This Siren Call is a lot harder to ignore!


 
Jon Tofte

Jon Tofte

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
This Summit Siren Call is a lot harder to ignore!

You may have seen my various rants about the current (3rd) generation Summits, especially my thread "Not listening to the siren call." (If you own one of these, I really don't mean to be offensive. Enjoy it and take extra special care of it so that it lasts.)

I stumbled across this mislabeled "Weber grill 4 burner" today and have to admit it keeps beckoning for my attention. Fortunately, it is 4 hours away, and this time of year it is highly impractical for me to spend a day and a bunch on gas to get yet another grill, no matter how cool.

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/app/d/ponte-vedra-weber-grill-4-burner-and/6789418030.html

This is the FIRST generation Summit in the larger 6-burner configuration. I have never actually seen any first generation Summit in person but have followed what others have said about them. They are well made grills, maybe the best Weber made besides the magical Vieluxe. It is rare to see one for sale anywhere in Florida.

M18EoT9.jpg


Unfortunately, Weber no longer supports these cool old grills (warranties not withstanding as Larry Michaels can tell you). That is a problem, because like other Summits, this one has issues with burn-through of the porcelain-plated steel front of the firebox. Since I don't have direct experience, I can only speculate as to what it would take to fabricate a stainless steel replacement for this critical part.

Other than that, I think these are really nice grills. Love the large stainless side shelves and the heavy duty frame. (You may have seen this frame construction on some of the early Genesis Gold and Platinum grills that shared some of the same parts.) There are no inside pictures of this CL offering, so a lot of questions. I do know from what Larry says that they featured rcplanebuyer-quality stainless bar grates. The 4-burner Summit grates are interchangeable with a Genesis 1000/Silver/Gold/Platinum. I don't know if the 6 burner grills had three of these same size or a different size grate altogether.

If this grill was close by, I would definitely go and look. If the grates were decent and interchangeable, something close to the asking price would be worth it just for them alone.

ZoBmgB1.jpg


Of course, my ever over-reaching imagination sees a REALLY FUN restoration job. But, I doubt it could be resold at anything but a loss. And, my backyard Weber museum is, unfortunately, more than full:(. I wish I could get it and give it a good home, but there is just no way.

So, I will try to ignore the siren call again, but...
 
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Yah, I hear you there Jon.

I have a question about the SS panel in the fire box? Do these things have SS fire boxes or are they aluminum like the Genesis? Or is it a combination?

Also, besides the greats on the first generation, do ALL Summits suffer from that SS panel burn through?
 
Jon Tofte said:
You may have seen my various rants about the current (3rd) generation Summits, especially my thread "Not listening to the siren call." (If you own one of these, I really don't mean to be offensive. Enjoy it and take extra special care of it so that it lasts.)

I stumbled across this mislabeled "Weber grill 4 burner" today and have to admit it keeps beckoning for my attention. Fortunately, it is 4 hours away, and this time of year it is highly impractical for me to spend a day and a bunch on gas to get yet another grill, no matter how cool.

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/app/d/ponte-vedra-weber-grill-4-burner-and/6789418030.html

This is the FIRST generation Summit in the larger 6-burner configuration. I have never actually seen any first generation Summit in person but have followed what others have said about them. They are well made grills, maybe the best Weber made besides the magical Vieluxe. It is rare to see one for sale anywhere in Florida.

M18EoT9.jpg


Unfortunately, Weber no longer supports these cool old grills (warranties not withstanding as Larry Michaels can tell you). That is a problem, because like other Summits, this one has issues with burn-through of the porcelain-plated steel front of the firebox. Since I don't have direct experience, I can only speculate as to what it would take to fabricate a stainless steel replacement for this critical part.

Other than that, I think these are really nice grills. Love the large stainless side shelves and the heavy duty frame. (You may have seen this frame construction on some of the early Genesis Gold and Platinum grills that shared some of the same parts.) There are no inside pictures of this CL offering, so a lot of questions. I do know from what Larry says that they featured rcplanebuyer-quality stainless bar grates. The 4-burner Summit grates are interchangeable with a Genesis 1000/Silver/Gold/Platinum. I don't know if the 6 burner grills had three of these same size or a different size grate altogether.

If this grill was close by, I would definitely go and look. If the grates were decent and interchangeable, something close to the asking price would be worth it just for them alone.

ZoBmgB1.jpg


Of course, my ever over-reaching imagination sees a REALLY FUN restoration job. But, I doubt it could be resold at anything but a loss. And, my backyard Weber museum is, unfortunately, more than full:(. I wish I could get it and give it a good home, but there is just no way.

So, I will try to ignore the siren call again, but...
Click to expand...

Here is the frame with a Genesis Platinum...

FkbUqry.jpg


2MRn2Ix.jpg


snGIHJC.jpg


The "Budweiser" grill is almost complete. I should have the sides installed by this weekend.
 
Bruce said:
Yah, I hear you there Jon.

I have a question about the SS panel in the fire box? Do these things have SS fire boxes or are they aluminum like the Genesis? Or is it a combination?

Also, besides the greats on the first generation, do ALL Summits suffer from that SS panel burn through?
Click to expand...

Bruce,

I believe that all three generations of Summits have fireboxes that are part cast aluminum and part regular steel that has been porcelain coated. Why they did that is a bit of a mystery, but I personally think it has something to do with the fact that some models of these grills offered a rear infrared burner. I think they needed partial steel construction to make it easier to incorporate this feature. I admit, however, that this is just a guess. The porcelain coating inevitably breaks off as contraction and expansion affects it differently over time from the underlying steel. Then the rust demons set in:mad:...Eventually, you have a dangerous grill.

Some have reported that their second generation Summits have a stainless steel front rather than porcelain coated regular steel. Presumably, this would last much, much longer.

I have never heard of anyone claiming that for a first generation Summit, and regular members here know how much grief Larry Michaels has gone through with his first generation Summit because of this issue. Otherwise, I believe he still extolls the quality and grilling virtues of this grill.

The solution would seem to be to have a sheet metal shop fabricate a stainless steel replacement part. Having not seen one in person, I don't know what it would take. Might be really expensive for thick gauge 304 stainless.

Another nice thing about this grill is that the closed in cabinet had a wire rack bottom. This let it breathe, and these grills are not nearly so susceptible to rust.

Maybe Larry would be wiling to add more commentary and opinion?
 
So my brother and his wife have a 4 burner 2nd gen Summit. I just went to his house a couple months ago and did a refurb on it for him. New burners, igniters, flavo bars and a good cleaning. I can tell you his grill has a stainless steel front panel in the trouble area of the 1st gen Summit. The beauty of the 1st gen Summit is 1st it's cooking performance. (exemplary though one fatal flaw rotisserie is useless as burner orientation and lack of rear burner is horrible oversight). But for straight up grilling and roasting you cannot find a finer grill to cook with bar none. And yes the grates on the 4 and 6 burner are interchangeable to the 1st and 2nd generations of Genesis. The 6 burner has 3 and the 4 burner has 2. It's a rock solid grill and if someone could make a GOOD SS panel for the front of the fire box it could be a genuine forever grill. It's got a simplicity and ruggedness only matched by the original Genesis. In the 2nd gen Summit they made things less rugged and simple but still very good performance and on some at least did something about the front firebox issue. But maintenance parts like flavo bars are so expensive you could buy another grill for what they cost. If you don't care about rotisserie the 1st gen is "Da Bomb". Jon, of you have access to a shop to make a front panel I can tell you that this 6 burner would be worth your effort if not as a flip as a "keeper".
FWIW the major flaw in this design was trying to use porcelain on that front panel. The constant expansion/contraction in areas with different curves and openings causes the porcelain to crack and fail. No amount of care and cleaning can prevent it. Once it cracks all is lost.
BTW if that grill still has all it's original parts it's worth the ask just for the grates!
 
Yah, that one would be tempting at only $10. I would probably jump on it for that price thinking the cabinet is probably OK as it isn't all that old.

THere is absolutely nothing popping around my area right now. The old kettles are even getting scarce. With temps to hit -25 Tuesday and -24 on Wednesday, I just don't think anyone is interested grills and grilling.
 
Update

I am still seeing it on Jacksonville Craigslist. "Weber grill 4-burner and side burner." Updated to today. Maybe he canceled the old ad when you were looking and reposted a new one.

The temptation is back:mad:!

Oh, listening to that siren call:rolleyes:, I did take a look at e-replacements to get an idea of parts availability. About like the Vieluxe... Good luck replacing most parts, although burners are available (expensive). You will probably have to get Dave Santana "rcplanebuyer" to make you flavorizer bars (and grates, if absolutely necessary), but they would at least be long-term fixes.

The $100 would probably wind up being just a small down-payment on getting one of these things really up to snuff. Fabricating a new burner front would, I suspect, be pretty pricey as well.

Just say, "No, Jon!" Just say "NO!!!!"
 
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Bruce said:
Joh, I think he was talking about the Weber Spirit three burner near Dallas.
Click to expand...

Yes, sorry about that. It would have been nice if were actually gone...It looks like such a great and pretty rare grill. In another life I would have time and $ for all these crazy ideas. I took an hour or to again clean up and organize my project backlog. I also put some time in on my Platinum. I quickly counted three or four backlogged projects that also were "tempting" at the time I went and got them. It is only right to clear out some of those first, especially when I have no viable location for this cool old 1st generation Summit.
 
Damn, I'd love to have the right side sideburner assembly as I have one of those sitting in my drive way right now with a roached burner. That thing is a tank. Yes, it can suffer from the fron panel burnout/rust through, but that can be dealt with. I'd be all over it if it was within 30 miles of me.
 
DaveW said:
Damn, I'd love to have the right side sideburner assembly as I have one of those sitting in my drive way right now with a roached burner. That thing is a tank. Yes, it can suffer from the fron panel burnout/rust through, but that can be dealt with. I'd be all over it if it was within 30 miles of me.
Click to expand...

I would too. Trouble is that while it is in Florida it is 260 miles, one way, from me! An over 500 mile round trip, pretty much a whole day consumed - with the potential risk of a "no show". It is so tempting but it would really be crazy to go after this grill. And if I got it and still stayed caught up on everything else, I would still be in the dog house when I got back home and unloaded that beast:p! First question would be, "And where do you propose to put THAT thing?!!!"
 
Chris in GA said:
Rule number 1 for me. If the burners are no longer manufactured by Weber i will not buy the grill.
Click to expand...

That is probably a really good rule that will keep you out of a lot of trouble. At least the leftover oem stock is not fully depleted - yet.

This old Summit would definitely be a real - and sometimes expensive - challenge to keep fully functioning. On the other hand, it is one real cool grill:coolkettle:. It would be worth it if you have the time and money.
 
I think the burners are still made as are the flavo bars..............................I think I hear the devil knocking at your doors
 
It's Still For Sale

That stupid Summit is STILL listed in Jacksonville...Ughh!!! I wish it would have sold so I could just forget about it:mad:. To remind myself - AGAIN - why I don't need another big old grill rotting in my yard waiting for me to have time I never will find, I dropped by our maintenance yard and took this picture of the aftermath my recent purge:

ba544.jpg


I will say, though, that this first generation Summit should not be compared to the current, third generation ones that I gave up on. On the other hand, with limited parts availability, it would have $eriou$ i$$ue$ of its own.
 
Jon, I would probably have snagged those knobs and Weber logo before dumping the grills. Maybe some of those star bolts on the chrome hood trim as well.
But, yah, it is a shame, there is some pretty sexy SS laying there.
 
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