I am happy to report that the Weber Grill I trash picked two weeks ago is ready for service!
Details: It’s Weber Genesis Gold Model B manufactured in 2004 (model 6240001). It retailed for $550 – the equivalent of $720 today. (BTW it’s rare for Weber grills to be discounted from list price, maybe for end of season closeouts or model discontinuations.)
Here’s why I believe the previous owner put it out at the curb:
A hinge on one side was broken. The hinge was part of the side endcap casting. 
I contacted Weber. The end cap is not available by itself; I would have to buy the entire top lid assembly for around $250 with tax and shipping – but at least they stock parts for a grill made 13 years ago!
I have to admit that I seriously considered ordering a new top. Instead, I came up with this makeshift solution:
I fabricated a new hinge out of an aluminum angle bar and bolted it to the lid (it’s painted black). There was little to lose by trying. The grill also needed new caster wheels.
This past weekend I cleaned and polished it.
The burners and checked out fine. With the lid closed, it gets up to 600° F in a hurry! I also got this cover on Amazon; it’s half the price of an ‘official ‘Weber grill cover.
So, with a little bit of effort, someone else’s trash has been transformed into.. …well, maybe not a gem, but at least a semi-precious stone.
Keep a lookout, folks; you never know what you treasure you might find hidden out in the open! And I do promise you a trash picking post real soon.
Also, here is a great article about a couple who rehabbed a Weber grill they purchased from a thrift store for $50. They put a whole lot more effort into theirs than I did into mine but, their’s looks like it just came from the showroom floor!
Cheers, Paul
© 2017 Paul J Reimold