There's no turning back now...


 
Now we're talking. A one owner carfax special of your grill makes it all the more worth it to keep it going. I'm slowly trying to convince myself that most things that were somewhat well built to begin with are infinitely fixable. The x000s are it. I used mine all summer, even today and couldn't imagine anything ever replacing it. When the bottom tray goes, i'll find a sheet metal guy. When the rocker switch bracket goes, maybe time to get a 3d printer. Even Dave in KC redid the porcelain lid. Short of the castings, we should be set for life.
 
Chris Binny said:
A few options as I was told, and I went through the same anxiety myself. But in progressive order, you have to do the following.

1. If you already have a grill you like, keep using that.
2. If you don't want to use your restored grill, you have to sell it.
3. If you don't want to use it or sell it, you have to put it in your living room as a show piece.
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Well, I have three Weber kettles in my home office. 2 are unused Smoky Joes - a classic black with wood Weber handle and an ivory I bought in Germany before you could get them here. My third is a restored "49er" - a black 18" kettle from 1974 "Bar--B-Que Kettle" with the old style wheels, 3 bottom vents, and its original twist-on ash pan. My wife probably thinks it is crazy, but in my office she lets me get by with it. I have also started using space in my office to cure dry paint on parts and assemble gas grills in a clean, dry environment.

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Rich Dahl said:
I've been grilling on the same Weber Gen 1000 now a 2000 for 23 years and it's still looks like new and performs the same.
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I have no doubt of that. Mine still works as good as the day I first put it together. In fact, I still had the original igniter on it. After 20 years of sitting outside in Chicago weather it didn't look so good anymore. If I didn't still use it in the winter I probably would have moved it into a shed until spring every year.
 
Jon Tofte said:
Well, I have three Weber kettles in my home office. 2 are unused Smoky Joes - a classic black with wood Weber handle and an ivory I bought in Germany before you could get them here. My third is a restored "49er" - a black 18" kettle from 1974 "Bar--B-Que Kettle" with the old style wheels, 3 bottom vents, and its original twist-on ash pan. My wife probably thinks it is crazy, but in my office she lets me get by with it. I have also started using space in my office to cure dry paint on parts and assemble gas grills in a clean, dry environment.

View attachment 38767
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We had a grill just like that growing up, I learned to cook on it. It looks brand new, did you have the porcelain redone?
 
Steve Hoch said:
We had a grill just like that growing up, I learned to cook on it. It looks brand new, did you have the porcelain redone?
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No. I got that grill for $10. :coolkettle: While I try to shine it from time to time with Pam, truthfully, that picture is deceiving. It isn't actually as black as it appears. But still, it did come out looking a lot nicer than when I got it.

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Inside unrestored.jpg

Full View of 18 Inch Kettle.jpg
 
Josh Dekubber said:
I hope you still have this gem!!!!
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I don't. That was my first restoration of the grill I had since new. It was a COVID project that I did simultaneously with remodeling my master bathroom. It turned out so nice that I just couldn't get it dirty again. It sat in my garage for a couple years, coming close to using it several times. Finally I put it up for sale at a price I didn't think anyone would meet. I was wrong. I'm afraid the grill I just finished will suffer the same fate.
 
Steve Hoch said:
I don't. That was my first restoration of the grill I had since new. It was a COVID project that I did simultaneously with remodeling my master bathroom. It turned out so nice that I just couldn't get it dirty again. It sat in my garage for a couple years, coming close to using it several times. Finally I put it up for sale at a price I didn't think anyone would meet. I was wrong. I'm afraid the grill I just finished will suffer the same fate.
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Excellent craftsmanship!!
 
MarkCuda said:
When you are ready to let her go, contact me.
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The guy that gave me the original grill saw pictures of what I did to it and told me he wanted to buy it back. I don't know how serious he was but I just told him no. I wish I would have had the budget to have everything sandblasted and powder coated, but then I would have to sell it for $1,000 to feel good about letting it go. I appreciate your interest Mark, I need to stare at it for awhile before I decide what to do with it. If I wasn't such a goof about it I would drag it out on my patio and just start using it, but I can't.
 
Steve Hoch said:
The guy that gave me the original grill saw pictures of what I did to it and told me he wanted to buy it back. I don't know how serious he was but I just told him no. I wish I would have had the budget to have everything sandblasted and powder coated, but then I would have to sell it for $1,000 to feel good about letting it go. I appreciate your interest Mark, I need to stare at it for awhile before I decide what to do with it. If I wasn't such a goof about it I would drag it out on my patio and just start using it, but I can't.
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I totally understand
 
Josh Dekubber said:
I totally understand
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Ha ha, I'm sure you do. The grill I cook on every day is in perfect working condition and I do keep it pretty clean. It has some rust starting on the frame and zbars. The paint is flaking off the cook box and end caps. The black lid has a lot of fade on top. Where does it end? If I take that grill and make it super nice again I won't use that one either. I know there's something wrong with me, I just don't know what it is exactly! 😁
 
Steve Hoch said:
…I would have to sell it for $1,000 to feel good about letting it go.
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The $1000 threshold on a vintage 3 burner like your JD Special certainly isn’t what it used to be. I’m starting to think guys like us who are turning out these projects are probably more intimidated by it nowadays than our buyers are. Powder coating a frame or a lid color change both set the stage to go right by that number if the rest of the project is held to the same standards. I’ve crossed the $1K line twice thus far with restored 3 burner grills (both 1000’s) and will easily clear that number just in costs alone on my current project. With so many other “next-level” projects making a buzz on the forum right now, the $1500 barrier might be the next domino to fall in very short order on these classic cookers. Or has it already and maybe we just haven’t heard much about it? IYKYK. :unsure:;):cool:
 
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