1987 Genesis II Redhead


 
Rob B. said:
With the help of a longtime Grillfella I was pointed to a Weber redhead with wide wood slats, which he told me indicated a first generation for Weber. I had zero prior interest in a gas grill but when I heard this was probably Weber's entry into gas grills I got real interested. The grill was at an estate sale about 90 minutes away near where my nephew lived. He was able to go make the purchase for me.


It was structurally and cosmetically in pretty good shape. Inside the cook chamber the prior owner had put a grate over the worn out flavorizer bars, and added lava rocks. And charcoal. And wood chunks. It was a mess.


So I read up on them here and at the WKC, asked some questions, and got some great answers and tips. Thanks to all who helped me! I stripped it down, redid all of the wood, cleaned and painted everything. I won't go into all of the details but instead will show some early pics and some finished pics. It's a 1987 Genesis II. Here's a few more "Before" pics.






And here's some "After" pics.








I've gotta tell you, I'm really digging this grill. I've added the RC guy's SS flavorizer bars. I probably need to replace the 31 year old cooking grates. Man this thing is sweet. And built like a tank.
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I really like how the wide slats are built around that center support bar in the bottom shelf. Outstanding grill!
 
Thanks guys I appreciate it. I wish I could say I had mad resto skills but this grill was in good shape to start with. I really like the wide slats, and who doesn't love a redhead. And it does the color change just like a kettle. I grilled a couple of cap-on sirloins last night for dinner. Note for next time, remove most of the caps.



 
I've never seen a cap on sirloin. Oddly I have seen some steaks in one of my stores locally that are called sirloin cap steak. I have tried them once but found them really tough and chewy. So primarily when I have bought them now I use them to grind for burgers.
Last night went to local meat store though and found he'd gotten in some beautifully marbled prime tri tips so I cooked one of those. Outstanding!
 
Hey Rob, great job on this grill. Especially the info confirming the wide slat design as being an early original feature.

I am original owner of a Genesis 2, purchased in 1991 at The Home Depot and still going strong in my Dad's backyard. I notice three differences between mine and yours:

  1. I've got the narrow slats.
  2. I've got gray knobs matching the gray ignitor button. Yours are black. I wonder if yours are original or replaced? I don't recall seeing black knobs on a Genesis.
  3. I've got a sticker on the frame indicating fuel level. Looks like you've got a gauge mounted to the frame. Can you post a closer photo of that?
Best,
Chris

P.S. What's the serial number on the cover of that owner's manual?

higxUmd.jpg

(Not sure why I removed and discarded the left side table years ago. Stupid, stupid, stupid...)
 
Very Nice Rob, you did an excellent job of making that grill look new again. That's quite a find here's hoping it grills on for another 30+ years
 
Chris Allingham said:
Hey Rob, great job on this grill. Especially the info confirming the wide slat design as being an early original feature.

I am original owner of a Genesis 2, purchased in 1991 at The Home Depot and still going strong in my Dad's backyard. I notice three differences between mine and yours:

  1. I've got the narrow slats.
  2. I've got gray knobs matching the gray ignitor button. Yours are black. I wonder if yours are original or replaced? I don't recall seeing black knobs on a Genesis.
  3. I've got a sticker on the frame indicating fuel level. Looks like you've got a gauge mounted to the frame. Can you post a closer photo of that?
Best,
Chris
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He really does have something unusual. The gauge doesn’t look like something homemade but rather like an experimental idea Weber tried out and abandoned in favor of a cheaper decal. It is hard to see for sure, but I don’t think his control panel looks like any I have seen, either. I would have guessed the black knobs were later additions, but with all these other seemingly original oddities maybe they, too, were a very early Weber experiment. Very cool grill:cool:!
 
Thanks Rich. I'm hoping the same thing and will do my part to see it happen.



Chris Allingham said:
Hey Rob, great job on this grill. Especially the info confirming the wide slat design as being an early original feature.

I am original owner of a Genesis 2, purchased in 1991 at The Home Depot and still going strong in my Dad's backyard. I notice three differences between mine and yours:

  1. I've got the narrow slats.
  2. I've got gray knobs matching the gray ignitor button. Yours are black. I wonder if yours are original or replaced? I don't recall seeing black knobs on a Genesis.
  3. I've got a sticker on the frame indicating fuel level. Looks like you've got a gauge mounted to the frame. Can you post a closer photo of that?
Best,
Chris

P.S. What's the serial number on the cover of that owner's manual?

higxUmd.jpg

(Not sure why I removed and discarded the left side table years ago. Stupid, stupid, stupid...)
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Thanks Chris. My friend who turned me onto this find (a mutual friend, Weber historian) told me the black knobs were also indicative of the first gen. Our wheels are different too, my whitewalls are wider set and closer to the edge. Attached is a photo of the gauge, serial number on the owner's manual (matches the one on the frame). Do you have your owner's manual? I notice mine shows "PATENT PENDING" under the drawing of the grill. So is there a 1st/PP generation gasser like with kettles?

Oh man, I can't believe you did that with the side table...lol. The things we do in our 'youth'!
BTW that's a sharp looking grill there Chris. She's a beauty.



 
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I wonder if there is a chance this was a prototype? Or Weber distributed this version in a VERY limited market as an exploratory thing (though I would really have to wonder why I never saw one released into Chicago) because as I said I started drooling over them the day they were introduced in Chicago. (where at least in the NW burbs is where Weber is headquartered). Though sometimes companies do strange things. Some may not know this but the front wheel drive Cadillac Eldorado was actually supposed to be introduced for the 1966 model year but the brass at Cadillac decided they did not want to risk the Caddy reputation on such a radical car so GM decided to add some sheet metal in strategic places, replace the Caddy 429 V8 with the Olds 455 and voila the Olds Toronado was born for 1966. I only knew this because I worked for Cadillac in the 60's. At that time Olds was GM's "experimental" division. GM typically tried out concepts on Olds before they let Buick and Cadillac have it. If you look at the early Eldo you can see the Toronado hidden underneath LOL.
Anyway I wonder if Weber only put this out VERY early in certain markets not wanting to risk their high profile/profit hometown market on such a radical departure (especially considering what a stinker of an AWFUL grill that gas kettle was) so perhaps they didn't want to introduce 2 "stinkers" in a row in Chicagoland
 
Larry,
That is what I was thinking, too. I read that article that featured the Genesis creators and it sounds like it had a long gestation period. It wouldn’t be surprising that some very early models were made with features that were later changed. If so, he has a historically significant grill.
 
Well if it figures in at all I have a pretty good idea of the provenance. It was owned by Jack Quesinberry who was the longest seated Mayor for Winter Garden FL. He moved to WG in 1969 and in my opinion with his assets would not buy a used grill. I bought it at the estate sale for his home in May, he passed away in 2017. So I feel very certain he purchased it new, somewhere in the Winter Garden/Orlando area.
 
I'd say you're right. Who knows? Maybe he was friends with someone in the Stephens family and laid his hands on a prototype or pre-production model
 
Fascinating! I think the previous owner of my current 2000 is just some dude from PA who bought it used or inherited it from either a relative or a move. Fascinating!
 
Greg M said:
Those black knobs might even have been painted that color.
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No they are black plastic. The ones in the ad below are also black.

Here's the picture of an old advertisement showing the 3 wide-slat format with a burner on the right side. Don't be confused by the wooden deck slats under the snow. The lower storage shelf slats run lengthwise.


Here is another variation shown on a different owner's manual, 3 wide slats for the top shelves, a wire rack for the bottom shelf.
 
Rob, you did an outstanding job on that. Not going to see many of those around that is for sure I really like the east west wide slats on the bottom have seen some other restores where they just used wide slats north south but it is a very nice look.
 
Rob B. said:
Do you have your owner's manual? I notice mine shows "PATENT PENDING" under the drawing of the grill. So is there a 1st/PP generation gasser like with kettles?
Click to expand...
I do not have my Genesis 2 owner's manual. (**DANG!!**) It's probably in the same place as the fold-up table.

I do have this old Genesis 1 LP manual I got on eBay. It's dated 1991 and is not "PATENT PENDING".

L3AU5Nr.jpg


Do you have PDF copies of these old Genesis 1/2 manuals? Or do you have the capability to scan and make jpgs or a PDF? Would love to add these to our collection of manuals and catalogs. Ephemera like this is so easily lost and precious when found!

May I post the Genesis ad in the collection of ads I've started here?
 
Rob,
First off great find on your Weber Genesis, with it's backstory there you have a nice Family heirloom.

Regarding those control knobs-
When I picked up a Brown lid and several pieces from a gentleman who started a restoration but decided it was too much he also gave me several other pieces of the grill.

The two Black knobs in the photo came with the lid so Weber definitely used Black knobs early in their grills.

FcGsSQf.jpg


In the middle is the off White used on my Weber 5000 and more than likely the 900-5000 series Genesis' throughout the years. On the far right is the light Grey used on my Platinum 2. It was also used on the Summit grills as well.

Jeff
 
Chris Allingham said:
....

Do you have PDF copies of these old Genesis 1/2 manuals? Or do you have the capability to scan and make jpgs or a PDF? Would love to add these to our collection of manuals and catalogs. Ephemera like this is so easily lost and precious when found!

May I post the Genesis ad in the collection of ads I've started here?
Click to expand...

My nephew who picked up the grill for me forgot to bring the manual with the grill, so I don't have it yet. When I do get it I will scan and send you the files. Regarding the other ad, it was shared with me from the vintageadbrowser.com site. As far as I'm concerned you can, but I don't claim ownership.

Thanks Jeff.
 
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