Got my Vieluxe, now what??

[LMichaels]

I get it, I'll bet it was worth it. Especially after you got a chance to bring it back to its prime, much like the present Vieluxe example we are watching now! Some of the Wolf grills I've seen on google look like they have those same heavy duty knobs like our stove does, but there are a surprising number of different style Wolf knobs for different Wolf appliances.

What model is that Wolf grill?

I think it's BBQ36. Same one I think Joe redid IIRC

 

[Bill DeBay]

Does anyone know what this tab on the hood is for? There is only ONE tab on left side:
View attachment 44842
Right side of hood has no tab, and there are no weld marks whatsoever to indicate that it was ever there and subsequently broke off.

Also, when smoker box lid (located on left side) is open, this tab prevents hood from closing. If this is purpose, then why do two other Vieluxe grills on this forum show TWO tabs, one on each side:

Thread 'So this just happened...and this forum is to blame.'
https://tvwbb.com/threads/so-this-just-happened-and-this-forum-is-to-blame.90039/


Thread 'Greetings from New Jersey'
https://tvwbb.com/threads/greetings-from-new-jersey.78705/

There should be a tab on both the left side and the right side of the hood. The tabs serve as a mechanism to stop the hood when it reaches the proper closure point. The hood is likely to properly close with only one tab but a full restoration would require the addition of the second tab.

 

[Loc]

There should be a tab on both the left side and the right side of the hood. The tabs serve as a mechanism to stop the hood when it reaches the proper closure point. The hood is likely to properly close with only one tab but a full restoration would require the addition of the second tab.

Thanks Bill, that’s what I thought too. Unlike other Vieluxe grills on this forum that I’ve seen, mine looks like they never welded the right side tab on. No weld marks whatsoever. My lid seems to close straight and not cockeyed though. Maybe I got a factory reject, the runt unicorn

 

[Bill DeBay]

Thanks Bill, that’s what I thought too. Unlike other Vieluxe grills on this forum that I’ve seen, mine looks like they never welded the right side tab on. No weld marks whatsoever. My lid seems to close straight and not cockeyed though. Maybe I got a factory reject, the runt unicorn

You may be missing the second tab but you lucked out on a good set of burners. Your burners look to be burning nice and clean with no noticeable rust damage. Hopefully you will get lots of use before having to deal with the replacement problem. When I got my 4 burner Vieluxe the burners were shot. Of course, that is the reason it was up for sale.

 

[R Chin]

Hi - before starting a new thread I thought I would add to this comprehensive rehab

Longtime 1st gen Summit 450 owner here and I just bought a well loved Vieluxe 44 that will be delivered next week

Both igniters inoperative
All burners light manually but need servicing - maybe replacement
Rotisserie and side burners working normally
All flavorizer bars are crumbling - even the smoker extensions

Anyways, what started me on this Vieluxe journey was my Summit 450 dropped its grease trough and further examination shows that it needs a complete rebuild - almost all internal speed nuts gone or corroded and the front firebox is corroding as detailed in this thread

2nd Chance for a True Weber Classic: A 1998 1st Generation Summit 450

This thread will probably die down and get revived as I try hard to carve out even a little time here and there to work on the 1st generation Summit I bought from @LMichaels. Yes, those of you who have been on TVWBB for some time probably know the problematic story behind this grill. While...

tvwbb.com

When I realized how extensive the rebuild would be, my wife asked if it would be easier to buy a new grill. The little rotisserie started spinning in my head and I checked my Craigslist for the unicorn Vieluxe I had always yearned for and found one newly listed down the road…

So I have a Gen 1 Summit and a new to me Vieluxe that both need rebuilding and I figured I would try to streamline and reuse as many common and available parts as possible

Thanks for any help

 

[Bruce]

Well, good luck. I hope it will be a rewarding journey for you. Owning and using a Vieluxe is a dream for a lot Weber gas grill owners.

I wish I could offer some advice, but I am not familiar with either line to be of much assistance. What I would suggest is to do a lot of research and examination before buying a lot of parts. You could find that you are traveling down a road that has a dead end, or at least changes from paved to logging road.

 

[R Chin]

Questions I have for Vieluxe owners

Are there any original Vieluxe parts available from Weber or other source?
Does the smoker work well or is not worth the trouble to use or for me to repair?
Do the burners clean up well with just a brush, wire wheel or require rodding/punching?
Any replacement known for hood thermometer?