - and wound up bringing home another grill with rust holes in the bottom:mad:. It is still sitting as a wasting away project.

I am very wary of trying again with another used blue kettle, so I might practice what I am preaching at some point in the future. That is if you can still get a blue one from Weber...
 
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I’d buy a new bowl or go with option 1 as a replacement. Yes Weber still uses the two letter codes to date them. The one you are looking at is a Gen 2 performer which was replaced by Gen 3 in 2010. That performer is 10 plus years old at best.
 
I love mine and would opt for a new bowl and drive it 20 more years . may see if they can cremate me on mine when I leave this world lol well maybe not as they would have to bury it then and the family would lose the use of it .
 
Can’t say for sure, but there was an entry model without the gas assist. I am still in the camp of spending $45 more (less gas and time to look at probably more than one used grill.) A NEW bowl will give you a much longer life and you won’t risk getting one that is on the verge of rusting through.
 
https://offerup.co/vr3Ve2Cny2

Hopefully that link works. What do you guys think of this one? I talked the guy down to $70, but have not seen it in person. Seems to be in decent shape

Actually, seems like this might not have a propane light assist??

If I were you I’d jump on this one. Not a bad deal for the ATL market.

I’m already 5-6 grills over my limit or I’d already have this.
 
If you're up for a project, you can convert a non-assist Performer bowl into a gas-assist bowl:

http://weberkettleclub.com/blog/2014/04/25/weber-grill-mod-adding-gas-assist/

. . . and I just happen to have such a bowl and lid available for sale. PM me if interested.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNgJMAO83sxWy61PMLR27kYaRaG5tMpWtpqbU5HWt2x7C9vSOejqoRI9O9pHk4zpg?key=cUNSSldYYjhyblhSTm9qNlVqWS1MTy1RZnlyelVB

9hxt-UbxTHWZV7Txx0hvG2MSM674YDuE2gnFChPdk1ArHRzqHvivWZ3nwF3zFsyp4OGA9JaS75tMSU8nrSw-69JsOgHxK9FMaIcRwyfb3gnNtXnVo-ETvPvOsnXJaayUcFD1DfxVUh0=w800
 
Thanks guys, I’m actually on the way to check this one out. I figure if nothing else I can salvage the bowl the resell it with my old worn out bowl to get some money back
 
I met the guy and looked at his "brother's" grill. As bad as those pictures look in the ad, it was way worse in person. Hood was dented in several spots. The hood handle was loose from where it had gotten dropped. It was missing the charcoal grate. The table was really dirty and burned in a couple spots, like they set hot grates on it or something...

The bowl and ash catcher were in pretty good shape, so I offered the guy $25, but he said the lowest he could go was $50 and I didn't want to buy it for that price.

Not in a big rush, so didn't feel bad for walking away from that one.
 
If you are comfortable converting a non performer kettle into a performer kettle the process isn't too bad.
1.) Identify a kettle that you want to convert. Preferably one with a a lid bail already. Bonus is if you get one of the newer performer lid bails that will let the lid sit up at a 90 degree angle.
2.) Remove the handle from the bowl. You can either cut it and paint over the cut portions of the strap, or I have heard of people drilling out the welds, and then attaching a SS plate to cover it up.
3.) Figure out EXACTLY were the gas assist hole needs to be. You actually do not have to cut it into an oval or eyelid shape. You can use a regular drill bit or step down bit to drill the hole and insert the gas tube from the inside out. Weber only makes the eyelid shape so you can insert the whole assembly from the outside. This is much less stressful than tryin to get the eyelid cut out of the bowl. Just take your time and get the hole size right. You can also paint over the exposed edges if you like. I personally wouldn't paint inside the bowl really.
4.) Either remove the brackets from your old kettle and install them on the new one or buy SS brackets. R Shake BBQ actually sells them and there is no logo on them or Unknown BBQ has a set you can buy. I haven't done this yet, but I think I will install the brackets on the frame, tape over the kettle where it might rub on the brackets, then set it into the brackets to mark my holes, and then drill the holes. A little SS hardware and it will be a beauty.

I currently have a Red LE and a new Spring Green kettle I am dropping into performers as time permits. The process shouldn't be too bad as long as you look at tutorials on how to drill into the kettle and take your time. I wouldn't order a replacement from Weber unless you are really picky and it is an exact color match to what you had. You can buy whole performers for $100 to $150 far too often to drop a good chunk on just a bowl.
 
If you are comfortable converting a non performer kettle into a performer kettle the process isn't too bad.
1.) Identify a kettle that you want to convert. Preferably one with a a lid bail already. Bonus is if you get one of the newer performer lid bails that will let the lid sit up at a 90 degree angle.
2.) Remove the handle from the bowl. You can either cut it and paint over the cut portions of the strap, or I have heard of people drilling out the welds, and then attaching a SS plate to cover it up.
3.) Figure out EXACTLY were the gas assist hole needs to be. You actually do not have to cut it into an oval or eyelid shape. You can use a regular drill bit or step down bit to drill the hole and insert the gas tube from the inside out. Weber only makes the eyelid shape so you can insert the whole assembly from the outside. This is much less stressful than tryin to get the eyelid cut out of the bowl. Just take your time and get the hole size right. You can also paint over the exposed edges if you like. I personally wouldn't paint inside the bowl really.
4.) Either remove the brackets from your old kettle and install them on the new one or buy SS brackets. R Shake BBQ actually sells them and there is no logo on them or Unknown BBQ has a set you can buy. I haven't done this yet, but I think I will install the brackets on the frame, tape over the kettle where it might rub on the brackets, then set it into the brackets to mark my holes, and then drill the holes. A little SS hardware and it will be a beauty.

I currently have a Red LE and a new Spring Green kettle I am dropping into performers as time permits. The process shouldn't be too bad as long as you look at tutorials on how to drill into the kettle and take your time. I wouldn't order a replacement from Weber unless you are really picky and it is an exact color match to what you had. You can buy whole performers for $100 to $150 far too often to drop a good chunk on just a bowl.

Thank you for the info, very good to know.
 
This thread has motivated me to try to get my SS Performer project out of dry dock. I lost interest after getting that second blue bowl with unnoticed rust-through. But also daunting is replacing the whole igniter, small but very expensive LP tank, and related gas assist hardware. I noticed the post of the “non-assist” SSP. Since I use a long neck blowtorch to light my charcoal anyway, skipping all that sure looks like a shortcut to getting my SSP up and running.
 
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This thread has motivated me to try to get my SS Performer project out of dry dock. I lost interest after getting that second blue bowl with unnoticed rust-through. But also daunting is replacing the whole igniter, small but ver expensive LP tank, and related gas assist hardware. I noticed the post of the “non-assist” SSP. Since I use a long neck blowtorch to light my charcoal anyway, skipping all that sure looks like a shortcut to getting my SSP up and running.

If you go that route I have seen some people just take out the charcoal basket, tank, igniter, and tank top plate and just replace it with a SS tray for grill tools. Pretty nice way to take an unusable space and make it usable.
 
Bill, That sounds like a pretty good idea. I think making it simple and amplifying the usefulness of the large stainless table area would make getting my SSP functional a worthwhile undertaking. I do like them, but they are also a bit large and cumbersome if you don’t have room to store them. I have never really thought the gas assist was all that big a deal. So for me it is having one kettle with a work table large enough that it could serve as a workstation for a second and even third kettle in addition to itself.
 
Kyle, take your time finding one it took me more than a year as I wanted a used one with gas assist. I really like having the gas assist as I use a charcoal starter instead of the baskets to get my coals started as I have a smoker also use it for that so getting dual uses out of it.

Do you have to have it no you don't but is a nice convenience and really does not use much gas. The model with the plastic table is frequently cracked from people picking it up on that end to move it so just pay attention when looking at one. I was lucky Weber replaced mine with the steel table but even if you had to buy it I think they used to sell it for about $45 as it was a known problem.

I live in Woodstock also so if I see one will PM you.
 
Kyle, take your time finding one it took me more than a year as I wanted a used one with gas assist. I really like having the gas assist as I use a charcoal starter instead of the baskets to get my coals started as I have a smoker also use it for that so getting dual uses out of it.

Do you have to have it no you don't but is a nice convenience and really does not use much gas. The model with the plastic table is frequently cracked from people picking it up on that end to move it so just pay attention when looking at one. I was lucky Weber replaced mine with the steel table but even if you had to buy it I think they used to sell it for about $45 as it was a known problem.

I live in Woodstock also so if I see one will PM you.


Thanks, that’s the plan. I’m sure one will come along. For now the old bowl does the trick just requires a little more attention to keep temp steady on the long low and slow cooks.

Woodstock is great, we moved over from Roswell about 6 months ago
 
I moved here in 1996 pretty amazing how it has grown and what they have done with the downtown area. I used to have a friend who lived in Roswell unfortunately Fulton County taxes he retired a few years ago and moved up to Dahlonega pays $700 a year in property taxes, don't know if you are aware but once you turn 62 in Cherokee County you do not pay the school tax anymore which is most of your property tax bill I went from $3600 to $1292 on property taxes a great place to retire and I retired back in June.

I live over in Towne Lake East.
 

 

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