56" Vieluxe Redux
- Thread starter Jon Tofte
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- restored vieluxe
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Obstacles
I mentioned the first obstacle, that being the burners. They were very well made, but this grill is over 20 years old and in its latter years was not treated to much, if any, cleaning - at least if that drip tray is any indication! @R Chin, you have been a big help to me already, and I will be taking you up on your kind offer to send some questions. I will need some time to do more disassembly, but I will look the burners over carefully to see if I think any of them can be salvaged successfully. First glance tells me that several are way far gone, but let's see.
The next - and really biggest - obstacle are the front and rear combined grate and flavorizer bar holders. This setup is almost identical to what Weber was already using in the 1st generation Summits. Even so, there are no sources that I know of for new replacements, and any donor grill will almost certainly have the same issues. One problem is that on the Vieluxe this entire assembly was welded on vs. bolts used on the Summit. There are posts here showing that the spot welds fail, and mine have on the front assembly. The prior owner looks to have used some machine screws - apparently not stainless - to reattach the assembly. Some of the screws have failed, and the entire thing is wobbling and definitely not solid enough to hold heavy grates and flavorizer bars. Assuming I would try to keep the main part of this assembly, I see using stainless bolts and nuts to securely reattach.
R Chin was able to have Dave Santana make him new clips that hold the flavorizers to replace the failed ones on his grill:
I am afraid that mine are too far gone to repair with just new clip inserts. I am thinking that I will need to have something fabricated. Maybe a straight stainless ledge with stainless bolts spaced to make "holders" to keep the flavorizers straight. Seems like that would be a lot less fabrication hours:
Another lesser obstacle is the kind of cool, but apparently not strong enough, pot that catches the grease from the drip tray. Mine isn't the first one to exhibit burn-through of what I believe to be the aluminum construction:
My initial plan for this is to clean up totally and then see if I can (1) patch with JB Weld Extreme High Heat and (2) adapt something like the foil drip pail liners used on many pellet grills.
I mentioned the first obstacle, that being the burners. They were very well made, but this grill is over 20 years old and in its latter years was not treated to much, if any, cleaning - at least if that drip tray is any indication! @R Chin, you have been a big help to me already, and I will be taking you up on your kind offer to send some questions. I will need some time to do more disassembly, but I will look the burners over carefully to see if I think any of them can be salvaged successfully. First glance tells me that several are way far gone, but let's see.
The next - and really biggest - obstacle are the front and rear combined grate and flavorizer bar holders. This setup is almost identical to what Weber was already using in the 1st generation Summits. Even so, there are no sources that I know of for new replacements, and any donor grill will almost certainly have the same issues. One problem is that on the Vieluxe this entire assembly was welded on vs. bolts used on the Summit. There are posts here showing that the spot welds fail, and mine have on the front assembly. The prior owner looks to have used some machine screws - apparently not stainless - to reattach the assembly. Some of the screws have failed, and the entire thing is wobbling and definitely not solid enough to hold heavy grates and flavorizer bars. Assuming I would try to keep the main part of this assembly, I see using stainless bolts and nuts to securely reattach.
R Chin was able to have Dave Santana make him new clips that hold the flavorizers to replace the failed ones on his grill:
I am afraid that mine are too far gone to repair with just new clip inserts. I am thinking that I will need to have something fabricated. Maybe a straight stainless ledge with stainless bolts spaced to make "holders" to keep the flavorizers straight. Seems like that would be a lot less fabrication hours:
Another lesser obstacle is the kind of cool, but apparently not strong enough, pot that catches the grease from the drip tray. Mine isn't the first one to exhibit burn-through of what I believe to be the aluminum construction:
My initial plan for this is to clean up totally and then see if I can (1) patch with JB Weld Extreme High Heat and (2) adapt something like the foil drip pail liners used on many pellet grills.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I am guessing that mine is a first year Vieluxe and as time went on, they abandoned that manufacturing step. I don't know a lot about it, but I would think all that stamping/engraving would add labor cost, and if it was botched the whole control panel would have to be scrapped. The nice thing is that I think I can get help from a woman at my church who is a very good artist and have her hand re-paint the logo and lettering. The engraving makes that realistic (not for me!), whereas with the cheap painted on stuff you see on the control panels of newer Genesis grills, once they wash off after a few good cleanings, you are out of luck.
On your Vieluxe, that I am again just guessing to be a newer model, they put all the markers on the enlarged knob bezels and then made a name plate to attach. That made the control panel a "simple" stainless piece but without the issues of paint washing off like on the newer grills. Picture credits go to member Loc who restored a beautiful Vieluxe:
The massive grates on the double side burner on my Vieluxe look pretty decent - now that the active wasp nests that were in there are gone! I don't think they saw much use. I will post pictures soon.
I personally have no problem with using some stainless bolts to securely fasten the supports. I know it is not original, but I don't think it will look garish or even obvious, and it will last as long as I will be grilling!
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Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Pondering Points
The few non-stainless parts on this grill look to be aluminum. They are all badly faded to a medium gray. My question is whether they were originally a darker gray or black. Most pictures seem to suggest that they were black. The plastice knobs are, although also faded. So, my current plan is to use black for these parts. I like the contrast with all the stainless vs. a "monocoque" light gray look.
These are my grill "as is":
Here are a couple examples of Vieluxes with black trim:
So what do you all think? Black trim or a shade of gray?
The few non-stainless parts on this grill look to be aluminum. They are all badly faded to a medium gray. My question is whether they were originally a darker gray or black. Most pictures seem to suggest that they were black. The plastice knobs are, although also faded. So, my current plan is to use black for these parts. I like the contrast with all the stainless vs. a "monocoque" light gray look.
These are my grill "as is":
Here are a couple examples of Vieluxes with black trim:
So what do you all think? Black trim or a shade of gray?
Cody Bratton
TVWBB Platinum Member
I don’t think a darker charcoal grey would be bad though. Grey would be more subdued and subtle. Black would give it a bolder look, I think
Steve Hoch
TVWBB Olympian
Black without a doubt.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
One last funny thing:
In one of the Vieluxe threads, mention was made of a "roach clip." @Bruce correctly identified this as the match holder to light your grill in the event of igniter failure. However, like some other things on it, the Vieluxe takes this to a new level. I like that there is a true holder on the door to store it, and the "roach clip" really is a clip rather than just a spiral of metal. Mine needs some rust treatment and cleaning!
In one of the Vieluxe threads, mention was made of a "roach clip." @Bruce correctly identified this as the match holder to light your grill in the event of igniter failure. However, like some other things on it, the Vieluxe takes this to a new level. I like that there is a true holder on the door to store it, and the "roach clip" really is a clip rather than just a spiral of metal. Mine needs some rust treatment and cleaning!
Cody Bratton
TVWBB Platinum Member
A hook and a retaining clip so it doesn’t rattle around, very detail oriented.
Steve Hoch
TVWBB Olympian
Such a small detail, but I might start working on that sooner than later in the event it can't be saved for some reason. That would be a great job for an ultrasonic cleaner I think.
I think there is a simpler way for supports rather than the tabs that hold the saddles for the bars
How about a C-channel with one leg at grate level - the other at flavorizer level and add spacers to keep the bars in place?
I would probably use rivets rather than nuts and bolts - would be cleaner looking and easier for scraping if needed
The flame pattern closer to the front damaged those supports much more than the rear - similar to yours
How about a C-channel with one leg at grate level - the other at flavorizer level and add spacers to keep the bars in place?
I would probably use rivets rather than nuts and bolts - would be cleaner looking and easier for scraping if needed
The flame pattern closer to the front damaged those supports much more than the rear - similar to yours
Paul Warner
TVWBB Pro
Wow Jon, you love a challenge but i echo others view that you are the best man for this job! I am like many I'm sure watching with interest and hoping you start a YouTube channel immediately! Good luck Sir!
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I really like the simple C channel idea - made with a heavy grade of stainless. When you say “spacers” what exactly are you thinking of?
That would probably open up better options for burner tubes. If each tube could be fitted with an igniter you wouldn’t need crossover tubes. If you don’t need crossover tubes you may be able to use Genesis E-3xx front burner tubes or it’s much easier “pinching” a long tube than trying to fabricate a hole in a tube for a crossover.
Jon Tofte
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
That is an interesting combination of ideas. The one challenge is how many igniters can one switch handle? This Vieluxe has openings for two button switches. With 6 "regular" burners, a smoker box burner, a rear infrared and (2) side burners, as it is it requires one to fire (4) and one to do (3) igniters.
Crossover tubes are not always great either. Jetfire schemes can get complex too
Josh Dekubber
TVWBB Hall of Fame
With it having/sharing the same 9930 grates as your first generation Summit and the same style control panel. I wonder how many system similarities there are that maybe aren't exactly the same but possibly adaptable. Not that parts are easily obtainable either way. Or possibly 2nd generation Summit also.