Pristine Summit 450 front firebox panel

[Chris Allingham]

I was doing some July 4 cleanup on my 2002 Summit 450 and decided to check once again the condition of the front firebox panel that y'all gripe and complain about rusting out. I don't know if it's because I don't grill enough or because of the low humidity and rainfall here in San Jose or just due to clean livin' and upstanding morals on my part...but see for yourself. Like new, but 18 years old!

Now watch, I start bragging and next time I check it's turned to dust!

 

[Jon Tofte]

Chris,
I would say yours is a true beauty and a testament to good care - augmented by favorable weather conditions. Whenever I see yours, I start wishing for one of those 1st generation Summits...then I wake up and remember how many unfinished grills I have and what my wife would say if I brought another one home before finishing - and selling - some of them!

 

[Chris Allingham]

A little Simple Green and #0000 steel wool on the lid and we're ready to get started on some of Jim Lampe's Brats in Secret Stadium Sauce.

I think I've shared this story before, but back in the old days I knew a man named Dave who was a Weber CS rep. In August 2002, I told him I was going to buy a Summit as a milestone birthday present for myself. He gave me two pieces of advice: 1) Hurry and buy one of the remaining 2002 models because it was better built than the newly designed 2003 model replacing it, and 2) Buy a Summit with a porcelain enamel hood, not a stainless steel hood...easier to clean and they hold up better over time, so he said. I took his advice on both counts and have no regrets.

 

[LMichaels]

I honestly don't think it has anyting to do with care. Perhaps the climate you live in helps. But just before mine rusted away I noticed the porcelain had hairline cracking and discoloration. I saw that for a long time. Never mentioned it to Weber because I assumed it was because of the heat. But sure enough rust ate it's way in and by the time I realized how serious it was Weber had turned their back on the product and their warranty.

 

[Jon Tofte]

That's one sweet looking grill! HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Larry may well be right, although I think if you let the bottom of your Summit accumulate a lot of grease, salt, etc. and never clean it, I could see how that might accelerate the breakdown of the porcelain he describes. Really, the bottom line is that it was an inherently poor design. I have never really understood why they didn't just make the firebox all cast aluminum like the Genesis.

 

[LMichaels]

That's one sweet looking grill! HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Larry may well be right, although I think if you let the bottom of your Summit accumulate a lot of grease, salt, etc. and never clean it, I could see how that might accelerate the breakdown of the porcelain he describes. Really, the bottom line is that it was an inherently poor design. I have never really understood why they didn't just make the firebox all cast aluminum like the Genesis.

That is one thing I did not let happen with mine. I was very careful with it and even bought plastic scrapers to clean it out with so as not to cause damage. It's just a bad design coupled with very poor support. I mean think about it. You buy a new car. It has an XX year XXXXXXX mile warranty. It breaks and you take it to the dealer. You get a call. "We have good news and bad news on your car". Good news the repair is covered by warranty. Bad news is (company name here) does not make parts for the car any more. But let us connect you to a new car sales person who can help you buy a new car. We'll even throw in a discount. We'll help you buy your new $25K car for $27K. That is what Weber did for me. Explaining they'd offer a courtesy discount on certain Genesis II grills. They sent me a list of what they would help out with and a price list. Of course I wanted to see the new ones in the flesh. Went to Home Depot only to find out that with the "discounts" I was paying 25% more than simply buying one at the store. Yeah great service.
Anyway, Chris I am very glad yours is holding up. I can't explain why yours is and mine didn't. I really wish mine had. I really enjoyed it

 

[JimK]

That grill looks like you just took it out of the box, Chris.

 

[Bruce]

Chris, I think it is a combination of all three to include clean living. Most important may have been the advice the Weber rep gave you.

 

[Bruce]

That grill looks like you just took it out of the box, Chris.

Yah, he keeps trotting it for photos but I have never seen as much as a hot dog cooking on it.

 

[LMichaels]

Chris, I think it is a combination of all three to include clean living. Most important may have been the advice the Weber rep gave you.

What am I missing? What advice?

 

[Bruce]

Larry, the advice by the CS rep to grab the older version of the summit before they were all gone and replaced by the newer version which he deemed inferior in a lot of ways.

 

[LMichaels]

Oh yeah that's why I bought mine. But still had issues

 

[PatrickG]

WOW your grill looks great i live in San Jose also i just picked up this one in Scotts valley talk about abuse i will make it live again at least it was free she said she cooked on it last year o my the picture of the one piece of metal is whats left of the grates the body and cabinet are in good shape

 

[Bruce]

I have seen worse, but that is pretty darn bad. Without a thorough inspection, I would not consider rehabbing that thing. I can just imagine what the inside of the cabinet looks like, not to mention the front of the firebox.

 

[PatrickG]

I have seen worse, but that is pretty darn bad. Without a thorough inspection, I would not consider rehabbing that thing. I can just imagine what the inside of the cabinet looks like, not to mention the front of the firebox.

you know what Bruce there OK hard to believe but not to bad no rust in cabinet i have another body from a built in i am thinking of using with rotisserie and smoker just have to convert it over from nat gas but i am getting parts you have seen worse wow i thought this would take the cake

 

[LMichaels]

On that model (at least for the main burners I cannot speak to the other burners) all you have to do is change the orifices. The valves in that model are continuous so work fine with either gas

 

[Chris Allingham]

Yah, he keeps trotting it for photos but I have never seen as much as a hot dog cooking on it.

I resemble that remark!

Today's brats:



Bacon wrapped garlic sausage stuffed pork loin:



Butternut squash:



Caribbean jerk ribeye steaks:



Cedar-planked goat cheeses:



Chicken kababs:



Flat Iron steak:



Grilled corn in the husk:



Smashed burgers:



And last but certainly not least, one of our favorites...skirt steak:

 

[Ken I]

I resemble that remark!

Today's brats:

View attachment 8596

Bacon wrapped garlic sausage stuffed pork loin:

View attachment 8597

Butternut squash:

View attachment 8598

Caribbean jerk ribeye steaks:

View attachment 8599

Cedar-planked goat cheeses:

View attachment 8600

Chicken kababs:

View attachment 8601

Flat Iron steak:

View attachment 8602

Grilled corn in the husk:

View attachment 8603

Smashed burgers:

View attachment 8604

And last but certainly not least, one of our favorites...skirt steak:

View attachment 8605

Chris you are killing me too funny.
But seriously clean is one thing, but how do you keep the tables from getting scratched up? I just look at my SS summit tables and they scratch...

also,in my admittedly limited experience, the only time I’ve seen the cabinets rust out in summits is if they sit near a swimming pool for a number of years. And I suspect that would be true of any painted steel grill cabinet, especially if they have not been cared for. And even then, sometimes the porcelain Cook box has been fine. Go figure

 

[Ken I]

Here is a good example. 2010 summit 620 sat by a pool for 9 years and he beat the crap out of it. Cabinet completely rusted out, front of cookbox was fine

 

[Bruce]

I resemble that remark!

Today's brats:

View attachment 8596

Bacon wrapped garlic sausage stuffed pork loin:

View attachment 8597

Butternut squash:

View attachment 8598

Caribbean jerk ribeye steaks:

View attachment 8599

Cedar-planked goat cheeses:

View attachment 8600

Chicken kababs:

View attachment 8601

Flat Iron steak:

View attachment 8602

Grilled corn in the husk:

View attachment 8603

Smashed burgers:

View attachment 8604

And last but certainly not least, one of our favorites...skirt steak:

View attachment 8605

Chris, I take it back.