Restoring Genesis Grills?

[Jon Tofte]

Here is a video of my grandfather talking about it. He has passed now, but I am very happy we got this recorded on video before he passed. This was recorded back about 25-30 years ago.

Bruce,

What a treasure! I wish I had something like that from some of my wife's family. Her great-grandfather lived to be 100 with a sharp mind and for a time went out west as a real cowboy in the 1880s. His real stories were like listening to all those Westerns about that time period.

Jon

 

[Greg M]

Here is a video of my grandfather talking about it. He has passed now, but I am very happy we got this recorded on video before he passed. This was recorded back about 25-30 years ago.

That's awesome Bruce. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bruce]

Thanks guys, yah, I have watched that clip dozens of times. But, I think about the old guy a lot. When I was young, he took me out Pheaseant hunting several times. That was back in the 70's when there were still a few around. But he told me of the times when he was young, they would go out pheasant hunting and he would have to stop shooting because his shotgun was too hot to hold any more. It is hard to imagine. Of course it seems like that is a terrible thing, but it was legal back then and the decline in pheasants in the area was more to do with habitat than over harvesting.
Here is an advertising photo from when he was 6 years old. It is him and his brother and the family owned the town meat market in Elmore, MN. It on the MN and Iowa state line. They actually rode the cart and goats all around town like that. My grandfather is on the right side of the cart.

Too bad the family doesn't still own the meat market. Just think of the use I could get out of my Webers.

 

[LMichaels]

Way cool stuff. I only knew one of my grandfathers. My paternal one. He came from a farming and wine making background to the US from the northeastern part of Italy. I guess from what my mother told me about my maternal grandfather is he was mobbed up and was killed in a bar shootout. I don't know much more and who knows if it was true or not, but I don't know why she would make that up. The grandpa I knew was one of the best people to ever be put on this earth though. He worked in heavy construction until well into his 80's too.

 

[Rich Dahl]

My Grandfather ran booze in his Chris Craft speedboat up and down the shores of Lake Michigan from Chicago during prohibition. It was a 1928 which he pulled the stock motor out of it and put a warmed over Ford flathead V8 into it. He got chased by the feds a few times but he could easy out run them, never got caught.
After prohibition was over he had a house on Fox lake and kept it there and in the summers until his passing we would cruise the lake in it.
It was sold at his estate sale for $300, sure wish I had it today.

 

[Bruce]

Sounds cool. He might have known Capone.

Yah, that fox lake house is probably worth a little more than $300 now.

 

[Greg M]

You guys that knew your grandfathers are really lucky. One of mine passed away years before I was born. The other when I was 5. Thankfully my two boys got to know their grandfathers very well.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Sounds cool. He might have known Capone.

Yah, that fox lake house is probably worth a little more than $300 now.

The boat was the thing that sold for $300 the house went for $35,000 I believe and that was in 1966. My Dad said my grandfather knew a lot of people in the mob, but my grandfather would never talk about it.

 

[DaveW]

I actually like closed carts. As much as I love the old Genesis products the open cart was the only thing I truly disliked about them. I honestly do not think the closed cart is the major reason behind the rust out either and I can almost guarantee it will not be long before we see the new GII types rotting away. IMO it's more due to the cheap steel they began using when they began switching to Chinese production.
Sorry I don't "temper" anything. I tend to be forward and blunt. TO the point some people think I am intimidating (though that is certainly not my intent). I just tend to be direct, to the point and I don't pussyfoot around. Though I tend to do my best to be "diplomatic" LOL

.Thing is, ALL of Weber's closed cart models have issues with the cart bottoms rusting out. Starting with the 2005/6 Genny Silver and Golds, to the 300 series with E/W burners, to the 300's with N/S burners. I don't know if it was bad design (lack of air flow), poor coatings, cheap metal or what, but those carts just have issues in most cases.

 

[Bruce]

Yep, every weber closed cart grill I have acquired to rehab has had significant rust issues inside the cart. I can't vouch for how they were cared for, but they all have issues. I have a 2012 E310 that is bad. I had a Spirit that was so bad that I had to replace the whole drip pan and support bracket. It was pretty much gone and maybe a ten year old grill.
I have not seen one without problematic rust. The corners, creases and the spot that the propane tank rests is the worst.

 

[Jon Tofte]

.Thing is, ALL of Weber's closed cart models have issues with the cart bottoms rusting out. Starting with the 2005/6 Genny Silver and Golds, to the 300 series with E/W burners, to the 300's with N/S burners. I don't know if it was bad design (lack of air flow), poor coatings, cheap metal or what, but those carts just have issues in most cases.

Yeah, I agree. I bet the one exception to this is the earlier generation Summit Platinum which had a stainless frame and ALL stainless cart pieces - bottom sides and back:

I have rehabbed several 300 series Genesis grills, both the first "E-W" and the later "N-S". I have been fortunate to be able to use 304 stainless bottoms and on most backs that my sheet metal shop friend fabricated for me:

BEFORE

AFTER STAINLESS BOTTOM AND BACK

Even with these stainless parts I still had to POR-15 rust problems on the side frame pieces. The stainless parts definitely will help prevent new rust, but you would still have to watch the painted metal frames carefully and go after the first signs of rust's return.

 

[LMichaels]

I still prefer a cabinet to having all the accessories just sitting on an open shelf. I too don't know for sure what causes the issue. I can tell you that the cart on my Summit is not rusting out BUT the lower shelf on my old Summit is a wire rack. However a wire rack is MUCH harder to make and ultimately more expensive than a simple piece of cheap stamped steel that is powder coated

 

[Stefan H]

However a wire rack is MUCH harder to make and ultimately more expensive than a simple piece of cheap stamped steel that is powder coated

I wish that would be the case. For the Gold C I just got the replacement bottom shelf is a whooping $190!!!!. The wire rack just costs around $45.

But coming back to the original question about what I love about the the older Weber:
- East - West direction of burners. Perfect for using a rotisserie. No need for a back burner.
- Sold frame construction.
- Large wheels. I have a cobble stone patio where I need to move my grill occasional depending what I am grilling or smoking and these office chair wheels on many of the newer Weber are useless.
- Fold up tables. I will never understand why Weber discontinued these.