It's the Cook and not the Cooker....does anyone need more proof than this?!?  mikey's (aka Stan Johnson) award winning supermodified ECB, "Lil' Rusty".

(MY GOD mikey!!!!  This is the ultimate in "renovations"...but I'll leave it in YOUR words...color commentary by Randy)

"Got some scans of the prize-winning ECB."

• First one is Lil' Rusty, just back from competition (above), proudly bearing his 8th place chicken ribbon (folks, mikey WON A RIBBON on this thing...against people with FANCY $$$ rigs).  Note the round steel Deck Protector. Not required when cooking on pavement. Four 3/4" air holes in top, aluminum flashing skirt around bottom. Charcoal pan , water pan, grates all in stock location. Not shown is precision exhaust control media (aluminum foil stuffed into crack between lid and body).

• Next is water pan procured from Liberty Recycling Co's stainless pile for 32 cents. Still bearing prize-winning grease! (mikey's trash-digging again I see...)

• One of Lil' Rusty's secrets is this specially modified charcoal pan (is that like rusted COMPLETELY through?).

• And the piece de resistance: Technologically deficient air control mechanism. Available from playgrounds everywhere (that's SAND folks...and I think I see some cigarette butts still in it...).

Seriously though, mikey this is a HUGE inspiration for those of us still cooking on ECB's...although I bet ours are nicer looking.  It shows that you CAN make award winning barbecue on something like Lil' Rusty, if your heart is in it.  Now, before the folks reading this page get the wrong impression about mikey and his cooking tools....lemme show 'em your "WSM MAGNUM" (step-by-step instructions coming soon).

Now this thing is GORGEOUS!!!  Stay tuned, mikey is gonna show you how to make this at home...(next)