Bob Farace
TVWBB Member
Hi from Connecticut, not known for barbecue but we still enjoy it. We are, however, known for pizza (or “apizza” as it‘s known in the New Haven area), and I’ve been enjoying making pizza on the grill.
I first got a Simpsons model Weber grill as a wedding gift when I got married in 2000. I no longer have the wife, but I still have the grill.
We were married late in the summer and never actually opened the box until the following spring, at which time I found that the kettle and lid had a couple of chips in it. I called Weber, expecting an argument, but the customer service rep just asked for the date code on the vent, and then told me they’d send out replacement parts right away. I was expecting to have to send back the damaged parts, but she told me no, if I could use them to just keep them. Replacement kettle and lid arrived shortly thereafter, along with a copy of the free guide they were giving out at the time on how to grill pizza. I was very happy with Weber customer service (my parents got good service, too, when Weber sent them a new igniter for their gas grill for free.)
Fast forward 21 years and believe it or not, I have never gotten around to installing the replacement kettle and lid—they’re still in the original shipping cartons out in the garage loft. The original damaged parts are much worse for wear and have acquired a few more chips in the finish. I thought that I was going to look around for an otherwise trashed Weber that has good legs, ash can, sweeper, and other parts and try to put together a second grill with the replacement parts. Having acquired more extended family since my partner has been here, it has become clear that there are times it would be useful to have two grills going, especially when our son-in-law, who is Creole from New Orleans, comes by and starts in on his Cajun cooking. (I’m actually vegetarian, but man, I can still smell-feed!) I’ve since been informed that the Simpsons grill has become a collector’s item, and that I might want to rethink my plan; someone would probably pay me good money for the new-in-box lid and bowl.
Which didn’t solve my immediate problem of needing a second grill. We had a party coming up the weekend before Memorial Day and a second grill would be useful. As it turned out, we found a used third-generation Performer nearby, well taken care of, in the Red Brick color for $100. They had never even used the gas-assist charcoal lighter—it still had the plastic cap on it. Seemed like a no-brainer so we grabbed it. We’ll probably mod it with the larger lid bail from the fourth-gen Performer, but so far it’s been great. Came in handy for the party, and last weekend when family came over and we made individual pizzas.
Then we got an itch to find the Weber wok. And we wanted to find a grill for our grandson. As luck would have it, we saw an ad for someone selling a green One Touch Plus, with a wok, and also a chimney starter and two bags of Kingsford Professional, all for $50. Another no-brainer. So now we have three kettles in the yard until we can clean up this one and bring it to our grandson. I don’t intend to collect these, two should be enough, but I’d have a hard time passing up something interesting if it comes along.
I first got a Simpsons model Weber grill as a wedding gift when I got married in 2000. I no longer have the wife, but I still have the grill.
We were married late in the summer and never actually opened the box until the following spring, at which time I found that the kettle and lid had a couple of chips in it. I called Weber, expecting an argument, but the customer service rep just asked for the date code on the vent, and then told me they’d send out replacement parts right away. I was expecting to have to send back the damaged parts, but she told me no, if I could use them to just keep them. Replacement kettle and lid arrived shortly thereafter, along with a copy of the free guide they were giving out at the time on how to grill pizza. I was very happy with Weber customer service (my parents got good service, too, when Weber sent them a new igniter for their gas grill for free.)
Fast forward 21 years and believe it or not, I have never gotten around to installing the replacement kettle and lid—they’re still in the original shipping cartons out in the garage loft. The original damaged parts are much worse for wear and have acquired a few more chips in the finish. I thought that I was going to look around for an otherwise trashed Weber that has good legs, ash can, sweeper, and other parts and try to put together a second grill with the replacement parts. Having acquired more extended family since my partner has been here, it has become clear that there are times it would be useful to have two grills going, especially when our son-in-law, who is Creole from New Orleans, comes by and starts in on his Cajun cooking. (I’m actually vegetarian, but man, I can still smell-feed!) I’ve since been informed that the Simpsons grill has become a collector’s item, and that I might want to rethink my plan; someone would probably pay me good money for the new-in-box lid and bowl.
Which didn’t solve my immediate problem of needing a second grill. We had a party coming up the weekend before Memorial Day and a second grill would be useful. As it turned out, we found a used third-generation Performer nearby, well taken care of, in the Red Brick color for $100. They had never even used the gas-assist charcoal lighter—it still had the plastic cap on it. Seemed like a no-brainer so we grabbed it. We’ll probably mod it with the larger lid bail from the fourth-gen Performer, but so far it’s been great. Came in handy for the party, and last weekend when family came over and we made individual pizzas.
Then we got an itch to find the Weber wok. And we wanted to find a grill for our grandson. As luck would have it, we saw an ad for someone selling a green One Touch Plus, with a wok, and also a chimney starter and two bags of Kingsford Professional, all for $50. Another no-brainer. So now we have three kettles in the yard until we can clean up this one and bring it to our grandson. I don’t intend to collect these, two should be enough, but I’d have a hard time passing up something interesting if it comes along.
