Well hello to everybody. Brand new guy here. I’ve been an old-school original summit fan since 2000 when I bought my 450.I started looking online for the steam-n- chips smoke kit(model#9965). Of course weber doesn’t make this along with many other parts for the old Summit. Tried and tried but could not find one anywhere on any website. But it led me to Letgo which is now Offerup and craigslist. Well guess what, I found a 1999 Weber 625NG with a side burner for $300. It was located 125 miles from my house, real close to where I was stationed in the Navy (Long time ago). So yes I drove and got it ,mostly for the sideburner. This model did not have the stainless steel sides. But it did have a two piece stainless bottom shelf. So I then started looking for stainless steel sides which of course Weber doesn’t make any more. But guess what, I found another 650NG in New Jersey much farther away. This one had the stainless steel sides. And yes, it had the Smokebox. That one cost me $500.
So in my quest to find a smoke box, which ended up costing me $800 I’m all set. Then my wheels started turning. I wanted on my deck, the 650, with the stainless sides, and the side burner, and the smoke box. But living in Rhinebeck New York there’s no such thing as natural gas. Back to the Internet to figure out how to convert to propane. Called Weber, but forget that. Then I found a video on YouTube with no words but somebody demonstrating how to do this. Words popped up where to buy the orifice and where to buy the #62 drill bit. if you go to eBay you can spend up to $100 to buy the proper millimeter orifice. But the YouTube video sent me to (the bbq depot.com)in Hollywood Florida.7 x 6 mm orifice model # 31500 fit. But you have to drill the hole a tiny bit larger with the # 62 drill bit.$2.66 Per orifice X 6 burners,1 side burner=$18.62 plus $8.95 shipping.
Sorry, I know this is a really long post but nobody around here is a fan of 20-year-old grills like me. All 3 Summit’s that I own now, only one has the hinged cooking grate to fill up the smoke box. If I can find 2 more smoke boxes, then I will splurge for the $175 hinged cooking grates. I am still also searching for the extra flip up side burner for boiling water.
Both of the 650s,I completely took every nut and bolt off, sanded the aluminum sides, repainted, pressure washed everything. I also got all new igniters and crossover burner tubes. Everything else on these grills was in excellent shape for being 20 years old. These were hardly used. The whole bottom where the tubes go in are in perfect shape. I know this is where the holes get larger because of the heat, but not these (Yet).
So every morning with my coffee I search the websites for random old summits. Not many show up but occasionally there is one. On that note, if you look at the posts yesterday on a weber summit FT 400. Guess who bought it? Price was way up there but it was non-negotiable. It’s in such pristine shape I’m afraid to cook on it. Did I need a fourth summit-NNNNOOOOO. But I’ve never seen the FT model before. Now I find out there’s an FT 600. Which there is a picture of one on this website. If I ever move to Australia, I know there’s a lot there.
If anybody has a side burner or the 9965 smoke box and wants to give it up let me know. Or an FT 600 I’ll take that. I called Webber to find out the model number or serial number on the side burner for my registered 450(261101). No information. The one I have has a tag on the back but the numbers are gone. Weber should engrave this info into the units they sell.
Well happy grilling everyone. My next post should be one or two lines like everybody else leaves. Ahh, now I see how to take a photo. First picture I’ll send of my modified update at 650,then my blue 450, And yes I’ll tease you guys with the FT 400. The person I got this from removed the post. The other 650 is in the back of my garage so no photos there.
So in my quest to find a smoke box, which ended up costing me $800 I’m all set. Then my wheels started turning. I wanted on my deck, the 650, with the stainless sides, and the side burner, and the smoke box. But living in Rhinebeck New York there’s no such thing as natural gas. Back to the Internet to figure out how to convert to propane. Called Weber, but forget that. Then I found a video on YouTube with no words but somebody demonstrating how to do this. Words popped up where to buy the orifice and where to buy the #62 drill bit. if you go to eBay you can spend up to $100 to buy the proper millimeter orifice. But the YouTube video sent me to (the bbq depot.com)in Hollywood Florida.7 x 6 mm orifice model # 31500 fit. But you have to drill the hole a tiny bit larger with the # 62 drill bit.$2.66 Per orifice X 6 burners,1 side burner=$18.62 plus $8.95 shipping.
Sorry, I know this is a really long post but nobody around here is a fan of 20-year-old grills like me. All 3 Summit’s that I own now, only one has the hinged cooking grate to fill up the smoke box. If I can find 2 more smoke boxes, then I will splurge for the $175 hinged cooking grates. I am still also searching for the extra flip up side burner for boiling water.
Both of the 650s,I completely took every nut and bolt off, sanded the aluminum sides, repainted, pressure washed everything. I also got all new igniters and crossover burner tubes. Everything else on these grills was in excellent shape for being 20 years old. These were hardly used. The whole bottom where the tubes go in are in perfect shape. I know this is where the holes get larger because of the heat, but not these (Yet).
So every morning with my coffee I search the websites for random old summits. Not many show up but occasionally there is one. On that note, if you look at the posts yesterday on a weber summit FT 400. Guess who bought it? Price was way up there but it was non-negotiable. It’s in such pristine shape I’m afraid to cook on it. Did I need a fourth summit-NNNNOOOOO. But I’ve never seen the FT model before. Now I find out there’s an FT 600. Which there is a picture of one on this website. If I ever move to Australia, I know there’s a lot there.
If anybody has a side burner or the 9965 smoke box and wants to give it up let me know. Or an FT 600 I’ll take that. I called Webber to find out the model number or serial number on the side burner for my registered 450(261101). No information. The one I have has a tag on the back but the numbers are gone. Weber should engrave this info into the units they sell.
Well happy grilling everyone. My next post should be one or two lines like everybody else leaves. Ahh, now I see how to take a photo. First picture I’ll send of my modified update at 650,then my blue 450, And yes I’ll tease you guys with the FT 400. The person I got this from removed the post. The other 650 is in the back of my garage so no photos there.
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