Last summer I was able to grab a Brinkman smoker http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DpkAPJveL.jpg for a whole Dollar at a yard sale.
It looked as though it was used little but left out side to die. Average price $65 new.

I learned to get around the rust and even modify it a bit to work better for me.

Last week I was able to get a Char Griller for free from a landlord who is selling the building. It was left over stuff from a previous tenant that was never taken.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AJHXPCH1L.jpg Average price $175 new.

This one also has seen better days. It was used in the end to burn papers, was rusty and the wood shelving was completely dry rotted and easily broke off by hand.
So far I have cleaned it out, wire wheeled and re-seasoned the grills, wire wheeled the rust and repainted the body with grill paint. Next week I am replacing the shelving with some more red wood planks from Lowes.

Tomorrow I will be playing with it as I do some ribs. I'm going to tweak as to where to place the heat and the meat for optimum temp.
I'm looking for a constant 275*.

I'm thinking placing the coals by the air inlet and the meat near the other end so the heat flows over that way before it goes out the vent.

BISHOP