Weber Genesis 1,2, and 3


 
TomRc said:
In general, the idea of hacking up grills that we or others have determined as beyond useful service and assembling these salvage parts into something usable seems commendable. Admittedly, and much like the story of Frankenstein, I find them to be oftentimes hideous and reject them based solely on appearance. Is my opinion right? Of course not. Nor am I wrong to be of this opinion, either. Mechanicals aside, I think Weber has done a bang up job over the years in giving us a visually appealing product across many product lines and trim levels. Very rarely have I seen where we have improved on that appearance with our own hands by combining parts of one grill with another. I’m sure many of these Frankengrills, or hybrids, or whatever named grills really cook like a beast. I’ll be the bad guy and say that I think a lot of them look like beasts, too. I’ll even go a step further to say that it bothers me in some capacity when I see a vintage grill carved up unnecessarily when it could have been restored. There’s only so many 13 bar deep cook boxes, etc left out there if you follow my train of thought. As an example, IMO your own red head should be fully restored and nothing less...either now or later on when you decide that your skill level is commensurate with the needs of the project. If you don’t see that day ever happening, I would much rather see a grill like that moved on as-is to someone who will tackle the project than to see it become a parts donor or hybrid. Again, I’m not right or wrong and neither are you if you choose to do differently. When it comes to Weber grills, I’ll take a purebred over a mongrel any day. In the meantime, I’ll apologize to @DanHoo for misinterpreting his bastardization reference and leading us down this rabbit hole.
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Tom, I think for the most part I agree with you on this. I certainly don't think it's wrong to swap out lids because you want a different color for example. The kind of thing that would bother me is using a newer style tank scale on a Genesis 1000-5000 because you didn't want to take the time to redo the old one and track down the fuel level sticker. Looking for that sticker is what led me to this site by the way. Again, just my own thoughts.
 
Jon Tofte said:
I tend to prefer the "stock" look overall, but I am not at all above combining features now and then. On my first Skyline project, I still hadn't learned that you couldn't simply drop a 13-bar firebox onto a Silver B frame. I wanted to have the benefits of the last version thermoset tables but with a 13-bar box and, of course, a Skyline hood. I had to settle with a x000 extended frame on which I set the 13-bar box and Skyline hood. But that didn't stop me from adapting a late Silver C side burner and adding a right-side swing table. That entailed some more modification to allow the special Skyline condiment basket (upgraded with a White Sox badge also showing a Chicago Skyline) to co-exist with a table on the right. I used black Silver knobs and igniter switch, and I also used a later version Weber logo badge in place of the original earlier version. Finally, I substituted Silver end handle/tool holders in place of the frame plugs, freeing up the need for the original metal tool holders. The condiment basket had those, but I didn't use them.

I asked my wife to post a couple pictures of my grill on her FaceBook page. Used to my renovations, she asked for "before" pictures. I had to explain to her there were none because the parts on my Skyline came from several different grills.

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I sadly sold that grill (but kept the Sox badge for a future Skyline). Since moving here I did another "Frankengrill" I guess, by grafting a 2-burner Skyline hood on to a last year Silver A body. Not as much customization, and not as cool a grill, but it is very practical to use as a daily driver for our small household. I finally got my Skyline/Thermoset table combination! The 2-burner Skyline did not feature the wire condiment rack, but I added a White Sox touch to the plastic one that came with the Silver A!

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Finally, I did a Silver A for a friend here in Indiana. I used the leftover parts from the merger of the two grills above but changed the table to mahogany slats, adding special E-W ones on the bottom. I also used @Bruce's help in getting some gray early Silver knobs and end caps dyed black. Definitely not stock, but I don't think if looks like a Frankenstein monster of cobbled together parts - even though, I suppose that's what it is!

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For you long-timers who have endured these pictures previously, I apologize. We have some new active members so I thought I would share these because of the "Frankengrill" discussion. After tax season I will be doing my very best to FINALLY make some new restorations and hopefully have some new stuff to share...right now I better get back to preparing yet another tax return.
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I never get tired of seeing that skyline that I know you wish you still had.
 
Jon Tofte said:
I tend to prefer the "stock" look overall, but I am not at all above combining features now and then. On my first Skyline project, I still hadn't learned that you couldn't simply drop a 13-bar firebox onto a Silver B frame. I wanted to have the benefits of the last version thermoset tables but with a 13-bar box and, of course, a Skyline hood. I had to settle with a x000 extended frame on which I set the 13-bar box and Skyline hood. But that didn't stop me from adapting a late Silver C side burner and adding a right-side swing table. That entailed some more modification to allow the special Skyline condiment basket (upgraded with a White Sox badge also showing a Chicago Skyline) to co-exist with a table on the right. I used black Silver knobs and igniter switch, and I also used a later version Weber logo badge in place of the original earlier version. Finally, I substituted Silver end handle/tool holders in place of the frame plugs, freeing up the need for the original metal tool holders. The condiment basket had those, but I didn't use them.

I asked my wife to post a couple pictures of my grill on her FaceBook page. Used to my renovations, she asked for "before" pictures. I had to explain to her there were none because the parts on my Skyline came from several different grills.

View attachment 46460

View attachment 46461

I sadly sold that grill (but kept the Sox badge for a future Skyline). Since moving here I did another "Frankengrill" I guess, by grafting a 2-burner Skyline hood on to a last year Silver A body. Not as much customization, and not as cool a grill, but it is very practical to use as a daily driver for our small household. I finally got my Skyline/Thermoset table combination! The 2-burner Skyline did not feature the wire condiment rack, but I added a White Sox touch to the plastic one that came with the Silver A!

View attachment 46462

View attachment 46463

Finally, I did a Silver A for a friend here in Indiana. I used the leftover parts from the merger of the two grills above but changed the table to mahogany slats, adding special E-W ones on the bottom. I also used @Bruce's help in getting some gray early Silver knobs and end caps dyed black. Definitely not stock, but I don't think if looks like a Frankenstein monster of cobbled together parts - even though, I suppose that's what it is!

View attachment 46464

View attachment 46465

For you long-timers who have endured these pictures previously, I apologize. We have some new active members so I thought I would share these because of the "Frankengrill" discussion. After tax season I will be doing my very best to FINALLY make some new restorations and hopefully have some new stuff to share...right now I better get back to preparing yet another tax return.
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These are great examples of grills that, in my opinion, far exceed in beauty and utility, anything that ever rolled off the Weber line. Of course I agree that there's no right answer. Just as with car restorations, there are purists who feel it sinful to deviate in any way from factory original and others who think it's great to go super creative.

Honestly, I can appreciate both approaches. There's much to be said for a factory spec restoration but also much to be said for creativity and a product that in the end equals or exceeds the original. I do think these old machines deserve our respect. But that doesn't mean we can't use them for parts, at least not in my book. I don't think that means we have to restore every one that falls into our hands. It has to make financial sense too. In a perfect world, nothing would ever wind up in a landfill. We don't live in that world so we have to make choices that seem wise given with the real world limits on our resources (which can be related to funds, time and expertise).
 
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I see a big difference in something rarer like an early Genesis or Jr. vs. something more common like a Silver B. Then there is the overall "Does it look GOOD with the mods?" question. That ugly thermometer stuck on the Platinum hood sure doesn't to me. But I would submit that the ones I posted at least look like there was a plan.

Most of the time I try to stick close to original stock look. For an early Genesis, Jr., or 1st generation Summit I am willing to go some great lengths to try and get it back to original and looking as nice as possible.
 
Roy-Parallax said:
Honestly, I can appreciate both approaches. There's much to be said for a factory spec restoration but also much to be said for creativity and a product that in the end equals or exceeds the original.
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+1

I completely agree.

I'll add a third approach where someone takes one that would otherwise be heading to the scrap pile and turns it around and even if it is not factory spec or equal or better than the original, it is working and back in service.
 
Here’s a Frankengill for ya...the very rare and as yet unseen Spirit E-210 grafted horizontally onto a Genesis stainless frame. Not really, it’s just my Platinum C project being reduced to a sawhorse while waiting for parts to arrive. I’m converting the Spirit from NG to LP for a customer and as part of that change am swapping out the base pan to the correct “hole for LP tank” version in the process. Space is tight in the shop during the winter, so sometimes projects get a little stacked up...literally. But hey, check out that brandy spankin’ new end panel on the Plat C while you’re at it. I set out in search of one and somehow wound up with two. Now, I gotta get another grill for it to go on, right?88E77252-E43B-474D-BA66-9F1EAB587203.jpegCBD54C55-2439-462B-9416-4EA916347730.jpeg
 
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