The gas grill smoker idea started the same way a lot of backyard ideas start ... with weather, limited options, and a refusal to give up on the cook.
Nobody should confuse a workaround with a purpose-built smoker, but that does not make the workaround useless.
What the Foil Was Really Doing
The foil was less about tricking the grill into becoming something it was not and more about directing heat where it had a better chance to behave.
Once the setup started making airflow slightly more predictable, the whole cook calmed down.
Why the Hack Belongs Here
Backyard barbecue is full of small engineering moments. Not polished, not pretty, but useful.
This site should keep those stories because they are how ordinary cooks get better without pretending they own a perfect setup.