Jim H.
TVWBB All-Star
Well, new to me anyway.
Finally found an SS Performer on CL. Great shape, minus the propane tank & hose. Igniter works and burner appears to be clear and in good shape if I should decide to go with the gas assist in the future. This one was gunky and dirty, but not rusty. Had a few surface rust spots that buffed out with a Brillo pad. Inside the bowl cleaned up perfectly, looking like it had very little use, and the cooking grate looks like new after a brief bath in Easy Off. Spent a couple of hours getting it clean, then fired it up with a full chimney of KBlue spread out across the charcoal grate for about an hour to burn off cleaners & remaining gunk. The charcoal grate was a little rusty but not warped or broken, so it is ready to be used. The wire charcoal baskets were also a little gunky, but they cleaned up pretty well too.
All in all, I think I did OK. First purchase for this grill will be a cover when I find one for a reasonable price.
Here are some pics of the finished product. Would have posted some before pics, but I was too eager to get it cleaned up and left my phone in the house until after cleaning. That way, my phone doesn't accidentally go swimming while cleaning the grill.
EE=1999.
A few frame scratches right above the logo. Nothing too severe and no rust, but I couldn't clean them up. Bowl cleaned up very well. Shiny like a new (green) penny.
The inside bowl looks spotless after cleanup. The one-touch damper arms are in nearly perfect shape for being 13 years old. They seal up well, move easily and are not warped. Just a little surface rust here & there but I got the majority of that cleaned off. Grate support straps are not bent and aren't rusted. Burner tube appears to be clean inside & out.
The cooking grate scrubbed up well after a short soak in Easy Off oven cleaner.
The thermo is not only present, but works. I was too eager to cook on my new toy to test the thermometer, but I will see how far off it is soon.
Stainless top only had a few surface rust spots, which cleaned up easily with a Brillo pad. Storage bin was clean and included about half a 16 lb. bag of KBlue and half a bag of hickory chunks. Bonus!
Here it is all cleaned up. It was easier than I expected, and I tightened up all the bolts & screws just to keep it sturdy and to verify that none of the fasteners were missing.
If this were a car, I'd be driving it around.
Please ignore my yard full of weeds.
If anybody else is looking for a special grill (not black, something rare, etc.) I would be looking at CL/Ebay now, as it seems that people are getting rid of good grills at this time. I missed out on a black SS Performer a couple of weeks ago in my local CL and I had a feeling that another one would come up soon. Finding this one was definitely worth being patient for a few months and looking around until I found one I like. This means I have crossed two items off my Weber wish list - a clean SS Performer, and any color not called black. Will post pics of the first cook tonight when it isn't so late. You didn't think I would go to the trouble of cleaning it up like this and not cook on it too, did ya?
Well, thanks for looking! Hope you find the Weber you are looking for. Keep looking. It's out there!
Finally found an SS Performer on CL. Great shape, minus the propane tank & hose. Igniter works and burner appears to be clear and in good shape if I should decide to go with the gas assist in the future. This one was gunky and dirty, but not rusty. Had a few surface rust spots that buffed out with a Brillo pad. Inside the bowl cleaned up perfectly, looking like it had very little use, and the cooking grate looks like new after a brief bath in Easy Off. Spent a couple of hours getting it clean, then fired it up with a full chimney of KBlue spread out across the charcoal grate for about an hour to burn off cleaners & remaining gunk. The charcoal grate was a little rusty but not warped or broken, so it is ready to be used. The wire charcoal baskets were also a little gunky, but they cleaned up pretty well too.
All in all, I think I did OK. First purchase for this grill will be a cover when I find one for a reasonable price.
Here are some pics of the finished product. Would have posted some before pics, but I was too eager to get it cleaned up and left my phone in the house until after cleaning. That way, my phone doesn't accidentally go swimming while cleaning the grill.
EE=1999.
A few frame scratches right above the logo. Nothing too severe and no rust, but I couldn't clean them up. Bowl cleaned up very well. Shiny like a new (green) penny.
The inside bowl looks spotless after cleanup. The one-touch damper arms are in nearly perfect shape for being 13 years old. They seal up well, move easily and are not warped. Just a little surface rust here & there but I got the majority of that cleaned off. Grate support straps are not bent and aren't rusted. Burner tube appears to be clean inside & out.
The cooking grate scrubbed up well after a short soak in Easy Off oven cleaner.
The thermo is not only present, but works. I was too eager to cook on my new toy to test the thermometer, but I will see how far off it is soon.
Stainless top only had a few surface rust spots, which cleaned up easily with a Brillo pad. Storage bin was clean and included about half a 16 lb. bag of KBlue and half a bag of hickory chunks. Bonus!
Here it is all cleaned up. It was easier than I expected, and I tightened up all the bolts & screws just to keep it sturdy and to verify that none of the fasteners were missing.
If this were a car, I'd be driving it around.
If anybody else is looking for a special grill (not black, something rare, etc.) I would be looking at CL/Ebay now, as it seems that people are getting rid of good grills at this time. I missed out on a black SS Performer a couple of weeks ago in my local CL and I had a feeling that another one would come up soon. Finding this one was definitely worth being patient for a few months and looking around until I found one I like. This means I have crossed two items off my Weber wish list - a clean SS Performer, and any color not called black. Will post pics of the first cook tonight when it isn't so late. You didn't think I would go to the trouble of cleaning it up like this and not cook on it too, did ya?
Well, thanks for looking! Hope you find the Weber you are looking for. Keep looking. It's out there!
