So much for my first smoker

[daveomak]

Pretend it was free, sitting on the curb... Someone threw it away.... And you wanted it....
Take it apart and straighten all the bent stuff... Put it back together.. The really bent stuff might even straighten... maybe...

 

[bluewhisper]

That side shelf looks like it's creased and beyond repair, but depending on who does the work, maybe you could cut it off, then fabricate and attach a similar replacement. BTW looks like the front of your CC is already drilled to install a shelf. You might be able to find or make something to go there. Imagine for example one of those long narrow cutting boards for French bread. Or any shape of cutting board, as long as it can span those two holes. Some toying with a drill and some nuts and bolts could easily put something together, and you could still dismantle it if you want to bring it in for washing.

Maybe you can grapple and bend the cooking chamber pieces back into line. The hinges might be damaged. Not being able to open it now is not a good sign. Is the firebox OK? Looks like the lower shelf is good, probably the legs too. Does it stand level, or wobble?

 

[chopsaw]

Take it apart and straighten all the bent stuff... Put it back together..

I agree . That thing is a long way from done . Don't know your skill level for this stuff , but if you're not going to report it or go after someone , then put it behind you and get it going again .
1. Remove the side shelf . The original shelves were wood . So thats an option for repair .
2. Pull the pins and take the lid off . Measure from corner to corner on the open side ( diagonal ) . Should be the same , or close .
3. See what it takes to push the side out , and straighten the back of the body at the lid pivots . Take the same measurement as you did on the lid . This will tell you if the body ( or lid )is pushed out of " square " .
If all that goes well , the next step will be to try to fit and seal the lid best you can .

 

[zwiller]

Agree with all: People suck, police report, fix it best you can, and create a boundary somehow. Pole in the ground/chain, etc.

 

[SunnyDC]

Thanks everybody... I'll update you later. I'm going to be tied up for the next few days preparing for my son-in-law's memorial service, and that's pretty much put this whole thing in perspective, as you might imagine. See you on the other side. ;)