Is this an original nb chuckwagon?

[Ngof15]

I picked up this smoker from offerup for $275 and paid extra to have it delivered. It's solid steel and very very heavy. The steel looks pretty close to 1/4 in real life but in the photo looks 1/8. The guy I bought it from told me it was an original new braunfels smoker and they don't make them like that anymore. I've heard people speak pretty highly of it on this forum. I've done some research here and on the internet and it looks alot like the chuckwagon. I'm just curious if that's what I got here? I was interested cause it looked like thick steel and has a good size firebox for the size of the barrel and I'm wanting to move up from my $175 kingsford sierra. It doesn't have any branding on it other than a serial number that is on the cook door Y134 What do you guys think, did I stumble upon a vintage smoker? Would a pit like this last me a good while?

 

[Fueling Around]

Nice!
Needs some clean up. How are the grates in main chamber?

Far from knowledgeable on smokers. Could the "Y" be an old Yoder?

 

[flatbroke]

TX - Extreme BBQ Makeover - New Braunfels Smoker Refurb

Hey Guys (and gals!) .... I found the SMF forums last week while digging for info on a smoker I was going to buy ... Always heard great things about the New Braunfels Smokers, and ran across one locally on craigslist. Basically the ad was ... "husband is gone, time to move his cooker" .... he...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Ngof15]

Nice!
Needs some clean up. How are the grates in main chamber?

Far from knowledgeable on smokers. Could the "Y" be an old Yoder?

Thanks, there's a grate that covers about 80% of the cook chamber. I need to get one made that'll be a perfect fit. From some of the other posts their Original NBs also have a serial number on the inside of the cook door starting with a Y or IY.

The only thing I'm kinda concerned about is they modified the chimney by making it more narrow. What does that do in terms of convection? I would think that it would draw less air through it but I"m not sure what that means in terms of the heat regulation.

I want to see if I can get someone to help me cut out the chimney patch it in and then make a new on on the side that's bigger.

I wanna clean it up too but not sure should I strip the current paint off sand it down real good and then start over? It looks like they painted over some rust but it doesn't look like it's thinning out the steel so don't think it's too bad. The only thing that looks like it's thinning out a little bit is the right side of the firebox and he had it reinforced with a patch weld.

 

[Ngof15]

TX - Extreme BBQ Makeover - New Braunfels Smoker Refurb

Hey Guys (and gals!) .... I found the SMF forums last week while digging for info on a smoker I was going to buy ... Always heard great things about the New Braunfels Smokers, and ran across one locally on craigslist. Basically the ad was ... "husband is gone, time to move his cooker" .... he...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Saw that, it's what made me feel like I have the same model.