A Craigs List find for Me! Finally!


 
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Corey S

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Ok, I finally made a worthwhile find on Craigs list, that was both local for me, (10 miles away) and was suprisingly priced within my meager budget.
I have a few questions for those that know more about these than I do, and I will be seeking some expert advice on how I should proceed with a functional restoration for this piece.
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08641.jpg
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08651.jpg
Back in 1990, or 91 when I purchased my first kettle, this is what I really wanted, but could not afford, or justify the purchase of at the time.
My first question for the experts is:
Was this model considered a "Performer" as it does not have the "Touch and Go" ignition system, or did they call it something else?
I believe its all there?, it came with the original heavy wire charcoal baskets, the thermometer is there, charcoal container etc.
The standard hinged cooking grate is gone and has been replaced with a generic cheapo grate, no big deal there.
It is not a cream puff by any means, and I don't intend to make a show piece out of it, I just want to make it look like a well cared for 20 year old piece, and be fully functional, I will be using it..
Here is the bad News! the lid damper is tweaked a lot, http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08661.jpg
I believe I can form it back into shape as I would like to preserve the "N" code, however, since it was heavily used while bent, the plastic damper tab handle is partially melted, and I do not think I can save it! Which leads me to my next question:
Is the plastic damper handle removable, or is it an intragal part of the lid damper on these models?
Next, the ash sweeper mechanism moves freely, but all three blades are bent upward from their center point, their tips are actually hitting on the charcoal grate!... Since I am not familiar with this early ash catcher mounting & sweeper system: should I just plan on replacing the sweeper mechanism ?, or can this condition be repaired ?, any cautionary advice before attempting to dissasemble this older style ash can sweeper assembly?
I Think that is all that needs to be fixed just to make her a functional "Cooker" again, everthing else is minor, or just cosmetic.
I am sure I will have some questions regarding the best suggested methods to address the various cosmetic issues. I will pose those questions later, sometime after I have done at least a cursory clean up on this piece.
I am sure that some of you out there have gone down this road before, and will be able to offer some very sound advice....
Here are a couple more photos just as she was brought home !
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...0041711/IMG_0870.jpg
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08691.jpg
She looks much better in person than her Craigs List photos, so overall I am very pleased with the find, the price, and just having a nice little project to play around with....
Any input / advice will be greatly appreciated !

Corey
 
Great find!!!

See my comment below on concern about the sweeper - if at all possible save your $$$.

""Next, the ash sweeper mechanism moves freely, but all three blades are bent upward from their center point, their tips are actually hitting on the charcoal grate!... Since I am not familiar with this early ash catcher mounting & sweeper system: should I just plan on replacing the sweeper mechanism ?, or can this condition be repaired ?, any cautionary advice before attempting to dissasemble this older style ash can sweeper assembly?""

I ran into a very similar situation and here is what I did. I removed all the grates and disassymbled the sweeper. I then "Soft Fit" the sweeper back into the kettle and looked at the clearance - it was way off on two of the three sweepers. I then used a standard pair of pliers and "lightly" bent one the sweepers to an angle I thought was good. I did this over and over until both the sweepers were a good fit. Then I just buttoned it back up - good as almost new
icon_smile.gif


The whole thing took me ~15 minutes and I saved ~$20.

Good Luck
 
I can't answer your questions, Corey, but congratulations on the score! It looks to be in really good shape considering. That's: considering it seems like someone did some not so nice things to it.

I've been monitoring our regional craigslist looking for that "off the wall" deal that you occasionally get. After all, I got a new, in-the-box WSM for $200 last year. Whose to say I can't find a great Summit deal sometime?

Have fun -- personally, I would first try to bend everything back to normal, then consider replacement parts.

Rich
 
Thanks for all your responses, I will consider and follow any and all advice. I am starting some clean up on it now, and will continue to evaluate this unit as I go, hopefully my business will not interupt my desire to do this today.... Then again making some money is good too !
 
Great find! A little TLC, some black spray paint to touch up the frame, and you'll be ready to post some "after" pictures of this beauty!
 
Nice find Corey, I have the same year Performer without the gas assist start and did a "frame-off restoration". The first thing I would suggest is getting the schematic from the Weber site or they can also email it to you, the original manual is also available. If going the route of ordering new parts from Weber I suggest getting the grill apart and making a list of all needed items and placing one order. At $7 for shipping maybe my experience can save you a little money.

Due to some rust on the support braces for the legs I reconnected the legs by running all-thread through the supports and capping with ss acorn nuts.
I also remember the black tray under the ss lid is no longer a piece Weber sells. Mine was pretty rusted but I cleaned it up and repainted and it came out okay.
The one-touch ash bowl is connected to the kettle with a metal bar that is part of the one-touch sweep blades, as of a few years ago that piece was still available but let me know if not... I may have one somewhere in my garage.

The plastic damper handle is replaceable, my new one was black, I found it easier to remove the old one and install the new one during a cook, the heat made everything a little easier to assemble. Another item I remember using was "bar keepers friend" on the stainless steel, it worked great - kinda like an Ajax material. I know I'm rambling here but either way a call to the Weber 1-800 number would be a good start to get an idea of just what is still available. It may be 20 years old but no reason you couldn't get another 20 more years out of it. Hope something in this was helpful.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">i think its called a 'platinum' </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That is kind of what I was wondering?, I know they had the "Performer", as Well as the "Performer w/Touch & Go".... All the pictures I have found so far, are obviously of the with "Touch & Go" variety, and those all appear to have small caster wheels on the handle end of the frame. This unit I picked up, does not have any small caster wheels, the seller says that it never did, and I believe it because this thing sits level without them !...
I guess the real question here is: Was there a model in between the "Master Touch" & "Performer"(without touch & go) Possibly called a "Platinum" and if so, is that what I have or is it a performer without T & G ????
I might be able to answer my own question on this by just going through the various parts diagrams on Webers web site, time permitting. But if someone out there has a similar year to this, and it is known to be a true "Performer" but without T & G option.. Does it have the little caster wheels on the handle end legs ?

It really is just a curiosity thing... What did I get ?
 
Mike, thank you for your response, very helpful suggestions... and I ramble all the time, so dont worry about that... So you have a 91 Performer Without Touch and Go ignition!... Does it have small caster wheels on the handle end of the frame.. You are just the guy I am looking for to answer that question..
 
Alright, I have it mostly dissassembled now, and with exception of the previously mentioned obvious deficiencies, She is otherwise in very good shape for her age!.. There is almost no rust to speak of on the frame, or the lower wire shelf, just a couple tiny rub spots that will easily clean up. I dont think it will even be necessary to paint the frame for me to be happy with her!, I would say the frame paint is 99% intact, very few, insignificant scratches and chips, nothing that wont clean up, or hide easily. The ash catcher mounting bracket, sweeper arms, etc. survived dissasembly without incident. I am kinda leaning towards getting new sweepers just because these look so bad due to the "Well Seasoned Crud" condition of the insides of the bowl and lid, some new rollers for the lid holder bail, a new (black) performer vent damper handle (I will probably order 4 of those and will stick one on each of her new siblings as well) I am dissapointed that I can't get an OE matching gray one, Oh Well!.. The only real rust to speak of on this one is just on the bolt heads, and I might just get stainless hardware to replace where possible, or I will just wire brush the heads, and hand paint them at reassembly... The biggest challenge that I anticipate on this reconditioning project is: the removal of the "Well Seasoned" crud, inside the bowl & lid, OMFG !... I have never seen crud this thick, or stubborn to remove in my life ! This stuff is thouroughly baked on, and judging by the condition of the ALL the dampers, this thing ran at full boogie high temperture all the time, even the bowl end side of the lid bail rollers, were MELTED to the bowl from high heat, and then broke because they were adhered to the bowl !... Any good suggestions for the "Well Seasoned Crud" removal would be appreciated. I am thinking about taking the bowl and lid to an auto service facitity, for a steam cleaning, because I am not looking forward to slowly chipping away at all this stuff, and damaging the porcelin finish underneath!
 
Sounds like you are well into this project. I replaced the hardware with stainless also, it wasn't necessary but gave it a nice look. Correct on the handle end not having casters but I cut the legs and added them to my grill to make it look like the new models. Again, not necessary but I was on a roll. I also had to replace the rollers on the lid holder bail due to one being melted. I'll keep checking in, please continue the progress reports - have fun!!
 
When I buy a used kettle grill I use a weed burner to burn off the built up crud. I alternate burning and scraping till it's all gone.

Bill
 
Without having seen the crud, I'd suggest you try (1) an overnight application of oven cleaner, or (2) ammonia - this explains how to clean the cooking grates. For the entire inside, you might try putting a large bowl of ammonia inside, shutting all the vents, and letting it sit overnight or longer.
 
Thank Guys, I will keep updating the progress as I go, might be a while though.
Bill I like the weed burner idea, but I dont have one!, Honestly though, this stuff is like cement in places, I have some really caustic industrial strength oven cleaner, and this stuff laughs at it !... There are places where it just pops off in a big solid hunks, and there are places where it seems like a layer of epoxy, fused to the finish.... I have 20 years of experience with my original weber kettle, and I have over the years from time to time, neglected to clean it, and regretted it later, compared to what I have experienced with my old kettle, There is no comparison, I really believe I am dealing with all 20 years of built up, burnt on, fortified crud. It was built up on the back of that tweaked lid damper to about 1/8th " thick minimum, most of it popped of the back of the damper fairly easily but there are two spots that I have been going at with a wood rasp!, and it is only very slowly going away, kinda like JB weld!.
Maybe the heat differential between the materials with the weed burner may help break it loose, I dont think it is going to burn away, and I dont really want to chip at it?
An Interestimg discovery today has me questioning if it is really a 91 model ? Not that it really matters, Just interesting. Today while hosing of the charcoal container, I noticed it had a date code stamped into it, and it is a 92 date code, with a series of dots arranged around it that probably indicate a specific month? So here we go, now I have to wonder if that is the original charcoal bucket, did they use a leftover 91 lid damper, on a 92 model, or is it just a replacement bucket ?? I guess we will never know...
 
I have used a wire brush attached to my angle grinder to remove the black crud..
It can leave some burn marks if you're not careful.
I would lie to try these brass ones as hey may be less of a danger..
Anyone have any thoughts?
Brass Wheel
 
We think a lot alike AJ !
Immediately after my last post I went out on my patio, and while staring at the performer parts scattered about, I thought, "Brass Wire Brush, with an arbor, mounted to my drill motor", (I dont have an angle grinder)
This stuff ABSOLUTELY HAS to come off, if not there is no senseable reason in having the lower dampers installed at all, there is so much build up you could never control air flow from the bottom vents. and they would not sweep out much ash! That build up is what caused the sweeper/lower damper blades to bend into their upward position... (their tips actually made contact with the charcoal grate !!!)

A second option has occured to me:
In the unlikely event that it will not come off to my satisfaction, or at least enough to allow proper sweeper/damper operation, I will just leave the sweeper/damper blades out of the rebuild, and I will make this performer my dedicated Pizza Oven / Forge, all vents wide open all the time for maximum temps for quick Pizza cooks !... Problem solved !... after cool down, I would just sweep the ashes out by hand, and empty the ash can..
 
You'll get it all off.. I can't beleive the layers are so thick.. Someone must have never cleaned it and it just got worse over the years.
You may need to just keep scraping and hacking until you find the bottom.. I would bet all that grease has protected the bowl!
Post a pic, it should be a sight to see..
 
I am sure I can eventually get it all off, I gotta try Larry D's suggestion of ammonia, I had not thought of that, and I think I have some !
Here are some more photos to illustrate what I am dealing with here.
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08662.jpg
look at the build up on the bottom of the damper in this photo
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08751.jpg
this is the bottom of that damper after a lot of work, the black areas are really hard
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08771.jpg
looks a lot better, straightened out well !
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08781.jpg
this is after removing the easy stuff, This is "Well Seasoned"
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08782.jpg
close up of "Well Seasoned"
http://i993.photobucket.com/al...041711/IMG_08801.jpg
when you look at it like this it looks really good ! note how the frame paint cleaned up in one spot, the frame is going to be the easiest part of this job..
 
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